Jim Butcher’s Storm Front is the first of the Dresden Files, following the career of a hardboiled first-person P.I. who is also Chicago’s only professional wizard. This was fun, fast-paced, and snarky, with some nice touches in the magic system—just what you want out of that setup. I read this while we were in San Francisco this summer; I started the second out there as well, but it got lost in the shuffle of coming back. I’m looking forward to the rest.
One minor caveat in re the Dresden books; the second is quite a bit weaker than all the others, particularly towards the end, and it’s worth bearing with it for the sake of getting to the point where the series starts doing real arc stuff as well as book-by-book plots.
Emmet: re: Dresden books: Thanks for the warning. I’ve decided I’m saving them for when I really need snark and I can’t justify re-reading _Issola_ yet again. (At about the point I stopped in the second, I think I asked Chad if Harry was going to *keep* with the annoying “no, I’m not going to tell you information you need, to protect you,” because I find it, well, annoying. I think he said not so much.)
Harry does grow up somewhat on that matter, though the point’s not really driven home to him until the third book. At least he’s a quicker learner than Anita Blake.
Did you get to see Jim Butcher at all at Noreascon? His personality seems a lot like Harry…loud and outgoing in a nice way. Apparently there is a tv pilot in the works for the Dresden books. He’s gotten to the point of having his works in hardcover now. (Again faster than Laurell Hamilton) I’ve enjoyed the series so far.
Karen–sorry, somehow I didn’t get notified of this comment. I didn’t see Jim Butcher at Noreascon, no; Chad might’ve, but I’m not sure. We’ll probably pick up his Big Fat Fantasy in paperback. James Marsters reads the Dresden Files audiobooks, if they get on Audible I might give them a try.
I didn’t see Jim Butcher at Noreascon, no; Chad might’ve, but I’m not sure. I saw him on one panel, about “Fantasy Noire.” Said panel was mostly notable for Glen “Black Comapny” Cook saying that he doesn’t really think he’s writing dark books, and I’m afraid anything Butcher said was lost in the bogglement.
(Prompted by an aside mention in the lupi discussion.)
I’ve read 4 of these now, and I’m happy to say that they show signs of getting away from idiot plots. I was about ready to give up after book 3, but I’ll keep going for at least a couple more.
But yes, about half of the werewolves we’ve seen so far have been female.
Thanks for the confirmation. One of these I’ll get back to these, and probably go on a binge, but I just haven’t been in the mood.