The Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher

Sephiroth_dude

Hi
Just wondering has anyone read these books?I recieved the first one in the post today (storm front).

mrwhimwham

Can't believe no one ever replied to this. Simply my favourite series of fantasy novels I ever did read. Awful hard to put the book down!

Chucken

mrwhimwham wrote: »

Can't believe no one ever replied to this. Simply my favourite series of fantasy novels I ever did read. Awful hard to put the book down!

Probably because the OP mentions storm front?!! Thats enough to put people off.

Yes, I know, Its a book!

old gregg

By total coincidence I was just out in my local library and happened upon this book while looking for something else. I'd never heard of him or the books before.

I guess the expression Storm Front has an ominous association for many and we have trouble getting past images of the less than savoury types who frequent the site.

I've taken the book out to give it a spin.

mrwhimwham

Chucken wrote: »

Probably because the OP mentions storm front?!! Thats enough to put people off.

Yes, I know, Its a book!

Must admit, that one went completely over my head there...

old gregg

90 pages into Storm Front and I truly don't know what to make of it. At times you see glimmers of Butcher having a great turn of phrase and at others it's like he's collaborating with a 12 year old.

I'll stick with it. After 2 years reading Berlin history maybe it's the perfect summer read.

Quatermain

It's a really easy thing to say, and may not sound like a massive recommendation, but the series does "grow the beard" a little down the line. The first couple are admittedly a little substandard, but once you hit Grave Peril they really start to pick up. You see more interesting characters, more action, and more overturning of supernatural tropes. I heartily recommend sticking with them.

old gregg

So, I thought nearly 2 months down the road I'd resurrect this one. I'd been reading mostly non fiction Berlin history for 2 years and as mentioned earlier had picked up Storm Front by chance after seeing it mentioned here.

At this point I'm on the 9th book in the series (White Knight) having located the lot in my local library. It's been an interesting experience taking a large series of books and working through them as if they were just one huge volume.

They sure are not Literature in the tradition of the Great American Novel but good fun and easy to plough through. I think perhaps I'll take a break after this one as maybe I've just spent too long living with the same characters and Harry is starting to become tiresome.

There you go

Queen-Mise

I have threatened to start them at least 20 times & haven't gotten round to it yet. It is on my long list of book series to read.

Are you enjoying them?

old gregg

I've enjoyed them in that they are possibly the easiest read I've encountered in years. Quatermain has a point above when saying that they do improve as you progress past maybe the first 3. There is a point where I noticed Butcher's writing style improve almost as if he'd taken a creative writing course and suddenly things become a little more complex.

Reading them one after another, sometimes finishing one and picking up the next mid coffee has been great fun.

Maybe that's the reason why I'm struggling with the 9th. Saturation perhaps. Also likely that after a few months of reading material that doesn't challenge it's time to take a break and come back to them next summer.

That's the story morning glory

HemmingSay

I think they make a pretty good case for audio books - simple, yet intriguing plots that are not overly populated with characters and delivered by a decent narrator.

I've been ploughing through them and definitely agree that his writing improves further down the series.

Sitric

HemmingSay wrote: »

I think they make a pretty good case for audio books - simple, yet intriguing plots that are not overly populated with characters and delivered by a decent narrator.

I've been ploughing through them and definitely agree that his writing improves further down the series.

They certainly are not heavy literature but they are great fun to read. As noted, they writing improves throughout the series. I became a little saturated after a few books and took a break to read other things but returned and still enjoy them. looking forward to the latest this weekend

HemmingSay

Nice one - didn't realise there was a new one coming out.

Lately I've been getting my fix of urban fantasy with the Iron Druid books. They're not bad, I certainly enjoy reading up on the myths/stories/creatures they bring up. Spending far too much time down the rabbit hole of Wikipedia!

nicowa

I started reading them years ago. Found out about them when I accidentally downloaded a clip of James Marsters (spike from Buffy) doing the audio book. So I can't really say much about the first few (it's been so long) I do know when I tried to go back after reading about 9 of them it was difficult - the story and characters have grown so much. But I'm reading the latest one at the moment Cold Days - I'm after counting them and it's his 15th book! - and I'm really enjoying it. I know I should be getting more out of it, but I'm really tired so I think I'm missing a lot of the subtext... We'll see.