Harry Potter: Worth the Hype?

[Paradoxismminant]

What do you think?

Personally, I like the series despite its shortcomings. It's not going to win any awards, but I grew up and was entertained by it.

How about you?  

[rutarete]

i agree  

[Ncrypt1d Threadkiller]

I like it.

BUt I love magic XD  

[Semidis--]

I like it for light reading.

Don't expect anything intense from it, you know?  

[~[More.than.More]~]

not even close. i read the books and these movies cut out most of the parts that make up a vary complex, highly intricate world of people you think you know then a movie come along and killed half the favorite and ruin the story line. JK i hate you for doing this. Its almost as bad as twilight  

[Semidis--]

Ouch.

That is a serious burn.  

[Paradoxismminant]

So...you mostly have a beef with the movies?  

[rutarete]

Paradoxismminant

So...you mostly have a beef with the movies?

i have to agree about the movie thing ruining the book's image.
harry pottermovies are ok for me, but my 2 particular qualms are The Golden Compass - it cut out like the last half of the book! (exaggeration, but still a lot, especially at the end) and Inkheart. inkheart trilogy was great!, and in my opinion is one of those books better left off imagined than broadcasted everywhere  

[Paradoxismminant]

rutarete

Paradoxismminant

So...you mostly have a beef with the movies?

i have to agree about the movie thing ruining the book's image.
harry pottermovies are ok for me, but my 2 particular qualms are The Golden Compass - it cut out like the last half of the book! (exaggeration, but still a lot, especially at the end) and Inkheart. inkheart trilogy was great!, and in my opinion is one of those books better left off imagined than broadcasted everywhere

It's never the same XD  

[TheNewLibrarian]

Harry Potter series= good

Its ending= disappointing sad  

[Jade Hawkeye Lillian]

Reguardless of what the quality of the story is, you can't deny that the HP AND Twilight books got kids (girls mostly for the last one) to read--and LIKE reading. I'm a big fan of don't knock it til you try it (though I'm sometimes a hypocrit), and unless you're a big name author (*cough*Stephen King*cough*) I don't think anyone has a right to b***h about it without admitting this fact first.*

*You guys should be proud of me, I just thought this up...if you're critically thinking about a book/series/whatever, you're becoming a better reader and writer yourself. biggrin  

[Ncrypt1d Threadkiller]

Yay biggrin  

[Paradoxismminant]

I like you, Jade. I like you a lot xd

Yes. Critical thinking is important in life...  

[Green_crayon42]

NO!!
I was introduced to HP in my 7th grade year of...1998...? I loved it then, but as I grew up I began to be into other kinds of imaginings of magic.
Mostly for me, in that time, it was a way for me to connect with my father. We talked about it, went to the movies and he bought me memorabilia.
Then when I figured out my father underhandedly was ruining the family and had a terrible view of me, in particular, and the world and had worse problems then I did, I kindof stopped liking him entirely. And as the series was our only connection, I disliked it too.
I read all 7 books over again, some years after I left high school, to see if I liked it at all anymore. It turned out to be total crap.
However, I still hope to see the final movie with my father, just because...it's our thing. And it's one thing he can understand and likes. --we saw Avatar together. On the drive home, he got amazingly pissed at the floating rocks. stare
I hate my father with a passion, and have many arguments against the books, but it is a good one to grow up on, and have in your library regardless.

My problems with it are these:
1. I am a naturally gifted writer myself. I've never written anything publish-able. but I know what good writing is. I'm sorry. Rowling has absolutely no style, no sensory words, and nothing but a general plot to drive the story. She does not take the reader into the story. Example of good writing: Lord of the Rings trilogy. Great story, superb writing.
2. The plot is driven by personal grudges only.
3. The characters are two dimensional and are known for only one trait throughout. Ex: Hermione-smart, clever. Ron-scared of everything, in a large family in poverty. McGonagal(sp?)-witty, short and curt, tough but fair(I like her). Dumbledore-incredible magician, knowledgeable, the god of the story, overseer of life at Hogwarts, and always seems to show up when Harry needs him mysteriously. -cough- favoritism! -cough-
Voldemort-equally incredible magician, but of dark arts. His only goal is to kill Harry. Why? Because he didn't die the first time. Can he not pick another target of a lower level then his own? Is he not not smart enough to see that? He is very clever and intelligent, and he can't see that Harry is equal to or better then him?
and Harry Potter. In 7 books, you think characters would grow up a little. He remains dramatic and a baby.
Harry and I have similar happenings in our past. Granted, mine wasn't a curse placed upon me with a stick, but similar nonetheless. Harry remains focused on the past. I understand that one of the main points of the book is to admit that feelings are good, but ....Rowling takes it too far. I, on the other hand, grew up being looked down on constantly as well, but rose above it. and refuse to be dramatic about it. Because I grew up quickly in that atmosphere.
4. The story goes on and on. Can they never pick a winner? Granted, the books always have some cool new happenings but they never end.
5. I have never liked wand magic.
6. Never liked good vs. evil either. I need stories with a little more depth and complexity then light against dark.

In almost complete contrast, my favorite book is The Prisoner of Azkaban. Favorite characters: Lupin, McGonagal, Hagrid and Hermione. And of course Serious Black. He's awesome too. I'd love to be able to turn into a dog or any animal at will, wouldn't you?
Another thing: Fudge. Really? Would the magical world elect someone so unwilling to admit to truth and so bumbling...to office? Are you kidding me?
I like the fact that the story takes place in a boarding school for magic, that's something new...but other then that...Not my type of book in the slightest.

Reasons I see the movies: Emma Watson is a terrific actress. and beautiful. The scenery is simply wonderful(i am a photographer). The movies are chuck full of special effects..witch is something I'd like to possibly go into as a career. I've never seen an owl in movies now that I come to think of it. They are hard to train(got that from the special features on the DVD). and something to have a halfway decent talk with my father about. Least I don't end up crying from fury at the end of it.
Sorry, if I upset some of you. That's my view on it, and I do tend to go on and on myself, also, regrettably, work myself into a storm. Sorry bout that.
Well, before I go on another tangent, I will leave.  

[Green_crayon42]

Ah. Before any ....comments saying that I'm terribly wrong and crap come up, I need to apologize.
Now you know my problems with the books. I was just...reinforcing my points if that makes sense. I didn't mean to get all bitchy about it, but that does happen from time to time. Harry Potter debates get me really fired up. No idea why.
Sorry about that folks. But I did state my view and why witch is what was asked for. and if not, my reasons would have been asked for anyway.