The Dresden Files

davers · 04-07-2010, 08:21 PM

I discovered this series last year, and after reading the first one, I had to go out and get every one after it! I love the series! Jim Butcher is the author. There's 12 novels in the series so far, with 9 short stories. The blurb from the front cover:

"Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things -- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a -- well, whatever.

There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get... interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed."

They certainly are fun reading!!!

Dave

CFarrell · 04-07-2010, 08:32 PM

I was on Amazon earlier for ages looking at those books, I'm taking this thread as a sign that yes, I really do need them

Is there anything similar to these worth looking at?

FizzyWater · 04-07-2010, 10:05 PM

I really enjoy this series, too. I've read some comments from people who didn't like the first couple, but feel the writing improved after those. But I think they've been a fun read from the first!

PKFFW · 04-08-2010, 03:58 AM

I've read 9 so far. Loved the first but thought 2 and 3 were not so good. I was going to give up on them after the third, finding them to be too formulaic for my tastes but am so glad I persevered. From book 4 on I have loved them all and 9 is my favourite so far.

Simon Wood · 04-08-2010, 04:40 AM

I love the series. I even liked the TV series which sadly got axed.

I've never read the short stories. Where'd you read those...

Mare of Earth · 04-08-2010, 01:11 PM

Love the Dresden files! Read the first several on a recommendation, then read the rest of the ones that were available two years ago. Am a little behind, but a series I liked more than Kim Harrison's Witch series.

Probably the only other series I liked this much was the Anita Blake series - the first five or six books anyway.

WARNING - slight rant!

After that, they turned into mediocre verbal p0rn, and are not really worth the paper they are printed on - the only exception was Obsidian Butterfly, which actually had a plot due to the fact it was set out of town. But the first books were all about the quirks of this strange woman who hunts monsters, collects penguins, has a tank of angel fish, and some friends that are quirky and real on their own. I kept waiting for her friends to knock some sense into her, however the author took the cop out of all of her real friends from the first books just being offended by her lifestyle and pretty much dropping her completely. These were people she went jogging with, spent time with, but they all disappeared except for the occasional comment about how they were judgmental and she doesn't see them any more. Basically, justification for saying the heck with everyone and anyone she ever cared about and liked that she is not sleeping with, or whom she might sleep with in the future. So preferred the tone and plot of the first books!

END rant.

Sorry about that - it got away from me, but I always feel I have to warn people. *shrugs*

The main reason I love the Dresden Files is that every book has a plot of it's own, and while they build off the previous books, the central plot is good, and interesting and fun to read!

BooksForABuck · 04-08-2010, 01:30 PM

I've enjoyed this series as well. I also like Butcher's Fury series, which is epic fantasy rather than urban fantasy.

Rob Preece
Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

davers · 04-08-2010, 02:34 PM

I haven't read the shorts yet, but I stumbled upon them here:

Clicky-Click

Jadon · 04-08-2010, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKFFW

Loved the first but thought 2 and 3 were not so good.

I've read the first four and have stopped. I may get back to the series some day, but at the moment it's unlikely. I basically don't like Harry enough, finding him a whiner whose actions hurt others, even when he thinks he's trying to do good. It's not as bad to be Harry Dresden's friend as it is to be Jessica Fletcher's (Murder, She Wrote), but I had the feeling it was heading that way.

PKFFW · 04-08-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jadon

I've read the first four and have stopped. I may get back to the series some day, but at the moment it's unlikely. I basically don't like Harry enough, finding him a whiner whose actions hurt others, even when he thinks he's trying to do good. It's not as bad to be Harry Dresden's friend as it is to be Jessica Fletcher's (Murder, She Wrote), but I had the feeling it was heading that way.

I like Harry because he is flawed. His flaws make him seem more real. He makes decisions that sometimes are the wrong ones and sometimes have bad consequences even if it's they're the right decision.

Though I do agree that particularly in books 2 and 3 he seemed like he just loved to whine and whinge about everything. He remains grumpy but gets over the "poor me" attitude.

I also love the sense of humour throughout the books. Something about it appeals to my warped sense of the funny.

Cheers,
PKFFW

FlorenceArt · 04-09-2010, 11:07 AM

Maybe I shouldn't post here, because I found the book that I read (the first one) rather weak. I don't want to spoil anyone's pleasure, so just ignore this post if you want

The only thing that saved the book for me was the humor. I found the characters rather stereotypical. The main character is more human, and I did like him, although I wasn't impressed at all by the attempts at making him dark and mysterious while at the same time drowning us in details about his past

I do like a book to leave some freedom to my imagination, and hint at things rather than hit me in the face with them. This was my main problem with this book, although I've seen worse

nefferbea · 04-09-2010, 01:51 PM

I didn't like the first book at all. I wasn't going to read the rest of them, but then I saw the TV series, which I really liked, so I gave them another chance. I'm really glad that I did! I've found that each book gets better than the last. I really like the flawed characters and humor and how the characters develop with each book. Right now, I'm reading Turn Coat. Love this series!

ZenGoalie · 04-09-2010, 02:11 PM

I'll echo what many have said, the series/writing does improve with each book. I burned through them all by utilizing my town library. I'm tempted to get the latest one for my Kindle, but alas it still isn't available. It's a shame that the fighting between amazon and publisher is preventing me from buying this book.

It's definitly a series worth reading!

jabberwock_11 · 04-11-2010, 01:06 AM

I've been a fan of The Dresden Files ever since I stumbled on the tv show and decided to give the books a try. They do get better as the series progresses.

Another series that has a similar feel to The Dresden Files is the Joe Pitt Casebooks by Charlie Huston. I loved the first three books in the series, hated the last two (although the end of the last one was somewhat redeeming). The books are: Already Dead, No Dominion, Half the Blood of Brooklyn, Every last Drop, and My Dead Body.

FlorenceArt · 04-11-2010, 03:27 AM

Thanks all. Sounds like everybody agrees that the books get better, so maybe I should give it another try some day. But if I do, I think I'll skip 2 and 3 and go directly to #4

04-07-2010, 08:21 PM	#1
davers Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 6562 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony Dark Blue 505	The Dresden Files I discovered this series last year, and after reading the first one, I had to go out and get every one after it! I love the series! Jim Butcher is the author. There's 12 novels in the series so far, with 9 short stories. The blurb from the front cover: "Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things -- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a -- well, whatever. There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get... interesting. Magic. It can get a guy killed." They certainly are fun reading!!! Dave

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04-07-2010, 08:32 PM	#2
CFarrell Member Posts: 14 Karma: 499030 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ireland Device: sony	I was on Amazon earlier for ages looking at those books, I'm taking this thread as a sign that yes, I really do need them Is there anything similar to these worth looking at?

04-07-2010, 10:05 PM	#3
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	I really enjoy this series, too. I've read some comments from people who didn't like the first couple, but feel the writing improved after those. But I think they've been a fun read from the first!

04-08-2010, 03:58 AM	#4
PKFFW Wizard Posts: 3,710 Karma: 30941504 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: BeBook, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo H2O	I've read 9 so far. Loved the first but thought 2 and 3 were not so good. I was going to give up on them after the third, finding them to be too formulaic for my tastes but am so glad I persevered. From book 4 on I have loved them all and 9 is my favourite so far.

04-08-2010, 04:40 AM	#5
Simon Wood Addict Posts: 237 Karma: 400001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: California Device: none	I love the series. I even liked the TV series which sadly got axed. I've never read the short stories. Where'd you read those...

04-08-2010, 01:11 PM	#6
Mare of Earth Leaver of Hoofmarks Posts: 207 Karma: 24077 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern Alabama Device: Kindle Scribe, Kindle Paperwhite 4	Love the Dresden files! Read the first several on a recommendation, then read the rest of the ones that were available two years ago. Am a little behind, but a series I liked more than Kim Harrison's Witch series. Probably the only other series I liked this much was the Anita Blake series - the first five or six books anyway. WARNING - slight rant! After that, they turned into mediocre verbal p0rn, and are not really worth the paper they are printed on - the only exception was Obsidian Butterfly, which actually had a plot due to the fact it was set out of town. But the first books were all about the quirks of this strange woman who hunts monsters, collects penguins, has a tank of angel fish, and some friends that are quirky and real on their own. I kept waiting for her friends to knock some sense into her, however the author took the cop out of all of her real friends from the first books just being offended by her lifestyle and pretty much dropping her completely. These were people she went jogging with, spent time with, but they all disappeared except for the occasional comment about how they were judgmental and she doesn't see them any more. Basically, justification for saying the heck with everyone and anyone she ever cared about and liked that she is not sleeping with, or whom she might sleep with in the future. So preferred the tone and plot of the first books! END rant. Sorry about that - it got away from me, but I always feel I have to warn people. shrugs The main reason I love the Dresden Files is that every book has a plot of it's own, and while they build off the previous books, the central plot is good, and interesting and fun to read!

04-08-2010, 01:30 PM	#7
BooksForABuck Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 150001 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Device: Color Nook, Kindle 2, Palm III, eBookWise, HP Jornada	I've enjoyed this series as well. I also like Butcher's Fury series, which is epic fantasy rather than urban fantasy. Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

04-08-2010, 02:34 PM	#8
davers Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 6562 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony Dark Blue 505	I haven't read the shorts yet, but I stumbled upon them here: Clicky-Click

04-09-2010, 11:07 AM	#11
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	Maybe I shouldn't post here, because I found the book that I read (the first one) rather weak. I don't want to spoil anyone's pleasure, so just ignore this post if you want The only thing that saved the book for me was the humor. I found the characters rather stereotypical. The main character is more human, and I did like him, although I wasn't impressed at all by the attempts at making him dark and mysterious while at the same time drowning us in details about his past I do like a book to leave some freedom to my imagination, and hint at things rather than hit me in the face with them. This was my main problem with this book, although I've seen worse

04-09-2010, 01:51 PM	#12
nefferbea Member Posts: 21 Karma: 29058 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Sony PRS600, ipod touch, Sony 950	I didn't like the first book at all. I wasn't going to read the rest of them, but then I saw the TV series, which I really liked, so I gave them another chance. I'm really glad that I did! I've found that each book gets better than the last. I really like the flawed characters and humor and how the characters develop with each book. Right now, I'm reading Turn Coat. Love this series!

04-09-2010, 02:11 PM	#13
ZenGoalie Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle	I'll echo what many have said, the series/writing does improve with each book. I burned through them all by utilizing my town library. I'm tempted to get the latest one for my Kindle, but alas it still isn't available. It's a shame that the fighting between amazon and publisher is preventing me from buying this book. It's definitly a series worth reading!

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04-11-2010, 01:06 AM	#14
jabberwock_11 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 1591305 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Savannah, GA USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Aluratek Libre Pro	I've been a fan of The Dresden Files ever since I stumbled on the tv show and decided to give the books a try. They do get better as the series progresses. Another series that has a similar feel to The Dresden Files is the Joe Pitt Casebooks by Charlie Huston. I loved the first three books in the series, hated the last two (although the end of the last one was somewhat redeeming). The books are: Already Dead, No Dominion, Half the Blood of Brooklyn, Every last Drop, and My Dead Body.

04-11-2010, 03:27 AM	#15
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	Thanks all. Sounds like everybody agrees that the books get better, so maybe I should give it another try some day. But if I do, I think I'll skip 2 and 3 and go directly to #4