All right, I don't think the Harry Potter series is a brilliant piece of work like some others have suggested but I have found the previous books to be light reads when I don't want to think. I confess that I found the previous books enjoyable, not all in the same amount but overall, enjoyable so I was hoping for more of the same with the new book.
But to be honest, the latest installment leaves me a bit disappointed. I felt that the author tried too hard to create the story of a conflicted sixteen year old and it made events in the book, overall, feel a bit construed. And a bit rushed too at trying to set up the story for the finale.
With Sirius' death in the last book, you would think with Potter's self-loathing he would be more a bit more cautious and less rash to jump at conclusions but nope, before he even returns to school, he's always back to his old self, obsessed with Malfoy. It's arguable that this is just part of the author's depiction of the teenage behaviour but I found it unconvincing. I mean, I through the "Sirius wouldn't have died if I hadn't been so rash" rhetoric was pretty spelled out in the last book.
Did anyone else find it juxtaposing in the depictment of the magic and non-magic world? People in the magic world seem to be smart, keen, clever, sophisticated, cunning but the world is like a 1700s England, only with a feeble Ministry of Magic. The non-magic world is more technologically advance, closer to 2000 England but the people seem a lot more dim-witted, or very ordinary. I didn't really notice this contrast until the opening chapter of this book.
Don't get me wrong, I still feel this book is a good light read but I think one is better served by having low expectations so one can be easier to be pleased. The plot isn't terribly complicated and the hints really add up by the middle of the book. Worth the torrent download? Yes. Worth hard money? No.
Hopefully, more of Potter's loved ones will die in the next book and we get a Gundam moment where he screams in agony and then everyone feels his pain through telepathy.
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Anonymous2005-07-17 17:41
I've stayed away from the books and movies. Should I actually spend time to read through the series?
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Anonymous2005-07-17 18:25
I stopped reading at book number 2. Grew out of it, I guess.
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Anonymous2005-07-17 20:53
>>2 Grab a torrent of the first book and give the first few chapters a go. It's more or less the same for the rest of the series but with more and more teenage drama.
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Anonymous2005-07-18 9:42
SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE
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Anonymous2005-07-18 12:24
Duh, I knew that
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Anonymous2005-07-20 23:25
Will someone who has the actual book tell me how many chapters there are? Ive read the computer version and Im not sure that it was complete, because I read it in only 3 days while only reading ocassionaly.
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Anonymous2005-07-21 1:57
>>7
30 chapters, i believe. "the white tomb" being the last.
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Anonymous2005-07-21 17:25
same thoughts over here, this book was not as entertaining as the previous books, and the way dumbldore died just does not suit his greatness that was constructed and developed over 5 books so far, we were (or i was ) expecting a vicious fight with new spells and unknown strategies, but that didnt happen, when he died, i couldnt help but think, what a weakling
but i have another theory
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Anonymous2005-07-21 22:57
Alright I belive my book was whole then. I also had a theory, half way though I was sure Dumbledore was under the Imperius curse, or perhaps he was another person useing the polyjuice. He just seemed rather bitchy and desperate about Harry getting Horace's memory. I was also terribly dissapointed about the lameness of his death. I mean, so what if he didnt have his wand, that doesnt mean he could do nothing at all, there are multiple instances in the books where magic is done without a wand, Harry and Tom both did magic when they were children and they didnt have any wands, so whats holding Dumbledore; the greatest wizard ever back? I also have a new theory, I belive Harry himself is one of Voldemorts Horcruxes, I think this is why he was able to since Voldemort, and what would be more of a shocker than Harry haveing to kill himself at the very end of the series?
Oh yea, there might be some spoilers in there, but if you've been to 4chan at all in the past week, you have already had the book "ruined" for you, so fuck it.
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Anonymous2005-07-21 22:58
Alright I belive my book was whole then. I also had a theory, half way though I was sure Dumbledore was under the Imperius curse, or perhaps he was another person useing the polyjuice. He just seemed rather bitchy and desperate about Harry getting Horace's memory. I was also terribly dissapointed about the lameness of his death. I mean, so what if he didnt have his wand, that doesnt mean he could do nothing at all, there are multiple instances in the books where magic is done without a wand, Harry and Tom both did magic when they were children and they didnt have any wands, so whats holding Dumbledore; the greatest wizard ever back? I also have a new theory, I belive Harry himself is one of Voldemorts Horcruxes, I think this is why he was able to since Voldemort, and what would be more of a shocker than Harry haveing to kill himself at the very end of the series?
Oh yea, there might be some spoilers in there, but if you've been to 4chan at all in the past week, you have already had the book "ruined" for you, so fuck it.
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Anonymous2005-07-22 1:01
It'll be greatly amusing to me if Potter has to kill himself. That'll be fucken great actually. But yeah, you whink being one of the greatest wizards ever, he'll die more dramaticall, something like taking out half the Death Eaters with him.
The Snape story/reasoning will probably be dragged out in the next book though. I wonder whether the author can somehow save Snape's character.
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Anonymous2005-07-23 4:44
The story was just REALLY dragged out. It was like 3/4 was merely setting up and to just get over the year. And the final pages you get this one big BOOM in the plot and it ends so quick.
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Anonymous2005-08-02 3:39
Yea, it all just comes together in the last couple of chapters, there seriously inst much "plot" up til then. This book was rather rushed compared to the others right?
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Anonymous2005-08-10 16:46
RAB?
Regelus Alfred Black
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Anonymous2005-08-11 13:16 (sage)
SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE
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Anonymous2005-08-11 14:04
/r Ha-li Bo-te and Leopard-Walk-Up-To-Dragon
/r Tsinghua fan ending of Half Blood Prince by Woodchuckle
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Anonymous2005-08-11 14:07
/r The Legend of Rah and the Muggles, first edition
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Anonymous2005-08-11 17:41 (sage)
Terry Pratchet had some interesting things to say about Miss Rowling.
Does Rowling already have a timeline for the final book?
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Anonymous2005-08-15 23:48
Yes, the series ends around the same time as Robert Jordan's final book.
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Anonymous2005-08-16 18:52
a bit late but... would going down to the local borders or barnes and noble with a bunch of post-its with the words "snape kills dumbledore. Page 606"(596?)written on them and puting these postits around the 20th page of every harry potter: THBP book i can find be a good idea?
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Anonymous2005-08-16 23:10
No. Go to the Star Wars Episode III shelf and post "Anakin becomes Darth Vader" instead.
I just finished the 6th book recently. I have to say that dumbledore's death, if he's truly dead, was pretty lame. But there are ways to justify it, like old age, drinking some weird shit, and being trusting. As for harry still being rash, he was tricked in the 5th book, but his suspicions about malfoy turned out to be right.
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Anonymous2005-09-04 23:02 (sage)
wait until the next book then spoil their shit.
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Anonymous2005-09-04 23:03 (sage)
the part where Dumnledore and Harry where drinking from the potion, it sounded a lot like date rape.
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Anonymous2005-09-05 11:44
truth
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Anonymous2005-09-17 9:39
>>It's arguable that this is just part of the author's depiction of the teenage behaviour but I found it unconvincing.
Yes. I personally think they would have parties, cast consciousness-heightening charms on each other, guzzle butterbeer and have lame sex, like REAL modern teenagers. Maybe it's just a Brit thing.
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Anonymous2005-09-19 11:17
>>30
or maybe it's because it is a fantasy story written for children
I like the part with the fact someone else took the locket horcrux- someone with a last name starting with B. Coincidentally, there was a locket in the Black house that was owned by a guy with the same initials in a previus book. They though it was trash then. Lol.
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Anonymous2005-10-20 0:31 (sage)
You know the last book is gonna suck so hard. I hate fanfiction but there is Harry Potter FF (including buttfuck ff) that totally outshines anything that idiot has written. It's too bad there are talented people in the world wasting their time with other people's characters.
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Anonymous2005-10-22 18:20
I think the last horcrux should be Harry's scar and he has to cast Avada Kedavra on himself to destroy it and then all the house elves form together into one gigantic elf that proceeds to use Voldemort, Ron and Harry's corpse as tools for sexual pleasure until both bodies are horribly mutilated. Then they roll up both bodies into one giant organ pile and feed it to Mrs. Weasley without her knowing.
Yeah, Harry is definately a horcrux, I dont know if that means he has to die though. I also think that like star wars, we're going to find out that the whole thing isn't about luke skywalker (harry potter) but about darth vader (snape) I think the harry potter series is going to end where it is revealed how this is all about snape and his redemption and return to the light side.
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Anonymous2005-11-21 23:47
Harry isn't a horcrux. As if Voldemort put it on him, then to try to kill him multiple times? A horcrux isn't somthing you do by accident, or willy nilly. He split his soul to make the others, becoming somthing.. different and evil. Like he's going to just waste one? BS on that theory.
But you're rigth about Snape and his circles of redemption. Every book they've always tried to blame Snape in some form, but he's always redemed himself by actions. I think Dumbledore knew all along about Snapes Unbreakable Vow and planned his fake death in advance, using some of the Draft of the Dead that was brewed earlyer in the year. Normally when people were hit with the AvraKedabra or whatever, there's a whooshing sound, and they fall down on the spot with eyes open. Dumbledore flew up in the air and had his eyes closed... not the same effect. So we'll all find out eventually when the next book is out won't we?
>>39
Dumbledore is not dead. If you've actually paid attention to the book you know that 39 has it right.
1- Dumbledore gives Draco (but more importantly, Harry) this whole speech about how the order can make it look like somebody dies, and then hide them, in such a way as to make everybody believe they are really dead.
2- The Draft of the Dead... why else include it in the story?
3- The effect of Snapes "Avada Kedavra" is totally wrong.
4- Dumbledore's actions and words just before his "death" (when he has an audience of Death Eaters to play to) are totally out of character.
5- Yeah, you make a horcrux on purpose, and you don't dare destroy your own horcrux... unless you're a damn fool. (which Tom isn't) So if JK goes with "Harry is a horcrux", well, then she's even less of a writer than y'all think.
Why the bloody hell is a 28 year old man even reading Harry Potter, much less discussing it with anonymous trolls on world4ch??? I gotta get some sleep.
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Anonymous2006-02-05 12:26
>>47
Because all in all, Harry Potter is a easy, light read perfect for dead-tired commuters traveling home at the end of the day.
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Anonymous2006-02-09 11:24
>>47 because you are most likely a homosexual who went to the new movie alone on a friday night
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Anonymous2006-02-19 23:50
Conspiracy theories aside, book six sucked.
It sucked hardcore.
All it was was a setup for the final book. A bad setup, I might add.
Book four still reigns supreme above the rest HP books, with five close behind. I'd put six about second to last.
I don't feel like reading through this whole thread and making replies so I'm just going to toss out some spoilers.
1)Snape is innocent.
2)Lupin kills greyback and is thus cured
3)Hary can still use his magic mirror deal to talk to Sirius
4)The last horcrux is harry's scar/hogwarts castle.
5)The last chapter is just a detailed description of all the surviving goodguys having a massive orgy.
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Anonymous2006-04-01 19:09
>>55
I think #5 is all anyone has ever wanted from these books.
Also Sirius Black comes back from the dead to butt fuck >>49.
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Anonymous2006-06-30 21:56
I liked HBP quite a bit. However it wasn't as good as it could have been. Less angst was needed.
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Anonymous2006-07-01 0:22
>>61
it is however, less angst than Order of Phoenix.
Harry's a bit more rational and mature in HBP.
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Anonymous2006-07-03 1:37
SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE
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Anonymous2006-07-03 2:34
JK Rowling promised that in book 7 at least two characters would die (*cough* snape *cough* malfoy *cough*) and possibly even harry, because she said she didnt want fans writing her to make another book after 7
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Anonymous2006-07-04 22:33
>>64
She said two characters would die(*cough* I don't give a fuck *cough*, and one would be absolved(*cough* Snape, because Sirius is fucking dead and no one cares.*cough*).
(*cough* you dirty slash fan fag bitch-ho *cough*)
What part of RAPE RAPE RAPE do you not understand?
Snape, Dumbledore, Etc.
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Anonymous2006-07-06 7:34
>>68
I ignored that part due to it being invalid Lisp syntax.
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Anonymous2006-07-07 12:55
what is books?(btw harry potter sucks)
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Anonymous2006-07-10 2:22
ummm.. wasn't Harry's obsession with Malfoy justified though..I mean..ITS PARTLY HIS FAULT DUMBLEDOres DEAD!!!!..In fact this time it was due to his lack of SOME more serious action towards Malfoy's strange behavior that those Death bastards got in th school....::DAMn:: We do look waaaay too F-ing stupid though in the books in comparison to the not-at-all-technologicaly advanced Magical world....WE GOT ROBOTS!!!!
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Anonymous2006-07-15 4:26
>>38
I think it's about Potter, because the franchise is called "Harry Potter"
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Anonymous2006-07-15 22:01
>ITS PARTLY HIS FAULT DUMBLEDORES DEAD!
2nded.
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Anonymous2006-07-21 11:18
DEAR J.K. ROWLING,
DO NOT MAKE THE FINALE 2389572389526524502395712985082634297890 PAGES LONG.
Thank You.
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Anonymous2006-07-27 18:15
I am JK Rowling and for that up there ^^^ I will torture you into INSANITY with my many and various satanic witch-craft-y spells!!! MWHAHAHAHAHA!
In the final book he will wake up from a dream that was that magical world, and realize that his life sucks, turn on some Linkin Park and become an hero.