Harry Potter

oneweb

OK, so I first thought the robbery of a few thousand books was a publicity stunt. Seems it wasn't as a shop (was it a chemist? what were they selling fiction for anyway?) in the States sold some.

Anyway, I've been informed by many (Granny, aunty, classmates et al) that the books are a very good read/films are a good watch.

So I wanna know, what did/do you think of Harry Potter? Is watching the films good enough or should one read the books?

(Not read/seen any of it... ...yet)

Tha Gopher

Call it a misinformed opinion seeing as I never read it,but its all a bit weird IMO.I mean,why are people prepared to pay thousands of euros to buy stolen copies just so they can finish the book before anybody else?Its a bit mad in my view.
And it sort of pisses me off that it takes up so much news time.Some middle aged reporter talking about muggles and halfwits or whatever they call each other in the books.And 95% of the audience who never saw the book are thinking WTF is this about.
And its rich her suing the paper.There was some damning evidence that she copied the concept from an american author.
And since when was it cool for young boys to dress up in huge black glasses and hats and wait with broomsticks to get thier books?In my day a kid waring huge glasses because of bad eyesight would have got a beating,never mind wearing it to look like some geek from a book.Jack Dee once made a good point about this
"I mean,Harry Potter isnt like kids from our generation.He isnt even like the kids today in general.I mean,think whatwould happen if he went to the local comprehensive school.The tough kids come up to him and say"Oi whats your name foureyes?"
"Im Harry Potter from the hogwarts school of wizards!"
SMACK!"
It is sort of true when you think about it.You can understand why the kid who stars in the films wants out.

Lenny

lol good speach gopher

fisty

fantastic books, very engrossing stuff.
looking forward to number 5

BEAT

I was curious about the Harry Potter phenomenon so I went and bought the first book, I read it in 2 days, I went directly back to the store bought the other 3 and finished them all in 4 days. I am an adult and I found the books to be exciting and funny, I literally couldnt put the book down!! I have been waiting ever since for the new book, and btw, there will be 7 in total according to the storyline.
The first movie was disappopinting only because i went to see it right after i read the book and they left so much out and changed things that it annoyed me, but I still like the movie today. I was the for opening day for the second movie, which followed the book a lot closer. I am awaiting the third movie anxiously as the third book is my favoroite thus far.

I was surprised that a 'kids' book had me so excitied, my friends thought I was nuts, I got one to read the first book, and the same thing happened to him, he took the rest of my books and read them within a week. He is grown with children.

I would say to anyone who is skeptical, if you havnt seen the movie's, try the book and I bet you'll be surprised. !
Then see the movie, it spoils the book if you have seen the movie already.

And that's what I think about that.

Mossy Monk

whatever about the whole Harry Potter phenomenon. at least it's getting the small people to read

BuffyBot

I would be quite happy if I never heard of the words Harry Potter ever again!

WhiteWashMan

read the first four.
will read the fifth when i can rob it of someone who has it.
have to admit, they are a pretty good read.
the films werent bad either. come to think of it, ive seen a lot worse.

i mean you can enter into a debate about where she has robbed her ideas. there are only really 5 (i think) orginal ideas in the whole world, and everything after that is just plagerism anyway, but the fact is, where ever she got her ideas, she has made something very popular with people of all ages.
i think a lot of people just dont want to appear to like harry potter because its trendy, the way hating pop music is trendy when your 18

but yes, the books are worth the read. surprisingly easy and non taxing on the brain. its like stephen king novels. good to read and can be put down and picked up whenever. er, except exchange the rats and zombies and evil and stuff with er, magic and broomsticks.
and flying cars.
er, and people with funny names like hermione.

come to think of it, how many people pronounced that name herm-e-own-i
well, i know i did, and quiet a few others. was a surprise in the cinema to hear it said as her-mi-o-knee

Sposs

I just call her Slut after all she's just after harry's "Wand"

ciano

I havent read of the books yet (so maybe its unfair to express an opinion), but I saw the first film and thought it was crap to be honest. Im sure it was brilliant for kids, which I suppose is the target audience.

Silent Bob

Ah they're all right. I mean I wouldn't go and queue for hours just to get the damn thing, it's not that good (but then very few things are in my opinion:))

I read them last year. They aren't the kind of books that I would re-read though. The works of Terry Pratchett and Iain M. Banks have much more scope for re-reading which IMO marks them out as better reads. Banks definately isn't suitable for kids though...

DapperGent

I've read and hugely enjoyed them all so far. I particularily like how the content becomes more mature with every book as the kids grow up. They're books that the phrase "great yarn" were invented for.

I've done the half price order thing from amazon and await the next one with unashamed bated breath.

Dustaz

tesco in athlone are selling the book since this morning.

Go go Potter fans, you can have it read before midnight and then shout the name of the person whos killed at the queueing masses outside easons


Never read any of them, considering it tho as i have a long wait for the next pratchett book.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

PatLam

Well, I've studied french literature for 5 years, and I must say that Harry Potter is refreshing... It's completely out of reality, it has nothing to do with religions, politics or every day worries.. I loved it because I could relax a little.
And it's great that children read again

sceptre

LOL at gopher.

Read the books. Much better than the movies.

oneweb

That's pretty much what I was expecting Anyone who's read it said it was good, and I heard that from even the most unexpected people. Only people who haven't read it put dissed it with jest such as 'what a load of rubbish' and such and such.

I'll start reading in the next few weeks...

Rew

Anyone know how much the copies of book 5 are in the shops?

sceptre

Originally posted by Rew
Anyone know how much the copies of book 5 are in the shops?

Easons are selling it for €22, HMV for 19 or 20. Amazon are selling for well, less

Funky

i thought the books were so much better than the films...

think my parents got me the first book around christmas time or so and i was pretty sceptical , but i thought it was great and read it in one day pretty much and the rest of the books straight after in the next week.

Mark

I got the four books off a friend (ahem), and was suprisingly pleased.

They are very well written, (the Demeantors(sp) especially), fairly good if slightly clichéd characters and the story has that long thought out feel to it.

Might actually buy the fifth one...

mavedic

The potter books are good easy-to-read books that don't require too much thought. The hype over the 5th book is putting me off buying it though... its all a bit over the top. Opening at midnight so people can buy the book asap?? Whats that about? Hopefully the craze will pass soon.

Nevyn

The magic time opening of Easons for the witching hour to sell the book was done 2 years ago for Gobelt of fire .

This year same as the last they had people in coutume and fire eaters jugglers ect to make it a festive occasion.

There are few things that children get really intrested that are good for them ( ir crappy pokemon and s hit e ) but reading will do them all the world of good.

More of this type of thing for them tbh.

and no i wasnt there but my sisters were

Also the huge 38 chapters of the order of the pheniox is on sale for about 18euros with is a samn sight less then most of the chard back new edition books.

The libraries arround the dublin area already have a waiting list for those who wish to borrow the book.

Shinji

Early verdict - the fifth book is every bit as good as, if not better than, the previous books in the series. Rowling is maturing her characters perfectly - Harry and friends are genuinely 15 year olds now, rather than still acting as they did in the first book as 11 year olds, and the other characters have also changed greatly, something which only becomes apparent as you delve further into the book.

I read a hell of a lot, but I don't think I've ever sat down and read a book that large in a single six-hour stint - which is exactly what I did today. Absolutely compelling, hugely entertaining stuff once again.

Replying to some of the comments earlier in the thread... There was a fantastic cartoon in Private Eye recently which really sums up how I feel about much literature at the moment. Two authors are introduced at a party; one says, "I write books for adults, they deal with grown-up things like getting pissed, having sex and mid life crises." The other turns around and says, "I write books for children - they deal with childish things like the true forms of good and evil, whether there is a god, the nature of friendship and loyalty, and the reality of the world around us."

I can list on the fingers of one hand the number of authors recently whose work I have enjoyed as much as that of JK Rowling and Philip Pullman - ostensibly childrens writers whose work is so much more intelligent than that of most "adult" authors it's not even funny. Those criticising Harry Potter haven't read the books. Draw your own conclusions.

fisty

i was walking past reads on nassau st at about 11 o clock last night and there was a big queue of kids and all these old men dressed up as wizards.

It's excellent that kids are interested in books again because you can see from the vocabulary on some young kids these days it is essential that its built upon in younger years, and books like these help enormously.

6 Hours, jesus, you must be a fast reader.
The Book is a monster!

mavedic

It is good to see that kids are reading and have so many good books to choose from compared to the some of the drivel that is available for 'adult' readers. As long as game stores don't start opening at midnight for new release video games.

Dar

In a way im disappointed the book was so good, since we'll have to wait another 2 years or more for the next one if its going to be the same size or larger

ps im so tempted to stick a few posters around the area saying "the person who dies is ....". muahahah

DapperGent

I wish I hadn't ****ing ordered this from Amazon now.

Monday at the earliest for Christ sake.

DapperGent

I just realised that if the book cost €18 in Easons by ordering from Amazon and paying postage I saved myself exactly €0.15.

Man I feel dumb.

sceptre

Originally posted by DapperGent
I just realised that if the book cost €18 in Easons by ordering from Amazon and paying postage I saved myself exactly €0.15.

Man I feel dumb.

Hmmm, after checking, you're right there. it's 18.99 in Limerick Easons after using their 3 euro voucher (they're avaiable at the CS desk).

From Amazon:
8.49+2.95+0.99 = £12.43. Divide by about 0.70 & it comes to €17.57. Bigger saving than €0.15 but hardly worth the hassle of waiting so off to Easons I go (ta muchy DapperGent)

(obviously worth going with Amazon if you throw in a copy of Fantastic Beasts & the Quiddich through the ages but I already have those)

Sposs

Harry's a wizard