The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

... no not the TV show - although I enjoyed it... the BOOKS!

I really like the universe that Jim Butcher has set up... he seems to bring a little of everything into play - Vampires, Wizards, werewolves, demons, angels, and all things Fae.

I've only read the first 6 so far, but his "Courts" of vampires were at least somewhat fresh take on things...

Your thoughts?

I have never read them either.

If you visit this site it will tell you more and there are also a few of his short stories to read for free.

Jim-Butcher.Com: Books - Dresden Files

Wow - if you haven't read them, I heartily recommend them... they're quick reads...

Is there a comparison of the books to the TV show?

I loved the books and in my opinion the shows not bad but the books are better

Books are usually better because of the more indepth detail and characterization. Enjoy movies and TV shows, however, because you can get a visual which helps with the reading.

Enjoyed reading up on the Dresden Files books while rating in the database and already ordered them through Borders!

I'm going to read some of the short stories on the above web page and check it out. I enjoyed the TV, didn't realize there were books also. Thanks for tip.

The books and the TV show are really different entities in many ways. The universe he creates in the books is far more layered and textured than what you get in the TV show.

The show was good (canceled of course) but the books are much better. And I agree the council is a new way to look at the vampire hiarchy

Never realized that it was based on a series of books. Loved the series. Didn't hear it was cancelled. I hope not. Great cast and a variety of supernatural and mythological beings. It was similiar to Angel. Urban legends can always be explored because one never knows if it is fact or fiction.

I thoroughly enjoy his books. I have yet to read White Knight, however, but I intend to read that soon and hopefully I'll be finished with it before his newest one comes out.
I only watched the TV series once or twice. I thought it was absolutely dreadful compared to the books. Bob did not manifest as a British man, he was a skull and nothing more. Murphy did not treat him like that; she enjoys his company, even though there are times when her suspicions involving him get the best of her, but Harry relies on just that many times. Not to mention there is a bit of underlying sexual tension between them. And where the HELL is the Blue Beetle in the series? Definitely did not really follow the books except for the characters and general ideas.
On the subject of the courts, it is quite an interesting theory. I think I would definitely prefer to be a member of Thomas' court, The White Court. But that's only because I wouldn't want to be a rotting corpse, nor would I want my skin to pretty much be a full-body mask for the grossness underneath.

I discovered these books recently, and I thoroughly enjoy them. The stories are complex and interesting without being hard to get through, and he manages to include archetypes such as Vampires, Werewolves and Faeries without sounding hokey. I liked the series as well, though it had its faults, and as usual, it was canceled just as it showed promise. There are lots of discussions about the books vs the series on the jimbutcher.com forums.

I to have only seen the show but it was well acted with the perfect amount of camp.

So for those of you who haven't read them or seen the TV show - summary at a high level:

There's a Wizard named Harry Dresden - unlike most wizards who stay out of the public eye, he's a "wizard for hire" - does a lot of work with the Chicago PD - with one Officer Murphy more often than not. Plotlines run from supernatural murders (people who have had their hearts crushed inside their chests) to werewolf attacks (and oh the variety of werewolves in the Dreden-verse) - to run ins with the various vampire courts (White, Red, and Black so far - though Jade has been mentioned). Throw in a few demons - demon hunters - the Shroud of Turin - and, oh yeah, the Seelee and Unseelee going to war, and you've got the makings of a great series.

Has anybody heard if they are renewing for the next season?

No it's not comming back :(
(the scifi cahnnel website does not have it in any line up)

But the 1st season is out on DVD :)

Okay I have one question if this show was so popular can anybody say why they canceled it?

And all so a book is always better then the movie plus we have imaginations.

Wolfkiller,

It was probably only popular with people like us.

What do you mean "with us"???

It was popular, but not popular "enough" evidently... they'd rather do "alien autopsy" or "bullsh*... err.. ghost hunters" or some such...

So wolfkiller, does that mean you didn't care for the series?

A series like that has a limited audience. Charmed was popular because of the T&A in prime time. This show was on Sunday nite and very little T&A

Sci Fi's TV shows usually last 2 to 3 seasons.. like the Invisible Man, First Wave, to name a couple. Wish Dresden Files lasted longer than a year. They made Painkiller Jane instead which didn't last a complete season and was a wash out.

Even 6 Million Dollar Women sounds like a washout. I liked it.

You know what that means, Neilson should just ask me if I like it then they can cancel the show. But I guess I did like Charmed. Wait that is cancelled also.

Some of the sci-fi channel shows last a bit longer - look at Stargate and Stargate Atlantis... Even Battlestar Galactica gets a 4th season (well deserved)...

I loved the show....did it really get canceled? What a shame! I might very well look into the book series though. It sounds really good.

Thank you for the info. Love(d) the tv series... looking forward to checking out the books.

Just watched an episode of the Dresden Files on Sci Fi Channel today, what a great show - good casting. A nice visual for when I collect the book series to read.

Wow... I still get heated over this. =): Warning: Rant incoming. Read at yer own risk.


I posted a huge rant on the jimbutcher.com forums about how SciFi is such an incredible letdown, and they canceled TDF in favor of crappy pieces of shite like "Painkiller Jane" or "Flash Gordon."

SciFi did not tell anyone, even the author, that the show was not being renewed until the Fall lineups were actually being aired. The rumor is that SciFi was hoping to attract young males in the 12-19 demographic, and instead, they attracted females 25-39. Thus, the sponsors were unhappy, and SciFi did not want a repeat of Jericho (millions of pounds of peanuts and such being sent to the network in protest of cancellation), so they unofficially stopped production. The actors were forced to find other work because SciFi would not renew their contracts (Paul Blackthorne is a lead on "Lipstick Jungle" and I believe the female lead is on "Heroes."

I remember when SciFi first went on the air, and it saddens me that it's become such a repository of mediocrity. I mean, they literally air the worst shows & movies possible, and imho, they did not give TDF a chance. there's always hope that another network will pick it up, but the actors have moved on, so I doubt it. Same thing happened with a Babylon 5 spin-off.

I considered buying TDF season 1, but I can't stomach giving SciFi one thin dime. I do have my integrity. =):

Oh thank you! I didn't realise there were books. I was just expecting to have to silently mourn yet another series that I had dared to love.

It is now bad enough with me that I refuse to watch new shows on tv as they air. I will only agree to watch something if it has made its second season. That way there is less chance of me getting left high and dry.

I will hunt down the books and get my Dresden gratification from the printed word. Thank you again for the tip off:D

Does this have reference to the town of Dresder in Germany I believe?

No reference to the town of Dresden - Dresden is the main character's last name. It's set in Chicago.

On mediocrity and the sci-fi channel - I've been watching a lot of their "movies" lately - dear God they're awful! The worst sort of pseudoscientific and "occult" tripe...

Book number 10 in the series is called "Small Favor." It will be released April 1. I hope Mr. Butcher keeps 'em coming for a long time to come!

I loved the show, so I was thinking about reading the books.

Are they anything remotely like the show?

I'v never read the books..But I'v seen the show. I think I'm going to start reading a few of the books.

Oh yes the SciFi channel is essentially Cable TV flotsam.

The TV series kept the story lines pretty true, but there were major changes in many of the characters. I think they tried to make the title character less dark and more "primetime ready." Also, one of the main characters is a disembodied arcane skull that the TV series made into a ghost, so an actor could play him. I had issues with some of the changes, but I would have liked to see at least a Season 2.

I would have liked a second season myself.

i've seen the show and i liked it

i didn't know that there are also books!
we don't have them in my country :(

Seems to be a lot of discussion on line about restarting the series.

We've now got the first 9 books - I'm on #7 at this point... the writing just keeps getting better... The seventh one starte out with a bang - Necromancy - and as always Jim has a very interesting take on it.

Going to try and find them at the used book store. What was the first issue called?