BBKristopher.com

So, I managed to throw my back out again early Sunday morning. I've got no idea how I actually managed it, as I was asleep at the time, but hey, it's not the first time I'm been laid up for a week because I slept in a funky position. On the other hand, I've been extremely bored, because the pain is just bad enough, even when I'm laying perfectly still, to keep me from being able to concentrate on editing or rewriting.

As it happened, I had purchased the entire Dresden Files series, with the exception of the one which is only out in hardback, way back in September. I'd actually started by just buying the first one, Storm Front, and got about half way through before I went back to Borders and got the rest of the set. However, crap happened and after I finished Storm Front, the rest got put on hold.

So, Tuesday night, I picked up Fool Moon (yes, that is the correct spelling of the title). Today, I'm on book six. Turns out, as good as Storm Front is, and Storm Front is pretty darn good, the series really picks up momentum with book two. It's kinda like the Honor Harrington series that way. A reasonably fun first novel followed by an absolutely relentless second novel, then a slower, but equally good third novel.

In short, these books kick some serious butt. Each book is a mystery, a little less than 400 pages long, and even the third book, Grave Peril, which is probably the slowest of the ones I've actually read is wall to wall kicking butt and taking names.

Some of the series highlights include:

Mister - Harry's 30 pound bobtailed cat.

Murphy - Five foot zero in her stockinged feet. She has the meanest right hook in Chicago, and you do not want to mess with the woman when she has her chainsaw handy. Harry doesn't have a crush. Honest.

Toot-Toot - He's a complete faerie. You know, flighty, always hungry, five inches tall.

Michael - He's big, he's bad, he's a carpenter who wields a sword forged from one of the nails used to crucify Christ.

Molly - Michael's fourteen year old daughter, and one way too disturbing conversation in a treehouse.

John 'Gentleman Johnnie' Marcone - Like David Xanatos, only with less scruples.

Lea - Harry's faerie godmother.

The Blue Beetle - Harry's car. Harry's poor, poor car.

Bob

If you're looking for a good read, and especially if you like detective novels, this series is well worth your time. Check it out.