Dresden Files

Terdwilicker

Well-Known Member
#1
I've been putting a lot of effort into reading Harry Potter fan fiction over the last few months. Contemplating all that's been done with it but the inconsistencies and the overall weak characters, despite how much people imply about them, and the terribly bad last 2 books in the series make me desire not to write in it. I could write in it. I could write original stories, but I dislike writing idiots and most of the characters in those stories, being written for children as they are, are idiots, thus maddening. My temper finds it difficult to work within that context. And Rowling is already too rich. So what to do? It was suggested here, when book 7 was released (total crap that it is) that the next fandom should be Dresden Files. So I looked into it. Watched the videos, which are okay but not excellent and heard the books were better. I finally got some on Saturday and read the first 1.5 of them thus far. Jim Butcher's prose is good. Its tightly written, not Iain Banks, but appropriate for the Noir Crime Drama style and its character driven rather than a long series of Uber!Harry plotlines, though I understand his character evolves over time, as it should.

I'm finding Dresden to be more worthy of my attentions so I suspect those frustrated with Harry Potter's childishness would enjoy it too. Btw, each of the Dresden novels, despite being short at only a couple hundred pages, still has as much violence and dark drama and monster fighting as any 3 of the Potter novels. That's rather a plus. Its also good that it includes the Fae and demon worlds, ignored by Rowling despite Britain being rife with them. You gotta limit things for a children's story. You don't when you're writing for adults.
 

Mev852

Well-Known Member
#2
I've read about as much as you have - about 1 1/2 books in myself - and my favorite part is that, in the first book, practically everything went wrong but he was inventive enough to get through every obstacle. it wasn't "Oh here's an interesting plot device I can use to save my life" like certain spells in Harry Potter, but rather his already existing knowledge and his creativity that keep him one step ahead.
 

tungsten

Well-Known Member
#3
Was there a link available for the ebooks somehwere. I think there was, but I din't take advantage of it at the time and now I can't remember where I saw it.
 

Luthorne

Well-Known Member
#4
Hmm, my library finally got around to getting them, so I put 'em on hold...been wanting to read 'em for awhile.
 

Terdwilicker

Well-Known Member
#5
I'm in my mid 30's and children's books are really tiresome. Same with many animes. At first I overlooked it because of the frequent dry wit, or the use of darker themes that no US TV show would dare touch for a program that aired before 10 PM on Cable. I've seen dozens of animes, 20 years worth. Some are quite good and I consider classics (Haruhi Suzumiya, Saikano, Honey and Clover). Others are crap and I've forgotten them quickly (Only took 2 eps of Naruto to return it and cancel further rentals). Some I'm still trying to forget (Bleach, HunterxHunter) because their audience is 15-yo teenage boys rather than any value for an adult. Some are funny, some are sweet, some are intelligent and thoughtful (Whisper of the Heart). I don't see a great deal of philosophy in Dresden yet, but perhaps later. I'm liking the way Butcher has incorporated many different mythologies and legends into something which is reasonably coherent and interesting. The magical world SHOULD be more complicated than Rowling presented us. Her world had people fighting over it because it was simple and limited. A less limited world wouldn't have resorted to blood purists fighting over power and territory. They'd have gotten killed by Outsider summonings or demons or suffered the consequences of a bad deal with a Fae. Dresden's world seems to kill off wizards rather easily, as they toy with powers beyond their ability to manage. That's far more congruent with the legends and myths we've inherited from the norse, scots, irish, brits, welsh, danes, swedes, russians, germans, and finns. Magic should be a wilderness of things that can kill you, not a bunch of latin incantation and wand waving. The limitations of Potter makes it dishonest to the European cultural heritage.
 
#6
I'm a bit further than you two, seeing as I'm on my third reading of the series >_>, but I can guarantee that you'll enjoy them all thoroughly. The first two books, as good as they are, are like introductions to the world. You get a general feel of how the magic works and what sort of power some of the stronger creatures can wield, then you get thrown into book 3/4 and you realise just how great the series is.

I can safely say book 3 is my favourite one, it introduces the overarching plot of the rest of the series (I'm not gonna say any more on that) and shows you just what Harry is capable of. Book 4 is the general favourite, and you'll probably love it if you like the Fae at all, cause they just rock. I'll not go any further than that, for fear of spoiling things for you, but the books on from there are some of the best character driven literature I've ever read.

Buy the books, keep them on a shelf/bookcase near your desk, and read them often, because they'll be your new favourite series in short order :p.

Jack

P.S. Finding fanfiction for it is bloody difficult! So once you're done reading, write some!
 

MannequinMuse

Well-Known Member
#7
I've finished all of the nine that are out and I can vouch for their continuing realism. Also Butcher's a better writer at book nine than at book one and it shows; the reading itself is more smooth. The new editor doesn't hurt either.
 

Terdwilicker

Well-Known Member
#8
Butcher and I are the same age, same kinds of background memories of life at the same ages, though I doubt we've ever met. We're both authors, but we write in different genres and I'm really not famous, though I'm known in the right circles since good survival fiction is rare as a virgin in Catholic school. I'm most amused finding out his day job is computer tech support. I did that for years myself. Its a good way to gain characters because you end up meeting a lot of them taking calls.

I'm glad his prose is tight. I've seen improvements from book 1-3. Just finished reading Book 3 yesterday. Liked it a lot. It was dark, heavy, appropriate and I liked the characters and the arcs of their destruction. I'm ready to read more about the Fae and I have 4-9 on the way. I suspected that it was worth owning for reference, and to help his income so I've bought them. If I like what I read I'll be writing for it, when I'm not doing my own fiction. A new novel idea has popped up and I'm pondering how I should approach it. I hope #4 shows up before the weekend.
 

Draculthemad

Well-Known Member
#9
"Also Butcher's a better writer at book nine than at book one and it shows;"

That is very true.
Also, don't overlook his "Codex Alera" fantasy series. It really breaks a lot of molds, and is very well written.
 

Kerrus

Well-Known Member
#10
I think I said to myself one day "I really ought to read the Dresden books." and this was followed by a metaphorical noise that might have sounding like *Doink* as I pointed my browser at mininova and hit go.

The novels were fun, and I read them all in couple successive days. I especially liked the Necromancy part.

The Television series is also an interesting universe, and it's too bad that they cancled it. But then, everything gets canceled these days, so meh.
 

Steel

Well-Known Member
#11
Possibly some of the most epic necromancy ever.
 

MannequinMuse

Well-Known Member
#12
The books are pretty much the best casual reads I've read. Not hard to read, original plot and good pacing. The speed at which he shoots them out is nice too.
 

guyver05

Well-Known Member
#13
I've been looking for the book where he brings the T-rex to life.

I have books 1,3,4,5,8,and 9. Is it in any of these books?
 

ecs05norway

Well-Known Member
#16
I don't think it's been released yet.


Try the SFBC for collections in hardback, if you want to get the whole series at once. Better price than paperback....
 

ttestagr

Well-Known Member
#17
It was released today. I read the first 56 pages while I had a free moment earlier. Poor Dresden gets no respect :(
 

Ordo

Well-Known Member
#20
May I direct you to your local library?
 

Terdwilicker

Well-Known Member
#22
Xon said:
Currently the ebooks directory is publically accessable and browsable, but this is not my full collection of ebooks.
Rather than downloading, please buy the book. Jim Butcher works a day job doing computer tech support. He's got a wife and a daughter to look after and he could use the income of buying his books. Its not much, but every little bit helps. That will allow him to keep writing. Stealing his book, and he's NOT a rich author, will discourage him from developing this story further and probably make him turn to the Dark Side, invoking DCMA lawyers. It would be best if you removed that link altogether.

EDIT: Irony corrrected.
 

Fatuous One

Well-Known Member
#24
I find it pretty amusing that you guys are asking him to remove it, but are also quoting the links in the same post.

Protip: He can't edit your posts, and those links in them are just as valid.
 

Xon

Well-Known Member
#25
Yes, I also find it amusing that of the two people asking me to remove links quote said links. It is also a 30-40 second google search to find a torrent to download it as well.

Terdwilicker said:
Rather than downloading, please buy the book. Jim Butcher works a day job doing computer tech support. He's got a wife and a daughter to look after and he could use the income of buying his books. Its not much, but every little bit helps. That will allow him to keep writing. Stealing his book, and he's NOT a rich author, will discourage him from developing this story further and probably make him turn to the Dark Side, invoking DCMA lawyers. It would be best if you removed that link altogether.
For fucks sake, the god damn book isnt even available in my country due to how book distributing works and isnt going to be around for weeks. I either have to order it online and wait upto a week or two for the thing to show up or pick it up from a speciality store during working hours.

And it isn't stealing(since to get a copy I have not had to, illegally, deprive someone else of a copy), it is copyright infringement which is not a criminal act. Also DCMA is about circumvent DRM/access control which physical books don't even have.

Never mind the vast majority of people prefer a physical book over an ebook (even if this is a forum dedicated to reading fanfiction which is almost exclusively in electronic format). I ended up buying the books in the Codex Alera series because I read the ebooks, and got serveral of them in hardcover.

No shit if you want to support an author, go buy thier works. But that sure as hell doesn't preclude downloading a digital copy earlier.
 
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