Harry Potter is back!

[Haltickling]

Finally the 5th Harry Potter book is out! I've really waited for it, and I got it today from amazon.

It's believed to set a new record for the fastest-selling book in history. In London, several book-shops opened at midnight (6/21 is the first day of sale), and one of them at King's Cross decorated its entrance as "Platform 9 3/4". Thousands of kids and adults waited, disguised in wizard cloaks and hats. Several similar scenes happened in Germany, although they'll have to wait till November for the German version. The first Harry Potter fans queued up at 4am, 5 hours before the shops open.

But it's even creating more waves: Last week, a truck with 8000 of these books was stolen in Northern England. And author J.K.Rowling has sued a big American newspaper for 200 million $ because they printed unauthorized excerpts of it before the official start-sale date.

In an interview, J.K.Rowling mentioned that one of the key characters of the series will die in this book, and now everybody is wondering who. Surely not Harry himself, there are 2 more Harry Potter books planned. Is it Ron, or Hermione, or Hagrid, or Dumbledore?

Well, nobody dies during the first 100 pages, that's how far I got now... 😛

 

[thx10050]

Personally, I've never understood the hype about Harry Potter.

I've read the first book and it really didn't hold my interest at all. I suspect this is because not only is Harry Potter a book mainly for kids (the last good fantasy series for kids was the Chronicles of Narnia), but that I'm more into 'serious' fantasy/sci-fi (Christopher Rowley, Raymond Feist, David Weber, the whole heap of Dragonlance novels, Harry Turtledove, etc).

While I don't like the books, I think it was very smart of Rowling to take advantage of an open market, namely a basic fantasy series for kids.

 

[phatteus]

a funny Potter-related story

Hey, Hal!

Over here in the USA, (New York, Manhattan, to be exact) there was a litle Health food store that put the book on the shelves four days early. While this was against the wishes of the publishers, they did it anyway. The New York Daily News did a story on this little mom-and-pop establishment, stating that they had succumbed to Potter-Mania.
The publisher of the books (Scholastic Press) did something to the store that information was not available at press time, whether they banned the sale of Potter Books from that establishment, or fined the store or whatnot, but in the end, the Little Store has decided to SUE the New York Daily News for an undisclosed amount of damages. They feel the paper had no right to print this information.
Now Come on. You personally may not be familliar with the specific laws of the USA, but let me tell you: This store does not have a case. In opening a STORE, a public place, they have made the affairs of what goes on within their walls a matter of public knowledge. Just like if the local paper in England did a story about how the Machester United trounced their opponents, the opponent could not sue the paper for defamation of character, because they are selling their skills to the public, and the paper is making these public ideas accessible to a broader audience.
I thought this was funny. People can be stupid.

 

[Haltickling]

thx10050, it all comes down to a matter of personal taste, like so often. I've read other fantasy, and I liked some and some others not. What fascinates me about the Potter saga is that it's so closely embedded in our world; it makes the whole thing seem so much more real than other fantasy.

One other thing: While the first book was certainly more addressed to kids, the later books (at least from #3 onward) can compete with any other good fantasy, IMO.

phatteus, we may be talking about different lawsuits. What I heard in the news, the author herself sued the paper for unauthorized publishing. There's something like a copyright, and they printed without the copyright holder's permission.

But I agree in your case: If the bookshop ignored the warnings printed all over the packages, it's their own fault if they are excluded from the very profitable Potter sales in the future.

 

[phatteus]

Hal, different lawsuits, and if I'm not mistaken, different papers...

I could be wrong, tho

 

[desdemona]

I got my blessed reserve copy today also 🙂 - a birthday present from my sister/brother-in-law. Actually, I was surprised when it arrived on the official release date. At the very least, I figured it wouldn't be shipped out until Monday. And I'm surprised my brother-in-law didn't read it first - I would have been none the wiser!

I didn't understand the mania of the whole HP series in the beginning. I read the first four books a year and a half ago - right around Christmastime and after the release of the first movie. I couldn't put them down. Not only was the writing excellent, the characters ring true throughout the series. And I agree with Hal, the subject material gets much more mature with each book. I find it amusing to search Amazon.com and see how many books have been published on the subject of Harry Potter. Just as in the Chronicles of Narnia, we find religious and mythological references galore. Not all kids stuff. I look forward to reading the next 800+ pages and the final two installments when they, too, reach circulation.

 

[R. Davis]

Harry Potter Hype!

I never understood the media hype behind the Harry Potter books. Alot of that has been going around I'm talking about,( NEWS MEDIA HYPE). If the book gets kids reading more, then its all good.

 

[red indian]

Toilet Paper..................

......is a massive seller as well, so what?

 

[Dave2112]

Contrite as always, eh Injun? 🙄

Anyway...

I have to agree that like it or hate it, J.K. Rowlings has gotten kids to read again. It is so vitally important for children to read and parents these days tend to overlook that. In an age of video games and short-attention-span "television", we have to bring the book back.

To be honest, I never read the books until I saw the first film. There was nothing else to rent one day, so I took home a DVD of the first film and was pleasantly surprised. I really got into the whole world of Harry Potter. I think you can find success whenever you can create a whole world or universe that exists on its own, one that is familiar enough to be recognizable, but fantastic enough to keep your attention and imagination going. This is what made Middle-Earth, Narnia and the Star Wars galaxy so succesful.

Like Des said, it's not just for kids. The underlying references are ones we can all relate to and the story-telling itself is superb. That's what will make or break a book. It's all about the story.

 

[Haltickling]

Heehee, I just heard that the words "Muggle" and "Quidditch" have made it into the official dictionaries, too... 😎

 

[JoBelle]

There is a TIME magazine article out this week that does a very good job of summing up why Mr. Potter and his friends are loved by kids and adults alike the world over.

The main point (I think) is in that none of the characters is particularly extraordinary, but they each do great things. These are empowered kids even if they are from a poverty ridden family full of kids like Ron, geeky smart and stiff like Hermione, or have extreme problems at home like Harry. Then all the extras are tossed in for good measure in ways that show charcteristics that kids struggle with it. *The things we adults have burned in our psyches* Issues of trust, self worth, hating our teachers, going away from home, being over competitive, dealing with the bullies, maybe even being the bullies. This is what makes the story of the boy wizard so believable. She's managed to creat a world for just the age child that needed an escape the most. The ones who are being asked to do so much so soon nowadays. This lets them take a breather and realize they aren't alone.

I LIKE Harry Potter. And if Dumbledore were real, I'd invite the old coot over for dinner! It's the characters that make it for me. Well, that, and I'd invest a pretty penny for someone to come up with a flying broomstick or a golden snitch. Quidditch seems to be rugby and basketball mixed up in the air. Brutal, and fast and just my style...lol

So, yep, we have Harry Potter birthday parties in this house. We read the first three books then they got a bit too mature for my kid. So we're re-reading them. My son at 5 years old even asks for help writing his own stories, "You know Mom, pretend, like Harry Potter." I thank Ms Rowling. She's done well.

Joby

 

[Marauder]

Re: Toilet Paper..................

......is a massive seller as well, so what?

Good comparison. Harry Potter is like TP for the soul - it wipes away the shitstains that life left and leaves you feeling clean and comfortable.
I can't wait starting to read "Order of the Phoenix".

 

[jordan]

I've read all the books besides the 5th and they are great! I borrowed them from my towns library, and I'm going to buy them soon enough.

 

[Battousai]

I've never met a person in real life who doesn't like Harry Potter after reading the books; no matter the age. As for me, I love 'em! Its been over a year since I last read the first 4, but I'm currently on my brand spanking new copy of the 5th! I won't spoil it for anyone (As someone spoiled it for me already..), but I can tell you its the best so far. I'm on chapter 15 or so, and thats just in two evenings ^^x

 

[red indian]

Blimey Maruader ...........

......did you just call me a "shit stain"???"!!!

 

[Marauder]

Who me? Why, I'd never! I'm prone to call people names, true, but "shit stain" isn't one of them. I go more for "Doodoo Head" or "Booger-brains". My personal favorite is "you spineless gastropod". You must've misread something in my post. I'd never insult you - I LOVE YOU, MAN!!! LOOOOOOVE YOUUUU!!! Huggers! XOXOXO