Storm Front and Fool Moon are the first two books in Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series. Like the other younger Harry, this Harry is a wizard. He works out of Chicago. Like a private eye, he hires out his talents. His main source of income is working with the Chicago police on various crimes that involve magic. In Storm Front, Dresden investigates a disappearance that leads to supernatural attempts on his life. A gang selling a magical drug called ThirdEye also figures into the plot. Fool Moon concerns werewolves. Who knew there were many types of werewolves. Dresden takes on all the very different forms and flirts with death with each encounter. These early books aren’t great (the series gets better), but are entertaining, breezy reads. If you’re looking for some light reading, these books are fun.
I agree with you, George. The first book in particular was different from the later ones as it took him a while to get the character(s) down, but they are fun. I have quite a few sitting on the shelves unread and may pull out the next one to read one of these days.
Did you ever see the short-lived television version?
Yes, Jeff, I watched the short-lived TV series on the old SCI-FI CHANNEL. I liked it, but apparently not enough people tuned it. In the Dresden series, it’s important to read the books in order to avoid confusion.
I’ve read these< actually the first eight, nine, but have fallen behind. I have the next four and that's it. Need to get off my duff.
I’m impressed by Jim Butcher’s productivity, Randy. And he keeps the quality control of his novels high.
I read the first book and thought it was okay but too long. So I didn’t read any of the others. I’ve seen some of the recent ones, however, and they’re even longer.
You’re right, Bill. Butcher needs a good editor. But I suspect the length of his books is a function of today’s publishing. I’m guessing Butcher’s publisher is telling him to write 400-page books.
New author for me, thanks George – just how many of them are there and where would the best place to start be for a newbie such as myself?
Sergio, it’s best to read the Dresden Files series in order:
1 Storm Front
2 Fool Moon
3 Grave Peril
4 Summer Knight
5 Death Masks
6 Blood Rites
7 Dead Beat
8 Proven Guilty
9 White Night
10 Small Favor
11 Turn Coat
12 Changes
13 Ghost Story
14 Cold Days
I believe there are fourteen novels in the series to date, Sergio, and as George says it is best to read them in order.
Jeff, THE DRESDEN FILES series must sell well because I’ve been able to pick up the whole series in used bookstores (we still have a couple), thrift stores, and Library Sales.
I read about 1/3 of the first one and put it on BookSwap. I didn’t think it was very good, plot or writing, Maybe it got better, and I’ve heard before the books get better as the series progresses, but I’m not interested in wading through so-so books to get to a better one later on. At least not when there are hundreds of other books waiting to be read.
I set the bar pretty low for private-eye wizard books, Rick. I also like Dresden’s first-person narration.
The TV series, THE DRESDEN FILES, based on these books introduced this writer to me. I liked the actor who played Dresden and it had a quirky snese of humor that I think is required in these kind s of stories that meld the real human world with a secret underground of supernatural beings. I liked Butcher’s early books when Dresden was a real occult detective. His Watson is one of the most intriguing and original parts of the series – the disemboided spirit of an ancient sorcerer. But the sereis got way too involved in a war between two vampire tribes and I find all that vampire nonsense utterly boring. Stopped reading them long ago. He did, however, write these long before Charlaine Harris made vampires a hot property all over again.
Excellent analysis, John! I, too, liked Paul Blackthorne’s Harry Dresden in the SCI-FI CHANNEL series. And, I agree with you: the vampire war does get tedious at times. But if you space the books out like I do, they’re a guilty pleasure.
I followed this series for a while but have given up. Like the Buffy TV series, the dead don’t stay dead. I didn’t mind it in Buffy but found it tedious in the Butcher series. Guess I never really connected with the hero. Joe liked the TV show more than I did.
As in any long series, Beth, there are going to be peaks and valleys. You’re right about some of the books being tedious. But Butcher gives me enough Good Stuff to keep me hanging in there.
We first saw Blackthorne in an episode of one of Jackie’s favorite British series, JONATHAN CREEK, and he played the main terrorist in season three of 24. George, I see he is currently in ARROW.
Blackthorne is a versatile actor, Jeff. I really liked him as the terrorist in 24. Then he showed up as a good guy in THE DRESDEN FILES. Nice.
I must admit I haven’t yet read any of Butcher’s oeuvre, since supernatural crime fiction isn’t my favorite subgenre. But I do enjoy private eye tales, so I’ll have to add these to my list.
There’s plenty of silliness in THE DRESDEN FILE series, BV. And romance, too.
I’ve read both of these over the last year and liked each one enough that I’ll continue reading the series. The second one is a big step up from the first as Butcher gets his feet under him. I was initially very leery of Fool Moon given that it was a werewolf story but Butcher managed to make that old trope very interesting and created some terrifying characters. I also like the tension in Fool Moon, that felt like it was being ratcheted up the longer the story went along. Fun stuff!
Fun stuff, indeed, Carl. THE DRESDEN FILES is mostly light and frothy (though there are some Dark Moments). I recommend these books for Light Entertainment.