For Harry Potter Fans

.timesonline - UK ^ | March 08, 2005 | Simon Freeman

[Grendel9]

Harry Potter uncovered By Simon Freeman, Times Online

Four months before its release, the latest instalment in the adventures of Harry Potter is already the fastest-selling book in British history.

Today, the frenzy of anticipation among young old fans alike was cranked up a notch with the publication of the front covers of J K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The cover illustration, by Jason Cockcroft, for the children’s edition, which is due to be published on July 16, shows Harry and Professor Dumbedore, the headteacher of Hogwart's wizarding college, surrounded by a circle of flames

Dumbledore has already been tipped as one of the favourites to die in the sixth book after Rowling said one of the lead characters would be killed off.

[TightyRighty]

Sorry about that! I got a little excited....

[Tijeras_Slim]

Dobby is a snappier dresser.

[TightyRighty]

That's true. Gollum didn't leave much to the imagination did he?

[retrokitten]

I see what you are saying. Both you and discostu make great points about the Snape/Dumbledore situation. That's one of the things I love about the HP series is that everyone has their own theories and can make you see a situation from a totally different point of view that hadn't even considered.

[JenB]

They seem similar to you because you've made the mistake of thinking Harry's the main character... he's the viewpoint, sure, but by far one of the least interesting characters in the series. If you read them to watch, say, Neville, you'll have a much better time.

Whatever anyone says about Rowling, she is a master of character development. I learned more about writing character and conflict from her than anyone else I can think of. Neville's development is just one example of how good she is. (And I want a flying motorbike).

[Plutarch]

"The Wizard of Oz" was a dream a girl had after being knocked out. I think those witches and supernaturals are part of Dorothy's dream.

The dream business is part of the movie, not the book. In the book there really is an Oz, which forms the basis of a long series of books, first by Baum, and then by other authors. I don't think the lack of objection--- nay, veneration--- of Oz is dependent on the dream plot contrivance in the movie.

Auntie Em proclaims to be a Christian while talking to Elvira Gulch. Does that qualify as being a theme?

No, not really, no more than a similar utterance by on of Harry's muggle relatives in the movie only would cause HP's critics to relent. I haven't read the Oz series since I was a child, but I don't recall any Christian references whatsoever. There is an abundance, however, of wizards, witches, magic, magical creatures, charms, spells, etc. You even have a boy turning into a girl, Princess Ozma.

Jack Pumpkinhead is a comical character in the Land of Oz. He was made by Ozma to scare the awful old witch Mombi. When Mombi realized he was not alive, she tested some "Powder of Life" on Jack. He was brought to life, and he and Ozma had some fantasic adventures.

Just as magical and non-Christian as Harry Potter.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I prefer this cover.

[discostu]

That pattern changes dramatically with 4.

[tiredoflaundry]

IMHO Neville is just as strong, if not stronger a wizard than Harry is. Neville just doesn't realize it yet.

[SoftballMominVA]

Go to www.mugglenet.com for up to date postings on the new book.

As an FYI, this is an excerpt from the book describing the half blood prince

......(He) looked rather like an old lion. There were streaks of grey in his mane of tawny hair and his bushy eyebrows; he had keen yellowish eyes behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and a certain rangy, loping grace even though he walked with a slight limp.

New Character obviously

[discostu]

And remember Neville is using his father's wand, which probably isn't helping him any. I think he lost it in 5 (memory is the second thing to go), so watch out for Neville in 6 and 7.

[TwoWolves]

Neville and his family are definitely going to be worth watching in the next two books, IMO. Definitely going to be some action there.

[tiredoflaundry]

I'm so glad there are FReepers who are as nutty about Potter as I am.!
My husband thinks I'm crazy just because I taught my African Grey to whistle the Harry Potter theme,and to say "Bless My soul, It's Harry Potter"

[TightyRighty]

Whatever anyone says about Rowling, she is a master of character development.

That is one of the reasons I will continue to read the books. There isn't one character in the book that I don't like catching up on and I want to know everything that happens to them.

[Tanniker Smith]

Perhaps by the third book, she got another editor.

Either she got a new editor, or the old ones realized that she knew what she was doing. Or the phenomenom had taken off, such that the way was worth so much that they backed off a bit and gave her freer reign.

Btw, this can be good or bad, depending upon the individual. For instance, I had to stop with Tom Clancy with he came down with Stephen King Syndrome, which is defined (by me, at least) as "the inability to realize that you are no longer being paid by the word".

TS

[exnavychick]

Ouch! Just the other day, someone said that my writing reminded them of Spillane's. That person, however, was a fan of his, so I took it as a compliment.

Still, that's gonna leave a mark! :) I wouldn't mind soothing my pain with a few bucks, though, no problem. BWAHAHAHAHA!

[Tanniker Smith]

The Wizard of Oz" was a dream a girl had after being knocked out.

You might think that after the movie... but it doesn't really explain the other couple dozen books ...

TS

[HungarianGypsy]

I understand Harry has gone through a lot, plus he's a teenager, but did anyone get the urge to smack him upside the head in the last book? He seemed to have gotten whiny.

[TwoWolves]

Aye.

I had this overpowering desire to ask Harry one question: "Can you name even one time when magic brought the Dursleys a moment of happiness?" IMO, the Dursleys attitude toward magic and it's practitioners is quite understandable, but Harry doesn't seem to grasp it.

On the other hand, how would you feel if everyone around you seemed to know what was going on, but intentionally left you out of the loop? Especially when you had a real need to know what was going on? Dumbledor really screwed up when he failed to explain to Harry WHY he had to learn those mental disciplines. (And Dumbledor usually doesn't make mistakes of that magnitude.)

[HungarianGypsy]

I think everyone may be so bent on protecting Harry so they think they are doing good by keeping him out of the loop. Never realizing the not knowing is what keeps getting him in trouble.