Ack! How did this happen?
Is this normal? Is there some new psychological disease they're going to name after me, that describes when someone has a crush on an entirely fictional character and pines with unrequited (and un-requit-able) love?
A friend introduced me to the urban fantasy series by Jim Butcher awhile back and I've been hooked ever since.
The main protagonist, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, just happens to live in Chicago and is the only entry under "Wizard" in the phone book. (He does not do love potions).
He's seriously tall and lanky, old-fashioned when it comes to women and children, and a wiseass of the nth degree.
He has a cat named Mister who is the closest thing to a mountain lion in those parts. He has a humongous Foo dog named Mouse who is smarter than most people. He drives a battered and beat-up Volkwagen Beetle that at one point was blue, but due to various attacks by supernatural creatures has had some cosmetic and body work done and is now more colors than a My Little Pony.
One of his best friends is a talking skull named Bob with a penchant for porn and seedy romance novels.(He's actually a spirit of intellect who lives in the skull, but let's not mince the details).
Harry battles all the supernatural baddies who come to Chicago to cause mayhem. He often gets beat up, has his apartment attacked and is constantly running his mouth when he is out of options. This is in addition to somehow finding enough money to pay the rent on his apartment and office.
Frequently this wise-cracking magic wielder gets the raw end of the deal, but he always keeps his head and somehow manages to save the day.
How can you not love a hero like him?
He's gotten to:
- Hang out with and mouth off to archangels
- Be protected by an actual fairie godmother (not as fun as it sounds)
- Battle monkey-demons who fling actual flaming poo at him
- Tell the Alien from H.R. Giger/Alien movie fame to "Get away from her you BITCH!"
- Visit his own grave
- Ride a giant zombie T-rex re-animated by polka music
- Lead a legion of tiny fair folk wielding box-cutter weapons in return for paying them in pizza
If I weren't married already (and if he wasn't fictional) I'd be driving to Chicago to throw myself at him.
If you find yourself craving some light reading and enjoy urban fantasy (or hysterically funny wiseacre heroes who regularily engage in witty banter) I strongly suggest you pick up this series. It's the best urban fantasy I've read, ever, and is one of my top ten favorite series.
Which is saying a lot, if you've seen the state of my bookshelves at home.
*The book series should not be confused with the SyFy series of the same name. Yes, technically it's based off of the books, but the word from other loyal Dresden fans who've seen it, it's blasphemous and evil to relate itself to the books.
6 comments:
Didn't they do a TV show with this character in it? I remember that from SPACE. It sounds like good stuff. I like the smartasses like John Constantine and Dresden who talk smack to demons and forces much more powerful than they are and win the day with trickery over raw skills. I am going to look out for those books when I hit the mall tomorrow.
I haven't seen the show myself, but friends of mine who have read the books who've seen it say it's horrible and not representative of the books at all.
I really do encourage you to pick them up!
Saw the show and thought it was horrible, so I haven't tried the books. Sounds pretty great actually. I think I'll give it a go.
Have you ever read the MYTH books by Robert L. Asprin?
I have not, but I just had to check them out on Goodreads to see what they're all about. Piques my interest...as long as they're not completely full of puns like Piers Anthony's Xanth series.
I can only take so many puns!
If you find yourself not liking the first book, try skipping a few more in & starting there. The author was still maturing as a writer the first few and building the world slowly, and as the series progresses so does the character of Harry and the fictional world he lives in.
Not full of puns, except for the titles. Very funny books, but not reliant on the humor to tell a story.
I'm definitely going to try the series you've recommended. I know authors can take a few books to warm up, so I'm okay with that.
All right! You'll have to tell me what you think and I'll do the same.
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