The Dresden Files Books In Order

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Publication Order of The Dresden Files Books

Publication Order of Dresden Files Collections

Publication Order of The Dresden Files Graphic Novels

First published by Roc Books in 2000, The Dresden files is a contemporary fantasy novel organically intertwined with elements of mystery; authored by Jim Butcher the books are written from the first person perspective of primary protagonist Harry Dresden, a wizard and private investigator.

The books focus primarily upon Harry’s accounts of his past and present, providing a hard look into the investigative work that attracts him to the supernatural disturbances of modern day Chicago.

With the first novel initially titled semiautomagic, an attempt at summing up the hard boiled detective elements that the pervade the story’s fantastical structure, the series numbers 15 books as of 2014, Jim Butcher having authored various short stories to accompany his unique works.

The world of the Dresden Files.

Jim; Butcher’s story fully embraces the fantastical facets of modern fantasy, crafting a world filled with ghouls, vampires, zombies, demons, faeries, and even spirits alongside various other mystical monsters.

Humanity is largely unaware of the monsters and myths that roam about their world and it comes down to Harry Dresden, a private detective savvy in the magical arts, to maintain this veneer of peace, a consistent barrier between the natural and the supernatural.

The magical realm, for all its wonders, is an unrewarding master in the face of the harsh realities of modern existence; in an era of industry and technology, where Harry finds his magical prowess and investigative work solely lacking in the assuaging his financial needs, he finds solace in Karrin Murphy, the Chicago PD Special Investigations Unit’s director, to whom he avails his assistance in the solving of supernaturally inclined cases, earning his keep as a consultant.

Beyond the difficult desires of Harry’s mortal coil and the various nefarious elements of magic that infiltrate modernity, the White Council exists to govern magic in its entirety and maintain order in an arena of chaos and mythical wonder.

It is by the white council’s word that the Seven Laws of Magic were created; the Seven Laws of Magic bind those wielders of magical powers under a strict code of conduct, the breaking of which, intentionally or otherwise, will result in a death sentence.

More than endless magical battles the story of the Dresden files is heavily steeped in political wrangling and workings; the various magical species of the Dresden universe each boast a unique court or house, a party that stands to represent the needs of its kind, moderates their actions and works to maintain peace with some species, sometimes even engaging in conflict with others, of which the White Council stands as the human Wizard’s representative at the table.

With so many forces moving to promote the cause of their various species, it falls upon the White Council to maintain the dignity man’s role in the affairs of the supernatural.

The Dresden Files: Storm Front

Published in 2000 by Roc Books, Jim Butcher’s first novel in the Dresden series introduces the enigmatic hero of the story, Harry Dresden, as a savvy wizard in Chicago struggling to make ends meet as a less than successful private eye. Seeking to find refuge in an endeavor that is not only financially rewarding but exciting, of which finding Victor Sells, the husband of a distressed wife, isn’t; Harry is called in by Lieutenant Karrin Murphy of the Special Investigations unit to scrutinize the remains of two victims of a gruesome murder.

Their hearts ripped out, Harry finds himself cornered, with accusing hands pointing towards his arrogant self for the crime at hand; eventually connecting the brutal crime with the missing Victor Sells and the nefarious drug ThreeEye, Harry must weather the accusing hand of the white council in his attempts to exonerate his good name and return to his rightful place as defender of the weak.

A gritty and sometimes intimidating undertaking, the first book in the series brings to the fro a litany of curious characters, merely pieces in a puzzle that would continue to unfold during the series’ run.

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon

Published in 2001, the second book in the Dresden Files series, Fool Moon picks up where Storm Front left off. Kim Delaney, who Harry aided in gaining control over her magical abilities during Storm Front, is seeking additional assistance in the creation of three magical circles utilized for containing magical creatures.

Unwilling to reveal this information, Harry turns his attention to Lt. Karrin Murphy’s recent request; in following the trail of a Johnnie Marcone henchman and his connection to a discovered set of wolf paw prints, Harry finds himself entangled in the nasty business of werewolf gangs and their respective leaders.

With the park leader, Parker, at his heels, it will take all the brain and brawn Harry can muster to disentangle the notes surrounding Tera West, Parker and Harley McFinn, even while trying to look past the villainy of Marcone in an effort to help the suspicious fellow find salvation. Even grittier than Storm Front, Fool Moon tells a bloody tale, revealing the true nature of lycanthropy and the savagery that drives those caught in its throes, even while finally allowing Harry Dresden to shine as a bad-ass wizard; a true hero disguised in the grizzly adornments of a detective.

Other Media

The Dresden files has made several attempts to make that most lucrative jump from page to screen, finally achieving a semblance of this goal in 2007, following the release of the The Dresden Files TV series for Sci-Fi. Canceled after a single season, Jim Butcher explored the future of his story off the small screen, the Dresden files eventually manifesting as the four issue graphic novel ‘Welcome to the Jungle’.

This prequel to Storm front finally published through 2008, winning a Hugo Award for Best Graphic story, a nod to Jim Butcher and his work with Dabel Brothers; production of the Storm Front adaptation would run into some delays after the title was transferred to Dynamite entertainment from Dabel Brothers, the 6th issue finally hitting the shelves in 2010.

With the pen and paper role playing game finally released in 2010 by Evil Hat productions, The Dresden files is considered a cult classic, beloved by a hard core fan base of readers determined to carry the story and its iconic character to greater heights.

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