The "Dresden Files" File

Back many, many years ago, my store, Booknotes, randomly ordered a modern fantasy novel as part of our "Books of the Month" promotion highlighting the fantasy/science-fiction genre.  The book was Fool Moon by Jim Butcher.  At the time, I barely looked at it.  It was original to paperback, so I hadn't thought too much of it, especially since it turned out to be the second book of the series.  Well, some time later, I found out that the series was being adapted for television for what is now Syfy.  Well, that's when I finally read the book, as the store still had it after all that time.  Of course, this was after I saw the first few episodes and realized that the show was based on the book.  I liked the show well enough, and the book was good too.  I then ordered the first book of the series to read as well.  That first book, Storm Front, had some flaws and mistakes, but it showed promise.  The series is about a modern wizard by the name of Harry Dresden.  It is set in Chicago where, Harry works as a sort of investigator for hire, while also working as a special consultant for the police under the authority of Karin Murphy. To be honest, Harry is all but overwhelmed in the first two books, especially with trust issues, but he does get the job done, even with the threat of major recurring bad guy Boss Macone, a perfectly regular human who controls much of the criminal enterprises of Chicago.  (Yes, I have read many of the books as the store.  Yes, that is kind of unfair, but make sure not to damage the books when I read them.  And no, I don't do that to all the books either.) Anyway, I wound up getting the new books as the came out, even after the show was cancelled after one season.  To be honest, some of the liberties the show had to take with the book's world made much of a difference.  The newer books of the series were in hardcover, showing how well the series had been received.  This also led to a problem, as I never read all of the intervening books.  I had a gap of about five books that I never read.  I didn't want to order too many extra books for the store just so I could read them.  It took a few years the sell those first two books in paperback; ordering more that I couldn't return would not be feasible.  At least the hardcovers could be returned, and many times, they were sold.  This led to some confusion, as plot points had to be sussed out without any way to easily find out.  This continued, even after the series took a very unsettling turn.  I won't spoil it, but the last few books have turned the series on its head.  However, gaps between new books grew.  Usually, the next book in the series came out every spring, but sometimes slipping into summer.  Then, Butcher took some time off.  He wrote a steampunk sci-fi book that was supposed to be the start of a new series, but it sputtered before a second book came out.  He finished up a separate high fantasy series, which he has said holds a special place for him.  He would publish some short stories, collecting them for a hardcover releases, with a new one or two mixed in.  But no new novel for a few years.  Yet, this past January, the next book in the series was announced for a summer release. There was even a short preview of a battle that takes place.  Since it has been so long since there has been a new book, and that I have nothing better to do, and that I have gaps in the series, I have decided to read the entire series, in order, to prep myself for the new book.  Before they closed, I managed to check out five of the first six books from local libraries.  For some reason, I had the other book of the first six at the store.  I try to keep at least one there at all times.  That one is in the tall premium format, while the most of the others are in the original paperback version.  One is a hardcover, possibly the first one to come in that format.  I'm reading one a week, which should be hold me through this current situation.  Yes, I could read about one a day, but then I would have nothing to do for so long.  I already checked, and I am fairly certain I can get the other books through the libraries as well, once they reopen. Now, all I have to do is make sure that the new book is not delayed.