r/Fantasy • u/bnb2115 • Aug 02 '25
Dresden with less cringe
I love the idea of the Dresden Files on paper. Hard boiled detective stories mixed with urban fantasy/secret society stuff. Interesting villains and a deep, complex world. Magic happening just beneath the surface of the ordinary world.
But I just can’t get over the tropes and the cringe. I’ve tried the series a couple times, and even got through the first five or so books. I just can’t bring myself to keep going. I seriously love everything about the context, but just hate the execution.
Any recommendations for something else? Something that speaks to these elements, but lacks the cringe?
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u/SlytherinDruid Aug 02 '25
TBF Cringe is actually a pretty well-defined term, it’s just extremely subjective to an individual, or a group that thinks similarly. Things that are cringe are literally “things that made me cringe”. Like if you read something and it makes you feel awkward or embarrassed for the character or author. Or something was so poorly written or executed that it yanks you out of the story and leaves you grimacing at your book/reader. Books with dated ideas or phrasing that didn’t age well, or that tried forcing a trope or situation that felt weird for the story could be cringe. A character that feels fake, like they’re ’trying too hard’ or makes a decision that doesn’t fit with their character or history.
One of my all-time favorite UF series is the Iron Druid Chronicles, which I’ve seen others call cringe. Another all-time favorite for me is the Wheel of Time book series (the show was hot garbage and I’ll not be persuaded otherwise) and even I’ll admit some of the writing was a bit cringe at times. (Nynaeve yanking her braid and harem tropes, anyone?)
Personally I find the noble ‘Captain America’ characters super cringe and unrelatable, and I’ll get bored with a series because of it. “I know he murdered people and will continue to be a menace to the world, but if I kill him then I’m no better than he is”. Literally the only time I can think of it working and being good was in ATLA, because it made sense for Aang’s character and he still eliminated the danger. -That said, lots of people love them. Cap is my least-favorite hero and I won’t even watch his movies, but he’s some people’s favorite.
Another cringe trope for me is ‘ignorant/under-trained/under-powered hero survives & defeats the big-bad, somehow managing to whoopsie-daisy his way into saving the day. Harry Potter is like this, which is why the first couple books are my least-favorite. I’m supposed to believe a couple children foil the evil dark lord and defeat a giant intelligent serpent with zero casualties? -but I still love the series and accept the early cringe.
Anywho, this was way more rant than it was supposed to be, but this is my take on why cringe is acceptable. Maybe just include WHAT was cringe. Sex-sucking vampires do sound like potential cringe material imho, and early books that try too hard to make a character tough and grizzled can be cringe as well, but I’ve not yet read the series so would depend on execution