Jim Butcher is a martial arts enthusiast with fifteen years of experience in various styles including Ryukyu Kempo, Tae Kwan Do, Gojo Shorei Ryu, and a sprinkling of Kung Fu. He is a skilled rider and has worked as a summer camp horse wrangler and performed in front of large audiences in both drill riding and stunt riding exhibitions.

Jim enjoys fencing, singing, bad science fiction movies and live-action gaming. He lives in Missouri with his wife, son, and a vicious guard dog.

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. (from Jim-Butcher.Com)

Books I've Read by Jim Butcher

The Codex Alera

1. Furies of Calderon (Paperback Edition) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies—elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal. But in the remote Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans’ most savage enemy—the Marat horde—returns to the Valley, Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness will be a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tides of war . . . (book description) Personal note: As an avid reader of Mr. Butcher’s Dresden Files, I read this first book of his new series with interest. I was rewarded with a complex introduction to a new world that promises to be as enjoyable as his other works.

2. Academ’s Fury (Paperback Edition) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   In Furies of Calderon, bestselling author Jim Butcher introduced readers to a world where the forces of nature take physical form. But now, it’s human nature that threatens to throw the realm into chaos . . . For centuries, the people of Alera have harnessed the furies—elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal—to protect their land from aggressors. But no fury can save them from the dangers they face within. A mysterious attack from across the sea has weakened the First Lord. Should he fail, a bloody civil war is inevitable. The responsibility of fending off assassination attempts and treachery within the First Lord’s circle of spies falls on Tavi, the one man with no fury to call . . . (book description) Personal note: This is shaping up to be a really great series. It’s totally different from the Dresden Files novels. This book was very hard to put down, and I read the last 200 pages on a Saturday morning because I was so into it and wanted to finish.

3. Cursor's Fury (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   In his acclaimed Codex Alera novels, bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a fascinating world in which the powerful forces of nature take physical form. But even magic cannot sway the corruption that threatens to destroy the realm of Alera once and for all. When the power-hungry High Lord of Kalare launches a merciless rebellion against the First Lord, young Tavi of Calderon joins a newly formed legion under an assumed name. And when the ruthless Kalare allies himself with a savage enemy of the realm, Tavi finds himself leading an inexperienced, poorly equipped legion—the only force standing between Alera and certain doom . . . (book description) Personal note: This series just keeps getting more intense and complex. Mr. Butcher has created a world with lots of potential for continued development on his part and I love it.

4. Captain's Fury (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   In his acclaimed Codex Alera novels, bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a fascinating world in which the elemental forces of nature take physical form and are used for protection. Now, as enemies become allies, and friends become foes, a danger beyond reckoning looms for all . . . After two years of bitter conflict with the hordes of invading Canim warriors, Tavi of Calderon, now captain of the First Aleran Legion, realizes that a peril far greater than the Canim exists—the mysterious threath that drove the savage Canim to flee their homeland. Tavi proposes attempting an alliance with the Canim against their common foe, but his warnings go unheeded. For the Senate’s newly appointed military commander has long desired to wipe out the Canim "scourge" and their slave allies. Now Tavi must find a way to overcome cunturies-old animosities if an alliance is to be forged, and he must lead his Legion in defiance of the law, against friend and foe—or none will have a chance of survival . . . (book description) Personal note: I almost broke my rule with this book. I almost went straight to the next book in the series after finishing it. It was so good I didn’t want it to end, even though I was glad to get to a resolution of the immediate situation. So yeah, I gave it 5 stars.

5. Princeps' Fury (Paperback edition) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   PRINCEPS’ FURY In the acclaimed Codex Alera novels, New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a fascinating world in which the people of Alera use their unique bonds with the elementals of nature for protection. Tavi of Calderon, now recognized as Princeps Gaius Octavian and heir to the Crown, has achieved a fragile alliance with Alera’s oldest foes, the savage Canim. After a year of armistice, their occupation of Alera’s shores has ended. But when Tavi and his Legions guide the Canim safely to their lands, his worst fears are realized. The dreaded Vord—the enemy of Aleran and Cane alike—have spent the last three years laying waste to the Canim homeland. And when the Alerans are cut off from their ships, they find themselves trapped alongside their former enemies—with no choice but to fight shoulder to shoulder if they are to survive. Meanwhile, after the destruction of the city and High Lord of Kalare, war-torn Alera struggles to rebuild—while politicians and nobles maneuver for power. But from the south comes news of death and devastation unlike any have ever known—for the Vord have come to Alera. For a thousand years, Alera and her furies have withstood every enemy and survived every foe. The thousand years are over . . . (book description) Personal note: Wow. I got to the end of this book and wanted to just keep on reading. Too bad there weren’t any more pages left. Jim Butcher is one of my favorite authors right now, with two excellent and totally unrelated ongoing series for me to read.

6. First Lord's Fury (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   FIRST LORD'S FURY In the acclaimed Codex Alera novels, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a world of "epic fantasy in the best way, inspired by Tolkien."* Now the people of Alera—who use their unique bonds with the elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal for protection—must face the ultimate conflict . . . For Gaius Octavian, life has been one struggle after another. Struggles for survival . . . for honor . . . for glory . . . It seems like yesterday that Tavi of Calderon—a young, unschooled shepherd's apprentice—faced down the savage Marat hordes that threatened his home. Then came the endless trials and triumphs of a man whose skill and power could not be restrained, as Tavi rose through the ranks of the army by his strength, courage, and will. Battling ancient foes, forginge new alliances, and confronting the corruption within his own land, Tavi became a legendary man of war—and the rightful First Lord of Alera. But now the end of all he's fought for is close at hand. The vord—brutal, dreaded enemies of all that is free—are on the march, using fear and chaos to turn the Alerans against one another, and forcing those who will not submit to flee to the outer reaches of the Realm. And, perhaps for the final time, Gaius Octavian and his Legions return to the Calderon Valley to stand against the bane of his people. There, it will take all of his intelligence, ingenuity, and furycraft to save their world from eternal darkness . . . *Simon R. Green, New York Times bestselling author (book description) Personal note: Wow. Mr. Butcher outdid himself this time. He not only managed to wrap up this series with a brilliant finale, but also left room for another entire series if he should so choose. And I hope he does, because the world of Carna deserves revisiting.

The Dresden Files

1. Storm Front (Paperback Edition) or (Hardcover edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other entertainment. Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things—and bost of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a—well, whatever. There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get . . .interesting. Magic. It can get a guy killed. (book description) Personal note: After reading this book, I find that I’m regretting not having ever watched an episode of The Dresden Files on T.V., a series is based on his book series. I enjoyed this book, and I’m glad that it is only the first in a whole series.

2. Fool Moon (Paperback Edition) or (Hardcover Edition)

   HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other entertainment. Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only prefessional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn’t been able to dredge up any kind of work—magical or mundane. But just when it looks like he can’t afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses—and the first two don’t count . . . . (book description) Personal note: This book didn't let me down any more than the first one did. Sure, it had flaws, areas where the plot got a little weak, but it was still a good read. It leaves me looking forward to number 3.

3. Grave Peril (Paperback Edition) or (Hardcover Edition)

   HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment. Harry Dresden’s faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you’re the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book. But in all Harry’s years of supernatural sleuthing, he’s never faced anything like this: the spirit world’s gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble—and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone—or something—is stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn’t figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself . . . . (book description) Personal note: Once again, this book delivered despite a few flaws. It is rare for me to read a book and not find at least a few things I don’t agree with, a few places where I would have gone a different direction with the plot. But I know that I couldn’t do anywhere near as good a job of storytelling and I’ll freely admit that. This book was definitely worth the time it took to read it, and I look forward to continuing with the series.

4. Summer Knight (Mass Market Paperback) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment. Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can’t pay his rent. He’s alienating his friends. He can’t even recall the last time he took a shower. The only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man. And just when it seems things can’t get any worse, in saunters the Winter Queen of Faerie. She has an offer Harry can’t refuse if he wants to free himself of the supernatural hold his faerie godmother has over him—and hopefully end his run of bad luck. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Queen’s right-hand man, the Summer Knight, and clear the Winter Queen’s name. It seems simple enough, but Harry knows better than to get caught in the middle of faerie politics. Until he finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case. No pressure or anything . . . (book description) Personal note: This book is another interesting episode in the life of Harry Dresden. I am enjoying this series, but I have to admit, I feel like there are a few too many loose ends still remaining untied after 4 books. It would be nice if at least some of them could reach a resolution in the next book or two.

5. Death Masks (Mass Market Paperback) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment. Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he’s getting more than he bargained for: A duel with the Red Court of Vampires’ champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards . . . The missing Shroud of Turin . . . A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified . . . Not to mention the return of Harry’s ex-girlfriend Susan, who’s still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life. Some days, it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you’re charging. (book description) Personal note: In my opinion, this is the best book in the series, so far. Unlike the first four books in the series, I never once found myself wondering if there weren’t a better way to continue the story. Harry’s life keeps getting more challenging, but he’s getting better at dealing with those challenges, too. And Mr. Butcher has come up with some really interesting characters to go up against Harry that keep me wanting more.

• Wizard at Large (Hardcover Edition) or (Hardcover Edition)

  Blood Rites and Dead Beat, together in one volume. Harry Dresden is Chicago’s best consulting wizard . . . if only because he takes jobs no one else dares touch. Like the time he rescued a litter of rare Buddhist temple pups, only to run afoul of monkey demons, barely escaping their hail of explosive meteors. (Well, more like flaming monkey-poo.) Then there’s the that pesky wizard-vampire war, with Harry still the prime target. Not to mention all those preternatural critters always gunning for his hide. But armed with a blasting rod, his ever-decrepit VW Beetle, the occult-ophile talking skull, Bob, and his new best-bud, Thomas the vampire—who can make every guy in the room feel like Barney Fife—Harry Dresden is still the man to beat. Blood Rites: After Thomas saves his, er, neck in another vampire skirmish, Harry returns the favor by helping out Thomas’ director friend Arturo, whose film crew is dying in increasingly bizarre ways. That can only mean one thing: the dreaded malocchio, the Evil Eye. To put an end to the merciless curse—and find the witch responsible for it—Harry will risk his life more than once to see that no one else dies. But it’s Thomas’ deepest personal secret that will throw Harry for a loop—and change his life forever. Dead Beat: While trying to coexist with Thomas, now his roommate, Harry is ordered by vampire queen Mavra to bring her something called the Word of Kemmler. But finding this obscure bit of black magic will drop Harry smack in the middle of darkest necromancy—and in hot pursuit of a long-lost book of spells promising absolute supremacy over the dead. Oh, and an end to all the living. (book description)

  6. Blood Rites (Paperback Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

     HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment. For Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there’s something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film’s producer believes he’s the target of a sinister entropy curse—but it’s the women around him who are dying, in increasing spectacular ways. Harry’s doubly frustrated because he got involved with this bizarre mystery only as a favor to Thomas, his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can’t quite figure out, until his investigation leads him straight to Thomas’s oversexed vampire family. Harry’s about to discover taht Thomas’s family tree has been hiding a shocking secret: a revelation that will change Harry’s life forever. (book description) Personal note: I really like the way Mr. Butcher has filled out the world of Harry Dresden, introducing us to many people and creatures Harry deals with on a regular basis, as well as characters that only appear in a single book. In this book we learn something rather shocking about an individual Harry deals with on a semi-regular basis. We also witness his continuing struggle with the Vampire Courts and the Chicago PD. On the bright side, the White Council of Wizards leaves him pretty much alone this time around.

  7. Dead Beat (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

     There’s an entire world that exists alongside the everyday life of mankind. There are powers, nations, monsters, wars, feuds, alliances—everything. Wizards are a part of it. So are a lot of other things you’ve heard about in stories, and even more you’ve never heard of . . . . Vampires. Werewolves. Faeries. Demons. Monsters. It’s all real. Harry Dresden knows full well that such creatures exist. Paranormal investigations are his stock-in-trade, and Chicago is his beat as he tries to bring law and order to a world that exists on the edges of imagination. Luckily Harry’s not alone in this struggle. And though most inhabitants of the Windy City don’t believe in magic, there’s a department that’s been set up within the Chicago PD to deal with "strange" cases: the Special Investigations department. Karrin Murphy is the head of SI and a good friend of Harry’s. So when a deadly vampire threatens to destroy Murphy’s reputation unless Harry helps her, he has no choice. The vampire wants the Word of Kemmler and all the power that comes with it—but first Harry has to determine what the Word of Kemmler is. Now Harry is in a race against time—and six necromancers—to find the Word before Chicago experiences a Halloween night to wake the dead . . . . (book description) Personal note: Once again, Mr. Butcher comes through with a riveting addition to his Dresden Files series. I really enjoyed the directions taken in this installment, and love where this series is going. Something Mr. Butcher does very well is come up with creative methodology for the art of sorcery, from the ingredients in Harry’s potions, to the method of controlling a zombie. I love this stuff, and it really adds to the book.

8. Proven Guilty (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   There’s no love lost between Harry Dresden, the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, and the White Council of Wizards, who find him brash and undisciplined. But war with the vampires has thinned their ranks, so the Council has drafted Harry as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in the Windy City. As Harry adjusts to his new role, another problem arrives in the form of the tattooed and pierced daughter of an old friend, all grown-up and already in trouble. Her boyfriend is the only suspect in what looks like a supernatural assault straight out of a horror film. Malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in Chacago, but it’s all in a day’s work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob . . . . (book description) Personal note: I both like and dislike the very episodic nature of the Dresden Files. Each book does NOT take up where the previous one left off, often with months between books. On the one hand, it’s cool to jump ahead through Harry’s life. On the other hand, I feel like I’m missing a lot between novels. Still and all, I really enjoy this series, and this latest installment was no exception. The series seems to get better as it goes on. This is good, since so many series actually go downhill after the second or third book.

9. White Night (Mass Market Paperback) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

   Someone is targeting the city’s magic practitioners, the members of the supernatural underclass who don’t possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Many have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But the murderer has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes—a message for Harry, referrencing the book of Exodus and the killing of witches. Harry sets out to find the killer before he can strike again, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe guilty: his half brother, Thomas. Determined to bring the real murderer to justice and clear his brother’s name, Harry attracts the attention of the White Court of vampires, becoming embroiled in a power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation. Harry knows that if he screws this one up, people will die—and one of them will be his brother . . . . (book description) Personal note: Jim Butcher has once again written a real page turner. I really enjoy this series and hope that he keeps on with it as long as the books are this good.

10. Small Favor (Paperback Edition) or (Hardcover Edition) or (Amazon Kindle Edition)

    As "one of the most enjoyable marriages of the fantasy and mystery genres on the shelves."* the novels of the Dresden Files follow the cases of Chicago’s only professional wizard, Harry Dresden, and his never-ending battle against the evil that plagues his world . . . . Harry Dresden’s life finally seems to be calming down. The White Council’s war with the vampiric Red Court has reached a period of tentative peace, no one has tried to kill him for almost an entire year, and the worst problem he’s had lately is working out how to remove the stains on his carpeting. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow. An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness—and she’s calling in her marker. Dresden still owes the Winter Queen two favors, and it’s time to pay one of them off. Just one small favor he can’t refuse—one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally and strain his skills and loyalties to their very limits. It figures. Everything was going too well to last . . . . *Cinescape (book description) Personal note: Mr. Butcher manages to keep finding new places to go with this series and keeps me coming back for more.