“Long Past Dues”
By James J Butcher
Book 2 of 2: The Unorthodox Chronicles
Genre: Fantasy fiction, Thrillers, Paranormal fiction, 401 pages (kindle)
Available in softcover, hardcover, kindle and audiobook
First published: October 10, 2023

Rating 4.5/5

The second book of “Unorthodox Chronicles” by James Butcher, titled “Long Past Dues” is, blatantly put, one of the best urban fantasy books of this year. 

No matter what one likes, they can find it weaved within these pages. Be it action that leaves one on the edge of their seats or wit that will make you laugh out loud, this book may satisfy all readers’ niches. This book also includes masterfully done moments of introspection, as the characters struggle with loss, love, duty and courage.

The story follows Griswold Grimsby, who had become an auditor in the events of the previous book. 

However, things are not smooth sailing. 

He is regulated to mundane busy work and has to constantly prove himself to his superiors. (Un)luckily for him, trouble seems to find him. However, he will also find ample opportunities to prove himself as he navigates dangerous curses, treacherous politics and rogue werewolves as he investigates an unknown ritual of nefarious intent.

Overall, fans of the previous book and of urban fantasy in general will find plenty to enjoy in this book as James Butcher continues to refine his writing style and continues to play to his strengths. The characters are so real they feel like they could walk off the page and the author created a world so deep one can get lost in it. 

The only real downsides are that it relies on one to have read the previous book to understand key context and several of the twists can be seen coming from a mile away. 

All in all, anybody who enjoys the fantasy genre, deep characters and rich humor should give “Long Past Dues” a try.