Jim Butcher

"I don't care about whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching--they are your family."

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.

What are Jim Butcher's major series and which genres does he write in?

His major series are the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and the Cinder Spires. He writes fantasy across subgenres, including contemporary/urban fantasy (Dresden Files), high/epic fantasy (Codex Alera), and steampunk fantasy (Cinder Spires).

Where should I start with the Dresden Files?

Begin with Storm Front, which is Dresden Files Book 1. Read the novels in publication order; short-story collections like Side Jobs provide supplemental episodes that fit between the novels.

What is the recommended reading order for the Codex Alera?

Start with Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera Book 1) and continue through the series in order: Academ's Fury (Book 2), Cursor's Fury (Book 3), Captain's Fury (Book 4), Princeps' Fury (Book 5), and First Lord's Fury (Book 6).

Does Jim Butcher publish short stories or graphic novels in his universes?

Yes. There is a short-story collection called Side Jobs containing Dresden Files stories, and there are graphic-novel adaptations such as Jim Butcher's Dresden Files Ghoul Goblin.

Is it necessary to read his series in order or can I jump in mid-series?

Reading in series/publication order is recommended because of ongoing plot arcs and character development. Some individual books or stories can be enjoyed on their own, but jumping in mid-series may reduce context and impact.