The Jim Butcher Files: Dresden . Codex Alera . Cinder Spires & More

[Melon Soda]

Originally Posted by BuyMore

I can tell from my own experiences (not Harry Potter, though) that it's better to watch the movie first and read the book later. The book is always better. If you read the book first then watch the movie later, it often doesn't measure up to our expectation, and thus the whole experience can be rather disappointing.

Totally agree. Or you can read and watch at the same time LOL! It's definitely inevitable to compare.

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Here is mine: (Melon Soda, don't look. You will spoil yourself if you have not read, please use caution carefully, don't say I did not warn you)

When somebody says stuff like that, I always tend to do it ROFL! But really, there are just too many quotes I like from the series!

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

New game for today. How about your favourite quotes from Skin Game.

Here are mine, in no particular order, but probably chronological how they got added into my clippings file. Not going to always say who says it, but hey, look it up if you die to know.

Let's see who can come up with other funnies.

Here is mine: (Melon Soda, don't look. You will spoil yourself if you have not read, please use caution carefully, don't say I did not warn you)

Here is mine:

“I know you’ve been aching to have your hands on my staff,” I said to Ascher, as Nicodemus examined the altar for himself. I held out my hand. “But I’d rather be the one fondling my tool. Wizards are weird like that.”

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Here is mine:

Ahh yes, classic.

The answer is even better, when Asher cannot come up with a snarky answer.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

When somebody says stuff like that, I always tend to do it ROFL! But really, there are just too many quotes I like from the series!

Don't tell me you only looked because I said not to. I knew you would look anyway, that is why I said it. Funner that way.

[alansplace]

..........I love reading about myself!

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by alansplace

..........I love reading about myself!

Too young looking for me.

[alansplace]

Author Guest of Honor

Gen Con is thrilled to announce Jim Butcher as our Author Guest of Honor for Gen Con 2014.

About Jim Butcher:

Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.

Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.

All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.

Be sure to check out Jim's website www.jim-butcher.com for more information.

Jim Butcher's Events while at Gen Con:

Jim will host and participate in the following seminars and panels through the Writer's Symposium program.

Writer’s Craft: Creating Story Arcs (SEM1462300)
Media Tie-In: Story to Game (SEM1462334)
Writer’s Craft: Neverending Stories (SEM1462363)
Q & A with Jim Butcher (SEM1462398)
Urban Fantasy: Magic and the Modern World (SEM1462402)
Urban Fantasy: Worldbuilding for Urban Fantasy (SEM1462406)

He will also participate in several book signings near the Authors' Avenue area in the Exhibit Hall.

Friday - August 15th: 3-5pm
Saturday - August 16th: 11am-1pm

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Thanks for putting a big smile on her face! Her goal is 35 by this Christmas.

I can't wait for her to be old enough for Dresden. She certainly has the intelligence and academic maturity, but I'm not sure if its appropriate, otherwise.

I'm pretty sure she will be by 13 or 14.

How about get her a complete set of the Dresden Files for her next birthday. If she has the intelligence and the maturity, let her have her read.

Heck, when I was a lot younger, I did read some books my mother didn't think I should have read and they did me no harm at all. She did come to realize that I was OK reading these books.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Eleven, huh? Careful that is when Harry Potter found our he is a wizard. Don't let her get into Harry Dresden yet, but maybe Potter won't be too bad for her.

She is pretty involved in books for eleven. Good job.

Harry Potter starts off OK, but it does get rather darker as it goes along. To be honest, I think it's she's able to read Harry Potter, no reason not to read Dresden Files.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I've been trying to get her to read Potter since she was 9! LOL

It just didn't resonate with her. She liked the first movie and wanted to watch the second, but I told all of the kids that they had to read the first book first. None of them have taken me up on it (which saddens me, actually - because I loved the book series, personally).

Have you told her that there is a lot more to the book then there was to the movie? I found the first movie to be a pale imitation of the book.

I've read a number of books where the movie just didn't work in comparison.

[JSWolf]

I know he's not a perfect fit for Harry, but I do hear the voice of Stacy Keach from back when he played Mike Hammer. Try it, you might like that voice in your head as harry.

[alansplace]

.....
I love reading about myself! But Stars
and Stones that hat sure looks silly!

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Eleven, huh? Careful that is when Harry Potter found our he is a wizard. Don't let her get into Harry Dresden yet, but maybe Potter won't be too bad for her.

She is pretty involved in books for eleven. Good job.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Harry Potter starts off OK, but it does get rather darker as it goes along. To be honest, I think it's she's able to read Harry Potter, no reason not to read Dresden Files.

Potter grew with its audience at a natural pace, since they were published a year apart.
The twins (yes, there are two - my daughter has a twin brother ) would have the opportunity to read the books back to back.
At this point I think my daughter would be able to handle the complete Potter series well, whereas her brother might find books 5 - 7 to be emotionally taxing.
My biggest concern with Dresden would be the level of violence and/or sexual content/innuendo. I don't remember it being very explicit, but then again I wasn't reading it with a middle-schooler in mind.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Have you told her that there is a lot more to the book then there was to the movie? I found the first movie to be a pale imitation of the book.

I've read a number of books where the movie just didn't work in comparison.

Oh, yes! Thats why I wanted them to at least read the first book before even seeing the second movie.
We watched the first movie two or three times. After one of the repeat viewings both their father and I commented on the pros and cons of the movie vs the book and the series as a whole.

I've only seen the first 4 movies, myself. Every once in while I get curious about the others, but it never really lasts long enough for me to actually follow through.

[Melon Soda]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Don't tell me you only looked because I said not to. I knew you would look anyway, that is why I said it. Funner that way.

True, I'd have peeked.... eventually. But you've made it all the more compelling to LOL! case of "heck, now I really have to!" Fun and funner.

Originally Posted by alansplace

..........I love reading about myself!

I kind of like him, even if a little young looking. *pedo alert*

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Harry Potter starts off OK, but it does get rather darker as it goes along. To be honest, I think it's she's able to read Harry Potter, no reason not to read Dresden Files.

Aehm. Harry Potter has some violence in it, yes. But not too graphic. Harry Dresden starts of mild. Except his mild is already magnitudes worse than Potter's worst. Storm Front with the exploded hearts is pretty funny, but way out of line for children, especially the detailed gore. Very entertaining and funny, but extremely black humor. Gets worse through the books.

Spoiler:

Today I was listening to a sample of the audiobook of Skin Game - his jogs through his tunnels. What the prisoners had to say was disgusting according to my wife. I just thought it was funny as hell, especially the way the audiobook sounded. But then I learned about Harry through the books, she did not.

Now Changes - yes the turning point from bad to really bad. You really want a minor reading about Harry killing Susan? And not just by accident or with a fight - it was out of love. Kiss, slash throat. What the hell are those adults thinking - protecting their child to that extend. Now mind you, that is what loving parents would do. But come on, you would never ever say that out loud where your kids could overhear. Even Harry is worried that Maggie might remember later - and he better should.

And then he meets her - and she is not sure, but has to ask if he wants to be her dad. He is already her father. No that is not something kids should read about. She had to ask.

So no, Dresden Files is definately not for children. It is the adult version of Harry Potter. And Harry Potter is already pushing it at times if a kid reads each book as Harry grows up with the same age.

I really did like Harry Potter, and I did not mind that they are considered children books. But why oh why did they have to be all kids themselves.