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Dresden bookverse squee
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xparrot? You need to read these books. *g*
It's been a slow build on this one for me, from "hmm, that was pretty good" to "wow, I like these books" to "OMG must have next book gonna die now aargh" ... which is where I am now. And book 9 finally came in the mail, and I'm DESPERATELY to be virtuous and not start reading it yet, because I have a ton of other stuff to do today. (So I'll write about it in my journal instead. That's much more productive.)
These books are starting to hit my lesser-known, underutilitized and neglected fan kinks. The ones I'd sort of forgotten I had. Book Eight hit some of those HARD.
So I have this big-time, platonic relationship kink for protective older guy & young female ward/apprentice, e.g. Buffy/Giles or Manji/Rin (from Blade of the Immortal).
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
And I *adored* Molly in book 5, even though she was only in it a little bit. I adored her so much that I went and wrote about 2/3 of a post-book 5 fic that focused on Molly and Harry -- that is, I'd gotten about 2/3 of it done when I got to book 8, which at first made me *headdesk* because it kinda jossed some of my plot ... but then I got to thinking that certain plot points revealed in book 8 could give me a much neater ending for my fic than I'd originally planned, so I've been retrofitting it to work.
So I was a huge Molly fangirl based on just one and a half scenes in book 5 ... and now she's basically become a main character, from the look of things, AND 1/2 of one of my very favorite sorts of character relationships, and SQUEEEEE.
But that's not all of the squee by a long shot.
The big problem that I had with the first couple books I read, was that Harry was so alone all the time. I like ensembles and friendships; I'm not big on the "lone hero" archetype. HELLO ensemble cast! HELLO "die for ya" friendships! SQUEEEEEE!
I didn't enjoy book 7 as much as I might've because I had a few problems with the plot. I figured out the Lasciel thing pretty early, for example, and then it was just a matter of waiting for the characters to figure it out. But book 8 was just one giant squee from page 1 to the end. So much awesome! Thomas following Harry around to protect him -- with sawed-off shotgun and Harry's black duster! Mouse not being dead! Charity finally, FINALLY getting a clue about Harry -- and the hug at the end! *dies* (And Butcher writes awesome, kickass women. I love that Charity is tough and badass and yet first and foremost a homemaker/mom.) Michael knowing all along about the Denarian coin, never mentioning it, always giving Harry the benefit of the doubt. Molly's description of what she saw when she soul-gazed Harry: "Kind. Gentle. Lonely."
*stares longingly at Book 9*
I hate to mar this squee-post with a complaint, though, but there is one thing about Butcher's writing that's driving me increasingly nuts the more of it I read: his overuse of physical descriptors for the characters. I can figure out on my own that a character nicknamed "Injun Joe" is Native American without needing to have it spelled out for me every time he shows up. No, you do NOT need to tell me that Rawlins is black every time he's in a scene. (Rawlins is awesome, though, and Rawlins as Murphy's partner? Awesomeness x 100!) I am getting REALLY tired of his female characters "arching a golden brow" -- especially since many blond people with really light eyebrows look sort of scary, so now my mental image of both Murphy and Charity is "odd-looking eyebrowless freaks".
But I still want to read Book 9.
*reaches for Book 9*
*smacks hand away*
xparrot? You need to read these books. *g*It's been a slow build on this one for me, from "hmm, that was pretty good" to "wow, I like these books" to "OMG must have next book gonna die now aargh" ... which is where I am now. And book 9 finally came in the mail, and I'm DESPERATELY to be virtuous and not start reading it yet, because I have a ton of other stuff to do today. (So I'll write about it in my journal instead. That's much more productive.)
These books are starting to hit my lesser-known, underutilitized and neglected fan kinks. The ones I'd sort of forgotten I had. Book Eight hit some of those HARD.
So I have this big-time, platonic relationship kink for protective older guy & young female ward/apprentice, e.g. Buffy/Giles or Manji/Rin (from Blade of the Immortal).
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
And I *adored* Molly in book 5, even though she was only in it a little bit. I adored her so much that I went and wrote about 2/3 of a post-book 5 fic that focused on Molly and Harry -- that is, I'd gotten about 2/3 of it done when I got to book 8, which at first made me *headdesk* because it kinda jossed some of my plot ... but then I got to thinking that certain plot points revealed in book 8 could give me a much neater ending for my fic than I'd originally planned, so I've been retrofitting it to work.
So I was a huge Molly fangirl based on just one and a half scenes in book 5 ... and now she's basically become a main character, from the look of things, AND 1/2 of one of my very favorite sorts of character relationships, and SQUEEEEE.
But that's not all of the squee by a long shot.
The big problem that I had with the first couple books I read, was that Harry was so alone all the time. I like ensembles and friendships; I'm not big on the "lone hero" archetype. HELLO ensemble cast! HELLO "die for ya" friendships! SQUEEEEEE!
I didn't enjoy book 7 as much as I might've because I had a few problems with the plot. I figured out the Lasciel thing pretty early, for example, and then it was just a matter of waiting for the characters to figure it out. But book 8 was just one giant squee from page 1 to the end. So much awesome! Thomas following Harry around to protect him -- with sawed-off shotgun and Harry's black duster! Mouse not being dead! Charity finally, FINALLY getting a clue about Harry -- and the hug at the end! *dies* (And Butcher writes awesome, kickass women. I love that Charity is tough and badass and yet first and foremost a homemaker/mom.) Michael knowing all along about the Denarian coin, never mentioning it, always giving Harry the benefit of the doubt. Molly's description of what she saw when she soul-gazed Harry: "Kind. Gentle. Lonely."
*stares longingly at Book 9*
I hate to mar this squee-post with a complaint, though, but there is one thing about Butcher's writing that's driving me increasingly nuts the more of it I read: his overuse of physical descriptors for the characters. I can figure out on my own that a character nicknamed "Injun Joe" is Native American without needing to have it spelled out for me every time he shows up. No, you do NOT need to tell me that Rawlins is black every time he's in a scene. (Rawlins is awesome, though, and Rawlins as Murphy's partner? Awesomeness x 100!) I am getting REALLY tired of his female characters "arching a golden brow" -- especially since many blond people with really light eyebrows look sort of scary, so now my mental image of both Murphy and Charity is "odd-looking eyebrowless freaks".
But I still want to read Book 9.
*reaches for Book 9*
*smacks hand away*
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Read it. Reeeaaaad it. You know you want to! It is so good. Some of the character moments... and Thomas! and things actually get resolved! *incoherent flailing* Though, there was one bit that was kind of... but no, I can't mention that. You'll just have to read it for yourself. ;P *tempt, tempt*
But yes. Butcher writes such, such amazing characters, especially the women (which is one of the reasons why I'm not a huge fan of the TV series, because they've screwed that up pretty badly, but I digress). It's really his strength in writing, I think. The plots are good, if not absolutely extraordinary, but the characters are really what pushes it over the edge for me into rabid love.
I am getting tired of how he constantly feels the need to explain who characters are, or developments from previous books. By this point, we *know* that Bob is a spirit of air trapped in a skull, thanks. But I just skim those parts, and it doesn't bother me too badly. I don't really notice the overuse of physical description at all, though, possibly because I've gone so long in between books that I forget.
Oh: Jim Butcher actually has a livejournal,
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Yeah ... the repeat-itis on the character descriptions gets kind of old. I know it's supposed to give new readers an idea of what's going on (and in fact, I started with book 3 rather than book 1) but I think he's losing sight of the difference between what the reader actually *needs* to know, and wanting to tell us EVERYTHING about a given character or situation.
But yeah, I skim; there's no harm in skipping over a few paragraphs here and there. And the characters are SO awesome.
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You know, this sounds alternately horrid and fascinating. :) However, it also intrigues me enough to go ahead and read your entire post, even though I swore I wasn't going to read long posts tonight...
Okay...the books sound better than the show. The show has the same sort of deal happening in every episode, in which Dresden is always trying to "save the girl." It might be a child or a girl or even (God forbid) a woman, but, basically, each episode has the same feeling, the same not-deep-enough-for-iamrighthere content.
However, since you started posting about the books, they have become an item of interest for me. When I finish reading all of the 10 books already in the docket, I'll have to get the first Dresden one and see how it runs.
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Like I said in the post, though, it did take awhile for the books to really hook me in. They're pretty light popcorn reading at first, and keep getting deeper as you go along. The deepening and strengthening of the bonds between the various characters made a huge difference in my enjoyment of the books.
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That's pretty much it, exactly -- for me, that's what takes a book, series, movie or whatnot from "Hmm, that was good" to "OH WOW, that was good!" I need that depth of character and the interactions and affection between them. I think that's why I just can't stop reading Stephen King, even though his endings suck and he needs an editor to cut about 1/3 to 1/2 out of a lot of his recent novels: his characters are just so insidiously loveable.
but the bookstore isn't going anywhere (there I go saying something prophetic again)
LOL! I think it's usually safe to assume that in-print books can be obtained from SOMEWHERE, barring the total collapse of civilization...
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Here because
So, yes, Harry. Oh, Harry. He's come to the point where he's hitting all my buttons, and then some! It's the relationships - exactly like you, I found the first couple of books fun, and then he got a few friends, and I started enjoying them more and more, and now it's almost criminal how fun I think they are. His worry about pretty much everyone else (including, of course, Mouse and Mister) before himself... way to make me melt in a puddle of happy goo. But, that only works because the other characters now all worry back! Thomas following him around had me almost gibbering in delight, and all of the other characters showing him how much he means to them, and what they'll do for him - up to and including actual hugs? Bliss.
Of course, I also love that things always get worse for him before they get better, and that he ends up in these extremely BAD situations because he's trying to do the right thing. Watching characters suffer is fun, what can I say? And Proven Guilty had my new favourite "captured by villain"-scene ever! Because - hey, he was selling Harry on eBay. Come one! When Harry had that line, I laughed so hard I thought I would hurt something - and it's rare for me to find a book that can make me laugh out loud at all. Jim Butcher manages it several times a book, up to and including the point where I have to read lines out loud for my fiancé! (Who's only seen the TV series, but is starting on book 1 now.)
And - aww, now Harry's forgiven his mentor, and found a student of his own! And it's Molly! And Molly is awesome and adorable, and I can't wait to see how their relationship plays out in White Nigh...! (Not to mention what happens between him and Murphy, and if we're going to find out what Thomas is up to, and which of the bad guys are going to come gunning for Harry this time, and how... Everyone's beginning to figure out the best way to get to Harry is through his friends, which... I can't wait to see what happens with, because I am just that evil!)
And, uh... That was a very long, mostly incoherent squee. Sorry about that! I've just kept it bottled up for the entire month, aside from a couple of random posts in my LJ, and it was kind of hard to stop once I started. But I'll back away from your LJ slowly now, and I promise that I'm mostly harmless. ♥
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His worry about pretty much everyone else (including, of course, Mouse and Mister) before himself... way to make me melt in a puddle of happy goo. But, that only works because the other characters now all worry back!
Oh YES, exactly! I think this is one of the main reasons why I had trouble getting into the series in the beginning, because he was just so very isolated. The only person really, solidly 100% in his corner was Murphy, and even she didn't know a lot of what went on with him. Now, in addition to Murphy, he's got Thomas, and the Carpenters, and the werewolves, and Butters and Mouse ... plus more ambiguous allies like Lily and Fix, even Lea -- and really, it's all because he's such an almost painfully decent human being.
Because - hey, he was selling Harry on eBay. Come one! When Harry had that line, I laughed so hard I thought I would hurt something
That scene KILLED me. I was lying on the bed reading ... and when I got to the "Wait, you're selling me on Ebay?" I just laid my head down on the bed and laughed helplessly. You're right -- best captured-by-villains scene ever! And if it was ever going to happen to anyone, it WOULD happen to Harry! (Hey, I'd bid on him...)
But I'll back away from your LJ slowly now, and I promise that I'm mostly harmless.
LOL! Hey, apropos of nothing, how do you make the heart symbol? I keep seeing people using it, and I feel like a total moron but I don't know how...
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The button-pushing is a huge part of it, but there's a lot of other things don't exactly hurt. I love the magic and the world - they both make sense, and follow certain rules, and feel much more well crafted and thought-through than the all too common "oh, this would be cool!" from the author's side. I love Harry's character, and then pretty much every single other character too. I love the female characters, which is a huge plus. (I've got a tendency to react badly to anything even remotely like female characters who are just there to be pretty, or to fill the gender quota.)
I actually got in to the books via the tv-series - a friend of mine had been talking about it, and another sent me the first couple of eps on a DVD... I watched it, and sort of... kept waiting for it to start. It has potential, but all of it was unrealized. Which made me go to the books, and that's when I got what I'd seen in the series. It's cool! But it's cool because of these developing relationships, because of these very particular ways in which Harry's magic works (I love his potions!), and because everything is connected. It's not just the relationships that grow and change - the characters do too, and their world with them.
Aaah, so curious about what's going to happen with everything now! There are any of a dozen things that could be the main plot for the next book, and yet I have a feeling that most of those will just make cameo appearances, while Harry manages to make yet another enemy or ten. (Harry really has a talent for making enemies... Another thing that makes the books fun for me, if not for Harry!)
The wonderful thing with selling Harry on eBay is that he really would be in such high demand! I mean, even those people he pissed off just enough that they're not actually, physically gunning for him at this very moment would jump at the chance to get their hands (and paws and claws and other slimy extremities) on him. But the whole bit starting with how Madrigal doesn't trust PayPal... It's such a hysterically absurd situation, and Harry's indignant protest is the best reaction ever.
But now he has friends too, and not just enemies. ♥ I could go on about that for quite some time, because it makes me so happy! And some of those friendships were so unexpected - Butters, and Rawlings, people he just happens to come across, who turn out to be good people, and then before you know it they're good friends, and it makes me squee happily to myself. The scene were Harry discovered he had a brother had me go absolutely melty to the core.
Mmm. So glad I still have one book left! And I'm not thinking about what happens when I don't have that one book left anymore! I am kind of hoping that the TV show will get picked up for another season, and get a bit closer to the awesome of the books, but it's not a very strong kind of hope. But maybe they'll at least introduce another book character or two? Michael or Thomas or Billy? Anyone? Please?
Oh, and the heart?
♥ gives you ♥. There might be another way to do it, but that's what I use. And it took me quite some time to get it figured out, though, so it's not just you!
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Aha! Thank you! I wasn't really sure how to figure that out, since, well, when you look at a page you just see the heart...
(I've got a tendency to react badly to anything even remotely like female characters who are just there to be pretty, or to fill the gender quota.)
Oh yes, me too. In fact female characters have a tough uphill road with me; I'm a lot more inclined to latch onto guys. I think a lot of that, though, is just how guys are normally written compared to how women are written, because I can totally get in the corner of a good female character. And Murphy, Molly, Charity -- they're just awesome.
Of all the Dresdenverse women, the only one I really don't like is Elaine. I think the problem I have with her is the same problem I have with John Winchester on Supernatural (don't know if you've watched that) -- she's much better as an ideal than an actual character, if that makes any sense. She's beautiful, smart, great with magic, and she works great as Harry's unobtainable goal, the woman from his past that all subsequent relationships will be measured against. But as an actual, sympathetic character ... I find it *really* hard to get into her head. She's just too darn perfect.
And some of those friendships were so unexpected - Butters, and Rawlings, people he just happens to come across, who turn out to be good people, and then before you know it they're good friends, and it makes me squee happily to myself.
Eehee! Me too! One of my big loves in fiction is the cool/nifty/awesome character or character relationship that comes out of nowhere. I love not knowing right off the bat how the characters are all gonna shake down, or having characters who initially seem rather one-dimensional turn out to have hidden depths. Thomas turning out to be Harry's brother, or Butters finding his heroic side, or Charity getting inevitably won over by the Dresden charm -- it just turns me into a big melty-puddle.
In fact (digressing briefly) that was why "Bleach" (the manga) initially sucked me in and then sorta lost me. In the early chapters, I *loved* the way that characters who would at first appear to be standard types or throwaway comic relief turned out to be multi-dimensional and just COOL. And then it kinda lost me because I didn't feel like it lived up to the potential that it had set up for itself.
But maybe they'll at least introduce another book character or two? Michael or Thomas or Billy? Anyone? Please?
I know. The big complex cast of the books is a huge part of why I love them so much, and I really, really want to see more of the book characters in the series. (We did get Butters, but he doesn't seem to be more than window dressing, at least in the episodes I've seen.) And so many of the characters in the books are so, well, visual -- they'd work great on TV! Thomas, for example; doesn't he just seem cut out to be a TV character? Or Michael with his glowing sword. *wants*
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Elaine - I'm glad she didn't turn into a regular. I loved John in Supernatural, but there was something about the actor that made me mysteriously distracted, so that doesn't really count. And with Elaine, it would be very hard to write a character that lives up to the image of Elaine that Harry built in his mind. Also, I'm probably a horrible person, but I would kind of have liked for her to have turned dark side, way back when. It makes sense that she didn't, and shows Harry had pretty good judgement about who he gave his heart to, but still. That double-whammy betrayal was pretty special.
Of course, she could still turn out to be evil. I think that's why I didn't fully try to get into her as I do Harry's other friends and allies - I felt I was only being shown the surface, only seeing what Harry sees, and Harry is still very much blinded by that old love, for all of his healthy paranoia. So I have no idea what's below that surface, but I'm kind of okay with it, because I'm expecting that to be one of the many things that come back and bite Harry in the ass! (Poor Harry. Such a gift for making enemies.)
Oh, a digression into Bleach, and one I can totally agree with! Cool. I mean - yes, and word to that. I can't really add anything myself, because that's exactly what happened to me. I read all the way through the Soul Society arc, and then just stopped. But even before that - my favourite bit of the whole manga, from everything I've read, is Orihime protecting Tatsuki. Their friendship, and Orihime's strength, and... yeah. That hit buttons I didn't know I had so hard they almost broke. Wow.
And I did love all of them coming together, and the rivalry and friendship developing, but then it sprawled out too much for me, and started focusing on fights and powers, and I lost interest. I want to get back to it, eventually, but that's just because I'm curious where it all went. I don't have any real expectations of finding the things I love.
(Oops. Went over the character limit. Um. I... babble. Sorry!)
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I have always gravitated towards the guy characters, but I don't think it's JUST that they're guys, because I *can* be hooked in by a female character who hits me in the same sweet spots as your average guy character; it's just that they aren't very often written in the way that gets me. I adore machismo and rivals become friends and bickering and "I'd die for you but can't admit that I care about you" friendships. It's very telling that
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I can think of very few female characters that get to do those things that I love to see in fiction, that makes me fan madly on them. I mean, there are female characters that I adore and admire, but they're usually from those series where I don't really fan, as much as I sit back in awe and enjoy the genius. (Babylon 5, One Piece, and a few others.)
The characters I want to see in h/c situation, want to see develop relationships, the ones that get into my head - they're almost always men. And that makes me a bit sad, because I know women can do it; they're just never given a chance to. There are a couple of writers that can do it (Katharine Kerr and Margaret Weis come to mind), but it's so rare in TV that it's taking me ages to think of anyone. (Farscape! Aeryn and Chiana and all of them, I love them!)
Heh. I'm right there with you and
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The characters I want to see in h/c situation, want to see develop relationships, the ones that get into my head - they're almost always men.
*nods* Yes, yes to this whole post. I really have no idea what it is about certain characters and character relationships that does that to me, so I have no idea WHY it's almost invariably guys -- I don't know if it's just the way guys are normally written, or if there's something intrinsic to the fact that they're GUYS ... because all the h/c fans that I know are women, and they're almost always fixated on the guy characters, too.
But I know that (platonic) male/female relationships can get me in that way, too ... it's just that they almost never do. I wonder if one reason why I have this recently-discovered mentor/student kink (as with Harry and Molly, or Buffy and Giles) is because there's no real chance that it could turn non-platonic -- whereas male/female friendships tend to tip over very easily into romance, thus upsetting the finely tuned push-pull of a platonic friendship. Not that I can't enjoy a well-done romance (although it's not usually my thing) but I look for a different sort of dynamic in romance than I do in my friendships, and having the specter of sexual attraction hovering over male/female interactions on most shows is a bit of a detraction for me.
But Harry and Molly kinda get me in that h/c way. I want to see him rescue her, or her mopping at his fevered brow, or both of them getting thoroughly mangled in some life-and-death situation -- but *not* as a prelude to a romance. (Which, besides the "Gads, he's old enough to be her father!" factor, would probably result in Michael beheading whatever was left of Harry after Charity got done with him...)
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Oh, Buffy and Giles! I did love that relationship, now that you mention it. The thought of any romance between those two kind of squicks me, but I love them together in the platonic way. Now I can't wait to see how the Harry/Molly goes, because... yes. It could be awesome. The last chapter of Proven Guilty was so very awesome, and shows once and for all that this is one relationship that won't go all sappy and romantic! (Hee! to the thought of what would happen if Harry ever went there, though.)
I'm actually very intrigued by the Harry/Susan dynamic, now that she's grown into this kick-ass vampire-slayer type character, and he's let go of his big doomed love thing... They still honestly love each other, and care for each other, and will probably still sex each other, but it's never going to be a romance between those two again. And it's such an equal, but protective relationship. Partners! Susan's physically stronger; Harry's the one with all of the magic power and phallic foci. And they both want to protect the other, like I said, and that's a huge kink for me. (Watch me eat up the Dresden Files, where Harry's in protective mode almost all the time, and it just gets more intense as the series progresses!)
Now I really, really want the last book to get here. So many intriguing possibilities, so many questions...!
The neverending comment, part 2
Back to Dresden, and the TV-verse - yes, more characters! Butters is there, but not doing anything! That makes me sad. And Karmani's relationship to Harry isn't changing, and the only one of the original characters they've introduced that I actually like was Claudia Black. Uhhh. I mean. Whatsername. The cool chick who got to take over the PI business from the guy who was murdered by the incubus? (And the incubus wasn't White Court. So sad.)
Thomas would be fantastic on TV - more pretty guys, there's no way more pretty guys kicking ass can be a bad thing! Especially since he's all about the pretty girls, so it'd be nice and fair fanservice. And Michael, and the sword... Mm. The sword. Doesn't have to be Michael, if that character's too much for TV, just - any Knight of the Cross! Any knight with a sword! As long as they get to know Harry. As long as Harry starts getting friends that he cares about, because at this point in the books, that's what makes Harry tick. Without them, he might have given up in any of a dozen bad situations so far, but now he knows he must pull through, for their sake. Which makes me oh so happy. ♥ And they do the same for him!
I hate that TV!Harry doesn't talk to his Murphy. If I could change one thing about the show, it wouldn't be the hockey-stick or the changes in the magic system or the simplified werewolves or the Blue Beetle, or even any of the other characters that aren't there. It'd be that he's lying to Murphy, again and again, and... it's not fair. He shouldn't have to do it; she shouldn't have to accept it. They try to deal with it sometimes, but not enough, and in the end, Murphy's suffering, and Harry's not helping, and that sucks.
But that's why I want a second season! So they can fix that. I haven't stopped hoping yet.
Re: The neverending comment, part 2
Oh, aargh, SO MUCH. In fact, I think this might be the single thing about the TV series that has pushed me away from it. It's not just that it's different from the books, but it's so much WORSE. I was hoping in the beginning that he'd move in a few episodes into the close rapport that he has with Book!Murphy, but it hasn't happened and it *hurts* me.
(Granted, I haven't seen more than a sporadic smattering of episodes, but I think I've gotten the idea.)
As long as Harry starts getting friends that he cares about, because at this point in the books, that's what makes Harry tick. Without them, he might have given up in any of a dozen bad situations so far, but now he knows he must pull through, for their sake. Which makes me oh so happy. ♥ And they do the same for him!
eeeheeheeheeSQUEE. And he just doesn't have that in the series. Why do they not understand our fangirlish needs? WHY?
Re: The neverending comment, part 2
Seriously, Harry - the Harry that I know and love? Wouldn't allow that to happen. He doesn't let anyone bully him like the High Council are doing here! Especially not when it's putting a friend's well-being and career at stake! But until that happens, until they talk, they just... can't get as close as I need them to be for the show to mean something to me.
There were a couple of good eps - I recommend seeing "All about Bob", and I'll look at the title of another couple of eps I liked. But there was one that just killed me, because it seems as if the wall is finally coming down between them, and then it was just a trick, and Murphy is still in the dark about anything. I almost cried.
...this is why I'm so glad there are shows that hit the spot for me. Like Supernatural. Oh, Supernatural. Thinking about how that particular show understands fangirlish needs makes me happy. Mmm. Oh, Winchesters. ♥
And! Gotta run, but - I'm so adding you to my f'list! Wanted you to know, and hope you don't mind?
Re: The neverending comment, part 2
I have now read book 9 (willpower? what is this willpower of which I've heard?), so maybe I'll start watching the show for my fix. Maybe...
And we're running out of Winchesters for this season ... soon I won't be able to have my fix of that, either! And while I've (deliberately) remained completely unspoiled for the finale, I sense a really nasty cliffhanger probably lurks on the horizon...
Oh, and I don't mind being friended at all; I shall go and add you back! Although most of my squee tends to be about Stargate Atlantis, lately ... don't suppose you're into that one too, by any chance?
Re: The neverending comment, part 2
Again, though - I'm kind of hoping they'll find some way to get with the program and make a better show, one closer to the spirit of the books, if they just get a second season. It's not a very strong hope, as these things go, but I still really want to see a second season. Just because - it's the Dresden Files! And with all that love, there's got to be something they can do to start hitting at least some of the good spots?
Waaah, book 9! My copy has yet to arrive from Amazon.com. And it'll probably be ganked by customs for adding of VAT and extra charges, so it'll take even longer to get to me. If it was up to my willpower, I would have finished it yesterday!
I know... All the shows are going on hiatus now! I just hope we won't get as trucked as we did last season... But I sense the same thing you do; and without spoilers, too. Cliffhanger. Sigh. At least I haven't heard anything about the show being in danger of not being renewed? Yay?
Actually, it's funny you should mention it! ^__^ My plan - actually, our plan, considering
(I love your Harry icon, BTW! Need to get one of my own, with all the squeeing I'm doing about these books in my LJ.)
Re: The neverending comment, part 2
Eeeeee! *bounce* I've been trying to get Emilie to watch it for ages. I haven't been this fannish about a series in a long time, and it's really lasted a long time for me, too -- usually I tend to be sort of a serial monogamist with the fandoms, but my love affair with SGA has been going on for a year now and shows no signs of stopping. It's a little odd for me to be back into Western fandom after being in anime fandom for so long, although I feel as if I've traded one sort of wank (sub-vs-dub, scanslations vs licensed, translation issues) for a whole different set of wank involving ship wars and casting issues ... but hey, that's fandom for ya.
Anyway, I do hope you all like it. We're on hiatus right now, too, so there's nothing much to do except hunt for fic until the new episodes start again in the fall, and I'd love to have a whole new set of people to discuss the episodes with! (And getting
Of course, after SPN, pretty much everything else is a letdown on the h/c front... but there's lovely potential, at least.
Re: The neverending comment, part 2
It being on hiatus is kind of a good thing, because then we can get all caught up, and join the fanning at a moment where everyone's at the same place (which would be the place of desperately wanting new episodes).
Ah, fandom. Crazy, wonderful fandom. It changed my life to realize I wasn't alone, and I could never leave it now, but sometimes it can be quite remarkably full of the stupid! Which is why I tend to fan very selectively, kind of on the outskirts of the major cliques and ships and whatnot. As long as I have a couple of cool people around to flail at and discuss with, I'm happy! ♥
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And you're writing Dresden now, Sholio?! Wow... um... hum... I don't know what to think. I love the books and I love your writing so that is a match made in heaven but.... but.... that will leave less time for SGA... wah!!!!!
Hmmm, one last comment. Yes, Butcher can overdo the physical descriptions and histories if you've read all the books in order. It does sometimes seem as if he's reintroducing the characters every time you meet them.But, given that people will pick up and read the books out of order (because of the vagaries of my local bookstore and amazon, I read the first book last, for example), it can help the new reader to orient herself/himself to the characters.
Okay, one last, last comment. I definitely like the books better than the series. The series is okay - and lots of lovely whump doesn't hurt - but I don't see the main lead as particularly Dresdenish. The actress playing Connie? (what's wrong with Karrin?), gets the attitude right but she certainly doesn't match up to the book characteristics and Butcher uses those physical characteristics to make some points during the series.
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it can help the new reader to orient herself/himself to the characters.
Yeah, I know that's basically why writers do it. But I think that some writers -- and unfortunately Butcher is getting worse about this -- give more information than the reader really needs to understand the story. For example, in book 9 -- which, yes, I started reading tonight -- the introduction of Murphy includes this infodump, several paragraphs long, on how she lost her position in charge of SI. And there's no reason why a new reader needs to know that; they're not going to care! All you really need to know is that she's a cop and a friend of Harry's, and, sure, okay, short and blond. There you go. I think sometimes writers lose track of what the reader *needs* to know about the characters and what they want to reveal; which is okay up to a point, but after that point, you start losing readers' interest by telling them too much. There are two writers I can think of off the top of my head whose books I absolutely will NOT read in the future because they bog them down so heavily with infodumps that don't relate to the plot.
On the other hand, maybe that's just a writing pet peeve of mine and not really a valid criticism ...
but I don't see the main lead as particularly Dresdenish. The actress playing Connie? (what's wrong with Karrin?), gets the attitude right but she certainly doesn't match up to the book characteristics and Butcher uses those physical characteristics to make some points during the series.
Heh. Y'know, in the beginning I thought the series had done a great job of casting Harry, but the more that I read the books and get a strong mental/physical picture of Harry, the more the TV Harry seems too ... hmm, too smarmy, maybe? There's just something about him that doesn't match up with Book!Harry.
Someone (I forget who) told me that Book!Murphy is too much like an actual, real-life member of the Chicago PD, so they had to change her for the series. What they seem to have ended up with, is sort of a combination of Susan and Karrin all rolled into one character. I wish I could figure out why I don't like TV Murphy better than I do. She's just so very standard "abrasive female TV character" ... one of the things I really like about Book!Murphy is that she *doesn't* come across that way, even though she kinda fits the profile.
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I was lucky enough that my local library system had all the books, and just read them straight through from beginning to end in the month before the TV series started. I adore the books - to the point where I bought 'White Night' as soon as it came out, then went back for 'Blood Rites' and 'Dead Beat' (my favorites so far) just because I had to have my own copies.
The TV series took a little adjusting to, I admit, and it got off to a wobbly start, but I thought it got much better as the first season progressed. 'What About Bob' and 'Things That Go Bump' were excellent - did you see those two eps?
I'm not particularly fond of the casting or writing of Murphy on the TV series, either; and although I love Paul Blackthorne, I can't quite reconcile him with the book version of Harry.
I don't know if you're aware of
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I did see "What About Bob"... my TV!Dresden viewing is very sporadic, depending partly on what episodes catch my eye and partly on how bored I am when the new ones come out on iTunes. I'm still pretty iffy on the TV series. It just goes so far off the mark of what, specifically, makes the books cool for *me* ... and I know it's very individual and I don't expect every fan to feel likewise, but I feel as if the Sci-Fi Channel got the trappings down great but very much missed on the spirit of the series. I still hope it comes back for another season, though, if only because Jim Butcher will get more cash and more readers and have incentive to write more books!
I think that after the new Harry Potter comes out in July, this'll be the only remaining series that I'm still buying in hardcover ... all the others have either finished up or I've lost interest that strong fannish interest in them.
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And the guest casting of Julian Sands as a character named "Javier Mendoza" really made me wince.
I will, at least, credit Lifetime (the supposed "television for women", which makes me growl) with finally coming up with a show that I'll watch.
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WRY?!?!?!
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