Opinions on the Books

[blurricus]

The seventh book will be coming out sometime soon, no? This summer perhaps? I don't really know, I don't pay that much attention.

Anyhow, I have read all six of them thusfar, and it's interesting to see Rowling develop as an author.

The first book was absolute crap. The ending was the only good part of it since it came out of nowhere (for me at least). The second book was also absolute crap, but the ending was moderately surprising.

That set the standard though. You knew what was going to happen in every other book. You knew there would be no new enemies arising that weren't working for Vold. What were your opinions on this?

Also, I don't think there was any character or plot development until the fifth book. There was a slight bit of character development in the fourth, but not much at all.

The sixth book held nothing for me. I made the mistake of taking it on spring break with me, thinking it would take maybe two or three days. It took me half a day. I felt that it was a step backwards from the fifth book. The plot was being moved forward though, but it seemed to be quite a rush. I felt that she moved it along far too fast in comparison to how long everything took in the first four books.

What are your thoughts?

 

[venusunfolding]

I'm curious. If that was the case, why would you even bother to keep reading?

 

[TerishD]

Reply

I agree that the fifth book was the best. I was very impressed at how she handled Harry and the other kids. It was the first true presentation of civil disobedience I had ever read outside of TRUE historical novels. Most want the protagonist to rant and do all sorts of rebellion, but that is not true civil disobedience.

I liked the third because there were no bad guys. I felt due to the first two books that I knew how third would end, but it did not. I liked that.

Book six ticked me off. I kinda feel that book seven is going to be: Potter, Harry Potter, Wizard 007. I borrowed the Harry Potter books, and am in no rush to read seven. If they point to a trash can when I ask to read the next one, I will understand.

 

[blurricus]

I'm curious. If that was the case, why would you even bother to keep reading?

Because they're easy reads. They don't take me more than a day or two, so it isn't like I'm really taking that much time to read them. I probably wouldn't read them if they took more than a week or longer. Of course, I also like being able to participate in discussions on them. My friends have read them, so I felt like it'd be nice if I could put my two cents in.

TerishD, the third book DIDN'T really have any bad guys so much. But Scabbers (or whatever the rat is named) was a big deal. It was pretty obvious that Sirius wasn't guilty though. You're probably right about Wizard 007 kinda thing.

 

[never_know]

I think the fifth book was her worst book ever...nothing happens until xmas...HP keeps having dreams and stuff and in the end there's so much action that you can barely keep up with the story-line...so why waste 500 pages when you can resume the action in 300

i do agree that, until the forth one, the author rafines her style each time she writes a new book and i think the fifth one was a step backwards...

i enjoyed the sixth book and although it isn't long it's a lot better than the others...i don't know what the seventh will be like cause JK Rowling hasn't said anything about it yet

Spoiler

( we all know HP is going to die)

 

[blurricus]

NK, excellent point on nothing happening in book 5 for so long! The beginning of the book especially infuriated me because all the characters were being whiney and obnoxious. I think it was true to life on how those kids might act though.

I will thoroughly be disappointed if Rowling cops out and DOESN'T do what your spoiler is.

Though, I hope she puts an even more interesting twist instead. Throughout all the books there have been many parallels between Harry and Voldy. I thought the series would be redeemable if in the end, it turns out that the reason Harry hasn't been killed yet is because Voldy is training him to become a successor. Originally I would have hoped that Harry actually WAS Voldy, but I think that'd be stretching it way too far.

Anyway, I think your correct about the slow development of the first half of the fifth book. Nothing happens for so long, and then all the action at once. Maybe it is closer to her earlier works than I thought.

 

[abigworld]

i accually think the HP series is already done. I'm not sure. hmmmmmmmmm oh well. I liked the books but their not my favorite.

 

[Steph]

Don't kill me, okay, but I really don't like the Harry Potter series or the whole pop culture obsession over it.

I like to read "realistic" stories, so I'm not a fantasy or science fiction fan. Way back when the HP books started (and people were not dressing up in capes and black-framed glasses) I was interested in the story, but as soon as they made the movies, it just ruined the experience for some reason. The characters are SO annoying!

I've read all of the books besides the final one, however, I cheated and read the last chapter.

I can just imagine my kids asking me about the whole Harry Potter revolution that occured during my childhood.

 

[hockeycop]

I thought that every book was great. Books 5-7 were lengthier than they needed to be, but Rowling was obviously trying to expand characters, scenes, and the book in general to cater to her aging audience.

 

[short_circuit]

I have read all 7 books and am thoroughly unimpressed with them. They are suitable for 10 to 12 year olds max. You have to be a complete idiot to enjoy any of the books. There is hardly any character development. J.K seems to try and force the plot to be suprising but it fails. Harry remains a whinger and complainer who, because of his foolishness and anger, causes much damage to the people around him. Harry Potter does not deserve to earn the loads of cash that J.K. has earned.

 

[short_circuit]

I HATE harry potter! Its infuritating!!!!! >-( !!!!

He's such an obnoxious, selfish person. All he cares about is himself, and he gets angery at little things and holds grudges against everyone.

 

[angelina]

I love the Harry Potter books. I didn't think any of the books was crap. I found ALL the books interesting and, I have to say, that each of the books were built up consistently. I am amazed at how Rowling's imagination was able to produce a very well-told and well-rounded story. Though the series have ended, I am very sure that Harry's story will never end being told.

 

[Steph]

I HATE harry potter! Its infuritating!!!!! >-( !!!!

He's such an obnoxious, selfish person. All he cares about is himself, and he gets angery at little things and holds grudges against everyone.

I agree short circuit. Harry was too modest to be modest, if you know what I mean by that. He was too perfect of a hero. He thinks he's SO special. Sometimes I wish Lucious Malfoy would "abra cadabra" him.

 

[Champagne]

I didn't like the fourth book - to me the plot didn't make sense, and it was far too long a book to be part of the one-book-a-year timetable that she was trying to stick to. I think it would have done better if she'd taken longer over it.

I don't agree that all the bad guys are predictable and all work for Voldemort. It was never made clear whether Dolores Umbridge worked for him or not, but she was one of the most evil characters in any of the books.

 

[jackme]

Jk rolling write a good book.