It's been several years since I have been out of that fandom. I read upto 13 books before (Ghost story and didn't finish it) and am considering a re read from the start. However I am a bit wary if it's worth the effort. Apparently from what I've heard the books quality is not as good in the latest books. I also remember there used to so many pop culture references. I'm not sure how it has aged now.

 

Poorly, IMO. Dresden's Characterization has devolved and gone backwards particularly by the latest 2 books.

 

I reread them in late covid and still enjoyed them. But you can tell they were written in a different time.

But as they are supposedly written as a recounting of his life, by himself, it kind of works to see the perspective and style change as he does.

His views towards women, especially early on can be hard to read, but if you read it as a story about a weird nerdy 21 year old… it kind of fits.

its basically pulp fiction. If you go in wanting Tolkien or GRRM you’ll be disappointed. If you go in to enjoy the story, it’s fine.

 

I wouldn't say basically. The only way they could be more pulp would be if there were published in a monthly magazine. Sleaze has pretty much always been a part of pulp (if you don't believe me, go check out pulpcovers.com) so it fits with the stories.

Is it high literature? No. Does that mean it is bad? No. Is high literature overrated? Yes. They're fun, and as it is their point to be fun (for the readers) I'd say it nailed the goal

 

I've been outspoken for awhile on how much I dislike Dresden Files, and I don't think age has done them any favors. I've only read up through skin game, so basically haven't read any in 7 years, but at that time, I would say I thought 8 of the books were bad, 6 were good, and one was neutral.

 

Michael, Charity, and Butters went from annoying to acceptable to annoying again.

I hate goody two shoes characters and I especially hate goody two shoes characters that are always right. It really feels like hack writing.

Butcher's treatment of Christianity is also highly annoying, and not because I'm a edgy atheist.

 

Re-reading the first few can be rough for the reasons others mentioned, but also because he was a very noticeably worse author at the beginning.

Later books also saw a large increase in the number of nerdy references, including those that a person without access to the internet really shouldn't have. It's not enough to put me off the series entirely, but it's noticeable and annoying.

 

Not awesomely, and think about who's saying this. Do I still like the series? Yes. Do I recommend it to people? Not anymore. I used to be able to sit down and re-read any of the books, especially 3-12, with no issue. But, having graduated into my 40s, and with the forward momentum of the series completely lost due to Butcher's... shall we say, relationship issues, my enthusiasm has cooled and my day-one gottahaveitness is tempered. Some of the early books are just cringey in parts, and some of the later ones seem to pull characterisation out of thin air. Butcher's no longer in The Zone, and it stings.

Will I change my handle? No. Will I explain it when folks ask? ... TBD.

 

Is there any other urban fantasy series comparable to Dresden Files that you all would recommend trying?

 

@Rubicon They're very different flavours, not least because they're (primarily) set in London, but you could try:

Peter Grant series, by Ben Aaronovitch, starting with Rivers of London. They revolve around Metropolitan police officer Peter Grant as he gets promoted to the Folly, the branch of Scotland Yard that deals with magical crime, and his wider introduction to the magical world. Wizard crime bosses, violent spirits, fairies, goblins, genus loci of the waterways of Britain, and a mentor who doesn't look a day over forty despite fighting during WW2. An ongoing series, with releases (mostly) alternating between main entries and side story novellas, although there's also an ongoing comic with other stories in; you mostly don't need to read outside the main entries, but they're all good in my experience. Takes a fairly scientific approach to magic, as might be expected given that in-universe one of the most notable practitioners was Isaac Newton.

Matthew Swift series, by Kate Griffin, starting with A Madness of Angels. At present, only four books with two spin off books, and it looks unlikely there'll be any more as the author is busy writing other stuff as Claire North (also great books, but not relevant to this). Weirder than either Dresden or Peter Grant, largely because of the concept of urban magic that it revolves around. Sorcerers animating graffiti to fight with, invoking the travel restrictions of a train ticket as a protective ward, sentient trash golems...it definitely has the Dresden tendency for situations to wind up exploding and/or on fire.