Harry Potter

[Kaizer 0]

Okay, I'm somewhat surprised we don't have a steady discussion going on about the Harry Potter books, given their popularity and the fact that the seventh book and fifth movie were just released.  Of course, this is to be a respectable discussion thread, or at least, I would hope for it to be so; so I don't want people to flame the books without at least giving a reason, and out of respect for the people who haven't read all the books (or are choosing only to watch the movies), please use the spoiler code to ensure that nothing is given away.

 

To simplify what should and shouldn't be put into spoilers, anything from the 5th book/movie and on should be in spoilers (to respect those who haven't seen the 5th movie, or haven't read that far), and anything from the 4th book back to the first can be fair game (plain and simple, if you haven't gotten to the 4th book yet, you aren't that big of a fan; you've had over 10 years to get/read some of these books after all ).  Discussion can also include side books by different authors (such as 'The hidden myths in Harry Potter' by David Colbert), or books written by JK herself (Quidditch through the ages and Fantastic beasts and where to find them, both written to support the charity foundation, Comic Relief).

 

Okay, let the discussion (and possibly the flaming  ) begin .

 

first of all, I'd like to ask, just who has read the books/seen the movies, and if so, how far into the series are you?  I've read the entire series & seen all the movies (read the last book in a single day 0_o); and I have the entire series in hard cover (it was trouble getting a hard cover copy of the first book; managed to find one at a flea market last year for $5).

[Ishian 0]

Well, i watched the first movie for like 30min then i got so bored of it so i turned it off, thats my harry potter expirience ...

 

The other movies and books might be better, i hope.

[DragonDaimyo 3]

Well, given the fact that the 7th book, which we all heralded as the final one, has come out, I really don't know what's left to discuss.

 

 

Rowling didn't really leave any loose ends untied from what I can tell, so there's really not a whole lot left to speculate on.

 

 

I've read the whole series of books, having picked it up just before Goblet of Fire came out. Been a pretty big fan of the whole thing, so it's with mixed feelings that we come to the 7th book. Kaizer, you're not the only one who ended up reading it in a single day (I got to the point where I just had to finish it. Stayed up until 1:30 AM to do so.  ). The movies, though... I've never really been a fan. The first and second were okay, but I really didn't like the third at all, and watched any since. The whole family went to watch the 5th movie on the eve of the release of the 7th book, but I prowled around the mall instead since I didn't want to go (ended up with a nice stash of new stuff, so I can't complain ).

[F.A.I.T.H 0]

Haven't read the last tome, but apparently there were already spoilers out. Let's just say I wasn't too impressed with the ending.

 

As for the movies? Never had much time, unfortunately. I only got to see the first one. I was thinking of buying those DVDs though.

[hannahkiki 0]

I finished reading the last book in a day too

 

I didn't really like Harry Potter when I first read it, but after reading it a second time I got hooked on it.

 

The movies are rather disappointing though - but then again, movies hardly does the book any justice, with the exception of LOTR of course.

[Jase 0]

The last book was great I have read all the books and have seen all the movies finished reading last one in two days .Am also reading it over again slowly to see if I missed anything important.

[neogmkuma 0]

Bought the book during its release. Finished it in 2 days. Let' just say that JK Rowling's style for character dvelopment is very impressive.

 

As for the movies I would like to say that I had watched the first three. The first two were ok but the third... My god it was awful... Never watched it again...

[HHLkill3r 3]

got the 7th book and finished it in a little over a day (had work in between) but in my opinion:

 

 

the ending was a little wonky... dunno why but it feels that way

 

 

Movie wise havn't seen the 5th one yet i might go see it sometime when i can get some time off

[Kaizer 0]

The problem with the movies is that the books are usually over 400 pages long now, which makes them longer to read than a LOTR book, and yet LOTR movies had more time each (HP movies hover around 2 hrs each, and LOTR movies around the 3hr mark).  There's too much to put in, and not enough time (the first and second were great cause they were the shortest; easier to translate from book to movie).

 

The 5th movie wasn't terrible, at least no worse than the 4th, but I agree with the others that the 3rd just didn't come up to par V_V, which sucks, as it was one of my favorites out of the early books (everything from the 4th book on is just on a different level altogether ).

 

@DD: 1:30 AM, what a coincidence, thats when I finished the 7th book as well  .

 

 

I liked the ending, as despite the epilogue's brevity, it did give a basic idea of where the characters ended up after the final battle.  If she made another, I would like it to just be an extended epilogue, to tell us what happened to all the characters; I want my Loony Lovegood .

 

As for DD's comment, yes I believe she has covered all the necessary points nicely; save perhaps what the true purpose of that Archway in the department of mysteries was doing there in the first place (Order of the Phoenix).  Its been said by JK that if she made another book, she would either do an Encyclopedia to gather together all the facts and history of the HP universe, or she would do a separate series in the same universe; new characters and little to no involvement from the past characters.  As Harry said in Deathly Hallows,

 

"I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."