Are there any Harry Potter fans out there? (echo echo)

[nessonite1]

No flames or spoilers, please?

Was wondering if anyone joined me tonight in picking up the new Harry Potter book at the midnight release. I was extremely fortunate and got numbers 32 and 33 so I was home by 12:30. 😀
I like to savour books that I read so it will likely take me the better part of a week to read it but I am greatly looking forward to it as I have been for the last 2 years since the last midnight release I went to. 😀 😛

Also, with the fourth movie ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0330373/ ) being released this year, I was wondering if you thought it was going to be as good as the first two or as bad as the third. I am cautiously optimistic but only slightly so.

Opinions? (please, if you've read book 6 already do not post spoilers. I'll have to kill you if you do and no one wants that.)

 

[Camel26]

I am a big fan and got the book tonite--#289, and was home by 1am...we must be nuts...

anyhoo, I'm more than thrilled for this book...I hope the shadiness surrounding the death in the last book is cleared up...I feel we have some big unanswered questions left open for plot twists...

as for the movie, I'm also optimistic...I initially hated the 3rd one...but I've come to appreciate it...the kids matured, as did the nature of the emotions in the 3rd one...it's darker, and they cut out a lot of important stuff...but all in all, not bad...excited for the 4th though!!!

Now I know what some might be thinking:

You're how old and you're into Harry Potter?

I too thought the fad was childish...until one day, several years ago, when I was a camp counselor, my kids were speaking to eachother using a myriad of terms from the books that I couldn't understand...so I happened to find my mother's copy of the 1st book (she's a teacher...it was in her little library), and read it...and it is written in such a way that it can be appreciated by anyone, no matter what their age...it makes you remember what it's like being a kid again...and it's refreshing...and, having worked with kids for most of my life, seeing how many little ones have grown to love reading--I had 6 year olds telling me excitedly how they finished the gigantic volumes--one is over 700 pages long...it's all good to me...kudos, JK Rowling...

 

[nessonite1]

Ha ha...good to see you on the crazy boat with me, Camel!!
Don't get me wrong...I have no troubles with the darker aspects of Movie #3. It's supposed to be that way. Book #3 has been my favorite of the series so far and what truly disapointed me what the complete lack of apreciation they showed for the story. They not only failed miserably at telling the story but they left out huge and very important chunks of it.
If you didn't read the book you were totally screwed if you wanted to know what the hell was going on. None of the important revelations that Book #3 revealed were ever brought to light. it was just a very big disapointment. The movie could have been the best of the bunch and was handled very poorly. *bitterness*

I've made it up to page 105 tonight and I'm gonna have to call it quits as I can no longer focus properly. 😛 I shall take up the task again tomorrow. There's a typo on page 38 hahahahaha. 😛

 

[-Kunoke-]

*hops on the wagon*

Yo! I'm a Harry Potter fan. 😀

 

[AphroditeRabbit]

Most definitely a Harry Potter fan here! *Cries tears of sorrow* I was way to sick to go out with my sister last night and purchase the book. But the boss at my comic job said she'd go out and get me a copy today *hearts* I love her 😀 *Excited about movies and otherwise coming out for Harry Potter* I about crapped my pants when the first movie came out 😛

 

[nessonite1]

awwwwwwww
*pity for AR*

 

[Yet_One_More_Idiot]

Any more room on the bandwagon? 😎

I would've been out last night to buy the new book, but for one thing; all the local stores were only allowing in people who had pre-ordered it (to limit overcrowding) and some were even limiting it to those under the age of 15...!
Since I am neither under 15 nor pre-ordered it, I had to wait 'til this afternoon (when I went during my late-lunch break at half past 5).

 

[cinnabar]

Count me in

I've been on the bandwagon for years now. I pre-ordered a copy from Barnes & Noble that just arrived in the mail today. Can't wait on the next movie to come out, I've been following updates on it and the new book on mugglenet.com

 

[hermione]

Hp

I own the books but refuse to read any faster than the movies come out! Movie 3 has been my favorite so far and can't wait for number 4! kim

 

[dragonmaster455]

Just finished it

I just finished it and wow this book is the best one so far!

 

[sole seeker1]

I'm a Harry Potter fan. I've read all the books. My name is on the list at the library to read this latest one. I get to pick it up this week.

I like to savour books that I read so it will likely take me the better part of a week to read it

Something we have in common, Nessie. You ought to see my personal library. Not that big I guess, but I'm fond of every volume. (The paperbacks and the hard covers I didn't care that much about I gave away to a local jail.)

 

[nessonite1]

Very generous of you, SS! They can't subsist on old copies of Boys Life now can they? 😛
I am over halfway through my book now. I have some things to say about it but I'll reserve it until I'm through. Then perhaps I'll set up another thread to discuss it. I really wish I had reread the first 5 before this one was released. Or at least reread the Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter which includes something of a summary of the first 4 (there is an addendum you can buy which includes the fifth). It was very helpful when I read it before #5 was released.
I do wish Rowling would reintroduce old charcters that I'm supposed to have remembered! 😛 More than once has a name seemd terribly familiar but I just haven't been able to plave it. Mundungus, for example. I'm sure he was in #5 (#4?) but I can't put my finger on it. I dont want to look anything up online lest I unearth something I've not read yet.
ahhh the confusion.

 

[Yet_One_More_Idiot]

Mundungus Fletcher...wasn't he the slightly dodgy, Del-boy like character in the Order, who was selling stuff that he oughtn't to be?

I haven't even started reading my copy yet - I bought the novel of Taken a while back, and read incredibly slowly (mostly 'cos I work 12 hour days, but also because I rarely feel inclined to pick up a book when I can read fanfic from a screen). So I'm currently reading that, and will start on HP6 when I've finished with Taken. 🙂

 

[strider1]

And now I have about 2 years to wait to find out if my theory regarding the climax of book 6 is right.

 

[Hungarian21]

I think I'll just sit on the top of the wagon, don't want to get too crowded... :happy:

I love the books. Actually, it is thanks to Harry Potter that I like reading. usually, I just sat in front of the TV or eat, eeat, eeeat, but when my mom sent it to me as a birthday gift and told me to read it or I'll not get desert, that all changed. After reading book 1, I started reading other books and novels. To be honest, Harry Potter was the first book I read my whole life. (willingly, of course). 🙄

I spent my last two weeks in Seatle visiting a friend, and didn't have a clue where I could find a bookstore, so I bought it a day after with that friend. I read it in 49 hours, (slept 'bout 6 hours each day), and now I'm beating myself with a stick until the last one comes out. But yeah, its got to be the best one, due to the fact that Harry isn't a crybaby anymore, like he was in book 5, blaming his friends and teachers for everything.

As for the movies, movie one dissapointed me witht he acting skills of Harry, however, by movie 3, he has gotten enough experience and started to act really well. So, I can't wait to see movie 4, perhaps because I want to see how much the actors have improved over this last year. :happy:

However, for those who like the movies, I have some bad news. movie five will take 6 months extra, so it will come out in 2007 June. Don't ask me why they did that. I know this because the Seatle paper (no clue what its called) had an article about the sixth book, and they included the realese dates of movie 1-6, six comming out in 2008 November. I guess its because the amount of things that happen in book 5 and 6. I mean, they cut out/changed a lot of stuff in movies 1-3, things that could be left out. However, in 5 and 6, they just can't do that. There is too much happening. So, maybe they will make them longer by 40 minutes. Dunno. I guess we will just have to wait, and wait, and wait,... 😎

 

[Yet_One_More_Idiot]

I have a theory about the end of book 7, too. In fact, I have such a strong feeling, that when the bookmakers start taking bets on it, I'm getting in there. 🙂 Well, I do work in a bookies, so I should know how to get the best deal...fingers crossed.

 

[nessonite1]

SPOILER WARNING....

now that Ive finished Book #6 I give everyone permission to discuss it here so if you havent read it, dont read on. 😛

Hungarian, glad Im not the only person who felt Harry was a prick in Book #5. It's sort of understandable as I dont think I'd be terribly cheerful given the same situation. 😛
Book #6 certainly didnt end in any way that I was expecting. I was somewhat disapointed that there was little to nothing for poor Neville to do as I've really grown to like him. He was developed so well in #5 and then was nowhere to be seen here.
Also happy to see that both Ron and Harry got a little action at long last. 😀

 

[Camel26]

I just finished it...and I'm in shock...wow...I think I am going to have to sleep on it before saying anything more...wow...I don't want to wait another 2 years to know what happens!!!!!!!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!

 

[nessonite1]

I had the same reaction, Camel. I can wait for Book #7 though. I waited long enough for #6. I know the next one will be the last and I'm in no hurry to have the series end, ya know?

 

[SF85]

I wonder what'll happen to Harry by the end though. Will he have to sacrifice himself to stop Voldermort? Or will Snape intervene in some way?

 

[nessonite1]

I am not sure at all if Harry will survive the series. If Dumbledore can die then anything can happen. In this series I've learned not to be sure of anything at all. I was uncertain about Snape until the very end and I'm still not convinced that Sirius is really irevokably dead.
When the bloody war finally occurs I'm not at all sure of ANYONE's survival though I am fairly certain that Voldomort will fall.
I am very interested to see how much Dumbledore's portrait (in his former office) knows and whether or not it will prove to be useful. I've always wondered about those portraits. Does the subject need to do something special to prepare the portrait before his/her death to make it be able to think and speak? If a portrait knows everything the subject knew then a portrait of Dumbledore could be invaluable. I am irritated that no one conversed with his portrait before the book ended!

 

[Hungarian21]

😀 😀 😀 😀 :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :laughing: :laughing: 🙂 🙂 My 100th post! Finally!

More SPOILERS, please do not read on if you wish not to know more of the ending. Thank you. :happy:


*#$! SNAPE!!!! 😡 😡 😡 😡 I hope he dies in the next book. 😡 Killing Dumbledore when he could have saved him... I guess its because he didn't want to die, you know, because of that "unbreakable promise" thingy, which is supposed to kill him if he does not fulfill all his promises. (And one was that he will finish the job if Draco can't). Oh well.

Anyway, we could have kind of suspected this. After all, there has not been a Defense Againts Dark Arts (AKA, D.A.D.A. 😀) teacher that stayed longer than one year ever since Harry came to school, so we might have known that Snape will have to dissapear somehow.

Also, I agree that the portrait will be useful, because Harry will need help on finding the rest of those artifacts that hold Voldemort's ( :wooha: what did I just say? 😱 ) soul peices. As for the war, I dunno. However, I believe the Draco might join up with Harry and the rest of the good wizards when his most needed, rather than Snape, due to the fact that he was questioning his own doings when he cornered Dumbledore. Who knows? 🙄

 

[strider1]

All right,as long as we can talk freely now,I'm absolutely convinced Snape's still good and that his killing Dumbledore was part of their plan.The whole thing about Snape showing remorse for setting Voldemort onto James and Lilly just struck me as way too thin to be Dumbledore's reason for trusting him,he's way too smart to take the world of someone who's so accomplished at masking his thoughts at face value.There's gotta be something we don't know yet,my guess is that Dumbledore and Snape made an unbreakable vow with each other,although I have no idea what the content of it could be.

 

[nessonite1]

I'm afraid I'm not as optimistic as you, Strider. Snape, for me, is a lost cause. He's a coward and even if/when the dark side begins to lose I don't think he'd be welcomed back even if he tried. He remained loyal to the dark side even after Voldemort's fall and rejoined him almost immediately when he was resurrected. I do believe that Dubledore's faith in him was misplaced. Dubledore payed for it with his life and after seeing that I don't think Harry will be trusting anyone remotely associated with Voldemort.
Woudl Snape have killed Dubledore without the Unbreakable Vow hanging over his head? I don't know. His desire to be on the side that's winning may have won out over his loyaly to Voldemort. He certainly could have stopped Draco and the Death Eaters who were in the room. But I don't think he would have...
As for Draco...Dumbledore was certainly right about him. He never would have killed Dumbledore on his own and I do think that there is a possibility of his switching sides. Dumbledore almost had him talked out of it when Snape burst in. My guess? Draco will switch sides in the end but will still die (though honorably). Maybe be killed by his own father...I wouldnt put it passed him if his son were to desert.

 

[AphroditeRabbit]

I have a hard time believing ANY of it. I mean...all this magic stuff, whose to say it was the real Dumbledore? (Polyjuice potion and all that). There's so much undiscovered magic that pops up into each book whose to say that the curse didnt hit the deadly amulet that he was holding under his robes and the negative things ( the curse and the amulet) put together will somehow make him able to rise again. (Think a bullet hitting someone in the chest and finally someone discovers it hit their glasses case or something and the person is okay afterall, just mearly stunned.)

I have this theory Snape wants to save Malfoy and is on the good side too. He knew that if he saved Dumbledore his whole plot and work would be foiled. They couldn't risk the 'mole' discovery so there was a prior arrangement that in this event, Snape would have to kill him to convince EVERYONE that he was "real" about it.

There truly was a lot of unexplained phenomena in these books that I wish went further into detail, alas it did not and we must all guess and wait for yeaaaaaaaaaaaars!!!