I love the Dresden Files!! Been an avid reader since high school, own all the books and several of the graphic novels. It's definitely pulp, not highbrow anything but its tasty pulp at least, excellent beach reading. Without spoiling anything, the series really picks up around books 3-4 and then takes off like a rocket quality wise. If you enjoy the first few at all you should love the rest of them. Other than Harry who is standing out to you from the pack of supporting characters? Any favorite moments?
In what way would you say they 'pick up'? Also in high school, I remember enjoying the hell out of vol 1 and associated with the series FATE-based RPG, but didn't manage to finish vol 2. I vaguely remember going "we get it, protagonist is at his lowest, get on with it!" for too long for it to be enjoyable, but don't take it too seriously.
I would say the quality of the writing, especially character moments improves. There is also obvious progress with pacing as Butcher develops as an author. That "get on with it" sensation you're talking about basically goes away by book 4. The Dresden-verse grows rapidly with each book and short story.
Good to hear! Bob the skull and Toot-Toot the faerie are the standout supporting characters for me so far. For some reason, the potion-brewing scenes are my favourite moments, and the moments much later in each book when he drinks the potions. Probably an odd pick, but it's among the more concrete descriptions of how magic works in the universe, and very creative. Plus, Bob is involved. Are the graphic novels good? As you can probably tell, I'm very into comics. Are they original stories, or comic versions of the books?
The graphic novels are mostly unique stories that get referenced either directly or obliquely in the novels, i enjoy them a lot. I think a few of them are re-tellings of parts of the books, and Storm Front might be a full length graphic novel somewhere. There's also short stories that have been published in some major anthologies that are plot relevant AND a companion mini-trilogy of short stories called "Working for Bigfoot" that are great world building and color on top of being hilarious. Toot Toot and Bob are great fun and are some of my favorites and the Fandom favorites in general. In an interview when Jim was asked about the inspiration for Bob he says that he was directly a insult to a former writing teacher who said you can't have a character just be a talking head who delivers exposition. So Jim made a talking head that mostly delivers exposition and ribald remarks.