Harry Potter Discussion and Appreciation Thread

[ShadowMaat]

Why should anyone believe an overheard conversation heard at a bookstore.

I should have clarified; the convo was between a bookstore employee and a customer. My co-worker probably figured that someone working in a bookstore might keep tabs on info like that.

If it stays hers and there's never another book, that's fine by me, I was simply curious. And I still think it's a good question even if the info was false/misunderstood. Is Harry Potter something that can ONLY be written by JK or would fans be willing to accept another author as long as they could read more adventures in the Potterverse? It isn't an unheard of concept, after all.

[jenks]

I should have clarified; the convo was between a bookstore employee and a customer. My co-worker probably figured that someone working in a bookstore might keep tabs on info like that.

If it stays hers and there's never another book, that's fine by me, I was simply curious. And I still think it's a good question even if the info was false/misunderstood. Is Harry Potter something that can ONLY be written by JK or would fans be willing to accept another author as long as they could read more adventures in the Potterverse? It isn't an unheard of concept, after all.

I doubt it to be honest. I think most fans would buy them, then rip them to bits no matter how good they were.

[Exiled Master]

My friend is one of the cruelest people in existence. This was his ending to Hallows (the last sentence)

Spoiler:

Harry's scar prickled for the first time in 19 years

And there would be nothing else written on the subject!

[Trek_Girl42]

My friend is one of the cruelest people in existence. This was his ending to Hallows (the last sentence)

Spoiler:

Harry's scar prickled for the first time in 19 years

And there would be nothing else written on the subject!

[MasySyma]

So I finally finished the book and the series! I enjoyed them both at times, and at others, I have disliked them thorougly.

Here are my thoughts on the the book:

The Good

Several keys scenes were written wonderfully,

Spoiler:

such as the scene where they all arrive one by one via broom. You feel so bad for Mrs. Weasley as she has someone on each broom.

Mrs Weasley in general. She rocked this book. Her final scenes managed to make me water up, but I can't say that for other scenes.

I enjoyed many of the small character references.

Spoiler:

Neville's grandmother (the first time), Trelwany, Hagrid's brother, etc.

Some of her small scenes:

Spoiler:

Kreacher, the Weasley family reunion, Snape's past

The Bad

Character inconsistency

Spoiler:

What the frell was wrong with Lupin and Tonks? Both were acting odd for most of the book, and neither character was really used well. I'm not sure Tonks ever had a purpose. Did Harry need to have a fight with Lupin and then with Ron?

The whole Ron jealousy thing was also not well done. This plot has been there for ages, but she let it sit for too long. We have only seen Ron's jealousy in 1, 4, and 7, so I wasn't buying it this time.

Herminone was also a problem. She was the trip nag, and Dumbeldore used her to "slow Harry down." I really don't like the smart girl being used to slow someone down rather than help them when people's lives are in jeopardy.

People not believing Harry

Spoiler:

Why does no one listen to this boy? First he mentions something, and everyone dimisses it. Then he gets obsessed with it and wastes time or contribues to people's deaths. This pattern has been happening for a few books now, and I wasn't pleased to see it again. This pattern also causes me to have more trouble with Herminone. She can't believe that magical items like the Elderwand exist because she has a rather scientific mind (being an obvious homage/rip off of Susan from the Narnia books) yet she can manage to become a witch and perform advanced magics. I would have preferred that Ron be the doubter here.

Deaths not consistently used well

Spoiler:

Adult characters did not fare well in this book, and they often had lame death scenes. Bit characters had the same problem. I felt bad for Dobby, and I thought she handeled his scenes well, but the other deaths were problematic. Mad Eye was removed way too easily. He needed to be surrounded by a field of death eaters. Lupin and Tonks were just written out for no reason. Why even given them a kid? The cost of war is also seen in Fred's death, which was a little better, but the death that made me MAD was Snape. I'm not his biggest fan, but I wanted him to be good and have a good death scene. Instead, he never rejects Voldomore to his face, thereby never screaming at the one person who killed the woman he loved. I wanted to see Harry and Snape interact after Harry learned the truth. I could have handled the shade of Snape talking to him before he faced Voldemort. Anything better than resignation to a snake bite. Collin Crevy also didn't need to die. He is one step off the nameless 50 that died for the cause.

The epilouge

Spoiler:

We have to see every random character except Lockhart, who is still in the hospital, come back, but we don't get to see what happened to them. I think that we all could have guessed that Ron and Hermonine and Harry and Ginny were going to have kids. What about the teachers? What about the Order members? Did they rebuild the school? It was rather wrecked. Did Snape's picture finally appear in the headmaster's office? I agree with people calling the epilouge bad fanfic.

I've always found JKR's exposition too wordy, and she interrupts her climatic scenes to give too much information.

Spoiler:

I did want to tell Dumbeldore to get on with it at points.

It was one of the better books in the series, and the book shows the success of her world and her characters. The series is an interesting read, just not my favorite.

[mckaychick]

I finally finished the book

[MasySyma]

I finally finished the book

Congrats!!! So. . . What did you think?

[Rosehawk]

My co-worker said she overheard a discussion in the bookstore that led her to believe that the publisher owned most of the rights to the Potter franchise and could thus continue the series even without JKR. Did she misunderstand? What with all the "end of an era" talk going on in the papers and whatnot I kinda thought this was the final end.

True or not, though, how would people feel if- legal issues aside- the Potterverse did continue under another author? And what would you prefer? A prequel series? Sequels? Or something altogether different, such as a series set in one of the other schools?

For me I think a lot would depend on the quality of the author(s) chosen. But then while I enjoy the Potter books I'm not as dedicated to them as some are, so the idea of someone else messing around in JK's world doesn't necessarily appall me. I think I'd prefer either a prequel series or something set at another school... although I suppose it's double blasphemy to have a non-JK series set somewhere other than the UK.

For me, I would prefer no more Harry Potter books. I loved the books alot and I know when I love something I want it to continue but there is something that makes the books special when JKR is not planning on writing more Harry Potter books.

If someone else did write the book(s), I probably wouldn't read unless someone I know gave me a really good recommendation to read it. I like JKR's writing style and so it would be difficult for me to appreciate another author writing the books that I will always associate with her.

[Exiled Master]

For me, I would prefer no more Harry Potter books. I loved the books alot and I know when I love something I want it to continue but there is something that makes the books special when JKR is not planning on writing more Harry Potter books.

If someone else did write the book(s), I probably wouldn't read unless someone I know gave me a really good recommendation to read it. I like JKR's writing style and so it would be difficult for me to appreciate another author writing the books that I will always associate with her.

There is one story that really needs to be told: the transformation of Neville. The last time we saw him in book 6 he was loyal and brave, but he couldn't leave. When we meet him in Hallows, however, he's an awesome leader. I want to know what happened there! There was so much character development that we missed out on.
And why did Tonks have to die? Remus, I can understand, but Tonks?

Also, do Harry and Ginny live in No. 12 or in Godric's Hollow?





And finally, what video game is going to let you play out the Battle of Hogwarts from every perspective and when is it coming out?

[Rosehawk]

There is one story that really needs to be told: the transformation of Neville. The last time we saw him in book 6 he was loyal and brave, but he couldn't leave. When we meet him in Hallows, however, he's an awesome leader. I want to know what happened there! There was so much character development that we missed out on.
And why did Tonks have to die? Remus, I can understand, but Tonks?

Also, do Harry and Ginny live in No. 12 or in Godric's Hollow?

Yeah, I would like to have seen more about Neville's transformation. We saw the transformation start in book 6. However that doesn't have to be a Harry Potter book. It could be a book about Neville, his family and what happened to his parents. Yeah, I could be open to JRK writing about Neville's past up to his role in book 7 but not another author. And while Harry would need to be mentioned, he doesn't have to be the main character in the story.

And yes I did want to know more about other characters, that is the art to her writing style, she makes her characters interesting enough that we want to learn more, but I don't need it to be another Harry Potter book. And if anything is written about the other characters, I would prefer it to be from JKR and not some other author.

As to Tonks,

Spoiler:

I don't need to know why Tonks died, though I was shocked at her death. I expected Remus to die but not Tonks. People do die in War. I think JKR's intent was to show another type of innocent causilty of war, which in many cases is the children left behind.
The need to fight the battle to rid the world of Voldermort to help protect her child's future would be a strong instinct in Tonks to go and fight for given her job that she had to do.

[Exiled Master]

Yeah, I would like to have seen more about Neville's transformation. We saw the transformation start in book 6. However that doesn't have to be a Harry Potter book. It could be a book about Neville, his family and what happened to his parents. Yeah, I could be open to JRK writing about Neville's past up to his role in book 7 but not another author. And while Harry would need to be mentioned, he doesn't have to be the main character in the story.

And yes I did want to know more about other characters, that is the art to her writing style, she makes her characters interesting enough that we want to learn more, but I don't need it to be another Harry Potter book. And if anything is written about the other characters, I would prefer it to be from JKR and not some other author.

As to Tonks,

Spoiler:

I don't need to know why Tonks died, though I was shocked at her death. I expected Remus to die but not Tonks. People do die in War. I think JKR's intent was to show another type of innocent causilty of war, which in many cases is the children left behind.
The need to fight the battle to rid the world of Voldermort to help protect her child's future would be a strong instinct in Tonks to go and fight for given her job that she had to do.

It would be awesome to see Harry & Co. at university, though I doubt it will happen. But I'm not satisfied with so few Harry and Ginny moments. And what about Luna? What kind of life could she lead? Hermione and Ron were handled together beautifully.

[SilverRider]

I would have perfered the epilogue to be like one year later....but 19.... Bah!

The book as a whole was good, but its the epilogue was lame. It didn't give a feeling of a real ending.

[Exiled Master]

I would have perfered the epilogue to be like one year later....but 19.... Bah!

The book as a whole was good, but its the epilogue was lame. It didn't give a feeling of a real ending.

There's always the possibility that JKR is not yet done with the Potterverse.

[Trek_Girl42]

There's always the possibility that JKR is not yet done with the Potterverse.

Really hope she does the encyclopedia- and elaborates on many of the lingering questions.

[fugiman]

Do we really need spoilers anymore? I mean if people have not finished they really shouldn't be in here I mean there has been plenty of time to finish the book (I mean I did it)

But anyway did anyone think they should have expalined a little more about what happened after the final showdown?