Thursday, June 11, 2009

More on Butcher and Dresden Files

If you haven't yet read Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novels, I heartily recommend them to you. He is an excellent writer who crosses genres between various pulp fiction traditions: hardboiled PI, mystery, science fiction, horror, fantasy (both dark and high; Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft would both be proud), and advenure. It's pure escapist reading, and it's lots of fun!

Harry Dresden is a wizard, sort of a grown-up Harry Potter. Harry Dresden has a dark side that's violent and smashes things and more than a little mysterious, but he also has a weakness for maidens in distress and for doing the right thing. He may be tempted, but he fights the good fight and we're all grateful when he has small victories. The supporting cast of characters include a female police lieutenant, a fairy godmother, a White Knight, a Chicago crime boss, various and assorted spirits, demons, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and other creatures that go bump in the night, and a cat named Mister and a dog named Mouse. Mouse isn't any ordinary dog, however. He's a Tibetan Temple Dog, specially bred to guard temples against demons. There's also an intrepid girl reporter who gets in as much trouble as Lois Lane.

Like I said, it's lots of fun!

No comments: