The Dresden Files

Maxwell's Demon · May 13, 2006

Have you read them and are they any good?

WayneLigon · May 13, 2006

I've read all of them and am in the process of reading all of them again because we're gtting ready to start a Dresden-themed modern horror/magic campaign using Mutants and Masterminds.

I think they are probably the most enjoyable books of this genre available today. There are several others, but they either just fall short of the entertaining characters and situations Butcher has created or they veer off into totally opposite directions after a time (Anita Blake. I'm looking at you).

trancejeremy · May 13, 2006

I read the first one, which I thought was okay, but not great. Which is why I never read the rest of them. Some people swear by them, so I would suggest giving them a go.

WmRAllen67 · May 14, 2006

Just re-read them a coupe of weeks ago, and the new one just came out, too...

I'm a fan, I'll buy them in hardback...

Elodan · May 14, 2006

I've read all the ones in paperback (just picked up Dead Beat this weekend). Excellent reads.

Elf Witch · May 14, 2006

I am reading the lastest one right now. They are a great read. I really like what Jim Butcher does with the idea of magic and how it works. I really like all the recurring characters.

He has done a wonderful job with the mythology that governs his world. I really liked what he did with Vampires and Faries.

Wombat · May 14, 2006

Jim Butcher is a fun writer; I particularly liked Fool Moon in the series.

I have a feeling, though, that the series is beginning to spin out of control. The first 4 books were good, especially for essentially light summer reading, but the quality has been falling down recently as the whole series goes "epic". I think Harry works better as a smallscale character.

GSHamster · May 14, 2006

It's a good series. I've read the first six books, and hopefully will pick up book 7 sometime soon.

The first two books are pretty light, but he kind of goes hardcore in Book 3. I think you'll either find it awesome, or dislike the new direction the series takes.

I did think that Book 6 was a bit weaker than the others, but still very enjoyable.

Rackhir · May 14, 2006

I much prefer Glen Cook's "Garrett" books, they are much better hardboiled fantasy detective books IMHO.

Rl'Halsinor · May 14, 2006

I've read all of Cook's Garrett series and all of Butcher's Dresden series (except the most recent one) and I enjoy them both. Of the two I find Cook's work much closer to film noir in style, while Butcher is modern detective in style. Garrett is in a total fantasy world, particularly the city of Tun-Faire while Dresden is set in the city of modern Chicago and environs. Both work very, very well.

Cook takes the classic fantasy themes and adds his own fun modifications and though he has a sense of grittiness to his stories, Butcher is darker though very intruguing and I find his plots and characters very compelling and Dresden's enemies nothing to be triffiled with --never. The fairies... well I won't give it away and the vampires are... well I won't give that away, either.

They are also both in first person voice which is my absolute favorite way to read a story.

It is essential that you start with book 1 and proceed from there because there are common threads, themes, and information that carries throughout both series.

I thought Cook really became weak in his next to last offering in the Garrett series, but his last release seems to have gotten back on track.