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r/Fantasy•
psofimis

After the first 2 books of Dresden Files

Ok. A few weeks ago I picked the audio version of this series and I listened to the first 2 books even though I've never been a fan of Urban Fantasy. Anyway the narrator was awesome, I liked Harry and Bob, I endured the highschool humor of the book but generally I wasn't impressed at all with the world(old Chicago) and its usual kind of monsters(Vampires,Werewolfs etc) and especially the forgettable stand-alone stories of each book. In a few words it was too "light-read" for my taste and I got tired in the middle of the second book. I know it's supposed to improve after the first few books but I need more assurance.

How many more mediocre stand alone books before we finally begin the great main story everyone is talking about?

Will we ever meet some decent adversaries of Harry?

Will we ever leave Chicago for some other more interesting world?

Edit: Ok thanks for the comments! I'll give the series 2 more books before I give up and I hope in the end to share some of your enthusiasm for this series because I really want to. I'll bet to the character development and the serious antagonists you promised than the city and the cases of Harry that stand alone though...

Posted May 21, 2014, 7:23 PM UTC · edited

1029
JayRedEye•

The general opinion is that the series really takes off in books 3-4.

The seeds are already being planted for the over arching conflict, but you will not see most of them grow for some time. The thing about the series though, is they are Files. It is right there in the title. They all stand alone to some extent. Their brilliance is how they manage to be remarkably self contained while still propelling an overall story forward.

Harry goes toe-to-toe with some serious people. You do not need to worry about that.

While there is some travel and you see plenty of different places, the series has thus far remained Chicago centric.

What I tell people is, if you enjoyed anything about the first book at all, keep going because the series improves almost exponentially. It is one of my personal favorites and there are plenty of people who feel the same way.

There are 15 books out and they are all good! That is just crazy to me that he has been able to maintain the level of quality.

21
infinite_array•

I enjoyed the first book and have started on the second. If books 3 and 4 are were the series gets BETTER, then I should be kicking myself for not reading it earlier.

1
pumpkincat•

for me 4 and 5 are definitely the turning point. 3 was excellent as well, but once I read 4 I knew that I was going to l9 e where it was going. I think thing I dislike most about the books are the sex scenes. In general written sex seems so cheesy to me an the dresden files didn't really change my mind on that one. Still if I didn't read books with sex it would severely limit my options so I power through :)

2
infinite_array•

The worst time to run into sex scenes is when I'm at the gym on the elliptical on the treadmill. I just keep tapping at the page turn button on my kindle and hope that no ones reading over my shoulder.

1
Danielzore•

James Marsters is the narrator for the audio and I must agree he does a great job. Each book progressively adds to the series but I would say that the third book grave peril was better overall than the first two, though the forth book summer knight really vamps everything up imho. Without giving anything away yes, if you continue to read the book series you will find different and recurring bad guys show up which add depth and a sense of tension to the series as a whole. Chicago is the main location and I think will continue to be so for the series but you will get to see some amazing places and will not have to worry much about old Chicago after too long. The series always seems slightly stand alone but will start to paint the picture of a bigger story line and start to tie a lot of things together. I have loved the series since I first picked it up and would say stay with it for a few more books, if it sucks you in you won't be disappointed with it. XD

8
taisuru•

the same monster a few more books in. It essentially becomes the sort of hybrid of Wheel of Time and villain of the day in terms of plot.

Wait wait, James Marsters, as in Spike from Buffy, does the audiobooks? I'm going to have to get a hold of these.

I just finished Dresden Files book 5 and I agree, the first one or two books were good, but I think Butcher was really fleshing out (get it!) what he wanted the series to be. He set up a good setting and it has a lot of potential for splash-over. Certain themes and events tie throughout the next couple books (and maybe beyond the fifth book, as I've not gotten there yet).

Let me just tell you, I've read books 3, 4, and 5 all within the last 3 weeks... They will get you hooked.

3
ristea•

Yeah I couldn't believe it was him either. His Harry voice is like no other, and it's completely made the Dresden Files experience for me.

5
zombiegodzilla•

Although he doesn't read them in a fake english accent which i thought was a bit of an oversight

2
aerynmoo•

His Bob sounds a lot like his Spike, though.

3
Danielzore•

Yup. The one and only Spike reads the novels and he is fantastic. Also def keep Reading them, just make sure to sleep periodically as you binge on them. XD there is a huge amount more awesome coming your way if you just finished 5. They keep getting better but one of favorite moments in the series is in book 7. Enjoy. :)

1
Darkstar559•

Its literally not even the same monster a few more books in. It essentially becomes the sort of hybrid of Wheel of Time and villain of the day in terms of plot. It will get much less light and forgettable. If you like the style (which it sounds like you do) but not the substance (which sounds like you don't) of the first two books definitely keep with it. Also use the search function to find one of the 19 other of these posts.

3
theelbandito•

But unlike WoT plot lines get resolved and the story continually moves forward.

7
Darkstar559•

Agreed but also at the same time no end seems to be in sight.

0
ristea•

Have you read Changes, the 12th book?

That's the end of the first arc, with the second beginning after that. I think Jim has said that there will be 22–24 books in total.

3
Randal_Thor•

Twenty case files and then an epic apocalyptic epic trilogy. He's been saying the same thing for years with no deviation in how many books there will be. Still on target I guess.

2
appocomaster•

I guess that's as natural an end as any to an arc. That was at least as eventful as some of the other books around it in some serious ways. There's the suggestion of a bigger arc (or two) in one of the more recent books, though.

1
krull10Worldbuilders•

Well counting Skin Game there are at least 8 more books from what Butcher has said, so it makes sense there are still tons of open threads. We're only just entering the last third of the overall arc...

1
Abstruse•

There will be about 20ish case books, with an apocalyptic trilogy at the end. Butcher's said this in every interview about the series pretty much ever.

1
Auberron•

How many more mediocre stand alone books before we finally begin the great main story everyone is talking about? Well, while I think the first two books are the weakest in the series, I don't think they are mediocre. That said the third one is a big improvement over the first two and from there on every single book is better than its predecessor. As for the 'main story' there isn't such a thing, at least not as you see it in most long running fantasy series. It's more like multiple plotlines, that are slightly weaved together. The big background story, that will most likely lead to the end of the series, is rather hinted a lot of times, but has not really evolved thus far.

Will we ever meet some decent adversaries of Harry? Oh boy, yes. Just yes.

Will we ever leave Chicago for some other more interesting world? Chicago is pretty much always kind of the starting point and the place where most of the story takes place. But you will see other locations in most books to come.

I would totally recommend to keep going, the Dresden Files became one of my favourite series ever and it's insane how it still keeps getting better and better. There's some great character development, fantastic antagonists and an incredible world, Butcher just doesn't throw everything in your face at once.

3
shandromand•

Will we ever meet some decent adversaries of Harry? Oh boy, yes. Just yes.

Seriously, OP, you have NO idea...

1
suubzero•

Book 3 Grave peril is where the main story started and got interesting for me,i really enjoyed book 3 and every book thereafter,where the story's all intertwine and continue the main theme of the series.

2
CJGibson•

For me it really picked up in Summer Knight. Grave Peril was fine, but aside from Leansidhe it was still really just more vampires. When Summer Knight starts to introduce the faeries (and then the Denarians in Death Masks) is where it really starts to break out of the urban fantasy mold and get great, if you ask me.

Mostly this is just to say, if you read Grave Peril and still think "ho hum more vampires" at least give Summer Knight a try.

3
hkdharmon•

Book 3.

2
GunnerMcGrath•

Something to keep in mind is that Storm Front was written as an assignment for Jim's writing class. As far as I know he had no expectation of it even being any good, let alone publishable, because he was chasing his dream of being an Epic Fantasy author. So yeah, the first couple books were almost an accident. Book 3 is where he seems to have figured out that this was actually working and put a lot more serious effort into making it something special, and it paid off. Not every series is for everybody (I can't tell you how many praised books/series I end up quitting early from vast disappointment) but I think you're right to give it 2 more books. If you're not hooked by then, you probably won't be.

2
Durzo_Blint•

Book 3 is when the real main story arc starts. Books 1 and 2 have some very important details that can't be skipped, but the real story starts in book 3.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Abstruse•

Storm Front is good.

Fool Moon is better.

Grave Peril will blow you away. And each book in the series is better than the last.

1
bighi•

Book 3 is great. Than you have like 5 or 6 absolutely horrendous books, then 3 mediocre ones. Then it gets good.

-4
Sarks•

Were you thinking of the Wheel of Time or something? Because Dead Beat is is those '5 or 6 absolutely horrendous books', and it was awesome.

1
pumpkincat•

Have to agree, also I think book 5 really got me hooked. The bad guys are just so damn epic and the back story is pretty nifty. Also the Russian makes me giggle.

1