Dresden: Wizard for Hire

[Dawes]

Harry Dresden - Wizard
Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or
Other Entertainment.​

Just from the back of his books, prospective readers learn a great deal about Jim Butcher's titular character, Harry Dresden, the star of The Dresden Files. A wise-cracking, spell-slinging, privately-investigating, poor-fashion-sensed wizard with a streak of lucky victories and a few skeletons in his closet, Harry Dresden is the subject of books and the season of a television series based around his adventures.

I've seen one episode of The Dresden Files as a show, and I've decided that the books are a much better way to experience Jim Butcher's stories. Has anyone ever read any of The Dresden Files, and if so, what do you think of them? I'm curious to see if there are any other readers on the board familiar with these novels.

For those who aren't familiar, The Dresden Files read like pulp dimestore novels, mixing mystery with noir with magic. In his exploits, professional wizard Harry Dresden solves crimes involving sorcerers, werewolves, vampires, you-name-it, and ends up scraping by each and every time. I can't suggest these books enough! Although the language is simple and to-the-point, the stories are thick and expansive, the characters are memorable, and the situations Harry finds himself in are just plain fun to follow... even when they get serious and dangerous. They move unbelievably fast, and reveal more and more about the fictional Chicago where they take place as the books move on. Violent, but light-hearted, and always moving, I'd suggest that any fans of mystery, science-fiction, or fantasy see what they can do to pick up the first books, Storm Front and Fool Moon.

If you happen to pick them up, let me know what you think of them! It's always fun to discuss fun books with other readers! ^ ^

 

[Trevor]

The show almost interested me. It had a lot of the right elements, but there was still something too formulaic about it. It's good to hear that the books have more going for them. I've got a pretty backed up reading list, but I guess that's another thing to toss mentally onto the pile.

 

[Dawes]

If you get around to reading them, Trevor, I hope you like them! They're not fine literature by any stretch of the imagination, but they're fun-filled reads that you can rip through in a few sittings.

The Dresden from the show is a lot less lovable than the one in the books. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to read them!