The Dresden Files is an urban fantasy series by author Jim Butcher, and I regard it as far and away the best fiction I have ever read. Seventeen novels currently exist, out of a planned twenty-five or so, and Butcher has maintained a level of excellence that is unparalleled in fiction as far as I am concerned.

Harry Dresden is a wizard. A real, honest-to-God wizard with access to the powers of creation itself. He lives in our regular world, in Chicago, where he practices his craft openly (he has a Yellow Pages ad). Also existing in that world are other supernatural beings, like vampires, werewolves, fairies, and so forth – all of which are studiously ignored by the public at large (just as wizards are) as “the stuff of fantasy.”

Harry is content to live a very humble life, and really just wants to live that life without a bunch of strife and bother. But of course the world doesn’t let him do that, and he is drawn into one situation after another that puts his life and the lives of others at risk, compelling him to rise up to new challenges to save the day again and again. Yes, the universe apparently has plans for our good friend Harry, whether he likes it or not.

As of today (August 28, 2021), I’m reading the fifteenth novel of the series, Skin Game. This is my sixth reading of the series. Yes, I’ve read this stuff six times. That’s how good it is – I continue to pick up new little nuances that I’d previously missed every pass through. It’s really no longer about “reading a series” for me now – I just want to have Harry and his friends involved in my life on a daily basis. Laugh if you want, but I’d say “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.” Grab the first book (Storm Front, published way back in 2000) and give it a read. It takes Butcher three or four books to get things really rolling, but you just may find yourself as hooked as I am.

One of the best things about the series is the incredibly rich depth of the fictional universe. It’s vast and involved, with connections running all over the place gradually emerging as the story unfolds. The characters are intricately detailed and take on a “reality” that makes them feel like living people. I find myself really caring about what happens to them. They are, quite simply, my friends.

(The wonderful image of Harry above is by Mika Blackfield – you can find more of her work on deviantart.com.)