Jim Butcher - How good is Cinder Spires compared to Dresden?

[misomiso]

You guys seem to love The Dresden Files, and I've recently read the first Cinder Spires book and Loved it, so what I want to know is if you have read both how do the two series compare?

I particularly love the ship to ship battles and the 'Hornblower' and 'Patrick O'Brien' esc feel, and Butcher's action writing is very good, and I really want to know if the Dresden files is similar in any way, as the series is long but people generally say you have to read a few books and get into it before it gets good.

All thoughts appreciated!

[Steve]

I guess we're coming from a different place then - I'm a huge fan of the Dresden books, whereas I thought Cinderspires was a flaming pile of dog poop. The strength of the Dresden files is the really rich and nuanced cast - each of the main characters has a real sense of motivation and depth, whereas in cinderspires they felt like relatively thin cliches. Posh, naive girl with a sense of fair play, common girl who's picked on, but is secretly very talented, captain with a mysterious past. Yawn.

But yeah, I think Dresden is head and shoulders above cinderspires. But then the series really takes until book three or four to get going, so maybe I should give cinderspires a bit more time.

[misomiso]

I agree with you on the characters of Cinder Spires - they were quite shallow and simple...

BUT the action scenes, particularly the last air ship battle really was brilliant.  I was actually very impressed at how fluid and clear the writing was, way above normal 'pulp' lit standards.

I want to know if that's what goes on in Dresden.

[Mustakrakish]

Dresden never hooked me. I read the first 8 books in a stretch and it never once made me want to pay for the next. Maybe I'll like this one?

[Pangur Ban]

They're different (sub)genres really. The Dresden Files is urban fantasy with a decidedly pulpy feel. The Cinder Spires is classic epic fantasy, if set in a technologically more advanced setting than you might expect from that genre. I'm not saying you won't like the Dresden Files, I enjoy them a lot (as said, after you get to book three or so), but they're not all that similar so if you're looking for more of what you like about the Cinder Spires you'll probably be disappointed.

[carnage4u]

The Dresden files have the advantage of 15 books, so the world and characters have really developed.

I did enjoy the Codex Alera books, and that is a complete 6 book series by him that is done in a High Fantasy settings.

I read the first book in the Cinder Spires and thought it was ok, but not as compelling as his other works. I haven't yet been sucked in by the world or the characters, and while Neither of his first book in the other two series were mind blowing great, I felt they were stronger this this first story, and was more hooked by those worlds to a larger degree.

[madrab]

You guys should do a few more mbook review crippled system casts - codex alera could be done in 1 episode

[carnage4u]

You guys should do a few more mbook review crippled system casts - codex alera could be done in 1 episode

We were going to do a Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy Episode. We all read the books (I read them for the 3rd time in 3 years) but we never got around to it.

[cheddercaveman]

You guys should do a few more mbook review crippled system casts - codex alera could be done in 1 episode

We were going to do a Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy Episode. We all read the books (I read them for the 3rd time in 3 years) but we never got around to it.

I did enjoy that series quite a bit too!

[madrab]

I would love to hear you guys do a review of the first law trilogy by joe abercrombie

[Sparowl]

We were going to do a Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy Episode. We all read the books (I read them for the 3rd time in 3 years) but we never got around to it.

I would be interested in hearing your opinions on the Lightbringer series as well, although I haven't picked up Blood Mirror yet.

As far as the OP - I enjoyed both Cinder Spires and Dresden. I enjoy Dresden more, but as people said, it has the benefit of a stack of novels to build on, while Cinder Spires just started. I'd say give it a few books before really making a comparison.

The action in Dresden is very good, but it is single perspective and focuses entirely on Dresden, so you get a very select view which can be jarring for some people.

[carnage4u]

We were going to do a Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy Episode. We all read the books (I read them for the 3rd time in 3 years) but we never got around to it.

I would be interested in hearing your opinions on the Lightbringer series as well, although I haven't picked up Blood Mirror yet.

As far as the OP - I enjoyed both Cinder Spires and Dresden. I enjoy Dresden more, but as people said, it has the benefit of a stack of novels to build on, while Cinder Spires just started. I'd say give it a few books before really making a comparison.

The action in Dresden is very good, but it is single perspective and focuses entirely on Dresden, so you get a very select view which can be jarring for some people.

Get the new book. Both Jeremy and I are current on the series.

[misomiso]

@madrab

Yes the First Law trilogy is very underrated imo.

It's very subversive and turns a lot of fantasy genre tropes on their heads.

And it has fantastic Worldbuidling.

Doesn't feel like its up the Muse crew's general reading like though.