MobileRead Book Challenges discussion

Challenge: Jim Butcher's Dresden Files
Challenge Type: Series
Bookshelf: Dresden Challenge Shelf
Time Limit: Ongoing, currently all of 2012.

In order to participate, you can be at any point in the series - just post with which one you last read.

Please use spoiler tags when discussing anything other than general information or status updates.

There are currently 13 Dresden novels. There are also several short story "interludes", most of which are in Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files.

The Chronology:
(novels are in bold)

0.0 Side Jobs: Restoration of Faith
1.0 Storm Front
2.0 Fool Moon
3.0 Grave Peril
4.0 Summer Knight
5.0 Death Masks
5.5 Side Jobs: "Vignette" - Publicity and Advertising
6.0 Blood Rites
7.0 Dead Beat
7.5 Side Jobs: Something Borrowed
8.0 Proven Guilty
9.0 White Night
9.1 Side Jobs: Its My Birthday Too
9.2 Side Jobs: Heorot
10.0 Small Favor
10.1 Side Jobs: Day Off
10.2 Side Jobs: Backup
10.3 Side Jobs: The Warrior
10.4 Side Jobs: Last Call
11.0 Turn Coat
11.5 Side Jobs: Love Hurts
12.0 12: Changes
12.5 Side Jobs: Aftermath
13.0 Ghost Story

I have read 0-3 so far, but I've already got the entire series. I've also pre-ordered Ghost Story. :) Guess that means I plan to be in for the long haul.

My goal: To get to #9 White Knight by the end of the year. (If I read them too close together I get antsy.)

As I progress through the series, I'll post the covers here.


12/28 edit: Oh my gosh! I totally forgot that my goal was to hit #9 by year's end - and that's exactly what I did! LOL

and I've started but not finished

My goal is to finish Fool Moon and get through Blood Rites (#6) plus the short stories that go with them.

If there is a "weakest" novel in the series, I'd say it's Fool Moon. After that they seem to take off. Don't know why, but Butcher seems to hit his stride around 3 or 4 and they just continue to get better with each book.

My opinion of course :).

I've read all and am waiting impatiently for Ghost Story.

My goal is to read the first six books by the end of this year.

I just started the first Dresden book yesterday. So far I like it. :)

By the way, I'm not suggesting skipping the second book. It's an excellent read and will drop a few of the clues that lead into the back ground plot later...

Ugh, just got my notification from Amazon that the delivery date of Ghost Story has been pushed back 2 weeks...

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "By the way, I'm not suggesting skipping the second book. It's an excellent read and will drop a few of the clues that lead into the back ground plot later...

Ugh, just got my notification from Ama..."

Have you had a chance to read Moon Over Soho? Think it could tide you over a few days?

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Ugh, just got my notification from Amazon that the delivery date of Ghost Story has been pushed back 2 weeks... "

That's strange. They haven't changed the date on the site for either the hardback or the Kindle version. It still says 7/26. I'm not going to be happy if it really is pushed back. It's supposed to be my birthday present to myself.

Looks like the problem is more one of the book being delivered to the distributors...

MrsJ, no not yet. I have several books going. Moon Over Soho is on my shelf waiting. It's just the Dresden is one of those books that when it comes out, everything else goes on hold. I'll be hard pressed not to finish the book on the day I get it.

I know you, lol. I know that as soon as the new Dresden gets into your hot little paws it is as good as devoured. :-D

I'm the same way with new Valdemar novels (even when they're bad) so I totally understand.

I hope the supply chain at the publisher gets fixed soon. :)

I've read one Dresden book, because I got hooked on the short lived tv show, just don't remember which one it was, oh well my goal will be to read the 13 novels before the year is out.

Dawdler wrote: "I've read one Dresden book, because I got hooked on the short lived tv show, just don't remember which one it was, oh well my goal will be to read the 13 novels before the year is out."

I LOVED the show! I was so sad it was only one season. I've bought it on DVD but I'm not going to let myself watch them until I finish reading the series. (Incentives can be a good thing.) :)

Christa ♥☺♥ wrote: "Dawdler wrote: "I've read one Dresden book, because I got hooked on the short lived tv show, just don't remember which one it was, oh well my goal will be to read the 13 novels before the year is o..."

Hubby & I also miss the show. They didn't really give it a chance.

i'm in line for the first book over at the singapore overdrive library ;)

I "kind of" liked the series. It's not really like the books in a lot of ways (there has been a lot of confusion over Bob for instance based on impressions carried over from the series. There were also some misleading ideas about the Council in general and Ancient Mai in particular getting started when the series ended.) I sort of think of them as two different things that happen to have the same name.

The biggest difference for me (reading the books after watching the series back when it was on) was Murphy's hair color. The other details have gotten foggy with time so I'm not suffering from any other differences. But I bet when I watch it all again after reading the series, some details will drive me nuts. :)

There were other differences, but the series never really got beyond book 2 (Fool Moon) in Harry and Murphy's relationship... and they screwed up the Fool Moon story. The details in the series wouldn't sync up with the way the stories are fitting together in the books.

Dang! I just checked and Amazon is charging $12+ for the season. I wanted to see an episode or two.

Nobody in the picture looked right, though. The guy I'm assuming is Harry didn't have on his duster and there was only 1 woman (who I'm assuming is Murphy) and her hair is dark.

*face palm*

Harry just dressed in "raggady" clothes always had a day's worth of whiskers...he used a hockey stick as a staff (no carvings etc.) and a drum stick for a wand... Bob was the ghost of a dead wizard who "lived" in the skull, need I go on?

The series isn't awful as TV goes, but as I said, it's just a "totally different story with the same name" sort thing.

I watched it, own the DVDs (don't watch them all that much now, there's only one season). TV has so little that's imaginative at all.

Christa ♥☺♥ wrote: "The biggest difference for me (reading the books after watching the series back when it was on) was Murphy's hair color. The other details have gotten foggy with time so I'm not suffering from any ..."

thats the first thing that came to mind when I picked up the first book and read she was a blond and I'm sure I'll have the same issues as you do once I get deeper into the series and go back and watch the episodes

MrsJoseph wrote: "Dang! I just checked and Amazon is charging $12+ for the season. I wanted to see an episode or two.

Nobody in the picture looked right, though. The guy I'm assuming is Harry didn't have on his ..."

you can watch an episode or two on Hulu, here is the link http://www.hulu.com/search?query=The+... just in case you're interested

Thanks! I'm going to have to check that out when I get home.

I finished Death Masks yesterday.

Although I always liked the Dresden Files I didn't love it. This was mainly because Harry kept complaining and his need to save women, I also found Susan rather annoying.

In the last couple of books he has become less whiny. And finally in this book although he keeps saving women he doesn't get himself into more danger by doing so.

Good to know! That was one of my issues with him, too.


You just reminded me I need to pick up a copy of Side Jobs. I think that I've seen an HB...but I also need to check to see which stories I have in Strange Brew, too.

Finally started book #4! :-) I've been missing Harry lately.

Anyone who would also like to discuss all things Dresden Files on MobileRead, please check out the Dresden Files thread! :) Hope to see you there.

I finished Ghost Story (and the series to date)earlier tonight. It is fantastic and I would highly recommend it to any fantasy, urban fantasy, and/or supernatural fans!!

Hi all. I restarted the Dresden Files during the summer of 2013. Ready to start Book 4. I want to get caught up before the new book comes out (May, I think).

I don't know how to do the cute little pictures. :(

About to start Summer Knight

Stephanie wrote: "Hi all. I restarted the Dresden Files during the summer of 2013. Ready to start Book 4. I want to get caught up before the new book comes out (May I think).

Storm Front
[book:Fool M..."

Yes, May 27th!!!! :)

Summer Knight is my "first" favorite of the series! I hope you enjoy it even more than I did! :)

Totally loved this book. Gave it a 5.

his need to save women

He also saves others who are less able to protect themselves. Billie (and his group of werewolves) are one group.

I'm going to try to fit Death Masks in before the end of the month.

Finished Death Masks. Very action packed with a good story. I'd give it a 4.5, but since we only have 5 digits to choose from, I bumped it up to 5.

Also borrowed an ecopy of the Side Jobs book so that I could read the short stories in the correct order. I have this in audiobook, but it is really hard to get to the right stories and I don't want to spoil what I have not yet read. It will be fine once I've completed the series once.

Currently listening to Blood Rites. I'm about 1/2 done now.

Finished Blood Rites. I would give this one a 4.5. I have some issues with the plot in the last 1/3 of the plot.

Will start book 7 in a couple of days. I've managed to obtain (I think) all the short stories/novellas now.

I'll start Dead Beat this weekend. I didn't expect to get the audiobook for the recently published "The Cell" by Robin Cook to show up so quickly. 10 day checkout, so have to take this one first.

Wow!

I finished Dead Beat. Great book. Loved Butters! Still love Thomas' humor. Looking forward to next book.

Already finished Proven Guilty. Wonderful book. Just started White Night. Already like it. Am I going to be caught up before Skin Game comes out? Probably not, but I will try. This is mostly because I don't want to read one book after another. I like to have some space between books to better absorb it before moving on. Never used to do this, but it helps.

I bought Side Jobs originally in audio. Doesn't work if you are trying to just listen to the shorts in the order of the books and not get ahead of yourself. So, I got a copy of the ebook so I can just read what I need. Once I'm done with the series, then I can just listen to Side Jobs at some point, already knowing what happens. I may properly chapterize later on so it's not an issue.

Done with Small Favor today. Have to catch up a little on book club books, and then I will start Turn Coat. I'm about 25% done with Side Jobs, but since there are so many to read now, I'm going to switch to the audiobook.

Done with Side Jobs. Great book of short stories. Still sick, so focusing on some shorter books and will start Turn Coat in a few days.

Finished Turn Coat a few days ago. While a little light on action until the end, I thought this was a really chatty, enjoyable book. Currently, about 2 hours into Changes. No way I will be caught up before Skin Games comes out in a few days, but I should be completed with Dresden Files in June. I will also take some time to view the series. I only saw 2 or 3 episodes and I have the full series. It will be a good cheer-up while I recover from surgery.

Completed Changes. VERY exciting. Some funny witty things that helped prevent the book from being, I don't know... too somber?

Completed Ghost Story. This was my least favorite story in the series. While it had some great elements and good action, it was depressing overall. I'll start Cold Days later today or tomorrow morning. I won't quite make my June finish with the series as I still have Skin Games and a number of short stories to go.

Just finished Cold Days. Far more exciting than the last book. The smart ass comments were a bit overused, but otherwise, I enjoyed the story! I'm hoping to start Skin Games tomorrow or the next day. I want to catch up on the remaining short stories before starting this one, but we'll see.

Finished Skin Games. Excellent book. James Marsters did another fine job. Still have a couple of short stories to read to be completely caught up, but should be able to do that before the end of the weekend. Just have to figure out where I stored the files.