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Series to Read While Waiting for the Next Dresden Files Book
I recently discovered "The Vampire Files" series by P.N. Elrod {thanks to one of the short story books with a Harry Dresden story in it}. Jack Fleming also lives in Chicago {in the late 1930's though}. On book jackets he is billed as a P.I. {but he isn't really ~ he helps out his friend who is}. Jack is a brand new vampire and in book 1 sets out to solve his own murder even as he tries to adjust to his new 'life'. Like Harry, he doesn't always know when to keep his mouth shut and is almost perpetually in trouble, especially since he becomes rather deeply involved with your friendly neighborhood Chicago gangsters.
The books get progressively darker and the abuses this particular good guy vampire suffers rival some of Harry's worst days.
Elrod has also written "Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire", a four book series which is connected to The Vampire Files. It takes place in Revolution Era America and England. Jonathan's story is different {well, apart from the obvious} in that he has never heard the word vampire and has almost no idea just what he is.
I didn't start the Dresden Files until after Side Jobs had been published so read all the books one right after the other. It was difficult to move on but I'm glad I gave another author a chance.
check out kevin hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles and and Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus series. both are really really similar to dresden files with the Iron Druid Chronicles being nearly as good, IMO
Not a fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles personally (gave up reading after I couldn't finish the third book), but I'm a huge fan of Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus series as well as Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series.Elrod's vampires are great and I wish more would be written.
Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim series has been great. Stark is a darker character. You can see the Sam Spade heritage in both Dresden and Stark. And lot's of stuff blows up. If that's your thing.I also like Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock series, starting with Skinwalker.
Jeff wrote: "Not a fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles personally (gave up reading after I couldn't finish the third book), but I'm a huge fan of Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus series as well as Ben Aaronovitch's Riv..."The third Iron Druid book is by far the weakest of them. Books 4 and 5 are much much better!
Sandman Slim series was excellent, also very much enjoyed the Connor Grey series.Jane Yellowrock is a favorite, Mercy Thompson and Kate Daniels as well.
I checked out the Iron Druid Chronicles and really enjoyed them. Read the whole series up to date in a week and some change. I also picked up Elrod's Vampire Files Vol 1, which is the first three books, and the first Alex Verus novel. Great recommendations so far!
Ben Aaronovitch wrote a series of books beginning with "Midnight Riot". We meet Peter Grant as he finds out that he has magical talent-as opposed to Dresden who already kind of knows what he is doing in "Storm Front". The feel of the Aaronovitch books is very different to the Dresden files but there are some echoes of congruence that I found interesting. Peter Grant has figured out how to manage a cellphone in spite of the technology-magic interference problem. Also, there are genius loci in London. I enjoyed these books--not as mush as the Dresden Files though.
The Iron Druid Chronicles is a great series. Read them all and now waiting anxiously for the next one. Jim Butcher also has his other series Codex of Alera which is complete.
Another series worth reading is Seanan McGuire's October Daye series. The first book Rosemary and Rue is one of my favorites.
Erica wrote: "All of these suggestions sound really good. I just started Jim Butcher's series called Codex Alera. I'd imagine most Jim Butcher fans have probably already read it. From what I have read of the fir..."I have to say that, although very different from DF, the Codex Alera series is definitely worth reading. It is epic fantasy and a totally different vibe, but it too has heroic characters in difficult situations, a super supporting cast, a world that is totally believable, and epic quests.
I'll have to second the Iron Druid Chronicles but also add the Peter Grant series as a tie or close second. Butcher's Codex series was also a entertaining read as well. The Vampire Files was a good read for the first few books but unfortunately I lost interest after the fifth or sixth book. A series the has not been mentioned is the Skinners series by Marcus Pelegrimas. The first two books were pretty good but I have not had time to continue the series.
Great suggestions all. I've spent the last month or so checking them out and I've really enjoyed it. I've even picked up a few series I can add to Dresden as "read as soon as released," like the Iron Druid books. I'd be remiss in my duty as an independent author if I didn't take the opportunity to shamelessly plug one of my own books. You Only Die Twice is very similar in tone and style to the Dresden series, though it is sci-fi as opposed to fantasy. It is also the first in what will be series. If you're interested you can find out more here on goodreads and check out the first chapter for free.
Or, you could check out my webcomic, I update it every Thursday: http://reddkaiman.blogspot.com/2013/0...But honestly, I would just raid Wikibooks and try some classics.
My first suggestion would have been the Iron Druid series as well. Since that's been covered I'll recommend Spider's Bite
. Its the first in the Elemental Assassin series. I've just finished it myself and am starting the 2nd book.
Huh, thats the first I've heard of that series. I'll have to check it out.
I'll second Joe Pitt and Felix Castor novels. The Garrett P.I. novels from Glen Cook are also great if you don't mind a typical fantasy setting for your hardboiled detective action.Already Dead
The Devil You Know
Sweet Silver Blues
I also burn through the Dresden series. In fact when I first discovered it, I sat and read the first six without any other title interruptions. The Codex Alera series was also very good, but didn't really catch my attention as Dresden did. I also really like the Felix Castor novels and hope that Mike Carrey will try another couple of novels for that series. Lizzie above mentions the Connor Grey series by Mark del Franco, which I absolutely loved. The first title in the series is Unshapely Things. Grey is a druid who lost most of his druidic powers in a battle with his nemesis, which has taken place before the book begins. His personality is similar to Dresden's, and he works with a Boston detective helping solve crimes dealing with magic. It sounds derivative of Butcher, but it really isn't. I've read the series twice, and it holds up easily for a second read. I'm about to start the Sandman Slim series, and will note your other suggestions. Thanks.
Also try Hidden Things by Doyce Testerman. Very good Urban Fantasy read. This may be his first novel.
Simon R. Green's Nightside and Kevin Hearne's The Iron Druid Chronicles are my recommended series to read.
John Conroe's The Demon Accords and Steve McHugh's Hellequin Chronicles are two other series that fans of urban fantasy should have a look at.
Jeff wrote: "Not a fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles personally (gave up reading after I couldn't finish the third book), . . . I am so there, though I did make through book 3 . . . just.
Not going to read any other from the Iron Druid series.
Edit: I think it only fair to say the best part of these books, for me at least, is Oberon, the Irish Wolf Hound!
I'm a huge Dresden Fan... and The Monster Hunter International Books by Larry Correia help fill the time between books for me.. here is a link to chapter 1 http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/14... check it out...its about Five days after Owen Zastava Pitt pushed his insufferable boss out of a fourteenth story window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face, an unbelievable memory, and a job offer.
It turns out that monsters are real. All the things from myth, legend, and B-movies are out there, waiting in the shadows. Officially secret, some of them are evil, and some are just hungry. On the other side are the people who kill monsters for a living. Monster Hunter International is the premier eradication company in the business. And now Owen is their newest recruit.
It’s actually a pretty sweet gig, except for one little problem. An ancient entity known as the Cursed One has returned to settle a centuries old vendetta. Should the Cursed One succeed, it means the end of the world, and MHI is the only thing standing in his way. With the clock ticking towards Armageddon, Owen finds himself trapped between legions of undead minions, belligerent federal agents, a cryptic ghost who has taken up residence inside his head, and the cursed family of the woman he loves.
Business is good . . .
also the Felix Gomez Series by Mario Acevedo is really good...
Kim Harrison's The Hollows Series is a BIG favorite.
I can recommend Libriomancer very much. It has some very nice world building going on and the style of magic is a bit different than your usual magic-slingers. It is also the first in a series of books, of which i am hoping that it will have a new one released soon.
Kate wrote: "I recently discovered "The Vampire Files" series by P.N. Elrod {thanks to one of the short story books with a Harry Dresden story in it}. Jack Fleming also lives in Chicago {in the late 1930's thou..."I found Kate Griffin' s Matthew Swift books to be good. The first is called The Madness of Angels, and there are 4 of them so far. I agree the Mike Carey books are decent, his character Felix Caster is really good. Also try Joe ducie' s 'Distant Star' and the sequel 'Broken Quill' .All 3 of these authors to be well worth a look.
Deb Dunbar's Imp Series is pretty good. The third book just came out. They are: "A Demon Bound," "Satan's Sword," and "Elven Blood." They are a fun ride.
Elemental Assassin series (Jennifer Estep), The Mageri series (Dannika Dark)& A Vampire for hire (J.R. Rain).
After a pretty good first book, I came to hate Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series with a fiery passion. I haven't tried The Mageri series or J.R. Rain's book.
I've just got imps 1 &2 on my kindle but haven't read them yet
Yea, Estep's kind of lost me also but I am going to finish the series.
Jj wrote: "Yea, Estep's kind of lost me also but I am going to finish the series."If you're looking for some female centered urban fantasy, you might like Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock, or Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels better.
I have taken a slight detour into SF - Hyperion & fantasy - Joe Abercrombie but I will check them out when I get back.
Kvothe The name of the Wind, Iron Druid, Alex Verus are good choices.. after that i think im gonna end up reading Codex Alera
A similar series that I didn't see mentioned here is Kat Richardson's Greywalker series. The protagonist is a female P.I., the city is Seattle instead of Chicago, and the series conflict is more about discovering her Greywalker identity than about a multi-sided supernatural war, but it has a similar feel (similar voice) to the Dresden Files.The other series I've read between Dresden installments is Kim Harrison's Hallows series mentioned above. Both good choices, in my opinion.
Hmmm, I'll take a look at these but a quick look at the Hollows series, and especially this line on wikipedia, "as well as her personal relationships with males of different species", i'm not sure I'll get into it. It really depends on how much she gets into this topic. I am not, in general, interested in romance novels.
The Monster Hunter books by Larry Corriea were good but his Grimnoir novels are even better. He's come up with a really cool alternate history premise where Magic is real and set in the 30's. Very good. The Sandman Slim novels by Richard Kadrey are great too.
Howard wrote: "Hmmm, I'll take a look at these but a quick look at the Hollows series, and especially this line on wikipedia, "as well as her personal relationships with males of different species", i'm not sure ..."I'm not interested in romance novels, either. In the Hollows series, the protagonist, Rachel Morgan, is somewhat horny (IMHO) but the relationships are more on the order of secondary conflicts within the stories rather than the principal plot drivers.
As for the "different species" bit, that's one of the drivers of her world, and one that I think the author messed up. There are Humans, Demons, Witches, Elves, and Weres which are all separate species, and then there are Vampires which both are and are not. I think the author's been trying to "correct" some of her world's inconsistencies with her later books, not entirely successfully (again IMHO).
In spite of that, I still think it's a good series.
I've recently read the Mark Charan Newton books, the legends of the red sun. There's only 4 book I enjoyed all of them
I would recommend the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson. I also agree with the Monster Hunter International, Grimnoir series and Felix Castor suggestions.I have the Sandman Slim series on my Kindle for future reading and have heard only good things. Codex Altera was a great series but a very different read from the Dresden books. I will have to ear mark the Iron Druid books based on all the love on this post and all the others will definately get a look.
I havn't read the Monster Hunter series but I do like the Grimnoir series. The third book is in the queue to be read just as soon as I finish the current reread of the Dresden Files. (On Small Favor right now)I'll take a look at the first Hollows book this next week and I'll likely give it a try. The resl question will be if I make it to book 2, :-)
I've given my opinion on the Iron Druid series before so I won't comment now except to say that I got through book 3 and do not plan on going any further.
Thanks for starting this thread. I've got the Iron Druid and Monster Hunter series on my to-read list now.
*thumbs up* I love the Iron Druid books, and while the third is the weakest of the series so far and feels like it jumps the shark a little it sets up events for the following books, which are really good.
Another vote for Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles, as well as for Simon R. Green's Nightside Series and Secret Histories series.For anyone who gave up after book 3 in the Iron Druid Series, I concur that it's definitely worth sticking with with the story, and/or picking up the novellas Two Ravens and One Crow and the Grimoire of the Lamb if you haven't read them.
I'd also recommend Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore a good one-off book so you don't have to worry about getting sucked into a new series, and the Detective Inspector Chen Series by Liz Williams.
I would recommend The Business of Death by Trent Jamieson. It has a bit of a different vibe than the Dresden Files, but a great plot.The Business of Death
Rochelle wrote: "Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim series has been great. Stark is a darker character. You can see the Sam Spade heritage in both Dresden and Stark. And lot's of stuff blows up. If that's your thing..."I really like Sandman Slim, but they are way off from the Dresden Files. Well, they do have that skull in common, but a lot less gory. Sandman Slim seems to come from a very warped (although creative) mind indeed. (Probably says something that I like the books.) But these are not the kinds of books you can read in a row. Downtime into the real and semi-sane world required between reads.
I think that Simon R. Green's The Nightside stories have some similarities. While I enjoy Kevin Hearne's work, see no resemblance to Dresden.
Again I like Faith Hunter's work and have read every single book as soon as it comes out.
All these characters seem to be different from Harry (except the Nightside of Simon Green) as Harry is just human (until the last book) and the two of them have some tools (hardly strong enough) to battle superhuman beings. Some of the characters mentioned as similar in fact are already endowed with superhuman characteristics.
While Harry has magic, it has a short shelf-life, dissapates rapidly and leaves him very vulnerable. (Again before the last book where something happens that would be inappropriate to mention for those who have not read about it.)
In the Iron Druid the main character is like thousands of years old and has killed gods!!! That is pretty powerful armament there!!
But thanks so much for the suggestions. I see some authors here that I have not read and am going to give them a try.
Stephan wrote: "I can recommend Libriomancer very much. It has some very nice world building going on and the style of magic is a bit different than your usual magic-slingers. It is also the first in a series of ..."<1>
I am reading
Libromancer and recommend it also
Let's see, books I haven't seen mentioned are Moon Called which is about a coyote shapeshifter, it has got werewolves and fairy folk in it as well. As in Dresden I love that about him, he isn't afraid to go up against immortals and neither is Mercy.Just for a Long Game of both funny and fights pick up Kitty and the Midnight Hour about a werewolf named, yes, Kitty.
Now Murphy (author, not Dresden characters) has some excellent series firstly Urban Shaman which is about a shaman, I really just love the magic in this one - espically how the character learns to use it and work with it - also has a Wild Hunt among many other supernatural nastiness.
Another by the same author is House of Cards and it puts a normal person smack in the middle of gargoyles, dragons, and vampires and much more.
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The Joe Pitt Casefiles by Charlie Huston (who is probably best known for his comic book work) are very good. There are five books in the series that follow vampyre (with a y, not an i) Joe Pitt, who works for the various Vampyre factions in New York as a sort-of detective. The story is very dark, and hard boiled. Vampires and zombies are explained as viruses as opposed to being supernatural (but there is an implication that it may be supernatural after all. A very great series.
Another comic book scribe, Mike Carey, has a very Dresden-esq series with the Felix Castor books. Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist that uses music to cast out spirits. Great series, though I've only read the first three. It definitely has a similar vibe to the Dresden Files.
So what are some others that you've found?