I don't care what you guys think, this is an extremely charming series and I think it's just swell.

Sell it to me and I'll start reading today.

>>24569336
I'm a huge faggot for Wizards and no media ever gets them right except this series for me, the author did his fucking homework on wizards and I adore it
Basically the protagonist is a wizard living in modern chicago whom is a freelance detective that investigates anything supernatural for anyone that hires him
The books do a stellar job of expanding the setting and every character is so goddamn charming

Most of the humor is cute although simple and goofy at times, but its charming and it has like a handful of moments that actually have me audibly laughing pretty hard, which is hard to do and no other books have done

I say give it a fair shake anon, the first book is unanimously agreed to be the weakest, but that's because it sets the stage for the rest of the series.

>>24569334 (OP)
Starts off as a Wizard Detective in Chicago think Phillip Marlowe meets Buffy, Grows into an epic Urban Fantasy. Well written for the most part, lots of consequences of actions and well handled storyline threads. Audiobooks are excellent with James Marsters narrating. It's also a big series, with a new installment coming in January so plenty to read.

Downsides: Most of the weaker books are at the start of the series (almost gave up on Book 2) and Jim Butcher has slowed in his output of more Dresden novels so the ending to the whole series is still far in the future.

>>24569344
Great,thanks anon. Sounds like a fun read. Would you recommend starting with Storm Front or the prequel?

>>24569456
>Prequel
Prequel?
I dunno, I wasn't even aware there was one. I just finished Dead Beat (which is apparently where the series really kicks into high gear) and I can agree, Dead Beat was by far the best so far

>>24569459
Restoration of Faith seems to come before Storm Front but was written later I think

>>24569462
I say read them in the order they were written. I think the author would prefer it that way too.

Read about 10 of them some 12-13 years ago when I didn't know any better. It was fun, much better than an average Discworld book.
The writing reminds me of comic books like Criminal (Ed Brubaker) or maybe Sin Sity (Frank Miller).
Very much not bad for schlock, I remember enjoying it. Still have no experience in fantasy, so can't compare to other "more literorary" works, but Dresden seems like Buffy the vampire slayer written by Dennis Lehane.

>>24569463
Didn't Jim himself say to start with Dead Beat?

>>24569627
Dead beat is great, everything that's great about early Dresden in a neat package. That said I still think muscling through the first few is worth it for Murphy, Michael, the start of the red court vampire war, introduction to the white council, the Fae of summer and winter etc etc etc

>>24570384
Summer Knight sure was weak. But it has some good moments.