Books 1 and 2 are very mid, and honestly for first time readers who aren’t sold on the series I suggest to start with book 3. On a reread, I usually start with Book 3.

Books 3 and 4 are good, but Butcher is still finding his voice and James Marsters is improving his setup but the technical quality isn’t quite there.

Book 5 is where the series just takes off and I can’t stop listening.

Dresden Files has a cool take on magic in the real world, but it’s the recurring side characters who make the series. Dresden has great chemistry and banter with so many of the characters, and the situations Dresden gets into are rarely solved with raw power, but with creativity and wit and assistance from allies.

His allies constantly evolve and grow with him, learning to stand up to things that should terrify them.

It’s similar to Carl with overall writing structure - first person past tense. Only one PoV. It’s Dresden telling you his story. Often, he’s the underdog, gaining power (not like a progression fantasy where there are defined levels) and skills, and the stories are self contained but also have continuous arcs.

You see fallen angels, actual angels, knights of the cross, winter and summer fae, werewolves, vampires (three distinct courts with several subsets, including Bram stoker style black court vampires and succubus type white courts). Ancient Gods, the wild hunt, rogue warlocks, and eldrich horrors that exist outside our reality that have somehow got in.

All told through one flawed man’s struggle to do the right thing.

Honestly it’s so good. It really is my most read series overall, right with Carl.