Board 8 > Sooo, the Dresden Files are ridiculously good. *spoilers*

(+) Yeah! (+)

I just finished Changes (Book 12) and though I could do without the cliffhanger ending, this one was probably my second favorite.

Every single book hasn't been AMAZING but there have been enough of consistent quality to make this one of the best fantasy series I've ever read.

I think the one with the Darkhallow is probably my favorite thus far, that or Book 11, I'm not sure.

Either way it's clear who the superior wizard named Harry is.
---

Changes is my favourite and yeah I definitely like this series more than Potter, which I love.
---

Wish he'd hurry up and finish Peace Talks though, Starting to feel like waiting for Winds of Winter.
---

Sadly the next book is one of the weakest in the series (imo), but the two after that are amazing.
---

Changes is the best, followed by Dead Beat and Small Favor. Cold Days is up there too though.
---

Dresden's good, idk if I would call it great, but it is a solid experience on the whole. Butcher is pretty adept at crafting a cozy world that the reader can feel they understand while still managing to expand upon it and keep things fresh. It is basically the bar by which modern urban fantasy is set against.
---

I read book 1, a little of book 2, shrugged and walked away. I guess it's all right, but I didn't see such potential in it to warrant the sort of rampant fanboyism that the series seems to generate.

maybe that's because you read a miniscule percentage of it.
---

The first 12 books are ranked as such.

12 > 11 > 10 > 9 > 8 > 7 > 6 > 5 > 4 > 3 > 2 > 1

I am not even fucking joking, azuarc.

(The Dresden Files is my favorite book series of all time)
---

I didn't know it was your favorite, Chris.
---

azuarc posted...

I read book 1, a little of book 2, shrugged and walked away. I guess it's all right, but I didn't see such potential in it to warrant the sort of rampant fanboyism that the series seems to generate.

You've legit read the worst of it. It is literally like watching The Phantom Menace and wondering why people care about Star Wars.

Starting with 3 or 4, the series hits a narrative stride that just doesn't stop.

It depends on what you want to get out of a story though, if you're looking for something thought provoking, this ain't the right series, but if you just want some pulpy fun similar to various sci-fi or superhero adventures, this series can scratch that itch.
---

I think I'm the odd one out in that while I loved Changes, it's only #3 for me. I just loved Skin Game and Cold Days more.
---

Yeah I've been on the Dresden Files hype train for close to a decade now. Made me read Butcher's other, INFERIOR BUT STILL QUALITY, work.
---

Yeah I finished 4 (Trying to space them out a bit instead of cramming them all together) and as of right now it definitely fits the order Chris suggested. Although I've liked the series since the first book!
---

Trying my best to forget The Dresden Files exists.

Leafeon13N posted...

Trying my best to forget The Dresden Files exists.

pretend it's the Dodgers in playoffs
---

ExThaNemesis posted...

maybe that's because you read a miniscule percentage of it.

I read a statistically significant portion ot it.

SovietOmega posted...

azuarc posted...

I read book 1, a little of book 2, shrugged and walked away. I guess it's all right, but I didn't see such potential in it to warrant the sort of rampant fanboyism that the series seems to generate.

You've legit read the worst of it. It is literally like watching The Phantom Menace and wondering why people care about Star Wars.

Starting with 3 or 4, the series hits a narrative stride that just doesn't stop.

I hear this from every Dresden fan. However, every one of them gives a different point for when it supposedly gets good. Personally, if I have to suffer through books -- plural -- that I'm not enjoying to get to ones that I do, then I don't see the point. It's not like I didn't get Butcher a chance by reading the first Codex Alera, too, and that had some interesting things in it, but was mostly dreadful.

Not every book is for everyone, that's true. If you think the first book is "suffering" then yeah it isn't for you, which is fine. Not everyone can have good taste in fiction, it happens!
---

Suffering is overstating the point. I thought it was so-so. Tolerable enough to finish, but not so great that I was eager to continue the series and find out what happened with this character I just invested however many hours reading about.

I did, in fact, finish the book, which is more than I can say for a lot of material I pick up at the library.

What I appreciated about the Dresden Files is the main character and the universe building. As my rankings of the first 12 books may indicate to you I feel as if the universe Dresden inhabits is constantly expanded upon in a very natural, obvious way once the curtain is lifted again and again. The scope of the series is near constantly widening in a very good way and the more you ride along with Harry the more invested in the universe one becomes.

I thought the first book was so-so as well, liked Harry well enough and decided to keep going. Can't tell you where my tipping point was, but looking back it amazes me the progression of the series.
---

it would appear I'm quite alone in finding #1 to be my favorite. It's just so much more reminiscent of film noir than the rest, and that's a guilty pleasure of mine.
---

azuarc posted...

Suffering is overstating the point. I thought it was so-so. Tolerable enough to finish, but not so great that I was eager to continue the series and find out what happened with this character I just invested however many hours reading about.

I did, in fact, finish the book, which is more than I can say for a lot of material I pick up at the library.

I'd suggest trying out 3 and 4 before you give up, but hey different people like different things and if you're dead set on giving up on it, that's your call to make.
---

A few things that I hope get cleared up. The hitman that tried to off Harry at St. Mary of the Angels, he said that Susan had hired him and we never really got that cleared up (or we did and I somehow skimmed over it?)

And in White Night I think it was, the hooded figure that unleashed the super ghouls on the Deeps of Chateau Raith, did we figure out who that was supposed to be? Was it Peabody?

If these things were revealed and I missed them, let me know. If they weren't, but will be in later books, let me know without spoiling.

If they haven't been revealed and you have a theory, let us discuss!
---

Wasn't that Cowl for your second question? I didn't think that was supposed to be a secret. But I guess the question is who is Cowl . I can't wait to find out more about him. It's been about 6 years since I read it do I could be wrong.
---

Yeah I love these books too. They used to come out once a year pretty regularly, is he on a break or something?
---

I really want the next book to come out.

I got my family hooked on the series and we miss discussing it.
---

I'm also waiting for Peace Talks here, but his new series he started looks rather nice as well.

ZeeksFire posted...

I'm also waiting for Peace Talks here, but his new series he started looks rather nice as well.

Is that Cinder Spires?

I read Codex Alera. It was...just kind of ok.
---

This is a good reminder that I need to get started on this series.
---

Wedge Antilles posted...

I'd suggest trying out 3 and 4 before you give up, but hey different people like different things and if you're dead set on giving up on it, that's your call to make.

If an author needs more than two books to convince me that I want to read the rest of their works, then they aren't very good at it.

it sounds cool but I never got around to starting it
---

Wedge Antilles posted...

ZeeksFire posted...

I'm also waiting for Peace Talks here, but his new series he started looks rather nice as well.

Is that Cinder Spires?

I read Codex Alera. It was...just kind of ok.

Yep, Cinder Spires.

azuarc posted...

Wedge Antilles posted...

I'd suggest trying out 3 and 4 before you give up, but hey different people like different things and if you're dead set on giving up on it, that's your call to make.

If an author needs more than two books to convince me that I want to read the rest of their works, then they aren't very good at it.

Uh, authors grow over time? Jim has said that if he could go back and rewrite the first two books, he would. I don't get why you're so against continuing if you're already over the hump.

I mean I don't care, if you don't want to read the books then don't. But it seems like you're just being stubborn.
---

I am, because there's like 81935791 books out there, and I've already given this author plenty of opportunity to wow me. It's somebody else's turn now.

SovietOmega posted...

You've legit read the worst of it. It is literally like watching The Phantom Menace and wondering why people care about Star Wars.

you can also just literally skip the prequel trilogy in star wars and watch in the order they were made, so watching phantom menace and then dropping star wars is completely the fault of the viewer; can the same be said of dresden files? can you just pick up a book in the middle and retain full enjoyment?
---

agesboy posted...

SovietOmega posted...

You've legit read the worst of it. It is literally like watching The Phantom Menace and wondering why people care about Star Wars.

you can also just literally skip the prequel trilogy in star wars and watch in the order they were made, so watching phantom menace and then dropping star wars is completely the fault of the viewer; can the same be said of dresden files? can you just pick up a book in the middle and retain full enjoyment?

Yep.

Dead Beat was specifically written as a second entry point to the series but most of them can just be picked up without the previous books
---

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Wasn't that Cowl for your second question? I didn't think that was supposed to be a secret. But I guess the question is who is Cowl . I can't wait to find out more about him. It's been about 6 years since I read it do I could be wrong.

Harry just guessed it, but it was never confirmed. I too really wanted to learn more about Cowl, because he seemed like an incredibly powerful wizard.
---

Plenty of tumors as to who Cowl is, but we'll have to wait and see.
---

Yes Dresden Files so good.

And as for 2 I doubt that will ever be confirmed but it was likely Cowl
---

profDEADPOOL posted...

Yep.

Dead Beat was specifically written as a second entry point to the series but most of them can just be picked up without the previous books

See, nobody ever told me this one before. I've heard tons of rapid Butcher fans tell me that I just HAVE to read it (which TBH is kinda offputting) and not to worry, it gets good...in the book after the one you're on! Nono, the next one after that! Oh, wait, just one more!

However, nobody's ever suggested that it's reasonable to start in the middle. With most series, you really don't want to do that, so it's certainly not going to be something I would assume naturally. If this is indeed the case, I might consider trying again at this midway entry because the writing wasn't terrible. It just lacked being anything especially good, either.

Anyway, I'm going to back off now and let you fan people slap each other on the back and stuff.

Eh I don't like the idea of starting with Dead Beat. Awesome book but I'd say if you're going to skip any, start with 3, Grave Peril. It sets up a bunch of stuff for the future of the series. Dead Beat feels more substantial than any of the previous books, but it also has a feel of "okay the intro phase is over, let's do this shit". But I hate the idea of skipping entries in any series so maybe that's just me. To me the appeal of the series is not in the individual books, but the long term payoff.
---

Dead Beat was specifically written as the intended secondary intro point because it wad the first hardcover book >_>
---

I know. I still don't like the idea of starting with it. All of the books are written so that you can pick them up and mostly understand them.
---

Maybe you shouldn't bother. You seem pretty dead set on disliking the series and it's fans. Probably best to distance yourself.
---