A war is raging between the vampire forces of the Red Court and the WhiteCouncil - a war that the wizards are losing. So desperate are the Council thatthey've dragooned the experienced and the outcast to reinforce their thinningranks of Wardens. One of these draftees is one Harry Dresden, Chicago's onlywizard-for-hire and a guy who's long been looked upon with suspicion by thesupernatural authorities. Now, he's one of them, and his first big mission...