The Dresden Files

The comic versions of the Dresden Files are direct adaptations of the novels, and began with Storm Front in mid 2008. Prior to the debut of Storm Front, Dabel Brothers released, an original four-part Harry Dresden miniseries, Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle, written by Butcher, available at your local comic book store.

"I couldn't be happier to see the Dresden Files hopping the gulf to a new medium--and to one where I think they'll have the chance to really shine," Butcher said. "I've spent considerable portions of my life obsessed with comics. I like them, and they helped shape my imagination as I was growing up. The action in the Dresden Files has always been inspired by my favorite superhero titles--Spidey and the X-men--and several facets of Dresden himself were modeled on some of the same foundations as Peter Parker. For heaven's sake, my online handle has been 'Longshot,' after the sometime X-man, since my very first email account."

Adaptations of Butcher's Dresden Files will join at least two other Dabel Brothers' adaptations in 2008 - Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son, and George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards. The titles will be published in conjunction with Del Rey Books, an imprint of Ballantine Books.

"The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle"
Graphic Novel
by Jim Butcher
Illustrated by Ardian Syaf
Published by Del Rey (2008)

Jim Butcher confesses in the preface to this collected edition, that when he writes a Harry Dresden story he pictures the action in comic book form and I found it interesting that as I read each new novel my mind immediately interprets into a comic book /animation format. Jim says it's because he collected Marvel comics for a large part of his life, maybe that's my reason also. I find it amazing that he and I shared the same passion, if only I had turned that passion into great writing like he did.

Anyway, these stories were originally published in comic book form in four issues. This edition collects those comics into one graphic novel and includes a section with extra artwork representing the covers and character development sketches. Reading this story in comic book form allows the reader to enjoy the action with some great artwork.

This story is a prequel to the Dresden files taking place just before the first book , "Storm Front." A side note here "Storm Front" has since been adapted to graphic novel form.

After a security guard at the Lincoln Park Zoo is found dead at the zoo, the police immediately think that a gorilla named Moe is to blame. Special Investigations Lt. Karrin Murphy, doesn't think it fits that the gorilla escaped, killed the guard and locked himself back in the cage. So she calls in the only guy capable of handling the world of the weird, Chicago's own wizard, Harry Dresden. Harry has to find what actually happened and present it to Murphy so the officials can somewhat swallow the story. Harry is soon attacked by several jungle cats, a black dog and a hag. With some help from Bob the skull, Harry finds out what is killing but now he has to figure out how to stop them or more than just the zoo will be in trouble.

With excellent Jim Butcher storytelling and beautiful artwork "Welcome to the Jungle" is a great introduction to the Dresden files series.

A wizard by the name of Harry needs to earn money and make a living. So what does he do? He sets up shop in Chicago and hangs out his shingle to let the folks know he is a wizard for hire. No this is not Harry Potter after he has graduated from Hogwart's. Rather this is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, one of the coolest wizard characters ever created. Jim Butcher has created a great character and a fun series of books subtitled the Dresden Files. So far there are 8 in the series; Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Masks, Blood Rites, Dead Beat, and Proven Guilty. Storm Front being the first in the series seemed a good place to start for me. The series of books has led to a TV series on the Sci-Fi channel "The Dresden Files." The TV series has left a lot out that was in the books but as a set of side stories it covers the feeling behind the books. In fact, in episode 8 of the tv series they somewhat told the story of what happens in Book 1.

One of the neat things about this book and the series of books is the format they are written. Remember the old Film Noir detective movies. Where the detective narrates the cases and stories? This is exactly the way Jim Butcher has written this series. Harry Dresden tells the story in Film Noir style. Another way to describe the story telling would be to say if Stephen King were to write about Harry Potter as a private dick in 3rd person narration. But then that doesn't adequately describe what's going on. In general this book was extremely fun to read and I can't wait for the next.

Okay here's the basic story; Harry Dresden, Wizard for Hire, solves missing person cases and such and on occasion helps the Chicago P.D. with some of their rather strange cases. Lieutenant Karen Murphy the director of Special Investigations out of downtown Chicago calls Harry in when something doesn't seem right. But Harry still needs to pay his bills so he takes on cases on the side to supplement the rare job from the police.

In this book, Harry is first contacted by Monica whose husband has taken a recent interest in magic and gone missing, Harry sets up an appointment to meet with her and immediately after Lt. Murphy calls Harry to bring him in on a case of a double murder. Harry hurries to the grisly murder scene so he can get back in time for the appointment. At the scene he finds a man and a woman in a hotel room, whose bodies are entwined in a passionate moment, except for both of their hearts have been exploded from the inside blasting a large hole in each of their chests. Harry immediately finds that a strong wizard has done this and decides to help Murphy. One of the victims is a body guard for the notorious crime boss, Johnny Marconi. On his way back to his office Harry is bullied into a limo in which Johnny Marconi offers to pay for Harry's services. Rather, Marconi wishes to pay for Harry not to investigate the murders.

After turning Marconi down Harry meets with Monica who explains that her husband is missing and that his recent interest in magic may have led to his demise.

Harry Dresden then becomes swamped in 2 cases which become intertwined and lead him into a battle with demons, vampires and a dark wizard. During the process we meet many of Harry's friends and enemies. Bob the spirit familiar which serves as Harry's supernatural computer (since any technology decides to stop working when a wizard is near), a tabloid reporter who falls in love with Harry (thanks to drinking a wrong potion), Morgan the Deputy for the White Council who threatens Harry with death if he should stray on to the wrong side of magic due to Harry being on "probation" for an unexplained murder of his mentor.

Lots of fun and lots of action. Get started on this series now. Yes, the books are better than the tv series.

My Favorite quote in this book:

"... just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face."

So If you are wondering whether the wizard by the name of Harry is alive or dead, I can tell you there are at least 8 more in the series to go and well he is the subject. But let me tell you this one is close...It seems as though the common chapter opening in this book is "I woke up." just after a life threatening event. Oh by the way this is the wizard Harry Dresden, not the other Harry, I haven't read that book yet. I'm in line after 2 of my kids...so I'm reading another wizard Harry's series. And of course this one is geared more for the adults anyway.

Okay, this is only book 2 in the series, but oh my gosh, the action is intense. In "Fool Moon" Harry Dresden is up against werewolves. But the late show werewolves aren't quite the way Harry's werewolves are. For one thing there is more than one kind of werewolf, as Harry finds out, there are: hexenwolves, lycanthropes and loup garou. (The book explains the difference!) The loup garou is the nastiest beast of them all and in this book Harry goes up against all the types found in the book. (Actually no book just Harry's spirit computer, Bob.)

The events in "Fool Moon" take place 6 months after book one and well it's not the best of all situations for Lt. Karrin Murphy. After the events in the first book Murphy is under investigation by Internal Affairs. They believe she may be in cahoots with mobster, Johnny Marconi. After all how do you explain a dark wizard blowing people's hearts out of their chests, other than magic. Anyhow there seems to be a series of murders during the days of the full moon for the past 2 months. Harry is not called in until the 2nd month and after one of Marconi's bodyguards is the victim. Harry does confirm that it is werewolves, but can't offer too much else, he didn't pay attention much during that part of his training. Also the crime scene is immediately interfered with by FBI agents, led by Agent Denton, and Denton is quick to inform Murphy she is out of her jurisdiction and that she shouldn't be bringing Harry in on this.
Harry and Murphy are followed as they leave the crime scene as Murphy drops him off at his home. Harry does a spell to track the owner of the blood found on the crime scene only to be led to a seedy part of Chicago by the University where he finds a "gang" of college kids arguing. Their leader, Tara, then comes in and says they are being watched. A chase goes on and Harry is attacked, but only slightly by a wolf, before finding Murphy outside, she had followed the car that followed them.

After consulting with Bob, the spirit assistant to Harry, Harry finds out enough about werewolves to scare him. To scare a wizard takes a lot. Harry then brings his information to Murphy, but she is being question by I.A. and Agent Denton offers to take the report in to her. After Harry leaves one of the other FBI agents approaches him and asks, "Are you for real?" After Harry tells his standard answer of hire me and find out. The agent gives Harry a lead. This lead is a group of lycanthropes. Well then Johnny Marconi gives Harry another lead and this points to a loup garou. Without giving too much away a group of hexenwolves are also involved...but you may be surprised as to where.

Aside from the edge-of-your-seat-staying-up-all-night-because-you-can't-put-the-book-down action, the book also delves into some heavier subject matter. The big one is the issue of trust. Lots of questions of who to trust from Harry trying to find out who's who and from Lt. Murphy as to whether Harry is on the up and up about helping the police.

Harry Dresden's faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book

But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: the spirit world's gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble - and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone - or something - is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc.

But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself.... .

In this installment of the Dresden files The wizard named Harry is found fighting ghosts. But It seems as though the ghosts are all more active and dangerous than they have ever been. In this book Harry finally gets some help, in the form of Michael. It's never really clear what exactly Michael is. He is a Knight of the Cross or the "Fist of God." He's like a cross (no pun intended) between a Knight Templar, Knight of the Round Table and an Archangel." Michael carries a great sword called "Amoracchius," in the hilt of this sword there is a nail, said to be from "The Cross."

This book seems to be a turning point in Harry's career and the storyline that will seem to be coming in the series. In this book we get to learn a little more of Harry's past and also get to take a couple of trips into the Nevernever. The Nevernever is home to all things that go bump in the night, and is only mentioned in the 2 previous books. Also Harry finally realizes and admits he's in love with Susan. But this realization may come a little too late.

Michael, Harry and Lt. Murphy had worked together to stop a wizard that was using his magic for killing. The demon that wizard summoned up was powerful but with all of them teamed up they killed the demon and took the wizard in to police custody. But something has happened in the case and the police will not talk to Harry about it.

Soon all those involved are being attacked by something evil. Harry and Michael deduce that since the veil of the Nevernever is is being stirred up (all the ghostly activity) that the veil is thinning. Thus allowing all this evil to be unleashed. Thinking that the demon is now a ghost and nearly unstoppable Harry and Michael think the demonghost is seeking revenge.

It is learned that Harry's godmother, the faerie Leanansidhe, (yes Harry has a Faerie Godmother) has made a bargain with Harry in his youth and owns his soul. But Harry is not ready to give that up. So she is trying to take it from him and make him her slave. In a battle with the demon ghost, she shows up and heals Harry of his wounds, saying she wants him alive. Harry gets the sword Amoracchius and prepares to attack Lea in revenge. However, Michael warns him (too late) that the sword is not to be used that way. The sword is then picked up by Lea and she leaves. Leaving Michael doubting his faith.

At the same time Harry receives an Invitation from Bianca, a vampire, to attend a costume party to celebrate the appointing of Bianca to the Red Court. The Red Court is one of 3 courts of Vampires and Bianca is to be head of the Red Court. We learn that The Black Court is weak and disappearing. Harry and Michael attend this party. Michael comes as a Knight Templar and knowing Lea will be attending the celebration hopes to get Amoracchius back. Harry comes dressed as a vampire...except he's a "cheesy" vampire and all the other vampires do not find this amusing. Harry's girlfriend Susan forges an invitation hoping to cover the story of the century for her newspaper, but finds out since she was not invited she does not get the protection afforded the actual invitees.

At this party it is learned that the Red Court and The Black Court have teamed up to start a war with the Wizard's White Council, in which Harry is a Member.

The final battles ensue and the book's climax comes with great anticipation.

With the driving wit and sarcasm of Harry Dresden and the wonderful action created by author Jim Butcher this book is yet another masterpiece in the Dresden files.

Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can't pay his rent. He's alienating his friends. He can't even recall the last time he took a shower.

The only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man.

And just when it seems things can't get any worse, in saunters the Winter Queen of Faerie. She has an offer Harry can't refuse if he wants to free himself of the supernatural hold his faerie godmother has over him - and hopefully end his run of bad luck. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Queen's right-hand man, the Summer Knight, and clear the Winter Queen's name.

It seems simple enough, but Harry knows better than to get caught in the middle of faerie politics. Until he finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case.

No pressure or anything...

I think pretty much all that can go wrong with Harry does. In this book Harry faces a rain of toads, a war between Summer and Winter, A hearing by the White Council which could result in his death, and to make matters worse an old girlfried shows up only to create problems.

The book opens up with Harry still trying find a cure for Susan his current love, and only the second woman he's ever loved. The cure is to cure her of vampirism. In the last book she was partially transformed into a vampire. He has let his hygiene go and his apartment's a mess. However he is getting help from the alphas, you may remember they are the group of college kids, oh yeah and they are lycanthropes.

Harry is soon hired by the Winter Faerie Queen to find out who murdered the Summer Knight. Everyone thinks it was the Winter Queen but she knows she is innocent and if the real killer is not found out there could be a war between the Summer and Winter Faeries. This could only lead to one victor and whoever comes out on top the world could either enter another Ice Age or a time of exponential growth. Now the growth may sound good but remember it also sounds good to E Coli and other bacterium.

This book is another turning point in the series in that Harry admits to Murphy everything there is to know about the supernatural world. Taking her under confidence to tell all the inside info Harry is risking a lot. However it is yet another time we see the almost human weakness of this wizard in that he needs outside help. Murphy is a bit taken aback but soon recovers and is there to help Harry in any way.

We are also introduced to members of the White Council of Wizards. There are some nice characters here including Harry's Mentor, Ebenezer McCoy. Ebenezer was Harry's assigned mentor after Harry killed his Uncle Justin. Also more of the story of Harry's falling out with the White Council and the Death (in self defense) of Uncle Justin.

Yet again another great book in what is turning out to be a great series of books. The humor in these books just makes them more fun.

So, you're upset that the series about the Wizard named Harry is over. Well actually it isn't. Okay so this Harry's last name is Dresden, he lives in Chicago and he advertises that he is a "Wizard for Hire," but hey, he is a wizard. Oh yeah, he also has attitude. In his series "The Dresden Files," Jim Butcher has created not only a great character in Harry Dresden, but he has also reinvented the mythic and magical. In earlier books we learned their are different types of werewolves and the faery world is not so friendly.

In this book 5 of the series we join Harry, once again, in the middle of life:

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he's getting more than he bargained for.
A duel with the Red Court of Vampires' champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards...
Professional hit men using Harry for target practice.
Harry gets hired to find the missing Shroud of Turin.
A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified and it seems only Harry could do it.
Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, who's still struggling with her semivampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.
Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.
So it's Harry's life but with all that action it ain't boring.

The book starts off with Harry appearing on a "Jerry Springer" type TV show (hey it's Chicago), he only agrees to the appearance because another magical person needs to pass a message to Harry, but cannot afford to risk being seen with Harry. After all Harry did start the war between the Red Court Vampires and White Council Wizards. On the show are not only 2 representatives of the magical realm but 2 people to ridicule magic. One is a Catholic Priest and the other...well it turns out to be a major player from the Vampire's Red Court.

These other two "guests" also have something for Harry. After Harry's magical aura destroys the studio equipment, a hazard with Harry being a wizard; electronics quit around him, the vampire challenges Harry a duel to the death. This duel will end the war and all threats of violence against Harry's friends and family. The priest is there to hire Harry to find the recently stolen Shroud of Turin. After telling the vampire he'll think about it, Harry and the priest leave the studio only to be confronted by Chicago's head of the crime syndicate, Gentleman Johnny Marcone's hit-men.

The men shoot at Harry and he and the priest barely escape with their lives in Harry's beaten down VW Beetle. And this is only the first chapter. The action continues and never stops throughout this fifth edition of "The Dresden Files." Harry later teams up with the Knights of the Cross to fight the ultimate demons "Denarians," fallen angels that can manifest on earth.

What leads to an ultimate battle and some great fun. All throughout this book we are constantly treated to Harry's great wit and sarcasm. Do yourself a favor and start reading this series now.

From the Jim Butcher official website:
The book was published on August 2004. The story follows Harry Dresden as he delves deep into a series of murders and bizarre accidents surrounding the unlikeliest of clients...

Book 6 of "The Dresden Files," "Blood Rites," starts out with the wizard Harry Dresden, running down the hallways of an old school saving a box full of puppies from flying monkey demons that fling balls of flaming poo. How can you not get hooked from that? After all he's saving puppies, dodging demons & poo all within the first 10 pages. He manages to save the puppies and destroy the flying monkeys but as with all the books in "The Dresden Files," that is only the beginning. You see, Harry Dresden is a wizard for hire and is ready to help the common man, sometimes he gets paid for it and sometimes not. He is also a sometime consultant for the Chicago P.D. Special Investigations department headed by Lt. Karrin Murphy.

But the problem with Harry is that life isn't just one case after another, he's got vampires to worry about and many other magical beings ut to kill him. Oh and vampires in Harry's world aren't simple, they fall into 3 categories:
-- White Court Vampires: These vampires are the type that feed on the emotional energy of humans to survive.
--Black Court Vampires: These vampires are the type most similar to the Dracula legends. They are reanimated corpses that feed on blood of the living. There are few of this court remaining due to the popularity of the novel Dracula, but the ones that still remain are some of the strongest known.
--Red Court Vampires: These vampires are similar to the Black type, who feed on blood.

Harry recently destroyed the leader of the Red Court and has learned that Mavra, the leader of the Black Court has set up shop in Chicago, so Harry must destroy the Black Court vampires. At this same time Thomas Raith,son of Lord Raith the leader of the White Court, has asked Harry to help out a film producer whose fledgling film company is being attacked by a malacchio, the evil eye type curse, which is killing the females associated with the producer. Thomas is one of Harry's friends and is the driver of the getaway car when running away from the flying monkey demons. As they return the box of puppies to the person that hired them, who turns out to be a monk from a Tibetan temple that is to be guarded by the puppies, one of the puppies ends up missing. Later the pup is found in Harry's car and Harry adopts the pup since the owner cannot be located.

Now Harry has 2 major things to worry about; destroying Mavra and the Black Court, and finding out who is cursing the film producer. Oh, I guess you could add a third, staying alive through all this. Once again that is just the beginning through the book Harry learns a secret that will forever bond him with Thomas Raith and could bring down the White Court Vampires.

To fight the Black Court, Harry calls on help from Lt. Karrin Murphy, Kincaid, an assassin for hire and bodyguard for The Archive (The Archive is the little girl that represents the knowledge of all time) and his old mentor Ebenezer McCoy (the man who took Harry in after Harry killed his uncle). But in this case a new question comes out about Kincaid and Ebenezer and Ebenezers role in the White Council of Wizards, a dark secret revealed about Harry's mother and Ebenezer's role in the Council.

It turns out that Thomas' family is behind the curse on the film producer, by the way the films produced are adult films, so the ever chivalrous and modest Harry is put to the test on the set. While it appears that the producer is the focus of the curse the gain from the curse and the problems created run much deeper than just to keep a man from making money in films.

It seems that as I read more and more of these novels by Jim Butcher each one becomes a turning point in the life of Harry Dresden. In this one he learns family secrets vital to his future, receives a major injury that reveals another demon after him, another demon is unleashed in the curse that has it out for Harry, and finally Harry gets a new roommate and guard dog.

These books are full of action and excitement, and with Jim Butcher's ability to weave a tale, keep you hungry for more.

From the official Jim Butcher website:

Harry Dresden must save Chicago from black magic and necromancy -- but first, he must locate the Word of Kemmler. Just as soon as he figures out what that is. It's all in a day's work for the city's only professional wizard ... assuming he can live to see the end of the day.

Dead Beat, book seven of the Dresden Files, was released in hardcover in May 2005.

"Dead Beat"
Book 7 of the "Dresden Files"
by Jim Butcher
published by ROC, 2005

Once again Jim Butcher has created a great novel of suspense, action, thrills, and dare I say... a little romance, featuring the coolest wizard of all time Harry Dresden. In this novel the Wardens of the White Council are all but wiped out by the Red Court Vampires, all of humanity is threatened by the Erlking, Chicago will be destroyed by 5 necromancers seeking godhood, Harry Dresden faces a Fallen Angel that threatens to take over his soul, and his half brother is a slob. But hey, this is just a typical Halloween for Chicago's wizard for hire Harry Dresden.

This title of this edition of the "Dresden Files," "Dead Beat," refers not to Harry having to hunt down a dad not paying child support but rather the relentless toll the never ending perils facing humanity that he must defeat, thus leaving his body "Dead Beat." One thing I've noticed in all the Dresden files books I've read is it seems that Wizard Harry Dresden always takes on more than seems like he can handle, but usually through friends and sometimes pure dumb luck he comes out on top. He always seems reluctant to ask for help but eventually volunteers come out of the woodwork. That excitement of not knowing whether he will survive the ordeal and the absolutely wonderful wit and humor by author Jim Butcher keeps me coming back to these books.

This book however Harry finally admits he's in over his head and asks for help from the Wardens of the White Council. The White Council is the Justice League for wizards and out to battle evildoers, the Wardens are their police force. The problem is , when Harry asks for help it's a bad time for the White Council, the ongoing war between the Red Court and the White Council (started by Harry, by the way) has cut down the number of Wardens from 200 to only 50 remaining alive around the world. Thus only 5 can come to Harry's aid. In the process and much to the dismay of Morgan, the Warden that hates Harry, the Council makes Harry a Warden. But before I get to far ahead of myself, let's talk about what happens here.

Harry gets a message from Mavra, the leader of the Black Court of vampires who Harry supposedly destroyed in the last book, apparantly Mavra got away and now wishes to speak to Harry. Remember the Black Court are the most evil of all the vampire courts and are the ones best represented in the Bram Stoker novel, rumor has it that the White Council encouraged Stoker to write that book so the average joe can kill a Black Court vampire, which led to their near extinction. It seems Mavra wants Harry to find a book for her. Only this book is the ultimate of all evils and the ultimate book of Necromancy, black magic raising the spirits of the dead. With this book Mavra could become a god. The catch is that if Harry doesn't find this book, Mavra will destroy the life of Harry's best friend and possible love interest, Lt. Karrin Murphy of the Chicago PD Special Investigations. A little blackmail and Harry pretty much has to do this, actually this is where chivalry gets the best of Harry Dresden.

At the same time Harry is searching for this book, 3 days before Halloween, 5 powerful Necromancers are also looking for this book. When they learn Harry is searching for the book they now have to hunt down Harry.

Dresden learns that the necromancers will use this book to raise the Erlking, a faerie king that can destroy humanity, and make one of the 5 a god with ultimate power to destroy all of mankind. The race is on and Harry is finding these necromancers too powerful to be handled alone.

Harry decides to call in the Cavalry, in this case the Wardens. Keep in mind here that Harry has been under constant surveillance by the Wardens and under the most extreme scrutiny that if he were to ever delve into the Black Arts, he would be executed immediately. Well the Wardens come in to help but before they do they make Harry a Warden, big decision for Harry. He accepts and they go to battle with the Necromancers.

Big action, big thrills, big suspense in "Dead Beat" the 7th book in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. A little bit of a spoiler before I go--- It is so cool when Harry goes riding through Chicago on the back of a T-rex with a polka playing one man band riding with him.

"Something Borrowed" a short story from the Dresden Files
by Jim Butcher
From the book "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding"
edited by P.N. Elrod
Published by St. Martin's 2006

Okay here I am waiting for the next Jim Butcher "Dresden Files" novel "Turn Coat" and I have nothing to read. So I go look on his website ( http://www.jim-butcher.com ) and find he has written a few Dresden short stories. I can't get enough of Wizard Harry Dresden's wit, wisdom and ability to kick serious supernatural butt, so I'm going to devour all the stories I can.

I picked up the book and have found it full of some fun supernatural short stories, I'll be posting a review of the book as a whole later. Here I am to tell you of this adventure of Harry Dresden. This story takes place between Dead Beat and Proven Guilty.

As you can probably tell from the title of the collection all the stories have weddings as the centerpiece. Weddings are hard enough to bear but throw in some monsters, faeries, vampires, wizards et. al. and you have a real mess on your hands. And we all know Harry Dresden is a magnet for trouble.

In the beginning of this story Harry has been "drafted" to be the best man for the wedding between the werewolves Billy and Georgia. He is being forced into the position because the original best man (another werewolf) was severely injured during a battle the night before. Harry was involved in the battle but turned out to be battered less than the wolf. So with a black eye and sore muscles, Harry is being fitted with a last minute tux. Georgia's evil stepmother (not supernaturally evil, just evil) is being a control freak in everything that could make this wedding go bad. Harry is one such thing.

After dealing with the step-mother, Billy expresses to Harry he's concerned for Georgia, she doesn't answer her phone. He asks Harry to check on her. Harry goes to her apartment to discover a scuffle had taken place, so he calls in backup, in the form of Lt. Karrin Murphy of the Chicago police, Special Investigations unit.

Harry and and Murphy track down Georgia to discover a faerie is seeking revenge on the werewolves from when they took down someone from the Winter Court of Faeries. Georgia is swapped with a faerie so Billy will marry the faerie and then Billy and Georgia will die. After Georgia is found in a spell, Harry discovers the spell can only be broken by a kiss.

With evil-stepmothers, true love and a sleeping beauty, this story carries all the fun and excitement of a Dresden Files novel but condensed down to one fun-filled short story.

From the official Jim Butcher website:

Harry Dresden has spent years being watched and suspected by the White Council's Wardens. But now he is a Warden, and it sucks more than he thought... So when movie monsters start coming to life on his watch, it's officially up to him to put them back where they came from. Only this time, his client is the White Council, and his investigation cannot fail -- no matter who falls under suspicion, no matter the cost.

Released in hardcover from Roc publishing on May 2006.

btw: there are chapter samples of this book and others on the Jim Butcher website.

Proven Guilty
The Dresden Files, Book 8
by Jim Butcher
Published 2006 by ROC

Things just never get easy for Harry Dresden. The White Council who always had it out for him has recently mad Harry a Warden for the White Council (basically the police force for the wizarding community). You'd think with this promotion Harry Dresden, wizard/private investigator, would be more accepted. But at the beginning of this book, Proven Guilty, a trial is being held for a young man that has used magic to influence the mind of a human, this not only breaks one of the 7 laws of magic but also uses black magic which can bring harm the user. As with most trials conducted by the White Council the youth is found guilty,declared a warlock and sentenced quickly. There is only one sentence for breaking the laws; DEATH.

The White Council held this trial in Chicago to make sure Harry saw the outcome. Harry remarks how blood does not stain the gray cloaks of the wardens as he is forced to watch the beheading of the warlock.

With this impression made Harry and the rest of the council depart. Most go off to continue the war with the Red Court Vampires, others go off to continue their duties. Harry in the meantime is contacted by The Gatekeeper, a higher up Council member that through some mysterious method of sending a message from the future asks Harry to investigate some black magic going on in Chicago.

Before I go too much further I would like to talk about the Dresden Files series in general. I've said before that Jim Butcher has created one of the best series of myth / magic / and mayhem with this series. One of the things that makes these books so good is they always start out with some big event grab you and you have no choice but to hang on and enjoy the ride. Proven Guilty is no exception. Without giving too much of a spoiler hereI will point out that the beginning and the end of this book is perfectly bookended and not only comes full circle but hits with some great life lessons. In fact I love the way Jim Butcher through Harry Dresden turns the Parable of the Talents from they Holy Bible into the catch phrase of Stan Lee's Spider-Man, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Back to the story...the black magic Harry has to track down seems to be occurring at "Splatter-Con" a convention held in Downtown Chicago celebrating the art of horror movies. Creatures from the movies are coming to life and attacking the patrons of "Splatter-Con." One of the many talents of Jim Butcher is to be able to write some wit and humor into these stories, in fact Harry Dresden wouldn't be worth reading about if it weren't for the quality of "wise-assness." During some of the magical battle scenes with some of the more popular creatures, Harry Dresden quotes the movies with some great tact and fun reactions.

The creatures creating the monsters are known as fetches, they are from the "Nevernever" and they feed off fear. The fetches have come for the daughter of Michael Carpenter, Michael is a Knight of the Cross...yes THE CROSS...and is God's swordsman (one of 2 left). It seems that Michaels daughter, Molly,has some magic abilities and the fetches abduct her. Now it is up to Harry to rescue her.

With a rescue party that features, Karrin Murphy of Chicago PD, Harry's half-brother/ White Court vampire, Thomas and Molly's mother, Charity, Harry follows the fetches into Arctis Tor, the castle of the Winter Queen and fights off the fetches, the faerie and fae of Winter's court, the Erlking and many more to come to an exciting climax which then forces Harry to bring Molly in to a trial with the White Council.

For some great action, thrills, chases and everything that makes a great read the Dresden Files is the perfect series, and Proven Guilty fits into the series offering even better action, thrills, chases and everything mythical and magical.

From the official Jim Butcher website:

Someone is targeting the city's magic practitioners, the members of the supernatural underclass who don't possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Many have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But the murderer has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes--a message for Harry Dresden, referencing the book of Exodus and the killing of witches.

Harry sets out to find the killer before he can strike again, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe guilty: his half brother, Thomas. Determined to bring the real murderer to justice and clear his brother's name, Harry attracts the attention of the White Court of vampires, becoming embroiled in a power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation.

Harry knows that if he screws this one up, a lot of people will die--and one of them will be his brother.

btw: there are chapter samples of this book and others on the Jim Butcher website.

White Night
The Dresden Files, Book 9
by Jim Butcher
Published 2007 by ROC

As any of my friends in Chicago can verify, life in the Windy City can be hectic and still full of adventure. Well, to say that's an understatement in Harry Dresden's Chicago is in itself an understatement. Harry Dresden is a wizard and private investigator that has set up shop in Chicago. Harry has a hero streak in which he HAS to help the common man. Oh yeah, he's also a warden for the White Council (the governing body of wizards world-wide), holder of one of the swords of the Knights of the Cross (which he is supposed to be find a true holder), fighting off possession of Lasciel (a fallen angel/Denarian), mentor to a teenage wizard, half-brother to a vampire of the White Court (a vampire that lives off sexual energy) and consultant to the Chicago P.D. Special investigations division. Busy guy.

If that weren't enough, Harry is sometimes called upon in his duties as warden to train new wizard recruits for the war between the White Council and the Red Court of Vampires. The war has taken its toll on the White Council, thus the reason Harry, of all people, has been made a warden, and new wizards are few and far between. The wizard's power is passed down through the mother's line of ancestry.

In this book someone is targeting female wizards with small amounts of power, and killing them. The women targeted are not powerful enough to be part of the White Council but have enough power to perform small magicks and they all seem to be suicides.. The person who is last seen with the murdered/suicidal women seems to be either Harry or his half-brother Thomas. Sgt. Karrin Murphy of the C.P.D. S.I. calls in Harry on one scene due to some strange circumstances on the scene. The suicide just doesn't feel right to Murphy. Harry soon discovers a "magical" message that was meant only for him to find. The message is, "Exodus 22:18," a Bible quote which states, "Suffer not a witch to live." Harry soon finds this hidden message on the body of another victim. The second victim was made to look like a suicide, but with the help of Harry's apprentice, he discovers she died in sexual ecstasy, as in an attack of a sexual vampire, from the White Court.

Suspecting his half-brother, Harry tries to find why Thomas is avoiding all of Harry's attempts to communicate. Harry goes to Thomas' home and finds a map with all the addresses of the missing women and some of the dead ones. Harry knows Thomas is not capable of such acts and tracks him down.

What comes next is a conspiracy within the White Court of vampires, an attack on Harry's psyche, an attempt to destroy the White Council of wizards, and a huge battle between vampires, wizards and an army of mercenaries hired by Chicago's own crime boss, "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone.

Things just aren't easy for Harry, but that same excitement is what makes the Dresden Files books a great series to sink your teeth into. I will warn you it would be best if you picked up the first book, "Storm Front" and read them in order before you get to this book, which is number nine in the series, because of plot points that were started in earlier novels. Trust me, once you read one you'll want to get through the series as fast as you can.

No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow.

An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she's calling in her marker. It's a small favor he can't refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills-and loyalties-to their very limits.

It figures. Everything was going too well to last...

That's what lures the reader into this tenth installment of the Dresden Files and the exploits of the better Wizard named Harry...Harry Dresden that is. I decided to give this latest book by Jim Butcher a go before reading books 6-9 for one main reason. As you know from reading my past reviews, I like to read book series in order but sometimes you just have to jump around. The reason for this jump is that I wanted to listen to the audiobook. The audiobooks in this series are all narrated by James Marsters. He's the actor that played "Spike" in the "Buffy the Vampire" and "Angel" TV series. His narration really brings these books to life...maybe if they would have cast him in the TV series it wouldn't have been cancelled ...naw...Paul Blackthorne did an excellent job on the TV series, the Sci-Fi channel just didn't know what they had.

Okay let's talk about this book. The title should give this one away, basically Harry owes Mab 3 favors, he's delivered one, now she's come to collect the second. Gentleman Johnny Marcone, the Chicago crime boss has been captured by the Denarians and Mab wants him back. The Denarians are also known as the Fallen, as in Fallen angels. There are 30 of them and they each have a silver coin which houses the demon that takes over their souls. (30 pieces of silver sound familiar?) They are the sworn enemies of "The Knights of the Cross." Harry's friend Michael is one such knight and he carries a sword in which a nail from THE CROSS is embedded. The problem is the knights cannot go after the fallen, they have to try to turn them back to god first, then as a last resort kill them with the holy swords and take the coin and put into safekeeping with the church.

In order to negotiate with the Denarians, Harry must have a council of the White Court of Wizards, kind of like in order for the President to go to war he must get congress to agree. In doing so Harry must get the Archive (Knowledge of all time in the body of a young girl) to be his emissary. When the Archive arrives in Chicago she is captured by the Denarians. Now Harry must rescue her and Gentleman Johnny Marcone.

Oh yeah and while all this is happening, the summer court has decided to kill Harry. In doing so the court sends goat like creatures to hunt Harry down. The creatures are called Gruffs and as he defeats each one (remember he's battling the Gruffs while fighting Denarians and trying to rescue Marcone and the Archive) their elder brother comes later and each elder brother is bigger and badder. (3 billy goats gruff...heh heh).

In this series Jim Butcher not only has really great characters but the creatures he comes up with are always interesting. So if you like wizards, vampires, Holy Knights, fallen angels, mythical creatures, faerie and fae, check out Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series of books.

"The Warrior"
A short story by Jim Butcher
in the collection "Mean Streets"
Multiple Authors
Multiple readers
Produced by Recorded Books
approx 2 hours (for this story)

I am getting ready to listen to the latest novel about Harry Dresden by Jim Butcher, "Changes" but I had downloaded and put on my iPod this story that occurs earlier in the timeline of the Dresden Files. So, I'm listening to this one first. The entire collection runs about 10 hours in audiobook form and I am continuing with the rest of the book, but I had to stop and let you know about this story.

Before we go further let me tell you about the book "Mean Streets." This collection of original novellas tied to popular crime/fantasy series which include; Thomas E. Sniegoski's "Noah's Orphans," angel PI Remy Chandler must solve the murder of the biblical Arks builder, whose battered corpse is found on an abandoned oil rig. Simon R. Green writes with a slight humor that is similar to that by Jim Butcher in "The Difference a Day Makes," in which PI John Taylor assists a woman who wandered into the the "nightside" a world hidden within London, and another noir type story by Kat Richardson' "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" neatly merges noir conventions with a fantastical plot. I'll let you know how those go when I finish the entire collection.

"The Warrior" by Jim Butcher Reveals what happens to the Carpenter family after the events of Small Favor, this story takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat.

Michael Carpenter, a former Knight of the Cross has turned in his sword, Amoracchius. The weird part is that an Archangel has decided that Harry Dresden, wizard and non-religious, hold the sword until it's new rightful bearer can be find. Harry, from a previous battle, after the death of another Knight of the Cross, Shiro Yoshimo, has possession of another sword, Fidelacchius. Many in the church cannot accept the fact that Harry, an non-believer, has possession of 2 of the 3 swords.

In this story someone is sending Harry photos of the now retired and recovering Michael Carpenter. Harry assuming that Michael is in danger, goes to the Carpenter home and tries to warn him. On the way Harry saves a little girl from being run over by a car. At first this may just seem like a simple piece of the story, maybe more of a filler, but at the end that action makes the world a better place. That's the way Harry rolls.

Upon arrival at the Carpenter house, Harry explains the photos and concerned the Carpenters have Harry spend the night for safety's sake. During the night someone tries to steal the swords, luckily Harry expected this and had fakes in plain sight while the real swords were hidden. On chasing down the thief, harry discovers the man is military trained and protected to an extent against magic.

Harry and Michael track down who is trying to steal the swords and along the way Harry learns about faith and goodwill. Great short story here in the world of the better wizard named Harry. Now to finish this book and get on with "Changes."

This story takes place between the books "Small Favor" and "Turn Coat," and is a fun story originally published in 2009 in the collection "Strange Brew" edited by P.N. Elrod and will be in the collection of Dresden stories "Side Jobs."

"Strange Brew" is a collection of stories about witches and potions and Jim Butcher sticks to that theme and even adds some home brew beer into the mix.

Harry just wants to have a beer, Mac's home brew beer to be exact, and maybe a steak sandwich. But when Dresden arrives at Macanally's bar he finds the bar in disarray, more than the intended disarray, and the patrons bruised battered and unconscious. Harry and Sgt. Murphy put their heads together and realize the problem lies in the beer. Harry takes a case of the brew to his young padawan, Molly. Molly is a whiz with potions and she reveals the the potion not only makes the user crave more beer but has another darker purpose. When Harry visits Mac in the hospital he learns that a minor thug was in the bar the previous night and may be the answer to how the brew got tainted.

Further investigation leads Harry to the darkest of dark magic. Harry is determined to solve this case and will stop at nothing, hey, you don't mess with a man's beer. The dark magic leads to Harry battling a Menad at a Chicago Bulls game. Too cool.

Jim Butcher creates a fun addition to the world of Harry Dresden, Chicago Wizard.

The Warden Morgan has been accused of treason against the Wizards of the White Council--and there's only one, final punishment for that crime. He's on the run, wants his name cleared, and needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog. Someone like Harry Dresden.

Now, Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less-than-agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head--someone like Harry.

"Turn Coat" Book 11 of "The Dresden Files"
by Jim Butcher
Read by James Marsters
Published by Penguin Audio
Approx 15 Hours

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher packs a punch like all the other 10 "Dresden Files" books, and once again I was sucked into Wizard Harry Dresden's Chicago and never wanted to leave. Harry Dresden is a wizard and private investigator in Chicago, and was recently made a warden of the White Council. The White Council is the government, so to speak, for the world's wizards. The wardens are all the Council's police force and are out to capture and punish anyone practicing black magic. Usually that punishment is death. Now, the strange part about Harry being made a warden is that he was once on probation for the possibility that he may start to lean to the dark side given his family tree and it's history.

While Harry was on this "probation" Warden Donald Morgan was assigned to watch over Harry's every move. Morgan did his job well, in fact the way Morgan did his job was to torment Dresden to the point of nearly accusing every move of Dresden's to be black Magic. In other words, Morgan and Dresden were enemies fighting for the same side. So when Morgan is accused of murdering a member of the White Council, and escaping their prison, no one would ever expect Harry Dresden to hide him from the others. But, that's just what has happened, and since Harry is always fighting for the underdog, who else could help him?

Harry is awakened by banging at his door and opens to find a bloodied and beaten Warden Morgan. Morgan tells Harry he must hide him. When asked why, of all people, he should help Morgan, Morgan tells Harry he is on the run from the White Council because they suspect him of murdering one of the White Concil wizards. When asked why they suspect that he says, "Because I was found standing over the body with the murder weapon."

Anyone that has read any of the other books from "The Dresden Files" series knows Warden Morgan could NEVER do anything against the White Council, it is not in his nature. Dresden knows this and decides to take on the case and find out who framed Morgan for the murder.

In the process of investigating this case Harry may have taken on more than he can handle. Not only might he have to go against the White Council. Every magical being and person is out to collect the huge bounty on Morgan's head.

The biggest foe seems to be a magical creature known as a Skin Walker, from Native American lore. This creature is a shape shifter and very powerful flinger of magic, and fast to boot. The first battle with the Skin Walker (of which there are 3 in the book) proves to be fatal to one of Harry's friends. Harry must pull in all assets he can find, werewolves, White Court Vampires, faeries and even the White Council to prove Morgan's innocence and defeat this "Shagnasty."

This book is one where from the opening sentence to the end, is non-stop action. Top it off with the great humor/sarcasm/wit of Harry Dresden and you will not want to stop listening. James Marsters captures the voice and being of Harry Dresden in the reading of this book that makes the listener feel as though their listening to Harry Dresden himself. I should point out that, yes that is the same James Marsters that played "Spike" in the "Buffy the Vampire Hunter" television series. His voice is perfect for the role.

I've just started this series and will be posting book reviews as I get them read. Also I will post reviews of the past episodes of the tv series.

BTW, if you prefer audio books the audiobooks, they are read by James Marsters. He's the guy that played "Spike" in the Angel and Buffy the Vampire series. He also was Professor Milton on Smallvile. His reading of the audiobooks really creates a great sound for the Harry Character, especially since they are written in 1st person.

"Changes"
Book 12 of "The Dresden Files"
by Jim Butcher
Read by James Marsters
Produced by Penguin Audio, 2010

As I eagerly began this book, yeah, I was pretty much salivating at the promise of a new Harry Dresden, wizard for hire, novel, I was not aware that the title would speak volumes as to what is in this book. I have to warn you, while I'm not one for spoilers, ther may be one or two that slips in this review, it's hard keeping it to myself. Harry Dresden's life and the lives of those around him are going to go through major changes in this book.

First let's sum up what's up with these books. Harry Dresden is a wizard of the White Council. The White Council is the world's wizards that police the world's population's use of magic. They do all they can to prevent black magic from occurring. The White Council is at war against the Red Court of Vampires. Vampires are represented by 3 courts, Black, the ones closest to the Nosferatu image of vampires, White, the ones that don't drink blood but live off the energy of a human, and the Red, these are the ones that look bat-like but can create a flesh mask to hide their true selves. The Red Court want to rule the world. Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan was halfway converted to a Red Court vampire, all she needs is to take human blood to become a full-fledged vampire. To avoid this she ran off to South America to find a group that is fighting off the urge to become full fledged vampires and to battle from within the Red Court.

Harry Dresden is a black sheep when it comes to the family of wizards, when his mother died he was raised by his uncle who turned Harry to the "Dark Side," but Harry was too young to realize there was another choice. Harry managed to be turned over and trained by Ebenezer a White Council member and the only wizard capable of bearing the Black Staff. The Black Staff gives the wizard the ability to break any laws of magic to protect the laws of magic. Harry also has a Fairy Godmother, a real godmother who is a powerful Fairy. Serious Magic there with the Faery and Fae. The Queen of Winter of the Faery court has been trying to recruit Harry to become her Knight, basically the Queen's body guard and errand boy, but with killer intentions.

Wizard Dresden also has help from an odd collection of assistants, Harry's half-brother is a Vampire of the White Court, Harry's Apprentice Molly is being taught how to become a wizard after nearly slipping to the "Dark Side." She is also the daughter of Michael Carpenter a Knight of the Cross (yes THE CROSS). Harry's best friend is a Chicago cop working in the strange crimes division, Karrin Murphy, Harry's computer of sorts, Bob, a wizard spirit kept in a human skull that knows pretty much everything in the history of magic, and finally Harry's 2 pets Mister, a huge fat cat, and Mouse a huge Chinese Temple Dog.

So that's where we stand with some great magical fights and some great team work through all the Dresden files books, until we get to this one. Here's where it all "Changes."

At the beginning of the book Harry gets a call from his former girlfriend, Susan, saying that the Red Court has kidnapped their daughter. Harry has a daughter? Yep, that's news to him also. Now it's personal, with some emotional moments Harry decides he's going to do everything he can to get back his daughter. But first Him and Susan and Martin, here protoge in the Red Court underground go to the building where Harry has his private investigator/wizard for hire office. Red Court attacks Harry's office building is blown up...no more office and that is only change #2 in a long series of changes.

His first choice is to see if he can get help from the White Council of Wizards, after all they are at war against the Red Court. Talk about bad timing the Duchess of the Red Court is making an appearance before the White Council at the same time Harry arrives. What a chance Harry has now to demand his daughter back, except in order to protect his daughter he does not reveal to anyone that she is his daughter only a little girl kidnapped by the Red Court. It seems the Duchess is there to promote peace and a cease fire in the war. There goes the White Council's help.

Harry then turns to "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone, Chicago mob boss. Marcone cannot help but steers him to a security firm that can help. After a trip to Europe, Harry is presented to an extremely powerful being, could it be?....Thor's father, Odin? He cannot help but does provide some tools.

Harry eventually gather's what forces he can and heads to the Mayan temples in Mexico. It seems the Red Court is using Harry's daughter to perform a blood curse ritual. Using the girl as a sacrifice, this will kill all in her bloodline. Harry is the target. So with the final Knight of the Cross, a cop, a white court vampire, an apprentice, a temple dog, and his fairy godmother Harry is off to Mexico.

At the end is a huge battle that features some serious magicks, and gunplay that would make John Woo proud. The big event is what Harry has to sacrifice in order to go to Mexico.

Okay...I'm not sure how to say this but the end of the book left me flabbergasted. After the huge battle the world of Harry Dresden changes. I'm doing everything I can to keep from telling you the end so I think I will stop here.

Great book...get it.

"Side Jobs"
by Jim Butcher
read by James Marsters
Produced by Penguin Audio
approx. 13 hours

While still rushing with adrenaline from the huge cliff-hanger at the end of the last Dresden book, "Changes, " I'm looking everywhere I can for my Harry Dresden fix. If you haven't read any of Jim Butcher's series, "The Dresden Files," you are seriously lacking in your fun, exciting detective story romp through the supernatural reading.

Harry Dresden is a wizard and a private detective protecting the city of Chicago. His adventures have taken him through the land of the Faeries, off fighting werewolves and vampires and even Gruffs (you'll have to read about that one). His support staff consists of some college students who spend their evenings as werewolves protecting their neighborhood, Karrin Murphy at first a lieutenant for Chicago P.D. Special Investigations, but later demoted to Sargeant, Thomas his half-brother and White Court vampire, Bob a spirit of a wizard locked within a skull (the wizarding world version of a computer), Mouse a giant Temple Dog, Mister an oversized cat, and on occasion, Gentleman John Marcone Chicago's biggest mob boss.

With that team you'd think Harry would be able to take on anything, well in general he can, but for the most part it's his luck that doesn't hold out.

"Side Jobs" is an anthology book set in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series. Most of the stories were published in other anthologies but finally here they are in one book, in chronological order of appearance in the time stream of the Dresden Files books. I had read many of these before because seeing a Jim Butcher story in an anthology, I had to read them at the time of release. There are a couple of stories that were only available on the website and a new one that takes place just after the previous book in the series. This collection contains the following short stories:

"Restoration of Faith," takes place before "Storm Front and originally published on Jim-Butcher.com. This story tells a little of a backstory on Dresden as he was working to get his private investigator's license. Harry rescues a little girl from a troll under a bridge.

"Vignette" takes place between Death Masks and Blood Rites and was originally published on Jim-Butcher.com. This one is a very short fun story about Bob and Harry trying to write the perfect yellow pages ad.

"Something Borrowed" was originally published in "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding," and takes place between "Dead Beat" and "Proven Guilty," is about Billy and Georgia's (werewolves that help Harry from time to time) wedding day. Harry saves Georgia from a faerie and in doing so wrecks their wedding day, but they do live happily ever after.

"It's My Birthday Too" was originally published in "Many Bloody Returns" and takes place between "White Night" and "Small Favor" and depicts a day when Harry is trying to give his vampire half-brother, Thomas, a birthday gift but ends up saving Thomas and some "larpers" from a Black Court Vampire.

"Heorot" was originally published in "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon" takes place between "White Night" and "Small Favor" and is the story of Harry rescuing a missing bride with the help of Miss Gard, a Valkyrie and agent of Gentleman Johnny Marcone. This one mixes in some Norse Mythology into the Dresden world.

"Day Off " was originally published in "Blood Lite" and takes place between "Small Favor" and "Turn Coat". This is a very funny story in which Jim Butcher explores the bad luck Dresden faces when trying to take a day off. Harry's apprentice is blowing up lab, the werewolves have fleas and a wannabe wizard is bombing the house. "It's my day off!"

"Backup: A Story of the Dresden Files" (Mike Mignola illustrations from the first edition not included) novelette from Harry's brother, Thomas' POV, originally published by Subterranean Press, takes place between "Small Favor" and "Turn Coat." Harry is being used by an ancient evil, and Thomas must put a stop to it without him noticing. This story explores more of the "Oblivion Wars" which have only been mentioned in earlier books.

"The Warrior" was originally published in "Mean Streets" and takes place between "Small Favor" and "Turn Coat" reveals what happens to the Carpenter family after the events of "Small Favor." Michael Carpenter was a Knight of the cross, weilding the sword Amoracchius to battle for God. At the end of "Small Favor" Michael was battered to the point where he lost function of one of his eyes and some limbs. Michael will still battle when his family is threatened but will the take up the sword again?

"Last Call" was originally published in "Strange Brew" takes place between "Small Favor" and "Turn Coat" and tells when Harry takes on the darkest of dark powers-the ones who dare to mess with this favorite beer. Someone is lacing Mac's Home brew with a psycho-control drug, and Harry must stop them.

"Love Hurts" was originally published in "Songs of Love and Death: Tales of Star-Crossed Love" and takes place between "Turn Coat" and "Changes." Harry and Murphy investigate a series of love spells with deadly consequences. This also shows another side to the Harry / Murphy relationship.

And finally a new novelette exclusive to the anthology: "Aftermath" which takes place 45 minutes after "Changes" and is told from Karrin Murphy's point of view. She must help find a kidnapped werewolf. All through this story Murphy is using what she has learned from Harry while at the same time mourning his "possible" death.

If you haven't read any Dresden novels you may want to pick this one up, as it is a great introduction to the fun to be had. While I'm recommending, if you are into audiobooks, I highly recommend this in audiobook form. As are all the Dresden Files audiobooks, it is read by James Marsters (you know, Spike from the Buffy the Vampire Hunter Series). Marsters voice captures the wit and wisdom of Harry Dresden, and being that all the novels are told in first person you feel as though Harry is talking directly to you. If the Sci-Fi channel would have cast Marsters as the lead in the short lived Dresden Files series, I think they series would have done much better....just sayin'.

"Ghost Story"
The Dresden Files, Book 13
by Jim Butcher
read by John Glover
Produced by Penguin Audiobooks
Approx. 18 hours.

Whew! I just finished the latest novel in the Dresden Files series from Jim Butcher, and let me tell you I'm relieved. In the last book, "Changes," Harry Dresden died, worse yet, he was assassinated. I, along with many other Dresden fans, were left hanging. I mean, c'mon, it can't end this way...Harry can't die! Okay, he's not immortal, but really, it IS called the "DRESDEN Files." I had to wait about a whole year to find out what happened. I know in comic books they sometimes bring back heroes from the dead, but I really didn't know how Jim Butcher was going to get by with this one. Sure he's written a novel about Spider-Man and knows the tricks, but with the Wizard Harry Dresden, that's not the same.

Finally I got to put the audiobook on and sit back and listen. But wait, the publishers threw another curve at us fans. Really it wasn't the publisher's fault but, Wow! it was a big problem. James Marsters, who has become the voice of Harry Dresden in the audio books, was not available for the production. If you don't know, all these novels are told in first person, and Marsters made Dresden POP! Marsters became Dresden and vice versa. So who do we get now? John Glover. To give Glover some cred, he did portray Lionel Luther in the TV series of Smallville, and he knew the kind of superhero attitude that lives within Harry Dresden. Okay, I'll give him that. I can't say that he did a bad job of this, because he didn't, in fact when voicing the other characters in the story, Glover shined, but it just wasn't Marsters voice behind Harry. It seemed more of an inconvenience but as the story progressed, Glover did a great job, I just have a thing for Marsters' voice as Harry. Had I never heard the Marsters version I would say Glover was awesome, but for right now Marsters is my favorite, just like Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor from the Doctor Who series. Sure other actors do a great job, but I will always hold my favorite. Maybe I can look back later and say Marsters was a great Harry Dresden and Glover was a great Harry Dresden's Ghost.

We start out this story with Chicago's resident wizard, Harry Dresden, contemplating his death. He sees the light down the tunnel, but lo' and behold, the light is a train. Harry is ready to take this head on when he is whisked away from the tracks from Carmichael, a former Chicago Police Officer that specialized in paranormal type of crimes. Harry saw Carmichael ripped to shreds by a loup garou years ago, so he knew he was still dead, the problem is what is going on. Carmichael takes Harry to the police station in the "In Between" Chicago, where Harry is told that before he moves on he must find out who killed him. If Harry doesn't do this 3 people in Harry's life will be hurt.

Harry had just recently found out he had a daughter and was assassinated just after he saved her by wiping out the entire race of Red Court Vampires. This genocidal act was done by pulling some favors from some unsavory characters and created a void in the supernatural power struggle of the world. When Harry is sent back to Chicago (as a ghost) 6 months have passed since his death and the world has changed reflecting that void trying to be filled. His first stop is at the home of Morty the Ectomancer (one who can communicate with spirits). He finds Morty's home under attack by wraiths and being guarded by ghosts of Morty's ancestors.

After a very cool battle Harry learns some of the secrets of being a ghost. First off ghosts' power comes from memories, and in order to fight one must expend that memory energy, but the cost is that with each expended memory the ghost loses a little of itself until it becomes a murderous wraith. Harry's magic as a wizard is no longer effective against the living and he becomes a beginner in relearning the magicks of the ghost world.

Harry then learns what has happened to his old friends, Karrin Murphy, a former Chicago cop who now fight against the supernatural threat with a team of werewolves, vikings (courtesy of the mob boss Gentleman John Marcone) and Waldo Butters, former coroner now the owner of Bob, the spirit form of a former wizard now the supernatural equivalent of the internet. Occasionally they get the help of Harry's former apprentice, Molly, who seems to have lost a bit of her mind in the battle against the Red Court and now goes by the name of "The Rag Lady."

Helping his former friends now becomes a priority and Harry seems to have forgotten his task of solving his murder. But leave it to Harry (via the great writing of Jim Butcher) to manage to work the two into the same task. Throughout the story Harry gets hints as to who his murderer is but can't seem to grasp the answer. Here's where I was a bit miffed, because I had it figured out at the first hint. But through the twists and turns that make the Dresden Files stories so great we find out why Harry doesn't get it. (Thank you Jim Butcher for the awesome storytelling.)

Another thing that grabbed me at first was why wasn't Harry's Brother, Thomas, not involved? What Happened!?!? But alas Butcher had that figured out as well. Yep, this is one of those books that you have to get to the very end before it all soaks in. Great Stuff.

But what happens next? I think I've got it figured out, and yes it looks like Butcher will be releasing a new book in the series, "Cold Days," so it looks like we'll get more. Again, I say, "Whew!"

1. Thou shalt not kill by use of magic. Wizards of the White Council are forbidden to kill human beings through the use of their power. This is the Law that Harry was believed to have broken in killing his mentor Justin DuMorne (Justin Morningway in the television version). Self-defense is very occasionally allowed as a mitigating factor. Also, this rule is a primary reason Wardens wield swords. The law is very flexible, however, in regards to things that are not actually human. A Wizard can kill, for example, a vampire, Ghoul, or any being of the Nevernever without penalty.

2. Thou shalt not transform others. Thus demonstrating why, despite Harry's occasional threats, we will most likely never see him actually turn anyone into a frog. Given the general tendency of black magic in the Dresdenverse to have significant negative repercussions (as with mind magic, next), it is likely that transforming a man into an animal (for example) would cause his mind to eventually degenerate to an animal state as well if he remained transformed for too long.

3. Thou shalt not invade the mind of another. Forcible magical violation of someone's mind is inherently destructive in the Dresdenverse-Harry describes it as not black, but "dark, dark, dark gray". Mind magic is so dangerous that the Council has not even dared trying to explore how to build better defenses, which gives an advantage to black wizards less bound by scruples.

4. Thou shalt not enthrall another. Enthrallment is the term for dominating another human's mind and personality through magic by binding their will to your own; it is not the same as compelling beings of the Nevernever through arrangements or exchanges, though some Wardens have ignored this distinction in their zeal. As with mind-probing, magically controlling the mind of another person is an inherently destructive and evil act-it is almost impossible to control safely and precisely, and taints the user of the power as well as the subject even if done for the best of intentions. This taint often sends the user into a self-destructive downward spiral, where every act of magical mind control further twists the user and makes more such acts likelier; if the cycle progresses far enough, the user becomes functionally sociopathic, and impossible to rehabilitate short of execution. This is the law Molly Carpenter broke in Proven Guilty.

5. Thou shalt not open the Outer Gates. It is unknown just what the Outer Gates are, but the implication of the series is that they mark the furthest boundaries of Dresden's multiverse. Beings from beyond the Gates are known only as Outsiders, and are among the deadliest threats to humanity known-they are noted as being immune to most magic, with only the powers of the Knights of the Cross being able to stop them. It is noteworthy that one of the most powerful and enigmatic wizards on the Senior Council is referred to as the "Gatekeeper", suggesting that the Outer Gates represent such a horrifying threat that a Senior Council member must be permanently assigned to watch for attempts upon them. This seems to be a Lovecraft-inspired idea. Although the rule only specifically forbids "opening" the outer gates, it both possible (and similarly forbidden) to use certain rituals to gain power from outsiders.

6. Thou shalt not reach beyond the borders of life. This prohibits the learning and practice of necromancy, described as the summoning, binding, and exploitation of the unwilling dead (the psychic talent of mediums for speaking to willing spirits is called ectomancy, and is not governed by the same Law). It would also theoretically prohibit any attempt to genuinely resurrect someone from the dead back to true life, although nobody in the Dresdenverse actually seems to know what kind of afterlife, if any, exists (ghosts in the Dresdenverse, even the most apparently intelligent and self-aware, are only psychic echoes of people created by violent death, not the actual souls of those people themselves). As the Laws are intended to protect humans against the abuse of magic, a loophole in this law (exploited by Harry in Dead Beat) allows the practice of necromancy on the dead as long as they are non-human.

7. Thou shalt not swim against the Currents of Time. This prohibits any attempt to change the past through temporal manipulation for fear of paradox. Even divination of the future is frowned upon in all but the vaguest, most general instances.

Writer: Peter Egan (III)
Director: Michael Robison
Show Stars: Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden), Terrence Mann (Bob), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy)
Recurring Role: Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Guest Stars: Natalie Lisinska (Laura Ellis) , Daniel Kash (Justin Morningway) , Earl Pastko (Raven Man) , Heather Hanson (Melissa Perrini) , Jonathan Higgins (Colm Dresden) , Matthew Knight (Young Harry Dresden) , Dylan Everett (Scott Sharp) , Deborah Odell (Ms. Timmins) , Marie Ward (Sheryl Sharp)

This intro to the series episode attempts to show some of Harry Dresden's background with his dad, and maybe some about his mom, while at the same time introducing that Harry is a wizard for hire as a private investigator in Chicago and also helping out the Chicago Police Dept. This is done by 2 cases coming together, exactly as the books do.

In one case a little boy has monsters in his closet, much like Harry's childhood. Harry Dismisses the kid as just another kid afraid of things that go bump in the night. But when Lt. Murphy of the Chicago PD special investigations unit discovers the child's teacher's body with her skin removed. Harry then finds that the Skinwalkers and the Raven Clan are fighting over the Child.

We are also introduced to Bob, the spirit that functions as a supernatural computer for Harry. In the books he only appears as lights in a skull, but they have Terrence Mann portray Bob and so only when he is in trouble does he get sent back to the skull. Harry is also betrayed by Melissa, a member of the white council. Things get pretty nasty when the skin walker tortures Harry to find where the boy is.

Great way to introduce the series.

Originally aired: Sunday January 28, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: George Mastras
Director: James A. Contner
Show Stars: Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Terrence Mann (Bob), Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden)
Recurring Role: Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Guest Stars: John Robinson (Joshua Bergen) , Judy Marshak (Marie) , Domenic Cuzzocrea (Lucas Sabin) , Tom Barnett (Joseph Miller) , Kaleigh Nevin (Lisa Harding) , C. David Johnson (Charles Harding) , Kevin Rushton (Gus Boone)
Production Code: 1x04

In this Episode Harry is called in to investigate a father's feeling of his dead daughter still lingering where she died 1 year before. Like all of Harry's cases this one is not so simple.

It seems the girl was murdered by an ex-convict seeking to live forever through the lock of Anubis. This gives the person who touches the tablet the power to jump from body to body. The murderer first jumps into the body of a multi-millionaire bachelor and then plans to jump into the body of a Las Vegas Tycoon. But Harry foils those plans and the convict jumps into the body of Lt. Murphy.

Harry must put the tablet back together to save Murphy.

This episode is one that really covers the true feeling of the books by Jim Butcher

Originally aired: Sunday February 11, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: Laurence Walsh
Director: Michael Nankin
Show Stars: Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Terrence Mann (Bob)
Recurring Role: Matt Gordon (Waldo Butters), Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Guest Stars: Derwin Phillips (FBI Agent) , Krista Bridges (Kelly Raskin) , Ipsita Paul (Mina) , Kathleen Munroe (Heather Bram) , Kyra Harper (Joya) , Constantine Alex Karzis (Zachary Bushnell)
Production Code: 1x05

In this episode a young girl is found murdered in the park and some of her hair and her canine teeth have been removed. The girl's autopsy found silver in her lungs. So Dresden is called in.

Now from reading the books by Jim Butcher, the idea of werewolves are not quite what we think. Referring back to the book "Fool Moon," there is more than one type of werewolf. In this episode they are dealing with lycanthropes.

Knowing that there could be spoilers in this lens, understand I pretty much have to have one to adequately discuss a few items. So here goes.

The young girl as it turns out was turned into a werewolf (lycanthrope) intentionally to cure the curse of another lycanthrope. The formula being "kill nine and remove the sign." So the FBI are called in and Dresden is told not to set foot in the Police Department, because this is the work of a serial killer from Memphis to Chicago.

However in true Harry Dresden style things are not quite what they seem. It turns out the 2 FBI agents are killing the lycanthropes because one of the two is a lycanthrope. But the final lycanthrope is a woman and Harry, being the king of chivalry, must stop her from being murdered.

Okay I'll stop there with the summary without having to give away too much...needless to say it is another great episode carrying on the true Dresden fashion.

Now this episode had me wondering where in the time line of the Jim Butcher books it fell. Harry knew about lycanthropes in this episode so it must be after "Full Moon," because as you may remember, that was where he learned about the whole werewolf world. Also Murphy doesn't seem to know, but then again this is not really followed. Maybe that's where they keep the continuity in check.

All in all a good episode on it's own.

Originally aired: Sunday February 18, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: Curtis Kheel
Director: Michael Grossman
Show Stars: Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Terrence Mann (Bob), Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden)
Recurring Role: Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani), Conrad Coates (Morgan)
Guest Stars: Kim Coates (Sirota) , Meredith Henderson (Caryn Harris) , Corey Sevier (Matthew Jacobs) , Chapelle Jaffe (Sister Beatrice)
Production Code: 1x02

The "Rules of Engagement" was not really an adequate title for this episode. It should have been called Love Conquers All. In this episode a Hellion or Hellspawn decides he wants to be mortal again. But the man/demon/satan? that holds the chain to his soul, Sirota, will not let that happen.

Matthew, the Hellspawn, has fallen for a girl, Caryn. Caryn was supposed to be another soul gathered for Sirota, but they fell in love.

Harry seeks the help of Morgan, a Warden of the White/High Council of wizards to help Matthew become mortal and break the chain.

The ideal from the books in which Harry is the old fashioned, chivalrous hero carries on in this episode because he wants to see love win over all.

Some great turns and twists are to be found in this episode.

Okay a side note which I've been battling with which the TV show has changed from the books. First Lt. Karrin Murphy (in the books)has been changed to Lt. Connie Murphy. In the books the Special Investigations Unit (which Murphy heads) is in a run down part of the police dept. but the TV series has them in a very fancy section of the department. Harry's rod and staff in the TV series are a drumstick and a Hockey stick (in that order). I guess this is to make him seem more "everyman."

Finally, I'm beginning to like the idea of Bob taking a human form at times in the TV series...but some of the wit is lost when Bob is just a couple of glowing lights in a skull in the books.

Okay that rant is over...check out the video below for last few minutes of this episode. But don't do it if you don't want a spoiler.

Originally aired: Sunday February 25, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: Jack Bernstein
Director: Rick Rosenthal
Show Stars: Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Terrence Mann (Bob)
Recurring Role: Conrad Coates (Morgan)
Guest Stars: Simon Northwood (Jake's Bodyguard) , Michael Copeman (Clive) , Lyriq Bent (Jake) , Layton Morrison (Bianca's Bodyguard) , Laura Vandervoort (Natalie) , Kent Staines (Arvin) , Joanne Kelly (Bianca) , Jane McLean (Ancient Mai)
Production Code: 1x07

One of the things that has to be brought up in the TV series is that they don't have much continuity with the books by Jim Butcher. This episode really brought that forward unless there is something that I haven't read yet. After all I'm only through 4 books.

In this episode a couple of unique things in the books are hinted at. First and foremost is the introduction of Bianca the Vampire and Head of the Red Court. Now the character in this episode is true to the "character" of Bianca from the books. But there's a lot of poetic license taken here. Mainly that her and Harry are "friends."

In the flashback sequences that cover the past between Harry and Bianca it is discovered that Bianca hid Harry from the High Council after he murdered his Uncle Justin. Also throughout this episode more of Harry's dark past, the murder of his Uncle, the travelling (running?) with his father and the death of his mother are hinted at as if in future episodes more will be revealed.

Now in the books, Harry murdered his Uncle while a teenager. In the TV show he's an adult when he's in hiding at Bianca's. In the Books Harry and Bianca are pretty much enemies.

Okay now on to the rundown of this episode.

A professional hit is taken out on Bianca. She hires Harry (to pay of his debt of her hiding him) to find the would be assassins. Harry discovers it could be Clive, a retired vampire hunter with the High Council. Harry approaches Morgan to find out why. He interrupts a meeting with Morgan and the wardens of the High Council as they discuss 3rd Eye, a drug (in this episode) which is for vampires to do things as wizards do and to keep the hunters at bay. The problem is Clive is retired.

With Clive being retired it looks as though someone else wanted Bianca out of the way and make it look as though the High Council did it. But too late Harry has already told Bianca that it could have been Clive.

Harry then goes out looking for Clive and finds him, or rather Clive finds Harry. Clive's band of hunters captures Harry and takes him back to the "hideout" where Clive is questioning Harry. At this time Clive has no idea what is going on. Then Clive is attacked. Harry is locked away in a closet with weapons as Clive and his "gang" are murdered. When Harry breaks free he finds Clive with his throat slashed, vampire style.

Thinking Bianca has sought revenge, Harry then goes to confront Bianca. Bianca's turn, now, to not know what's going on.

Harry goes back home and Ancient Mai (head of High Council) comes to his home and, thinking Harry is helping Bianca, threatens him. When she realizes Harry is not helping, she gives him "magical" cuffs to capture Bianca. When captured Mai will know and arrive.

Bianca sees this (from hiding in Harry's home) and they then go to Clive's and find out that it was Black Court vampires that did the killing.

With more twists and turns to come in this whodunit, let's just say it is a very intriguing episode.

Left out of the continuity with the books, it is still a good, no wait, great series. Too bad Sci-Fi cancelled.

Writer: Peter Egan (III)
Director: Ken Girotti
Show Stars: Terrence Mann (Bob), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden)
Recurring Role: Matt Gordon (Waldo Butters), Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Guest Stars: Kerry Lai Fatt (Sharon Morill) , Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Morgue Employee) , Louise Nicol (Cremated Woman) , Hamish McEwan (Kelton Franks) , Tara Rosling (Carol Sarkisian) , Karen Cliche (Nancy)
Production Code: 1x08

Well another episode that builds on the history of the characters in the Dresden files. This time we find a little more about Bob, and why he is doomed to live in a skull for all eternity.

But that's jumping ahead of ourselves. The episode opens up with Harry waking up in a nice house in what seems to be the suburbs. A woman with very shapely legs (that's all the camera shows of her, so far) is cooking breakfast and putting it on a tray for Harry. Harry wakes up seemingly hungover with a wedding band on his finger. The woman also is hiding a knife as she brings up breakfast.

Jump back one day before and a man is talking with Harry about premonitions he's having about dying. The man dies several ways and is afraid to do anything. Harry recommends a good psychotherapist and just as he's writing a name down the man (who is in his 30s) dies of a heart attack. Murphy arrives with Coroner's office to take away the body.

Later that afternoon the wife is identifying the body and wants to visit Harry, to see where her husband died. The woman then dies the same way.

This time Harry thinks to get "samples" to find out how she died. He then goes to coroner's office where the ashes of the man are brought in. Harry sneaks a sample to have Bob find out any info. Well the ashes are of an old woman and not the man. The mortician is brought in for questioning and it seems a woman fitting the description of the coroner's assistant paid to have the body removed.

A search finds that same man has died 2 other times in the US. But his wife, same woman, never dies. And the coroner's assistant is a coroner's assistant at those same locations.

Bob tells Harry that some really BLACK magic is being used and he should stay away.

Too late Harry is then abducted by the wife and the coroner's assistant and taken to milwaukee.

Murphy comes looking for Dresden. Bob puts a message via floating lighted words, for Murphy to see. She goes to Milwaukee.

Now the scene the show opened with, except now we see coroner's assistant preparing a potion to put in Harry's drink. She then tells wife she's going to go get insurance papers filed and will be back. If Harry gives her any problems Kill him.

Harry throws potion in wife's face Murphy comes to rescue. As police are rounding up Harry and wife the camera pans out to show coroner's assistant viewing scene and driving off.

Basically she was killing men and resurrecting them to collect insurance monies.

Bob tells Harry the story of how he was placed in skull. It's a punishment for Bob resurrecting a woman he was in love with. (see rule of magic #6 above.) Bob also says the woman (coroner's assistant) will be back.

Originally aired: Sunday March 11, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: Hans Beimler, Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Director: John Fawcett
Show Stars: Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden), Terrence Mann (Bob), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy)
Recurring Role: Conrad Coates (Morgan), Matt Gordon (Waldo Butters), Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Guest Stars: Odeen Eccleston (Raychelle) , Steve Byers (Brady Whitfield) , Kerry Dorey (Caleb Shaw) , Nathan Stephenson (Dante Arrias) , Tyrone Savage (Carson Harris)
Production Code: 1x06

A woman misses Harry in his office and as they cross in the street, Harry notices her and she him. Just as it looks as though they are going to start talking a car runs the woman over.

She wanted to hire Harry, but he doesn't know why until Murphy shows what the woman had on her person. The woman, Raychelle, has a picture of a man with a sticky note that says Caleb. Harry remembers that she had a fraternity pin on and goes to that Fraternity.

Two students block Harry and he says he's working for Chicago PD as a consultant, at that moment he sees "Caleb," and says I've found what I'm looking for. He approaches "Caleb" calling his name, the man says his name is Dante, and that he doesn't know any caleb.

To make a long review short, 3 college students, the son of a millionaire, the son of the Lt. Governer and Dante have found an artifact that enables them to walk through walls. But things are never this easy with Harry Dresden, Wizard.

It turns out the artifact is a severed hand of a murderer and thief named Caleb. The severed hand is covered with wax and tallow. This enables the spirit of Caleb to live on in the artifact. He assists the youth in a crime spree. But each time they walk through walls he takes a part of their soul. Eventually Caleb will come back to life.

Harry seeks the help of Morgan because this is Dark Magic. Morgan, as usual, refuses. So it is up to Harry. Pretty soon the youth start dying. Only Dante is left and at the last moment is strong enough to give up the hand. But too late, Caleb becomes a human like form...but made of wax.

Harry destroys Caleb. Then in what could have been a great development in the TV series Morgan helps Dante to begin training as a wizard, as long as he confesses to the story Harry has developed so an "answer" will come out of the police investigation that the public will believe. But we will never really know.

Director: David Carson
Stars: Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy)
Recurring Role: Conrad Coates (Morgan)
Guest Stars: Jennifer Kydd (Grace Cutler), Elizabeth Thai (Ancient Mai), Rebecca McFarland (Susan Rodriguez), John DeSantis (Demon), Greg Bryk (Tommy Thom), Christine Tizzard (Jennifer Randall), Jonathan Whittaker (Victor Cutler), Daniel Kash (Justin Morningway), Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani), Sherry Miller (Mrs. Cutler), Shannon Boodram (Linda Atwater), Joanne Kelly (Bianca)

Okay it took until episode 8 to get to the material covered in Book One. But they didn't quite get the book down. The book itself had many plots and subplots but the 1 hour for tv show had to be condensed so they just took the gist of the main story.

When the police hire Harry for help with investigating two particularly grisly and "weird" deaths, he finds himself the target of a user-of-the-Black fueled by tremendous hatred. Even worse, as Harry is the only non-Council wizard in Chicago powerful enough to have committed the crime, he immediately becomes the number one suspect for Ancient Mai and Morgan. Now, Harry must find the real culprit and clear his name...or face some "old school" justice.

So in this episode they left out Gentleman Johnny Marconi and some more of the side characters, but as long as you don't think of this episode as a retelling of the book it's pretty good. One thing I was let down about was the "demon." In the book he spits acid and looks like a demon. On the tube the demon was played by John DeSantis with no cool costume and effects it "humanizes" the demon. But John DeSantis does a great job and the demon is a little fun.

Originally aired: Sunday March 25, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: George Mastras
Director: James Head
Show Stars: Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Terrence Mann (Bob), Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden)
Recurring Role: Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Guest Stars: Richard Blackburn (Jim Brennan) , Claudia Black (Liz Fontaine) , John Boylan (Dr. Overland) , Chris Owens (Ronald Jones) , Stephanie Moore (Mrs. Jones) , Lara Kelly (Anya) , Craig Brown (Boris)
Production Code: 1x10

This episode seemed like one of the more fun episodes. I'm not sure why but I've narrowed it down to two possible reasons one is that Harry worked with a partner on this one (thus the title "The Other Dick," dick being detective), or that the partner Liz Fontaine was played by Sci-Fi alum Claudia Black. You may recognize her from other Sci-Fi channel shows; She played Officer Aeryn Sun on Farscap and she played Vala Mal Doran on Stargate SG-1. She also played Pandora in the movie "The Queen of the Damned," and many other kick-ass roles.

Okay here's the story. To begin with the City of Chicago has decided that in order for Harry to keep working as a consultant he needs a private investigators license. The show opens up with Harry getting an A in the class but unable to pay tuition. The class is taught by a private investigator (Jim Brennan) and his assistant (Liz Fontaine). Harry is told he is out of the class if he can't pay tuition. Harry goes to Lt. Murphy for a loan, she can only loan half, so he goes back to Brennan to see if that will hold, until he can pay the rest. When Harry returns to Brennan's office, Brennan is passed out over a bottle and glass of scotch. When Harry touches him to wake him large amounts of electricity roll around the room. This Brennan is dead.

Harry and Liz team up to find out why. This is where it gets fun. It seems Brennan was investigating a man's cheating wife. So they follow the wife. She's not cheating but rather, going to a fertility clinic. Harry's wizard's intuition kicks in and they investigate.

Liz and Harry pose as a couple that can't have a baby. Harry is asked to give a "sample" and as he leaves his "intuition" sends to an alternative therapy room. Here he finds a magic ritual setup. So he takes photos and samples of the tea that is found.

They leave and Liz goes to look up info on the doctor and develop the photos, while Harry has Bob Analyze the tea.

The tea is a mind altering / soul stealing tea. When Liz comes to Harry's place to compare notes she brings the photos and Bob identifies the symbols as those of an Incubus, a male sex demon. A bomb is then thrown through Harry's window and he grabs his hockey stick/staff and keeps the explosion at bay. Liz sees this and pretty much becomes enthralled (not magically) by Harry. She knows he's something different.

To make a long review short Harry wins...the battle and the rest are fun to watch so I won't give it away.

Originally aired: Sunday April 1, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: David Simkins
Director: David Straiton
Show Stars: Terrence Mann (Bob), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden)
Recurring Role: Matt Gordon (Waldo Butters)
Guest Stars: Jordan Madley (Tara Wright) , Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani) , Matthew Knight (Young Harry) , Jonathan Higgins (Colm Dresden) , Conrad Coates (Morgan) , Daniel Kash (Justin Morningway)
Production Code: 1x09

This is an episode where Harry's world tries to Cross with Lt. Murphy's world. Also in this episode we find out more on the death of Harry's mother, father and Uncle Justin.

Now for the TV series once again the story does not follow the book's continuity. I should be used to that but I think I'm just a bigger fan of the books. Don't get me wrong, the series is awesome and captures the moods and complete aura of the books, just not the continuity. In the series as put forth in this episode Uncle Justin Morningway's death is 5 years prior to modern day.

The episode opens up with a beautiful woman getting out of Harry's bed and stealing Bob's Skull. Which she then takes to Justin Morningway. What? How could this be? He's dead, right? More on that in a moment.

Harry then wakes to find himself handcuffed to the bed and after he gets out of the cuffs discovers Bob is gone. He then starts doing everything to find Bob.

In the meantime, Murphy is told to re-open the Justin Morningway case because an anonymous tip says Harry murdered his Uncle. Murphy asks Harry about it and in the meantime she say she's having problems with nightmares. These are due to the possession from episode 2.

Harry is frustrated and makes Murphy frustrated because she doesn't know what to believe.

Harry calls on Morgan to help find Bob. After the usual Morgan telling Harry what power is wasted on him, Morgan gives Harry a crystal skull that will help track Bob.

Meanwhile, Bob is confronted by a "copy" of Justin. This copy is designed to bring Justin back from the dead. This is black magic and only Bob can do this. But first Bob is made alive again.

With Bob, the only wizard capable of doing black magic to bring back the dead, the plan is in motion.

Harry goes to the former mansion of Justin's and finds Bob "whole." He is then knocked out by Bob.

Next Harry, Bob, and Justin's Double are in the morgue where the recently exhumed body of Justin is waiting. Bob transfers power from Harry to Justin's Body and Justin comes back to life. The double then takes his place in the coffin. This leaves Harry seconds from death.

Just as Justin is gloating...well I'll leave the action and climax up to you, after all the series is available on DVD :).

Harry does live...I have to tell you that for this last part.

Murphy shows up at Harry's saying the case is closed. Although she is suspicious because Justin and Harry's dad both died of heart attacks. Harry starts to tell Murphy of the world of magic, and starts explaining black magic. She leaves saying her world is frightening enough, but not before she gives Harry the photo of him and his father.

Originally aired: Sunday April 8, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Director: Michael Grossman
Show Stars: Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden), Terrence Mann (Bob), Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy)
Guest Stars: Jane McLean (Ancient Mai) , James Binkley (Wallace) , Conrad Coates (Morgan) , Jonathan Higgins (Colm Dresden) , Bobby Del Rio (Soto) , Christine Horne (Amber)
Production Code: 1x11

Wow this one is an edge-of-your-seater. It starts off with Harry relaxing to yoga when Lt. Murphy comes over to ask about a "green fire" explosion 4 blocks from Harry's home.

Then as Harry is getting ready to go help her investigate, Morgan and some other wardens come barging in carrying Ancient Mai.

In this episode it seems as though Murphy is going to learn all there is to know about the magic world due to a hostage situation. Once Mai is brought into Harry's home a darkness envelopes his building. Come to find out the office has been brought to the "other side."

What has happened is that the Council was attacked and Mai was mortally injured and was brought to Harry's to recover. In her recovery she needed to disappear to heal...well to disappear she brought everyone to the other side.

All this time they are trying to find what is preventing Mai from healing. As it turns out Murphy is not Murphy but a Dragon (too cool, eh?). The Dragon is out to destroy the High Council.

Once again a great magical battle ensues and Harry saves Mai. But Harry finds out that Mai "could be" a dragon herself. Hmmm...

I would like to have seen this develop.

Originally aired: Sunday April 15, 2007 on SciFi
Writer: Barry M. Schkolnick
Director: Nick Copus
Show Stars: Valerie Cruz (Connie Murphy), Terrence Mann (Bob), Paul Blackthorne (Harry Dresden)
Recurring Role: Matt Gordon (Waldo Butters)
Guest Stars: Cheryl Quiacos (Romina Hanley) , Chuck Shamata (Joe Murphy) , Dan Petronijevic (Herrick) , Bill Lake (Captain Hackett) , Yannick Bisson (Sergeant Darren Munzer) , Chad Camilleri (Connor Reyes) , Raoul Bhaneja (Detective Sid Kirmani)
Production Code: 1x12

Okay maybe the title of this episode should have been Good Cop / Bad Cop. Anyway, in this season / series finale we were definitely left wanting more.

Before I get to the show breakdown, I have to say that while the shows did not follow the continuity of the books they did follow the ideas and moods of the books by Jim Butcher.

In this episode Murphy seems to be catching some flack for having hired a wizard to help the police. However she does get cases solved/closed. Murphy's father comes in for a visit and that makes it even more tense.

While Harry and Murphy are enjoying a friends night out at a bar Murphy is called in on a victim that was found drowned, miles from Lake Michigan. To make things worse he was drowned in salt water. Also found on the victim was a brand of a strange symbol.

While Murphy is being harangued about her job, another cop is called in. This cop, Sgt. Munzer, is a hero cop who is so much of a hero a reporter is tailing him in order to write a book.

It seems that Munzer is lucky quite a bit and getting several "second chances." Also the stream of victims with the brand a former criminals that are getting second chances but die in the fashion they "should have" died.

Now Dresden catches on.

Not to give too much away in the action, I will tell of the fun parts. In this episode Harry kisses Murphy. Murphy slaps Harry, that's what he wanted to get the spell to work. At the end she apologizes for slapping him and says it will never happen again.

Now c'mon Sci-Fi channel renew "The Dresden Files."

"Strange Brew"
Edited by P.N. Elrod
Multiple readers
produced by Audible Frontiers (2009)
approx 12 hours.

In continuing my search for more Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" stories I find another collection of short stories that have a few of my other favorite supernatural authors and I may have found a few more. This book features 9 stories all dealing with the supernatural, in particular witches, wizards and potions. There is no Professor Snape to let this lot know if they are doing it right or wrong, but for the most part they all get it right. The nice thing is that for most of the authors in this book, they have a running series and these short stories take place within the realm of that same series and for the die-hard fans, here's one more source for some quick pleasure while waiting for that next book.

Each story has their own reader thus giving this collection in audiobook form a better sound of being different stories from different authors. Now let's talk about each story one by one.

"Seeing Eye" by Patricia Briggs: Patricia Briggs returns to the world of Mercy Thompson, but follows an entirely new character - the witch (Wendy) Moira Keller. Tom Franklin, werewolf and second in the Emerald City pack, shows up on Moira's doorstep asking for her help in finding his kidnapped brother Jon, Moira cannot refuse him, even though it could mean her death. For Moira is no ordinary witch, and she has a dark past connected to those who have taken Jon - the Samhain Coven, led by the cruel and power-hungry Kouros. Together, Moira and Tom set out on Jon's trail, using her magic and Tom's strength to discover Jon's fate, and to face Samhain once and for all.

"Last Call" by Jim Butcher: Harry takes on the darkest of dark powers--the ones who dare to mess with his favorite beer. All Harry wants to do after a long hard day of wizarding and private investigating is have one of Mac's famous home brews and possibly a steak sandwich, but when Harry, walks into Macanally's, he finds the place in disarray, not the normal planned disarray but one which finds several tables turned over, customers and Mac,himself, unconscious. Harry then finds that the home brew has been tampered with and a deeper darker mystery unveils in which an ancient being wishes to take over Chicago. This story takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat.

"Death Warmed Over" by Rachel Caine: This story takes place in a world where witches moonlight in extremely specialized fields. Holly Caldwell is one such witch with a rare affinity for resurrecting the dead, working at her day job when she receives a last minute email from her other boss, Sam - a request for a "disposable," or a long-term resurrection from the local police department. Holly has sworn off disposables ever since her first and last job - because of the pain her impossible relationship with the resurrected caused her. Now, Sam and the police want Holly to raise the same man from her past, a powerful witch named Andrew Toland who died in 1875 fighting an army of resurrected dead gone violent (or more commonly, zombies). Though it pains her to reopen a relationship that is in all ways impossible, Holly breathes life back into Andrew. Unfortunately for them both, only later do they learn that someone has been killing resurrection witches, and Holly is next on the list. This turns out to be kind of a creepy love story of sorts that has a twist in the mystery unfolding.

"Vegas Odds" by Karen Chance: The longest story in "Strange Brew" is Karen Chance's "Vegas Odds." The story bursts with excitement from start. Half-Were Lia and her boyfriend Were Cyrus destroy her house while under attack from a group of War Mages. From there the listener is thrwon into a world full of magic and a strong instantly likeable heroine while never letting up on the non-stop action.

"Hecate's Golden Eye" by P.N. Elrod: Yes even the editor gets into the action with a story from her Vampire Mysteries series featuring the Vampire Noir, Jack Fleming and his partner Escott from 1930's Chicago. Fleming and Escott are asked to recover a stolen heirloom--a rare yellow diamond with a curse. Any man who touches it DIES. Of course, since Jack's already dead he should be immune, right? Maybe, maybe not. Mix in some con artists and a homicidally violent mad Irishman and see what happens! Just picture the old film noir detectives, but picture one as a vampire and you have this fun tale.

"Bacon" by Charlaine Harris: A beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband. This story has the funniest ending and is worth the purchase of this book alone. This story takes place in the world of Sookie Stackhouse (you know, from "True Blood" fame) featuring the vampire Dahlia. There was a previous Dahlia story in the anthology "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding," and Dahlia does appear in "All Together Dead."

"Signatures of the Dead" by Faith Hunter: The story is told from the perspective of Molly, a witch who is asked by the police to track down a group of killer vampires. The star of the story is actually Jane Yellowrock, skinwalker and vampire hunter, who has the job of actually finding and exterminating the vampires. This story is an introduction for the Jane Yellowrock character, who is going to be the protagonist of her own series of books.

"Ginger: A Nocturne City" by Caitlin Kittredge: This is the story of werewolf detective Luna Wilder's witch cousin Sunny Swan. This thriller is a morality tale of sorts showing how doing the right thing can get you into more trouble then you can imagine, and that in everyone is the will to get done what needs doing. Who knew that the small task of supporting her cousin by visiting the trial she is testifying in will lead her into the dark depths of Nocturne's City underworld?

"Dark Sins By" Jenna Maclaine: Recently turned vampire, witch Cin Craven may be the strongest witch in existence if she knew how to use her magic. This small fact allows for the imprisonment of Cin and her companions The Righteous a group of vampires that act as judge, jury, and executioner of their own kind.

So if witches are your cup of tea, check out "Strange Brew."