# My latest guilty pleasure: The Dresden Files (books) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698 "2009-09-27T00:46:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/41 "2009-10-06T21:09:57Z")
A gamer friend of mine lent me the first book early last year, and once I was done I went out and bought every other book available at the time and read them all in a few weeks. I saw him at the Dayton signing. He seems like a really kewl guy. I’m waiting for the RPG to come out, cuz that’s just gonna be 10 bags of awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/42 "2009-10-06T21:58:21Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I just wanted to pop in and say that I watched the first 2 TV shows on hulu, and I thought they were terribad. I won’t be watching anymore. The stuff in my head as I read is way better visually, the dialogue is delivered better, and the hockey stick was a really stupid idea (as was the jacket). The later episodes were much better than the first couple, but they definitely don’t compare to the books. I do think the hockey stick for the staff and the drumstick for the wand were nice touches, though; in the TV series continuity, he doesn’t necessarily want to draw too much attention to his wizardness, so those are good ‘disguises’ for his implements. In the books, of course, he’s not making any pretenses, so those wouldn’t work. And TV-Bob kicks Book-Bob’s ass, dammit. A highly skilled wizard cursed to live in his own skull for eternity is way better than some vague air spirit turned magical computer. ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/43 "2009-10-07T00:37:55Z")
> [@3trew](#): > > The audio books are worth finding too. James Marsters does an excellent job with the reading. Seconded, they’re great. ---
**Author:** ![Karweenie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e79b87/32.png) [@Karweenie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karweenie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/44 "2009-10-07T01:05:08Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > I acquired an advance reading copy of the second volume of this at a book show, and it’s been sitting with my “to be read” books ever since because I can’t decide if I should try to read it without reading he first book, or if I should try to track down an inexpensive copy of the first book (or see if my local library has it). Definitely read the first one. It sets up the minor characters that get their own very significant subplot in the second and third books. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/45 "2009-10-07T01:21:32Z")
I picked up _Storm Front_ and _Grave Peril_ for $5 each new in paperback. I had the rest of the series, but the store wasn’t set up for Visa, and I only had like $13 cash on me. I’m going back tomorrow to get the rest, and then I’ll read them all in order, even tho some will be my 2nd time thru. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/46 "2009-10-07T01:32:24Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I picked up _Storm Front_ and _Grave Peril_ for $5 each new in paperback. I had the rest of the series, but the store wasn’t set up for Visa, and I only had like $13 cash on me. I’m going back tomorrow to get the rest, and then I’ll read them all in order, even tho some will be my 2nd time thru. Hell, right now I’m on my…third? Fourth? time through the series, and it’s just as good as when I read it the first time. Midway through Summer Knight right now. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/47 "2009-10-07T21:14:57Z")
I love the series. I got into it by watching the short-lived TV series and liked it…so I dug up the books. I now know the TV series was horrid and could have been so much better. Just 2 completely random tidbits that I love: - Harry is reckless. Completely over-the-top-stupid-beyond-belief-whatthehell are you DOING! reckless. Somebody needs to slap him upside the head reckless (wait-that wouldn’t help 🙂 ). However, he DOES change as the series goes on…like the part where he is about to bash into a nasty situation like he normally does and he stops…thinks a bit…then calls for help 🙂 🙂 🙂 :). Loved that! - Harry is sexually frustrated beyond belief (particularly earlier novels). His helpful spirit Bob is fixated on sex…seing naked women etc etc. You then find out when Bob is taken from Harry that he takes on a complementary personality to whoever owns him and becomes nasty. When Harry gets him back…he is back to sex addict again :). Don’t know why…but I liked that. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/48 "2009-10-07T21:21:04Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I thought the casting was spot-on, but I agree that it’s not really good material for a TV show. Too much that needs to be explained. I disagree. They just need to take their time. The first book doesn’t need to be done in 1 hour…it can take half a season. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/49 "2009-10-07T22:40:19Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > - Harry is sexually frustrated beyond belief (particularly earlier novels). His helpful spirit Bob is fixated on sex…seing naked women etc etc. You then find out when Bob is taken from Harry that he takes on a complementary personality to whoever owns him and becomes nasty. When Harry gets him back…he is back to sex addict again :). Don’t know why…but I liked that. It sure as hell doesn’t help when you deal with the supernatural on a constant basis and thus frequently run into women more gorgeous and sexy than any normal human woman could ever think about being. And the normal human women Dresden does know are all completely awesome too. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/50 "2009-10-07T23:34:36Z")
I’ve been reading these (the mention in Cecil’s column is what first got my interest) and I must say I’m hooked. I don’t usually go for cheesy fantasy / scifi stuff, and the Dresden books sure can be cheesy, but they’re also utterly enjoyable. My only beef with 'em is that I’ve been working on a novel about vampires in Chicago, and I worry about the profile of Dresden making my book seem like a knockoff. I think the tone and style and content will be sufficiently different, but, you know, worries. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/51 "2009-10-08T07:13:48Z")
Read _Storm Front_ and then re-read _Fool Moon_ today. Interesting how his vampires have changed slightly since the first book, and very interesting to see that his writing has gotten much better since that first book (when compared with, say, #9 and #11). _Grave Peril_ is on for tomorrow! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/52 "2009-10-10T16:45:58Z")
_Grave Peril_ was great fun. I like how Butcher keeps introducing characters without actually telling the first-time-we-met part of the story. I like how Harry and all the other characters have a history behind them, one that we aren’t always aware of. It makes them seem more real, more broadly defined, and hints that their world and themselves have motivations and traits and things aren’t just cookie-cutter-esque. I think it’s also interesting that he seems to have refined quite a few of his ideas (specifically about vampires) since the first few books. Also, his writing today is definitely quite a bit better than it was 10 years ago, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/53 "2009-10-20T01:43:19Z")
Okay, having read this thread I had put _Storm Front_ in my queue and finally got around to it … any one else have a hard time with his placing it in Chicago but obviously not knowing anything about the city or its surrounding area? It kind of took me out of the story to have things be so wrong about the city. Better to have been a made up city than a real city done wrong. Does it get better? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/54 "2009-10-20T01:51:14Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Does it get better? As I understand it, yes. He’s mentioned that he’s been getting advice and information from people who know the area since the series became well known. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/55 "2009-10-20T03:36:32Z")
I just downloaded Storm Front onto my Kindle. Thanks for the tip. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/56 "2009-10-20T18:28:31Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Okay, having read this thread I had put _Storm Front_ in my queue and finally got around to it … any one else have a hard time with his placing it in Chicago but obviously not knowing anything about the city or its surrounding area? It kind of took me out of the story to have things be so wrong about the city. Better to have been a made up city than a real city done wrong. > > Does it get better? As **Der Trihs** said, I think I read that he got a lot of flack about this early on, and so he’s been getting help from his Beta Foo readers to better the realism of Dresden’s Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/57 "2009-10-20T18:40:32Z")
So, I’ve read them all! Including the 2 graphic novels and the novelette _Backup_. His writing gets better with every book, but really seems to make a huge leap forward and upward with **Dead Beat**. From that point on, it seems really obvious that he has a huge story arc that’s actually planned, instead of just making it up as he goes with each new book. April 6, 2010 is the publication date for the 12th book, which will see a new theme for titles possibly, as it’s currently listed as _Changes_, thus breaking the 2 word theme he’s had going. And there will be other new stuff! > [@](#): > > Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden’s lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it. > > Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry’s not fighting to save the world… > > He’s fighting to save his child. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/58 "2009-10-20T19:08:54Z")
If that spoiler is true. Pretty crappy of Susan to keep Dresden’s child a secret from him. Especially crappy because she’s aware of Harry being an orphan and of his need to have a family. I’m betting it’s not actually his child. I’m hoping it isn’t. I don’t need a pwecious kid to become a character in book twenty. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/59 "2009-10-20T20:38:22Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > If that spoiler is true. It probably is; back in May on his own boards Butcher posted about it. [spoiler] > [@](#): > > I answered the phone, and Susan Rodriguez said, “They’ve taken our daughter.” > > So far, it’s all I have written of “Changes.” 🙂 As for a “pwecious kid” becoming a character in Book 20, with Harry’s history of personal relationships the kid’ll probably end up being eaten, or picking up a coin and he’d probably end up forced into killing his Denarian-possessed child or locking her in a vault or something. Being close to Harry does tend to be the Kiss of Doom.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698/60 "2009-10-20T22:11:32Z")
I’m hoping we finally get to meet the Jade Court. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-latest-guilty-pleasure-the-dresden-files-books/511698.md?page=4)