I know there are a few Dresden Files readers on here and with Ghost Story (Book 13) coming out tomorrow I thought we could have a thread to discuss the book and series. If you havent read the Dresden files, I suggest picking up Storm Front and starting; you will not be disappointed. It takes about three to four books to get going but once you get that far, you will be hooked. This is one of my favorite series I have ever read and Harry might be might favorite character from any book. I love the world my fellow KC native, Jim Butcher, has created. I love how he has developed a supernatural world that could almost be real. The series has a great mixture of drama, humor, and suspense. Any theories on what will happen in Ghost Story? The first 5 chapters have been released on Butcher's website and it appears Harry gets attacked early on in the afterlife without the aid of magic. I really hope he doesnt stay dead and there is a way for him to return to life. I wonder if Mab can do anything as she probably wants her knight. I plan to go pick up the book on my lunch break tomorrow and spend my entire night reading tomorrow.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread This is definitely a red-letter day. The first thing I did when I woke up this morning was check my Kindle and squealed like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw that Ghost Story had been delivered. A few hours later a package from Amazon arrived at work with the hardback version. I'm about 10 chapters in so far and I'm liking it. There are a few editing glitches - some typos and at least one subject-verb agreement that I'm not sure about. However, that makes sense given that we know that there was a time-crunch. For the last couple of months I've been reading some other series - the Sookie books and Laurel K. Hamilton's Anita Blake books - and they don't begin to compare with the Dresden books. Butcher's books are so much more dense and well-written. I just get the feeling that he's smarter than Charlaine Harris & LKH. He's certainly funnier. Felixx, have you checked out the forums at Jim-Butcher.com? After you've finished Ghost Story, definitely check it out. Also - there's a spoiler in the OP and there are likely to be spoilers elsewhere in the thread. Can a mod put an R in the thread title? Also also, if we post about anything more recent than the 11th book (Turn Coat, we should use tags, if that's practical. I hope there are other people besides just the two of us.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread Some of us have enough catching up to do that this could be a dangerous thread to access. I'm just now on the sixth book. You mention Anita Blake, who I thought started fantastic and devolved into ever more ridiculous and sex-driven plots. Dresden seems to still deliver.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread I'm 250 pages in and hope to finish by tonight or tomorrow. I am seriously conflicted about watching the AS game live or recording it and watching later so i can read Ghost Story.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread The only reason I'm sticking with Anita Blake is because I hear that later books are mostly just porn. Just kidding. The characters in those books don't act like normal people would act - they act in ways to advance the plot to LHK's liking. Either that, or she isn't drawing the characters correctly. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep reading them or not.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread It isn't an exaggeration. Her short stories in the series are even worse - one long four way with Anita and three guys.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread Yeah, I have noticed a few as well. Some letters left off the end and beginning of words, wrong version of a word used once or twice, and a few other minor stuff. I have been there a couple of times and browsed but never joined. The threads were just so long that it is was hard to jump in. I am on page 390 of Ghost Story so I will finish it today at some point.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread I finished the book last night. It was actually one of my least favorite of the series until the last 40 pages or so and it got a lot better.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread ***There are serious spoilers here so really, if you aren't completely caught up, don't read this post.*** [result]I agree with this except that I also enjoyed the first several chapters - particularly the one where he first goes to Murphy's house and sees the Alphas, Molly, Fr. Forthill, etc. The middle of the book really bogged down but he had a lot of ground to cover with resolving/moving forward existing characters and storylines and he threw in a bunch of new characters, too. Several years ago JB wrote a blog with his thoughts on the technical aspects of writing a genre book. He describes the middle of the book as the Great Swampy Middle. And in this case, it's true. The identity of his killer? I totally did not see that coming. Well, I thought the sniper might have been Kinkaid, but not the people who hired him. Poor Molly. When Harry saw mouse in Maggie's room at the Carpenters I cried like a baby. And when he saw Mister with Murphy. I don't approve of leaving Maggie with the Carpenters - despite the guardian angels, it's just too close to Harry. I guess we'll see if she stays safe. I knew Mab was going to play a part in resurrecting him, though the Odin and Valhalla stuff from Changes was a nice misdirection on Butcher's part. I guess I'm going to have to read it again when I can relax and enjoy it without worrying about what's going to happen next. [/result]
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread Response to Barbara:[Result]Yeah, the parts with Mouse and Mister were touching. Having two daughters myself, I found myself tearing up too. I could not imagine being in that situation. Thinking about the book a bit, I almost feel like the whole book was pointless in regards to Harry. There really was not development for his side of the story. He was shot and Mab got him back to health to do his new job. I almost thought they were going to leave Thomas completely out of the book. I like that he has broken out of his stoic self and shown feelings for Harry again. The development of this book is in regard to Molly. I have a feeling she is going to play a huge part in the rest of the series and she seems to have the potential to be a significantly powerful Wizard. It seems odd that she was able to gain that much power in just a six months span. I am eager to see what comes next and how Harry is able to balance his role as Winter Knight and his regular life. This was probably my least favorite book of the series so far. A little bit through the book and I knew he was going to end up alive and I just wanted to get there. I figured he might be being held in a comma somewhere. I also did not like Murphy in this book. I understand the point was that she was stressed due to Harry's death and all that was going on but she almost seemed to be different in this book. I am eager for the next book to come out. I really hope it is a April/May release. [/result]
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread I've caught up except for Ghost Stories, but since I am seventh on the wait list to get the book from the local library, it may be awhile before I can offer any thoughts in here.
Bought it from Borders clearance Saturday. Finished yesterday afternoon. It was a fun story, but not my favorite. Bob seemed to have put everything together already. That is one smart spirit. There were lots of nice little touches. The inside of Bob's skull, Mister and Mouse's reaction to Harry being present, Molly being a badass, Butters. And, can't wait for the next book either.
I can't read this thread, because I don't want spoilers, but what were they thinking with the audio? They needed to wait until Marsters became available before going with another narrator. It's ridiculous. I'm going to actually read this one so I can hear the proper voices in my head.
I read that it was going to be a long time before he was going to be available so they had to go with another. He is suppose to be back for the next book though.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread How can you stand to wait? With that cliffhanger I would have been at the book store as soon as I finished it. I remember when I read the Dark Tower that I would finish one of the books and if I already had the next one I would just pick it up and start reading it like it was the same book. If I didnt have it, I was at the bookstore buying it right away. I am not very patient.
Yeah, it was probably my least favorites of the books but with how good this series is that doesnt mean it was bad. I thought the most interesting part of the book was Molly. I think she is going to be a bigger part of the story now. It seems like she has the potential to be one dangerous Wizard. If she already has that level of skill in three years, what will she be in 10 years. It also seems like Murphy is badly damaged emotionally. I kind of wonder how her story is going to play out. I am eager to see (highlight to view what Mab has in store for Harry and how he handles it. After what happened to Lloyd Slate and how mouthy Harry is it will not take him long to piss her off. I also wonder how long it will take for her to request him to do something evil or violate one of the laws of magic. I am also curious to see how the White Council handles him being the Winter Knight. Butcher has said that he normally likes time passing between books to coincide with the release dates. However, I hope he picks up right where the book left off.
Again, sorry if someone mentioned this already. Not reading thread. Jim Butcher posted this comment to a complaint like mine on amazon: From Jim Butcher: Unfortunately, Mr. Marsters pulled out of the project at the very last minute, after it had already been rescheduled around conflicts a couple of times. Everything had already been lined up and paid for, and the lost sales from not coming out in conjunction with the hype-tsunami of the book, plus the sharply increased production cost that would have resulted from booking more studio time meant that Penguin had no good choices to make. Given the state of the economy, it doesn't surprise me that it went with the most conservative option. To be clear, I'm not upset with James. He strikes me as a very genuine guy who really cares about his fans and his professionalism. What makes me respect him even more is that he puts his family before his professional career--and while I have no hard facts to back it up, I suspect that this might have been a family-oriented emergency that forced him to bail out. Life is very fair about being unfair to all of us, sooner or later.
Re: The Dresden Files Discussion Thread I bought a couple of the books in the series when there was a gap at the library, but I don't like collecting books in two different formats. Meaning, I will end up with all of the Dresden books in paperback format, but I don't want a hardback there in the midst of the others. Odd quirk aye, but I like the books from an author "living together" on the shelf, and so no mixing!
I read the first 11 Dresden books in paperback - even though I had a month-long delay before the 11th came out but I have the last two in hardback because I couldn't wait to read them. I also have the Kindle editions of all of them. I've avoided this thread because I realized that I didn't love Ghost Story. I loved finding out what happened, but not enough to read it again right away and that makes me sad.
If they were to make a Dresden Files movies, who do you think should play Harry? Murphy? Molly? Thomas? There is literally like a several thousand post discussion about this on the JB forums. The most popular choice for Harry seems to be Nathan Fillion but I dont think it fits. I see Harry as tall and lanky. He is 6'6" and while finding an actor capable that fits that height would be difficult, I think you can do better than Fillion. I think Timothy Olyphant would be spot on. He has the smart ass personality and the gun slinger role down from being on Justified. I think Harry is the hardest to cast. I think Emma Stone would be a good Molly and Jeff Bridges would play a good Ebeneazer.
My problem with casting Harry is that Paul Blackthorne has kind of messed with my mind. Since I saw the TV show before I read the books, it took me a long time to stop picturing Harry as Paul Blackthorne. The TV show screwed me up worse with Murphy, though. BookMurph is all blond but TVMurph definitely wasn't. I still have trouble with that, in part because I like Murphy better with darker hair. I also can't stop picturing Morgan as a black man with an awesome voice. Similarly, Bob's voice will always be Terrance Mann's. I kind of hate the TV show for doing that to me. Jeff Bridges isn't old enough to be Ebenezer. God help me but I picture someone like Wilfred Brimley. Someone seriously grandfather-like. [result]Even before I knew he was Harry's grandfather, I pictured him very grandfatherly.[/result] And what about Susan? And Michael? And Shiro? And Nicodemus? Anyway, I'll give this some thought. I never really contributed to any of the casting discussions on the JB board because, well, the volume of posts debating teeny tiny minute details about every single aspect of the books is overwhelming so I can't really keep up. There are people over there who are insane over these books. Some of them would creep me out if I was Jim Butcher. Edit: Thomas, Laura, Will, Charity, the list of interesting characters is way too long. I'd rather see another series on a decent cable station like HBO than a movie. The only caveat is that they couldn't do to the Dresden universe what they did to True Blood. JB needs to keep more control over the story than C. Harris apparently has. Anyway, it's way too much for just a movie.
I never saw the TV show and have no desire too although I have it in my Instant Watch queue. I have listened to the audiobooks so the voice James Marsters does for the characters is the voice of them in my head. There was a picture of a bald Jeff Bridges looking very old over on the JB boards and when I saw it it pretty much nailed how I pictured him in my head. I think wit some makeup he could pull it off. Susan - Eva Mendes Michael - Someone like Hugh Jackman or Russell Crowe Nicodemus - Joe Pesci would be perfect. He is creepy and can play a sadistic role
I think I'm with you on your first two choices but not Joe Pesci as Nicodemus. Nicodemus is sort of cultured and refined - a gentleman's monster. I think the Anthony Hopkins of 20 years ago would be a good choice. But someone like that - someone who isn't obviously a bad guy.
The library finally gave up the ghost - Ghost Story, that is. So I am finally caught up, and Mrs. Ismitje has launched into the books (we purchased the first twelve for Christmas on the Amazon 4-for-3 promo deal). I quite enjoyed the different pace of Ghost Story, and in that I think I was helped by having read the others all since June of this year - I was ready for that change of pace, as opposed to awaiting my Dresden fix (as it were) for a year since the previous book. Now, though, I join the rest of you addicts in anxiously awaiting book fourteen.