I started my own re-read of all the published works in the Dresden Files series in anticipation of the new book being released this summer. Part of the re-read was also looking at them from a new perspective. I have heard from some people that the works are misogynistic. I have never felt that way about them. In fact, I empathize with the main character more than I do with many other works. It’s part of my attraction to the series. That’s the part that worried me ~ I never want to be that guy.

I read the short story at the start of it all and the comic book that is supposed to land in the timeline before Storm Front, even though Storm Front was the first published.

Time to move on to case book one.

I read the whole thing in a morning. It’s a fast moving book. I had forgotten how short the time frame of the book itself is. It feels longer in my mind just based on how long I’ve been reading the series. The actual timeline in the book is less than a whole week – it’s only a few days total (like Thursday to Monday). I didn’t remember that.

I also didn’t remember just how many of the fantastic lines / quotes from the series came from this first book. Many I remembered and many that I didn’t.

I also came to realize just how much that dismal television show has crept into my mind. I am a visual person by nature and things like television and media tend to stick and stay with me. When I read about Bob the skull, I pictured Terrence Mann. Bob never takes on a form anything like that in the book, but that picture has stayed with me. The picture of Joanne Kelly as Bianca stuck with me as well. The problem is other details stuck too – and they’re flat out wrong. The TV series messed with so much of this work that it has become difficult to pry the two apart.

I’m glad I read the book again. I’m really glad I went back and could recognize the changes in details based on the words, not on my shaky memory.

As to the thought that the book is misogynistic? I have a really hard time calling it that. I think that’s using a club when a scalpel is called for. I try to temper my words and say things as accurately and succinctly as possible. I try to say what I mean. I think that I understand what those people are saying, even if they’re using very charged and inelegant methods to make their point. They would call my attempt to defend it a lot of inelegant things I’m sure. So – to that point:

The book is not written or intended to be hateful or hurtful to women and that is the definition of misogynistic. I do however see that people could view the main character as a sexist and somebody that works within a system that has always favored men. He has good intentions and clearly states that he understands there are women that don’t like it on page 11. Right up front.

“Maybe my values are outdated, but I come from an old school of thought. I think that men ought to treat women like something other than just shorter, weaker men with breasts. Try and convict me if I’m a bad person for thinking so. I enjoy treating a woman like a lady, opening doors for her, paying for shared meals, giving flowers–all that sort of thing. It irritates the hell out of Murphy, who had to fight and claw and play dirty with the hairiest men in Chicago to get as far as she has.”

I’m glad I’m going back through all the stories again. I’m glad I have a fresh perspective on them. I’m going to continue and see if the pattern I missed before shows up now with a new point of view…

I’m glad I went back and read this one again in the spot where it’s supposed to land in the series. It was good to see a case that was less complex than a lot of the things that have been created later in the series.

That being said – this particular case was quite short. If I had to guess, I’d say it was because it was part of a comic series / graphic novel.

I’ve never been a huge fan of comics themselves, but I have always loved the art. This particular story is really well done and I very much enjoy the art that goes with it. There was one thing that stuck out to me ~ and it’s part of the reason I’m going back and doing the re-read.

I’ve heard / read some folks that call Harry (the main character in all this) misogynistic. I don’t see it that way, but I’m a guy so my opinion might be biased. Since I’ve heard this complaint in more than one place I’ve tried to take note of various bits that might highlight that for others. This particular case has one thing that struck me as something a person could point their finger at and say “that ~ that’s what I mean”.

Murphy is there. She’s a strong and independent female character, even if she’s conflicted about how she feels about Harry. The villain of the piece is also a woman. There are in fact as more noteworthy strong female characters in here than there are males.

However.

Then there’s Willamena aka ‘Will’ – the assistant to Dr. Reese. She is 110% the damsel in distress. She does nothing but deliver information and need to be rescued. She cowers behind Harry more than once. I hadn’t particularly noticed it before, but I could totally see where people might find this character problematic. I found her a bit annoying, but genuinely realistic. There are some people out there that just can’t “do” the violence / scary situation thing. They freak out. They cower. They fail. It just so happens that this cowering person in need of rescue is a woman. Except… why is it always that way? I didn’t see it before, now I’m questioning it.

I would suggest digging up a copy of the graphic novel and taking a peek for yourself. I think it could be an interesting conversation. On to Storm Front!