The Dresden

As I've mentioned recently, I'm a big fan of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, which tell the ongoing story of Harry Dresden, Chicago's resident wizard and protector against all things weird, like vampires and warlocks and things that do more than go bump in the night.

A while back, before my heart attacks screwed up my life royally, I was wandering around Village Discount Outlet when I ran into something I couldn't pass up--a black leather duster with a mantel, just like the one Harry wears throughout his adventures. It was pretty pricey for a coat at VDO--$50, if I recall correctly--and I didn't have that much cash in pocket at that moment.

One quick trip to the bank later, the duster was mine.

After my heart attacks, I had damn few opportunities to go back to my apartment on Cullom (a.k.a. La Casa del Terror) to grab whatever I could before I was eventually evicted for nonpayment of rent. On one of those trips, though, I made a point of bringing the black leather duster back to Mom's house.

I don't have much occasion to wear it--it's way too heavy for spring and summer, and not heavy enough for winter, so it's usually an autumn thing. However, on a recent April day when the winds turned off the lake and a not-so-gentle drizzle blew down, I broke out the Dresden and donned the new hat I'd bought to go with it.

It felt...right.

This Week's Travel Reading, Dresden Files Edition

It had been a spell (pun intended) since I dipped into the literary world of The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher's series of novels about Harry Dresden, private eye and wizard.

Yes. Wizard.

See, Harry investigates supernatural occurences in and around Chicago--that's why my friend Margo recommended the series to me in the first place, knowing that that's my hometown--and winds up throwing down with vampires, werewolves, evil wizards and even, occasionally, dragons. Butcher doesn't always get the geography quite right--putting locations too close to one another, for example--but he captures the vibe of my city nicely while still telling compelling--sometimes frightening--tales.

Side Jobs is a collection of short stories that take place between the novels and feature Harry facing off against any number of things that go "bump" in the night. They're lots of fun and brisk reading while riding the El or bus, though not quite as involving as Butcher's novels are. There is at least one, maybe two of those I haven't gotten around to yet.

They're next.