Ahira's Hangar

Harry Dresden is the only wizard listed in the Chicago yellow pages. As such, he gets some really strange problems thrown at him - either from his private detection agency office, or through consulting work for the Chicago police department.

He lives with a powerful (and very horny) spirit who lives in a skull named Bob, a huge tomcat named Mister, and eventually (several books into the series) a dog named Mouse.

Now Desden must live in the Chicago of an alternate world - not only because our Chicago is not overrun with vampires, werewolves and the like (though 'tis run over with aggressive pan handlers ) - but also because the Chicago in his world has Wal-Marts with extensive garden centers, and a Wrigley Field surrounded by endless asphalt parking lots rather than a charming neighborhood with very little parking.

Anyway, these little books are fast paced and a whole lot of fun, filled with charming characters such as Harry, Bob, Mouse, and Mister - but also the very dedicated police officer Karrin Murphy, the tabloid reporter Susan Rodriguez, a werewolf named Billy - and a hen pecked knight of God named Michael Carpenter.

Harry must save the city again and again from such things and people as evil mages, fairy wars, and sexual vampires!

So far there are nine books out of a projected twenty (but they are all a lot shorter than the huge books of say, Stephen Erikson or Robert Jordan).
the titles:

Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer Knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Night

While the first two books are still fun, I thought that Butcher really started hitting his stride with the third book. And he keeps getting stronger and stronger with each subsequent novel.

So and the resultant cable TV series turned out to be very weak and forgettable. It was not bad as such, but curiously unadventurous and non-inspired. OTOH, I've heard the series episodes were not shown in the producer's order (Firefly, as an example), but that's not the sole problem.

I have not seen the TV show; many people told me it was lacking the charm and humor of the books.

latest Dresden Files book came out recently...Small Favor.

Lots of fun with the 'Za Lord and his friends. Fae enforcers and demons to confront.

I dunno, some of the villains are pretty badass and evil if you ask me. The fallen angels are nasty buggers.

My favorite character in the books is Marcone. I like how Butcher doesn't fall into patterns (like, say, the Harry Potter books). With the Harry Potter books, you know how they start (Harry is with his aunt and uncle, gets in trouble, then goes to school, then you get the opening dinner for the 5th time....), and you know that the book is going to end at the end of the school year. Some of the Dresden books will bring in Marcone for a huge or a small role, and other ones don't even mention him. I was a little disappointed how book 10 was basically all about Marcone, but his role was tiny in the end. I just finished the latest one (Turn Coat), and wish I could keep on reading. I may have to buy the novella and read it that's bundled with a few other novellas (not too thrilled about reading the other stories).

I also like how there's a clear story arc for the series. It seems to be moving somewhere, and there is character development (not just with Harry, but with the supporting characters like Susan and Thomas and Karrin). In a lot of long detective series (I'm thinking the alphabet books in particular-A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar...), the characters never really develop. Maybe the author will kill of a supporting character after 10 books for a little bit of freshness, but basically every book follows the same pattern. Butcher did a great job of avoiding this. I can't believe I read 11 freaking books and want to read 9 more (seriously, there are going to be 20? Holy Crap!). He really cranks the books out, too. It's too bad GRRM can't write even a 1/3d as fast as Jim Butcher.

I'm considering reading the other series that he's putting out, although I gotta say, the covers and titles kind of turn me off. Somehow, they don't look like they're as fun as the Dresden Files.

Supposedly Butcher has written the series with a long term overall series plot in mind. While each book is a story in and of itself, they also all build upon each other to reach a planned end. This gives the series a lot more depth than the many long detective series that FarmUrTed mentioned. The series will have what is projected to be twenty main novels (there are also short stories and one graphic novel and one novella thus far). The last three books of the twenty are supposedly going to be a tightly woven trilogy about the apocalypse of Harry's world.

Perhaps the best thing about the series is that Butcher keeps growing as a writer, and each book gets better as he and the series go along.

And yeah - the villains get more and more dangerous as the series goes on - as do the heroes such as Harry himself.

Changes. Whoa.

That was pretty good. I dunno about the ending, though. I'm glad that the one major story-line is finished.

I may look into Butcher. Good to see you around the ol' Hangar Ted!

Two words: two kids!

anyone else finding Ghost Story to be a real change of pace and very enjoyable?

Yeah, it's really good. Harry is bringing it in this one.

Edit: He's a lot more philosophical. I guess you have time to think about stuff when

Near the end I had to wipe some tears from my eyes.