The Dresden Files
by Powers, Mark (Comics author), Jim Butcher · first published 2010
43% recommend50% neutral7% critical
Why HN recommends it
Urban fantasy about a young wizard in modern Chicago, with deep worldbuilding, a big cast, and an overarching plot where each book stands on its own. Good for readers who like long series.
Common criticism: Some say the first few books are weaker before the series improves
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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Try The Dresden Files. It will be (at completion) approximately 26 books in length (yep, 26). Jim Butcher currently released book 15 (Skin Game). And I have to say, every book has gotten better than the previous book. Jim…
on “Entitlement issues (2009)” ↗Some suggestions: Any of the "Laundry Files" novels by Charles Stross, or Glasshouse also by Stross. Permutation City by Greg Egan. Off To Be The Wizard by Scott Meyer. Any of the "Dresden Files" novels by Jim Butcher. The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner. Neuromancer by William Gibson. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.
on “Ask HN: Best non-business books to read on vacation” ↗Some favorites from this last year: Gideon the Ninth, & Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. Delta V by Daniel Suarez (space mining!!!) Battle Grounds, & Peace Talks (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher Bobiverse 1,2 & 3 by Dennis E. Taylor
on “My Favorite Books 2020” ↗I already am addicted. The nice thing about a series like the Dresden files is that each book in the series feels like it could be finished in the very next book. Jim Butcher does a good job of moving things along without biting off more than he can chew.
on “Entitlement issues (2009)” ↗…Enderverse by Orson Scott Card, which has like 16 books with 3 to be announced (start with Ender's game, and go onto the speaker series, then the shadow series, and on from there). I enjoyed Jim Butcher's Dresden Files (kinda more young adult fantasy, but just fun) where the main character is a wizard detective in modern day Chicago. Jim Butcher's Codex Alera was decent too - a world where everyone has magic but the…
on “Ask HN: Which audiobooks did/do you like?” ↗Erin Morgenstern's "the Night Circus" and "the Starless Sea", and Jim Butcher's latest two Dresden Files books (Peace Talks and Battleground).
on “Ask HN: What is the best book you read in 2020?” ↗I've enjoyed these books during long drives and flights to Japan during the past decade. The Dresden Files series, by Jim Butcher. The Mistborn series, by Brandon Sanderson. The Stormlight Chronicles, by Brandon Sanderson. Choose Your Own Autobiography, by Neil Patrick Harris. As You Wish: Inconceivable…
on “Ask HN: Favorite audio book for long drives?” ↗…series) For fun - Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde Hitchhikers guide is a given The Chronicles of St Mary by Jodi Taylor (and Time Police) If you can make your way over to more fantasy, then: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacks
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite sci-fi books?” ↗Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Read few books of that, then switch to something other and then back. "Small Favor" at the moment. "Dead beat" has been favourite so far.
on “Ask HN: What are you reading these days?” ↗…if the author hasn't managed to enclose a proper story in 500-1000 pages, there is probably something that is off. I really don't agree with that: 1. a series can be way more than a single story, The Dresden Files is 15 volumes of 300~500 pages each (let's call it 6000 pages), each story is mostly free-standing but they follow chronologically, it's a very episodic format if you will. Discworld has similar thematic…
on “Entitlement issues (2009)” ↗I started getting cluster headaches a couple of years ago. The level of pain that they inflict completely changed my pain scale. I started doing something that I read in a fiction book series (The Dresden Files) - basically a little visualization that helps me compartmentalize the pain. It helps a ton, though the fact that the attacks are relatively short probably help in that regard as it takes a lot of concentration.…
on “How to deal with extreme physical pain” ↗…were immediately like "this is not right". Master's is the only audiobook personality I know and is talked about by fans all the time (think he used to be in Buffy). For anyone who hasn't ever read the Dresden Files, it is a fantasy series set in modern Chicago with a young wizard way in over his head. The series starts off kinda bleh with the first few books, but steadily picks up pace as the main character gets…
on “Your throat hurts, your brain hurts: the life of the audiobook star” ↗…story to tell, grab a map a visit that with her. Think about a story you can tell with that. I learnt more about buenos aires (the city where I live) and Chicago (the city where I'm moving soon) because Dresden Files books and roleplaying, than from school. And I learned how to love every city secret because of that. Why I'm talking about roleplaying and walking time together? Because both will be spending time together…
on “Ask HN: How to keep my daughter busy while tickling her curiosity” ↗…have into smaller, self-contained stories. I vastly prefer the latter, especially if there _are_ hints to an overarching plot. 13-book meanderings like Wheel of Time don't do it for me these days, but Dresden Files (15 books and ~20 short stories) or the Honor Harrington series (13 books, plus 18 spinoff short stories or novels)? I will chain-read those like crack, and still feel satisfied almost regardless of where…
on “Entitlement issues (2009)” ↗…so, is the first book bad? How did it become popular if the first book is bad? Um, anybody remember "Twilight" or "50 Shades of Grey"? It's possible to be quite popular and yet suck very badly. And, Dresden Files is far from bad. It sets up an interesting set of characters and an interesting universe. Just go into it expecting a swashbuckle rather than high literature, and you will be fine.
on “Bad Poems” ↗