SuzieQ

The new book came out, we’re all excited, but for the people on our dashboards who might be confused by this wizard named Harry that they’ve never heard of, allow me to present you with Six Reasons You Should Read The Dresden Files:

1. The Narration

Harry Dresden is one snarky bastard. He has a doctorate degree in wiseassery and there is not a being in all of creation he won’t mouth off to. I’m not sure if it’s the quality of the snark, or the sheer absurdity of reading Harry openly mocking creatures who could shred his body into it’s component elements, or a beautiful mix of the two, but it works and works wonderfully.

2. The Supernatural World

Did you know that a Queen of Fae owes a debt to a host of a Fallen Angel and admires the work of an Archangel? Or that Odin can lead the Wild Hunt of the Erlking and runs a security company? Or that Excalibur has one of the Nails of the Crucifix embedded in it’s hilt, and works really well against Eldritch Abominations and Horrorterrors? Neither did I! So many mythologies and fables interweave and react to each other and it all makes sense as you’re reading it! It’s only when you step back and ask yourself “Did Santa Claus just use time-magic before he punched a Cthulhu-ling in the face?” that you realize just how awesome the situation is. And that’s not even getting into the more ‘usual’ lore like vampires and werewolves, we’ve got all different kinds of them too

3. The Characters

The Dresden Files is a series filled to the brim with badass characters. The best part though, is that they aren’t all badass in the same way. They vary because first and foremost, they are people. Awesome people, but not without their flaws and fears. Which is good, because it makes them far more enjoyable to read.

4. The Tone

There is a very strong feeling throughout these books. And for all the crap that most of the characters go through, the tone itself is a rather optimistic “Keep Going”. Even during the lowest, darkest, most heart-wrenching parts of the story, that feeling is still there. Just with the shiny outer layers of optimism worn off to reveal the sheer human stubbornness beneath.

5. The Status Quo

There isn’t any. Well, that’s not entirely true. Harry will always throw himself headlong into the heart of that book’s danger. But other than that, things will change. People will learn and grow for the better and/or for the worse. Issues will get resolved, or they’ll fester and escalate. There is no reset button and the consequences of one book’s resolution will bear fruit in one way or another. Seeing certain people grow up and get better is immensely satisfying.

6. The Only Real Reason You Need

Harry Dresden rides a zombie dinosaur through the streets of Chicago.

Zombie Dinosaur

ZOMBIE. DINOSAUR.