In my mind, this is where The Dresden Files begins to take off and get really good. Grave Peril intoduces us to the spiritual side of Harry Dresden's world as a mysterious entity is causing ghosts and other spritual begins to become even more tormented than they already are. We are also introduced to the Red Court of vampires, who become major villains for Harry in subsequent books right up until the end of Changes, but I won't spoil it. It's pretty awesome.

Butcher is quite good about his world-building, introducing elements over time as he continues the evolving adventures of Harry Dresden. Many books involve gambit pileups as multiple factions begin to clash with each other. Grave Peril gives us the Red Court vampires and the Faerie courts, which will play a much more important role in the next book and later books in the series.

We are also introduced to Michael Carpenter, Knight of the Cross and the Fist of God. He wields the divine sword Amoracchius, more commonly known as Excalibur (yes, you read that right). He's a great character, serving as Harry's moral compass. Eventually, we'll see how Harry becomes an adopted member of Michael's large family, which gives Harry the courage to continue doing good for the people of Chicago.

Summer Knight revolves around the conflict between the Seelie and Unseelie courts of the Faerie Realms. These courts become major antagonists in this series, starting with this book. Faeries are dangerous, treacherous creatures, but they are not strictly villainous. They're more complex than that. Sure, they often toy around with mortals for their own amusement, but usually it's because the mortals are asking for it. It's possible to deal with the Faeries, but you better know what you are doing or they will turn against you in a heartbeat, as long as they don't break any of their own rules.

As we'll find out in later books, the Summer and Winter courts have enormous influence on the mortal realm, working behind the scenes within the Nevernever to maintain a delicate balance. When that balance is corrupted or disrupted, as we see in Summer Knight, the mortal realms stands in danger of being swept away by the primal forces commanded by Faerie. It's up to Harry and his companions to find a solution that saves the world from the wrath of Faerie.

Death Masks is one of my favorite Dresden Files stories. Butcher gives us both great villains and exceptional heroes. It turns out Michael Carpenter is not the only Knight of the Cross. He has two companions who show up from time to time to aid Michael in his task. The Knights of the Cross have been charged by God to reclaim the thirty pieces of silver that were used to pay Judas for betraying Jesus Christ. Each piece of silver is tainted by one of the Fallen, lieutenants of Lucifer when he was cast out of Heaven. The Order of Denarius are those who carry the coins, becoming corrupted versions of themselves due to the influence of the Fallen.

The leader of the Denarians is Nicodemus Archleone, and he's one of my favorite villains in all of literature because you just love to hate him. He's the ultimate smug snake, chessmaster, and just a stone cold evil bastard. He becomes a recurring villain in the series, often lurking behind the scenes, stirring up trouble for Harry and his companions. In Death Masks Nicodemus is scheming to acquire the Shroud of Turin so that he can turn its mystical healing properties into a deadly plague that will spread across the world. I really, really hate this guy. Evil with a capital "E."

Blood Rites takes us into the political intrigue that exists between the three main vampire courts: Black, Red, and White. The Black Court is your traditional depiction of vampires, such as Dracula. Dangerous and powerful, they hide in the shadows. The Red Court are also monstrous, but they can more easily pass for human. They have effectively taken over large swaths of South America, feeding on entire villages and small towns. Now they are in Chicago, stirring up trouble. The White Court are the most human, preferring to feed on the psychic energy of their victims rather than blood. They are also quite dangerous in their own way, as they can influence large cities through political maneuverings.

Harry gets caught up in the middle of their conflict when a member of the White Court, the vampire Thomas, brings Harry in on a case to protect a client from an entropy curse. It turns out Thomas is hiding a devastating secret tied to Harry's own past.