Poll

Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?

Never heard of him before the show, now reading him.
499 (72%)
Heard of him, but never picked him up before I saw the show.
94 (13.6%)
Hunted down the books based on the previews alone.
97 (14%)
Plan on reading him because of the show, but haven't, yet.
3 (0.4%)

Total Members Voted: 677

Author Topic: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?  (Read 282979 times)

Offline Tribblechomper

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1738
    • View Profile
    • Photoshoplifter Dan
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #210 on: April 09, 2008, 07:53:18 AM »
Remember that point in "Dead Beat", when Harry goes to meet Mavra's ghost at the grave she arranged for Harry, in Graceland Cemetery near the Inez Clarke statue?

Quoting:
"Graceland Cemetery is famous. You can look it up in just about any Chicago tour book—or God knows, probably on the internet. It's the largest cemetery in town, and one of the oldest. There are walls, substantial ones, all the way around, and it has far more than its share of ghost stories and attendant shades. The graves inside range from simple plots with simple headstones to life-sized replicas of Greek temples, Egyptian obelisks, mammoth statues—even a pyramid. It's the Las Vegas of boneyards, and my grave is in it.

The cemetery isn't open after dark. Most aren't, and there's a reason for it. Everybody knows the reason, and nobody talks about it. It isn't because there are dead people in there. It's because there are not-quite dead people in there. Ghosts and shadows linger in graveyards more than anywhere else, especially in the older cities of the country, where the oldest, biggest cemeteries are right there in the middle of town. That's why people build walls around graveyards, even if they're only two feet high—not to keep people out, but to keep other things in. Walls can have a kind of power in the spirit world, and the walls around graveyards are almost always filled with the unspoken intent of keeping the living and the un-living seated at different sections of the community dinner table.

The gates were locked, and there was an attendant in a small building too solid to be called a shack, and too small to be called anything else. But I'd been there a few times, and I knew several ways to get in and out after dark if need be. There was a portion of the fence in the northeast corner where a road construction crew just outside had left a large mound of gravel, and it sloped far enough up the wall that even a man with one good hand and a large and ungainly dog could reach the top.

We went in, Mouse and I. Mouse might have been large, but he was barely more than a puppy, and he still had paws that looked too big for his lean frame. The dog had been built on the scale of those statues outside Chinese restaurants, though—broad chested and powerful, with that same mountainous strength built into his muzzle. His coat was a dark and almost uniform grey, marked on the tips of his fuzzy ears, his tail, and his lower legs with solid black. He looked a little gangly and clumsy now, but after a few more months of adding on muscle, he was going to be a real monster. And damned if I minded the company of my own personal monster going to meet a vampire over my grave.

I found it, not far from a rather famous grave of a little girl named Inez, who had died a century before. The little girl's grave had a mounting on it, and in the mountain resided a statue. I'd seen it often, and it looked mostly like Carroll's original Alice—a cherub in a prim and proper Victorian dress. Supposedly, the child's ghost would occasionally animate the statue, and run and play among the graves and the neighborhoods near the graveyard. I'd never seen her, myself.

But hey. The statue was missing.
"

Anyway, on my tour to link Real Chicago to Dresden's Chicago, I went to Graceland Cemetery, which was more accurate in its description than Jim could have realized...one of the outer walls had a HUGE pile of gravel, as described above; the variation on this is that the gravel was there because the workers were repairing a hole from where a car had crashed through the brick wall...turns out they have to fix car oopsies like that at least 3 times a year because some are too soused to drive straight on a straight road.

But you have to admit...hole in wall + pile of gravel near wall =  "...several ways to get in and out after dark if need be."

Cue Rod Serling and Twilight Zone theme...
November 15, 2008-A day that will live in infamy...let's hope I'm not in the hospital THIS birthday!!!
Ah done an' went an' gots me a WEBSITE, y'all!!!
www.photoshoplifterdan.com

Offline sahodoichiro

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #211 on: April 11, 2008, 07:10:24 PM »
I saw a few previews and then started reading them then saw the series and was sad

Offline Haiiro

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
    • Myspace
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #212 on: April 14, 2008, 10:49:43 PM »
I hadn't actually watched the show when I found the books. I remember seeing previews for the show, so I googled "The Dresden Files", and found out that it was actually a whole series of books. So I saved up money and bought every volume that was out at that point, and read them all back to back in about 2 or 3 months.

Then I saw part of the show and cringed before turning off the TV. I'm glad I did some research without actually watching the show first.

Offline Lizard King

  • Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 61
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #213 on: April 14, 2008, 11:07:35 PM »
I hadn't actually watched the show when I found the books. I remember seeing previews for the show, so I googled "The Dresden Files", and found out that it was actually a whole series of books. So I saved up money and bought every volume that was out at that point, and read them all back to back in about 2 or 3 months.

Then I saw part of the show and cringed before turning off the TV. I'm glad I did some research without actually watching the show first.

Agree with the sentiment.  I rented the DVD's later and couldn't finish one episode.  I am SO glad I read the books first, or I wouldn't have read them.

Offline Paranoid Wizard

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 245
  • Magic. It's what you do.
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #214 on: April 15, 2008, 02:56:08 PM »
I have a friend over in England who literally forced the books on me. Granted, once I read the first one I was hooked.

Oh. And the series. The series did it for me too.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face.


Offline Ex_Twin

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #215 on: April 16, 2008, 01:04:30 AM »
Saw the show. Kinda enjoyed it. Read SF. The show looked incredibly sad. Just finished Fool moon. I want a Dresden Files that does the books justice

Offline Homer

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 313
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #216 on: April 16, 2008, 08:48:55 AM »
I watched the show because it was on before BSG, it seemed like the sort of show I'd like, and I had nothing better to do than. By the end of the season it had gone from the space filler before BSG to the show I looked forward to more. When I found out about the books I read them all since I'm a sci-fi and fantasy fan who prefers series, the longer the better. I hate getting to know a bunch of characters and only have them for one book. Each new book in a series is like meeting a bunch of old friends.
Slinky + Escalator = Endless Fun

Offline silkdagger

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #217 on: April 17, 2008, 01:30:12 AM »
nope, started just after leaving the marines.
 :o great books jim!
curious though, i think the show was better for those who had not read the books yet... due to all the changes... I like the books the way they are so there for when they changed so much I was like wtf!? ( my girl is hooked and has read them all ....3 times?  any way) looked over at her was like huh? dono wondering what you fine people think?

Offline crazyvampirechick

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 4
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #218 on: April 17, 2008, 05:01:05 PM »
My friend nagged and nagged at me to start reading them, we were talking via pc one night and he promptly informed me the series was on - wherupon i dashed through to the front room and switched the channel (much to my parents bemusement) we were hooked.
Unfortunately the show was on nights i couldn't usually watych it, so i only saw one or two.

SO! I got the books and devoured them one a day and rushed out to buy new ones as soon as they were released!  I think they're awesome.  Just finished the latest 'Small Favour' and am already wishing the next one was out.  :-[

Offline mumbojumbo21

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #219 on: April 19, 2008, 02:47:26 AM »
I first knew about Dresden Files from watching it on Scifi. It was only until a couple members of another message board pointed out that the books came out first and that they were fantastic to read which is how I came to read them. My public library has all of them thankfully and their copies were definitely not lightly read.

Offline dumblegirl

  • Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 22
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #220 on: April 27, 2008, 05:49:59 AM »
My sister sent the books to my son thinking he would enjoy them and he did.  He actually spent time indoors reading these books instead of his usual fishing, swimming, etc.  He also was laughing so hard at one part (I can't remember which one now) that he stopped reading to have me read it.  Once he was done, I started reading and immediately loved it.  I have only seen one part of one episode on SF and was not really impressed.  TV Harry looked so different and clean cut that it just didn't seem right.  Plus Murphy had dark hair and Michael??? No way.  I just couldn't see it.  So, while I would probably watch the episodes if I could ever find them on, the books are by far my favorite.  Not surprising there, most books that get made into movies or tv shows disappoint me greatly and I just end up getting mad at the people who didn't take the time to get it right.  Can you say Eragon the movie??   >:(

Offline fyrefay52

  • Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 93
  • He makes magic sing.
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #221 on: April 29, 2008, 07:06:20 PM »
Dear Micky,
I read the books, then got news of the series--which I, sadly. never got to see..
Peace, Tina
Live, love, laugh, learn...

Offline Tipi

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1269
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #222 on: May 03, 2008, 01:29:52 AM »
I guess it's splitting hairs but I didn't find him in the ways on the poll...

I'd seen his books, but hadn't read them
then I saw the preview and was really excited!

But what really led me to read them was the forum on scifi.com
I mod a few of the forums over there and ran across a new forum for The Dresden Files.
I feel in love then!
The posters there told me about the books so I read them all before the show even premiered
Fell desperately in LOVE with Harry from the first chapter!

took me a year to actually come over here and start posting
But I seriously NEED someone who has read the books to talk to!

I got my sister hooked on them too, but she hasn't read the last 2 yet



Pain is to be endured.
It ends or it does not.

Offline Snod

  • Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 14
  • Lust and need murdered my reason
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #223 on: May 09, 2008, 12:14:07 AM »
I admit, I was turned onto the Dresden Files books by the show. I went out and bought them all. Jim Butchers like the only author I have ever done that with. Love his work. All the Codex Alera's are wicked sweet as well.

Offline me_now_found

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
Re: Did you discover the books because of the TV Show?
« Reply #224 on: May 09, 2008, 10:04:00 AM »
I've never actually seen the show lol
i saw Proven Guilty on a shelf in Wal-Mart and thought it looked interesting...i didn't realize at the time it was the 8th book, and when i did i just had to read the rest of them.