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Dresden Files - Any Reason Not To Skip To Book 3?
12-20-2010, 09:29 PM
I tried reading the first book of The Dresden Files from the library and couldn't make it past the second chpater. I have heard numerous people say that the series really gets better at about the third book.
SO!
Should I just skip the first two books entirely? Will I be able to follow the plot from that point forward at all or is there critical stuff I need to know from the first two?
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paladindythe
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The author makes it a point to give in depth explanations in each book, so that a (potential) reader can pick up any particular book and start reading.That being said, I've used up my Audible credits in getting the audio book versions.
The first two books have a very limited cast. That cast starts opening up on the third book, and grows a bit each book therein.
You'll miss out on some cool scenes, but the broad strokes are given later.
The author considers the first two books to be him starting out.
tl/dr:
Go ahead and start with the third book.
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There's some characterization established in books one and two, and you miss out on some of the developments between Harry and Susan, Murphy, Marcone, and Morgan, but if you're having that much trouble with it, go ahead and skip it.
I'd suggest checking out a good summary of the plot of the two, though, as it will help you with some things that'll seem to come out of nowhere if you don't have at least a vague understanding of what goes on (like why Susan decides to (spoiler) in Book 3, for example)...
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Or why Harry (spoiler spoiler) tarantula (spoiler!) and then with the (Spoiler) Liquid Latex (spoiler)....
ok, I'm just playin'.
I heartily enjoyed all of the books of the series, but it really does change up after book 3. It's less "The Raggedy Doctor" and more "The Angry Little God", to shamelessly abuse some Dr. Who tropes, if that makes any sense at all...
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I suppose it gets exciting at book 3... and that's whe nthe plot REALLY gets started... Suggest you read up to six, then when you finally love Harry, read 1 and 2 as 'prequels'.
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I'll echo what others have said, the books do a good job of standing on their own. So I don't see a major problem (aside from some general spoilers) with starting at book 3.
That said I burned through an entire years worth of audible credits getting them all (and have since firmly cemented the voice of Jim butcher as Harry in my head).
I'm not sure how fast you read, but if your lucky Ghost Stories will be out by the time you finish Changes/Side Jobs
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Book 1 introduces most of the cast, but, as people have noted, Harry tends to revisit stuff in later books whenever he meets people
About the only thing I can entirely say you're missing in book 1 that's essential is Harry's initial meeting with Bianca, which lays down a little foreshadowing for the events of Book 3. Beyond that, the first two books are very standalone and can be skipped over, though I found them great reads in general. But Book 3 is Very Important due to the Party Of Chekov's Arsenal. Some of it may be retroactive, but Butcher's pulled out Chekov's Guns from that sequence that're still going off eight books later.
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I'd like to second the idea of going back and reading one and two, as Butcher pulls a few Chekov's Guns from those books too. One immediately jumps to mind, and I'm sure there are others too.
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At the least, I would suggest reading Books 1 and 2 before you start Blood Rites (Book 6), and *definitely* before you read Changes, as there's a vital piece of context there that'll make the whole thing not make sense otherwise. Butcher reached allllllllllllllll the way back for that one.
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I started with book one and have enjoyed all of them I've read so far. I never had the trouble with the first couple books that some people seem to have.
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Me neither. But some people might feel like writing the series off because of it, since it's not as exciting as the later books become, and see it as a bad prediction of things to come.
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First two chapters
12-31-2010, 05:58 PM
I pulled my copy off the shelf and checked.
First two chapters - no more than 30 pages.
I think your sample size is too small.
HoagieOfDoom
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Having read up to book six myself, I'll reiterate what people are saying: starting with Grave Peril is fine, so long as you read Storm Front and Fool Moon prior to Blood Rites.
zero sum mgame
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It makes the obsessive in me cringe. The general consensus seems to be for it, though.
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