As far as series about an inside-man having knowledge of unseen forces and abilities to control them, I've been spoiled by [a:Charles Stross|8794|Charles Stross|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1355510574p2/8794.jpg]'s LAUNDRY FILE series; deep, rich, and always successful in its attempts to be funny. I know this is Butcher's debut novel, so I can look past the prose and the pacing enough to acknowledge its heart and see the possibilities. I read that fans say the books get progressively better, and I have no trouble believing that. But if the greasy, shallow, and inconstantly vain aspects of Dresden's personality persist too much longer without any positive character development, I'm afraid The Dresden Files won't even hold their place on my quick-read-between-good-books pile.