“The building was on fire, and it wasn’t my fault.”
Those of you familiar with The Dresden Files will no doubt recognize this line, which opens Blood Rites, book six of the series. If you don’t know about this series, well, you’re in for a treat. Beginning with the novel Storm Front, author Jim Butcher introduces readers to Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only openly practicing wizard. Moving from simple cases where he’s a magical PI, the series blossoms into an epic with a much wider storyline and a diverse cast of characters. This is one of the quintessential urban fantasy series that you should read if you are into that genre.
New readers should be aware that this series is not finished. There are currently 17 books published out of a projected (if I’m remembering correctly) 24. Book 18, titled Twelve Months, is apparently about 50% written, according to Butcher’s website. Book 19 is set to be titled Mirror, Mirror.
If you’re looking for great characters, lots of action, and a heaping helping of humor, you can’t go wrong with The Dresden Files. Just remember, the fire isn’t always Dresden’s fault…