posted
Howdy! Just read 'Order of the Phoenix' Thursday night...not too shabby!
I'd stop short, however, of saying it's the best of the series thus far. Right now, though, I'm still absorbing it into my head, so that may change. At the moment, though, I'm leaning toward 'Goblet of Fire' as my favorite.
I have to cop to not being a longtime Harry Potter fan. The movies brought me aboard. I enjoyed the first one a lot, but when I bought 'Chamber' on DVD a few months back, my interest was really ignited. Shortly after seeing that film, I checked out Book 1 from the local library. I was so impressed with Rowling's writing that I bought Books 2 and 3 at Wal-Mart.
After reading 'Azkaban', I HAD to get 'Goblet'. I was lucky enough to score a hardcover copy of that one at Books-a-Million on sale for $9.99, plus another 10% off with my Millionaire's Club membership. By the time I finished that one, I was officially a fan for life...and I only had to wait a month for 'Order' when the longtime fans had to wait three years! But now I'm in the same boat as everyone else, having to wait god-knows-how-long for the penultimate chapter in the saga.
Basically, my perspective of 'Order' is that it was mostly about Harry's angst and the tyranny of Professor Umbridge up until things took a left turn in the last quarter of the book. It was all very engaging, but I think the structure of 'Goblet' as it built towards several key events was more to my liking.
Umbridge was probably the single most despicable character I've seen in the books. Voldemort, at least, is supposed to be evil incarnate. But Umbridge, grrrr...I've never been so happy for someone to be carried off screaming by centaurs in my LIFE!!! Too bad she turned up alright later... For my money she was the main villain of the piece, and Rowling succeeded spectacularly in making us hate her guts! *hem, hem*
Then, of course, there was the big death of the piece. I was sorry to see Sirius go. Actually, I was a bit confused. When he died, it seemed rather vague to me. Maybe comics (and soap operas)have made me cynical, but when I don't see a body, I'm wondering if the character is truly dead. Am I way offbase here? Did the spell cast by Bellatrix Lestrange kill him? Or did falling into that mysterious veil finish him off? Reading between the lines, Rowling seemed to be implying that the portal was to the afterlife. Is that how you read it?
I'd love to hear more from any of you potential Potter-maniacs on the matter of Sirius and any oter thoughts you have on this, the other books and the films. I'll post more of my thoughts soon.
Final thought: Gary Oldman as Sirius?
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Well, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sirius back in one of the remaining books, although if he comes back from the dead I will be a little disappointed. I mean, after Rowling talks about crying after writing that death scene, he better not turn up alive.
The book had me on the edge of my seat because the way things were going, ANYONE could have been the one to die! I'm sure it was intentional, but so many characters got screen time in this book, and so many seemed to be in peril at one point or another... I was so nervous when those spells hit poor Professor McGonagall!
This book is going to make a great visual effects movie. I mean, there was spell-casting galore, from the first chapter to the last!
Did anyone but me think that Aunt Petunia was going to be revealed as a witch who turned her back on the wizarding world? After that howler and her behavior in the beginning chapters, I thought for sure it was gonna be something along those lines.
Sigh.
It will probably end up being another two years or more before we get the sixth book. I CANNOT wait that long!!!
P.S. - I don't know why, but I'm hoping that something happens to turn Draco from the dark side before the end of the series. I don't know why, but I kinda like him, and would like to see him redeemed before the end. Maybe he and Harry will walk off into the sunset, hand in hand, in the final chapter of book seven
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
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Yeah...about the death, I felt very strongly that Sirius would be the one to go as I read the book. I felt he would do something brave/stupid because he was so lonely and cooped up in the mansion. I was actually kinda wrong since the whole basis for his leaving safety was Harry being in mortal peril. I totally bought Harry's vision of him being tortured by Voldemort because of what we'd seen before.
That said, there definitely were some anxious moments for other characters where I thought I may be wrong. I was definitely concerned about McGonagall. But my greatest anxiety was for the kids as they went up against the Death Eaters. I especially feared for Neville. The way he was so uncharacteristically (though understandably) brave and headstrong during the battle made me fear that his number may have been up.
But it was Sirius, and I still have to wonder if he's really dead. The best evidence for his being dead was Rowling's publicized sorrow at killing him off. But I still have to wonder. Makes me wonder if the really hardcore fans have similar doubts...
As for Petunia, I was thinking also that thee was someting more to her, though I wasn't sure what. It was a little disappointing to see that (almost) all that knowledge she had was just from the note left with Harry. Still not sure how she knew about dementors and Azkaban. Surely, THAT info wasn't in the note? I don't see how she could have gotten that information secondhand from her sister.
Draco? I dunno, Newc...I read somewhere were Rowling cautioned Draco fans not to hold out too much hope for him. Certainly, we haven't seen any redeemable qualities there. Guess it's that "love to hate" quality, eh?
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Yeesh! Doesn't anybody fuckin' read Harry Potter? You know...the fuckin' best selling books in the COSMOS?!? How does fuckin' "Strangers with Candy" get more responses than fuckin' Harry Potter?
YEESH!!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Perhaps now that you've fuckin' bumped up the thread...
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
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Sorry Lardy, I'm working on another large, even more slowly published series: "The Dark Tower." That King guy moves a few units too.
(I'm glad I didn't read the first book back in '83, talk about letting the anticipation build.)
From: Douglasville, GA | Registered: Jul 2003
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I have enrolled in Pottermore, which is a website that Rowling and Sony have created. I am a Hufflepuff. It is exciting at first, but can get tedious after awhile. I am looking forward to the release of the second book on Pottermore. Is anyone else here on Pottermore?
I also want to get an idea of how many Harry Potter fans are on LW.
-------------------- Go with the good and you'll be like them; go with the evil and you'll be worse than them.- Portuguese Proverb
From: Illinois | Registered: Jun 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Lard Lad: Yeesh! Doesn't anybody fuckin' read Harry Potter? You know...the fuckin' best selling books in the COSMOS?!? How does fuckin' "Strangers with Candy" get more responses than fuckin' Harry Potter?
YEESH!!
Because Jerri Blank kicks that snotty Potter's ass!
posted
I like Harry Potter, but I can't call myself a fan. I read the second and seventh books and have seen a couple of films (not sure which ones off-hand) on TV.
HP is an inspiration to me as a writer. Rowling crafted a story aimed at children but which can appeal to anyone and got people excited about reading again.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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I know I've got tons of posts in various threads here in Anywhere on the different books.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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I like the HP books. It's been good to see the positive impact the series has had on quite a few of my teen and young adult friends who weren't big readers.
-------------------- "Been killed--didn't like it." (Duplicate Damsel, Legion of Super-Heroes #10)
From: Groga | Registered: Aug 2003
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One thing I particularly liked was the amount of respect that Rowling had for her many characters. Even the minor ones seem so real! I was even devastated when Lavender Brown, who seemed to survive (albeit terribly injured) in the books was KILLED in the movie. I'm just glad the books are canon, whew.
It's even more tragic when it's the young ones who die...
Oh, and I really disliked having Lupin and Tonks die off-panel And poor, poor Fred...
Oh, and I really disliked having Lupin and Tonks die off-panel And poor, poor Fred...
That was consistent in both the film and the book, IIRC. A nice touch in the film was the last time we see Lupin and Tonks alive, they are reaching for each other's hand but not quite touching. I could be wrong, but I think that's a movie addition but one I found poignant.
I was wondering about Lavender when I saw the movie. I hadn't recalled her dying in the book, though I've only read it one time to date.
Am I remembering correctly that one of the Creevey brothers died in the book? Colin, I think--the one who had a fairly big role in 'Chamber'? I don't think that made it into the movie (assuming I'm not misremembering his death).
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Also, why the hell did they not either show or reference Wormtail's death in either of the two HP7 movies? I mean, I applaud that he didn't show up in the finale, but I always felt it was a big moment in the book. I mean, I understand his end was rather violent for an all-ages film, but they could've either done it slightly differently or shot around it.
Honestly, I have few qualms about the HP7 movies and with most of the other choices for the others. In fact "Deathly Hallows" parts 1 and 2 are among the best of the 8 films.
My biggest complaint of the movie franchise is aimed at the film adaptation of "Azkaban" for one simple reason: the omission of the significance of Harry's patronus being a stag. It was the biggest moment in that book for me, and I'll never understand why it was passed by. I mean, it would only have taken an extra moment of screentime to explain, damnit! Otherwise, it's a terrific movie, but I can't help but feel for the movie-only fans who were robbed of that moment. And, fuck, I wanted to see it on film!
I can understand pretty much everything that was left on the cutting room floor or embellished in all the films except for that!
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Yeah, the film didn't show them dying either. Ah well... It was very poignant, though I can't remember if it was like that in the book too. This link shows an interview where Mr. Weasley was intended to die - but Rowling decided not to kill him, and swapped in two unlucky characters instead. It's fairly obvious that those two are Tonks and Lupin.
IIRC, in the book the last time we saw Lavender, she was feebly stirring, giving hope that she was saved in time (I like to believe she was, since she was never specifically stated to have died.) In the films, though, she is clearly dead, as the camera shows us a shot of her lifeless eyes. There's a big fan discussion here on whether she did or did not die.
And you are right, Colin Creevey (the older brother) did die in the book.
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