Let’s talk about Harry Dresden, professional wizard and private investigator.
As a preface to my remarks, let me say that no, I have not seen the show on the SciFi channel. I have heard of it, but I have not watched even one episode. I cannot speak to any comparisons between the show and the books.
I read the first book because I was bored and needed a quick read. I vowed to use the series as my “lunch” book, and use them as a means of moderate escape from the toils of chemistry during the day. I read the second and third book in much the same way. I devoured books four, five, and six in very short order because the life of Harry Dresden suddenly became interesting as the series picked up speed.
Perhaps I should explain. The Dresden Files is like Harry Potter for grown-ups. Mix in a little bit of noir fiction, shake it with some pop-culture Bram Stoker rip-offs, then add some intriguing fantasy world-building elements to get your final product. Each novel features a case that Harry Dresden must solve, but this is usually complicated by something in his past that has gone horribly wrong. The mystery in each novel is usually well constructed without any cheating by Jim Butcher, the author. The climaxes end with a beat-up, down on his luck wizard overcoming extraordinary odds to defeat the bad guy and rescue the girl.
A couple of things strike me in the series. The first is that Butcher treats Christianity with a reverence that is severely lacking in a lot of the “dark fantasy” genre. One of Dresden’s main companions is a holy man turned knight who wields a sword imbued with the power of God. Their conversations, while glib, hint broadly at the underlying philosophy in the world in a tantalizing way. The other thing that strikes me is Butcher’s use of nearly every fantastic creature mentioned in Western European mythology. Vampires feature prominently (with some interesting twists on the type and allegiance of each group), werewolves and lycanthropes make an appearance, fairies, as based on the ancient legends of the Sidhe continually intervene in Harry’s life, and typical foes include demons, ghouls, ghosts, and run-of-the-mill hitmen. Harry has an on-again/off-again relationship with a mobster who has first-hand evidence of the power of Wizards, but neither really manage to get an advantage over the other.
There is a complicated political situation between a shadowy organization of wizards who call themselves the White Council and Harry Dresden that is centered on some interesting things in Harry’s past. Each book reveals a tiny bit about Harry, helping the reader build a better and better picture of his origins and the source of his unquestionable power. Harry may be “hardboiled” in the since of noir fiction, but he is chivalrous in the traditional sense. He has a weakness for rescuing the damsel in distress (even if she’s his enemy), and his dogged defense of everything that is good in spite of overwhelming odds is a testament to his self-sacrifice. He could choose to live a life in comfort and solitude, perfecting his art and safely living out his long lifespan, but he has chosen to take up his staff in defense of mortal humankind against the forces of darkness.
For a series of books that I initially regarded as fluff, that’s a heady assignment.
Sometimes outrageous, always funny, and occasionally awe-inspiring, I can’t offer enough praise for the series (as of the end of book six – Blood Rites). Find a copy of the first book in the series (Storm Front) and give it a whirl.
I’ve never read the books, but I’ve seen the series. I watched out of boredom, expecting to be disgusted with paper-thin characters and transparent plots. I was surprised to find that I liked the series. I rather enjoyed what I saw, but had no idea that there was a book series… and as I tend to agree with the cliche “the book was much better than the movie” I’m betting that the books would keep me interested.