The Dresden Files - is this series any good?

I have a weakness for anything to do with the occult. Saw the pilot to the show and noticed it was based on a series written by Jim Butcher. Any opinions? :-)

Most people here seem to like it.

See
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=7811
and
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=6677

I just bought the first book a week ago, so I can't comment yet. But the TV show seemed like it had potential.

Thanks for the links to the sci-fi group. I think I'll at least give the first book a try :-)

They are ok. Harry Dresden becomes a little whiny and selfrecriminating as the series progresses, but just take a break between novels:-)
The usual noir PI style.
I prefer the Nightside series starting with Something from the Nightside novels by Simon Green staring yet another noir PI with paranormal powers working in Londons supernatural counterpart.

-->Amberwitch

Thanks for the input. I don't read crime novels but since this involved the paranormal I thought I would give it a try. Or maybe I'll just watch the show *grins*

Hi JenandToms!

I LOVE the Dresden Files series. A friend let me borrow Storm Front in January, and it took me between two and three to get through all eight of them. I couldn't read other books in between, because my mind would be wondering what was happening to Harry next. I'm anxiously waiting for April, when White Night comes out.

To be honest, even though the actor who plays him is BRUTALLY handsome, I haven't watched more than the first episode of the show. There are too many differences, especially concerning Bob and the family background. That's just me however (I'm someone who'll watch the Harry Potter movies, but complain how much they were chopped up). :P

I have this nasty little habbit of reading the back cover of the NEXT book while reading the current one, and it's ruined many a surprise for me in the series, so don't do it!

I would give it a try. At least through book two, which I feel was his best.

The novels are awesome in my opinion. So far, the series premiere has been the weakest episode of the bunch (why they thought it was a stronger episode to start with than the original 2 hour series premiere is beyond me.) Once you get past that, it actually starts feeling like a detective show. Harry starts interviewing people, looking for clues, etc. The show is "based on" the Dresden Files novels, and I personally don't have a problem with it. They changed Bob because, honestly, the skull wouldn't have worked without a movie scale budget. As for the acting, they seem to have been focusing on talent and ability to portray the character rather than looks (which I think was the way to go.) People shouldn't be expecting the show to be the books, its a totally different medium. Jim has a bottomless amount of money for SFX in the books, the show doesn't. There are tons of stuff that work in the books, that wouldn't on screan (the blue beetle, it might be funny on occasion, but you'd be seeing it on screan whenever Harry did anything car related, and I can guarantee you it would stop being funny after a while.)

Don't mind me--I'd just rather read than watch tv. The tv I do watch is old 80s and 90s reruns. :P

Maybe I'll try it again. I just didn't like the Bob character, the fact he has a girlfriend, and a few other things. I understand there will be differences, but some of them are integral to the book.

I'm not trying to sound shallow when I say Paul Blackstone is brutally handsome. He is. I was saying that wasn't enough to keep me watching. I do find him a good match as Harry. The woman who plays Murphy is beautiful, but I didn't find her to be the right woman for the part.

Just my humble opinion.

I've not seen the show, but do enjoy the books - the continuity is good with events in one, being picked up later on down the series. Something that many authors are not to skilled at. Its a good concept and although fairly light reading, enjoyable and well presented. Certainly worth reading one, and if you enjoy it, then get the rest. they get slightly darker as the series progresses, but so far the quality remains high.

Has anyone tried Butcher's other series? codex Alera Is this any good? What's the theme?

--> punkypower

Even if the show doesn't get better than the first epi, I'll keep watching just to see the hot actor that plays Harry ;-)

The first epi of the show just didn't explain things and it felt more like a middle episode than a pilot. But I did enjoy it.

--> Child of Light

--> Reading fox

Thanks for sharing your opinions of the books :-) WTH - I'm going to buy the first book and see how it goes!

The show is even better than the books if you can beleive it. I read book one but was unimbressed but I love the show.

The show is better than the books?! Sacrilege! The show is most definitely not better than the books. It might be on par with them, but its certainly not better.

The website where I order my books is out of stock on many of the Dresden books! grr! I guess everyone is buying them b/c of the show.

JenandTom, hopefully there's a BooksAMillion near you!! They were having a 5 for 4 sale, which included all the Dresden Files! :P

--> punkypower

I wish! What a great sale! Right now I'm living in Ireland and so book buying is hard. We have 2 book stores in our town but that means paying full price which I can't afford to do. I usually stock up on books when I visit home (NY) and I order from play.com b/c their prices are good and it's free shipping.

It's one of the best fantasy series I have read. I love them all and each book just gets better and better. There is obviously a lot more to the books than the TV show. Book 9 is out in April 2007. You can pick them up in most bookshops. Really really very good, series gets better as it goes on.

#16 A day trip to Dublin would get you to Chapters who had a few copies this morning and last time I checked a few weeks ago Byrnes in Galway had some...

On a semi related note, anyone know what the conversion is like between the euro/pound (not sure which one that weird symbol is) and the dollar? just curious as I may end up giving play.com some business depending on what I find.

--> wyvernfriend

Dublin...Galway....They may as well be on Mars ;-) I never get out of my town unless I'm heading to the airport. My DH is a real homebody and since I have yet to learn how to drive over here I'm pretty much stuck :-(

--> Child of Light

I use http://www.xe.com/ucc for checking the conversion amounts. Right now here is what an american dollar is worth:

One British Pound = $1.96

One Euro = $1.31

Edited to add: check out http://www.playusa.com

I've watched it and I like it. It's loosely based off the books but I think that if you haven't read them the show would be better. It's hard to try to remember what happened in the book when the show doesn't depict it exactly as it happened. All a matter of opinion though, watch and see what happens. :)

The show so far is apparently all pre-Fool Moon, so we haven't seen anything thats happened on the show in the books.

Just wanted to let you all know that I read the first book and loved it! Harry is such a great character :-) Book 2 just arrived in the mail today.

I've been meaning to pick up the Dresden Files for awhile, and finally did the last time I was at Barnes & Noble, because nothing I was actually looking for was in, and I was in one of those MUST HAVE NEW BOOK moods. Anyway, I started with Dead Beat, and I LOVED it. It made me laugh out loud. Now, I am devouring the rest. I think it is best for people who like fantasy appreciate the hardboiled detective style. If you are a sword-and-sorcery fantasy afficienado, you might not appreciate Harry. He is somewhat of an anti-hero, but very stubborn. Jim Butcher has said that the tv show is not supposed to be the books--just on tv. It is based on the concept, but it won't follow the events of the books or be exactly the same. The thing I find most disconcerting is how they gentrified Harry. He is a lot more fashionable on tv than in the books! But every time someone says to him in one of the books, "Harry, do you have to wear that stupid coat?!" and Harry says, "What's wrong with my coat?" only to be told, "It looks like it belongs on the set of El Dorado," I laugh out loud.

Yes but if you've read the books, there are striking similarities in plot and whatnot...just seemed really familiar to me.

--> Katissima

I've only read one book but I think the show really captures Harry. They have him dressed scruffy on the show - jeans & tshirt and his "duster". I think Paul Blackthorne also fits the physical description of Harry in the books :-)

Actually, his jacket on the show isn't a duster, its a leather fireman's jacket. Its apparently a nod to Harrry's love of fire spells in the books.

I have read a couple. They are ok, didn't thrill me much though.

i've been watching the dresden files since it premiered- there's a nice mix of witty dialogue along with some flashy special effects- its been pretty good so far