the Dresden Files

Ok, people are constantly saying that kids who like Harry Potter might like to try reading Harry Dresden (the Dresden Files) when they get a little older (I'd say teens being the youngest appropriate age). The Dresden Files, for those who don't know, is an urban fantasy mystery series in the hard-boiled detective vein, centering around a wizard by the name of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. He's a sort of grown up Harry Potter crossed with Gandalf, carrying around a Dirty Harry Callahan (DH was a detective portrayed by Clint Eastwood in a series of movies who was famous for carrying a .375 magnum revolver. Thus, I'm using Dirty Harry to refer to that weapon.) The series is certainly not for kids, as it is extremely violent, Harry routinely gets the crap kicked out of him, as well as sexual content, not to mention the series can get pretty dark. I was just wondering if anyone has actually gone on from Harry Potter to read Harry Dresden, and what they thought.

child: I would agree that the Dresden Files books, by Jim Butcher are not for children. I would guess that high school students would probably be able to handle the books.

By 9th grade it is no secret that people engage in sexual relationsips and encounters outside of marriage, hopefully by that age they have learned enough that portrayals in supernatural detective stories would not be new or necessarily persuasive (subversive). I have only read Storm Front in the Dresden series. I don;t much beyond the first name to be shared between Harry Potter and Harry Dresden.

I would definitely not encourage grade-school kids read them. But my earliest clear memories of grade-school reading is that by the 4th grade I was hooked on dog stories like Big Red and WW2 books, anything to do with submarines and air war and WW2 airplanes.

I'm reading Storm Front now. I really like it! But I'm 46. They are NOT for children!

But why is Dresden always getting his ass handed to him!! that is sooo frustrating! it took about 100 pages in Storm Front for his to display a modicum of magical savvy or ability. Other than that, I found the book quite enjoyable.

Suge, did you steal my stone?

#5 - kik

I second, third and fourth the suggestion that it's not a kids series. I'm in the later half of my 20s and only started reading the series a few years ago. I don't think they're any more relatable to Harry Potter than any other fantasy series geared towards adults. But for some adults that liked Harry Potter, I suppose I would recommend the Dresden Files. I've read the first six books so far and I find that I really like the humor in them. For me, I also like fact that they take place in Chicago - Butcher does a good job of incorporating the city landscape accurately into the novels.

For anyone interested too there's an LT group called Jim Butcher Fans that talks about his work (The Dresden Files as well as The Codex Alera series):

http://www.librarything.com/groups/jimbutcherfans

um sorry I couldn't help myself bib. I guess you inspired me I went all the way back..... I told you I like looking back at the way we were. or maybe I was possed by your evil twin?

Not to worry, you have learned well little grasshopper. You may borrow my stone as needed!

Doesn't she need to be able to snatch the stone from your hand to be ready? I know she needs to walk on rice paper without leaving a trace. That is all I remember from the show.

She managed to get the stone from me to resurrect this thread last night, that counts right? As for the paper thing....I'm sure she does it all the time and we don't know, since there's no trace! ;)

*mysterious chuckle*