Interesting..... could be fun. I see a Harry's Shadow book. Maybe she should have a talk with OSC on how it's done!
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
No. Do not want. Not unless they get her an editor and stat. Books 5 through 7 were such amazing let downs that I really don't want an 8th. And I kinda want them to go back and edit the ever lovin' crap out of the back half of the series. Maybe include 4 in it too. Her edited books are amazing, she has a talent for plot, her world is wonderful and her style -- once shortened and cleaned up -- is a blast. But once the editors stopped trying her books went hard core down hill. The plot became messy with unnecessary turns, her style became slow and bogged down and the world became harder to get lost in.
But I guess there isn't much chance of her being edited more in the future... unless her fame dies down or people start to actually read her books more closely. Oh well.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I don't really see how this is special news. She's already said before that it's a possibility, but not for at least a decade, but that we'd likely get an encyclopedia of some sort regardless.
I'm in the middle of that Time Magazine article, and it sounds like she really wants to get back to it, but that she really, really needs a break. I won't be surprised if she goes back to that world again, but I bet I have kids of my own by the time she does.
Posted by adfectio (Member # 11070) on :
quote:Originally posted by Alcon: Books 5 through 7 were such amazing let downs that I really don't want an 8th.
Agreed. Totally. I quit after book 5. It was twisty too a point of losing me. She had the first 4 books down pat, they were fantastic and original. It just kind of felt like she lost her vision, like so many TV shows that go on for too long.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
I like second half better.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
wow, the first two books do nothing for me, and it isn't till the third that i begin really liking them.
5-7 are my favorite books in the series.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I agree with Strider.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Me too. Though I like 3-7 the best I think.
If it's a good book, i'll devour it. Heck, I'd devour it while trying to find out if it's good.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
<shrug> I've liked them all; the early ones are just different from the later ones. The only one I mild-to-moderately disliked was "Harry is a teenager, it's time for him to start screaming at everyone" book 5.
I thought _Deathly Hallows_ finished things off pretty effectively and satisfyingly. I wouldn't hold it against her if she wanted to write another, but I think she's right that it shouldn't focus on Harry. I won't wait with baited breath.
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
Maybe the new book could be about when Harry travels at near light speed throughout the universe trying to find the perfect world for the Voldomort egg he has been carrying... etc.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Aaaaaaaaaah! Nooo! Don't do it, JK! Don't give into the pressure!!
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
quote:Originally posted by adfectio:
quote:Originally posted by Alcon: Books 5 through 7 were such amazing let downs that I really don't want an 8th.
Agreed. Totally. I quit after book 5. It was twisty too a point of losing me. She had the first 4 books down pat, they were fantastic and original. It just kind of felt like she lost her vision, like so many TV shows that go on for too long.
Heresy.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
Reading the actual article (and not the misleading title) it seems some mild, off-hand, hazy remarks by Rowling about possibly doing another novel set in the Potterverse some day has been spun into "The Harry Potter series will continue!"
Which isn't what she said. Posted by Ron Lambert (Member # 2872) on :
I disagree strongly with Alcon, and second what Shawshank said. Books 5-7 were J.K. Rowling's best books of the series. You might even add book 4, where most reviewers concede the stories began to get "darker." They were electrifying. Maybe you cannot ask perfection of any writer, but I don't know how she could have tied up all the plot threads better than she did in book 7. By hindsight, someone might say they wish she had said something about this, or about that; but on the whole, as a creative work, Rowling has done a truly superb job, and deserves to be compared to J.R.R. Tolkien.
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
My favorite books in the series were books 3 and 7. Book 6 is the only one that I really didn't like that much. I felt that in 6 she twisted characters around to push the plot and started in altogether the wrong place. But 7 was astounding and divine.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I may be the only one who is happiest nestled snugly in the middle of her series, specifically books 3, 4, and 5. Maybe a bit of 6.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
PSI, I come close. 3,5, and parts of 7.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
I thought book 7 was one of the best 2. The other would either be 3, 4, or 5, probably 4. It's funny how people talking about a book series jumping the shark. They never mention how a series can un-jump the shark.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
I don't think it jumped the shark. I just think her editors made a bad call by deciding her books would continue to sell whether they were edited or not and therefor deciding not to spend the time editing them. If you like books 4 through 7 now imagine how awesome they would be if they'd been edited down and sleeked up a bit. Like the first three were.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
I say we let OSC rewrite them all, without the "she said fiercely" stuff.
Posted by 777 (Member # 9506) on :
Well, like people that have commented on that article...
Sherlock Holmes was killed off, but returned due to pressure on Doyle from his friends, family, and thousands (perhaps millions) of fans, much to the enjoyment of everyone.
Perhaps the same will happen with Harry Potter, due to pressure on Rowling from her friends, family, and millions (perhaps billions) of fans, much to the enjoyment of everyone.
While she doesn't need to continue the Harry Potter series, it's honestly more desirable than simply leaving an intricately-designed world and setting on the shelf to rot. There's so much potential there for her to build off of--all we've seen so far are London and the deep countryside of Scotland, along with some random spots around the English countryside. To say that she has room to expand is a severe understatement.
And we need not suppose that she'd restrict herself to the happy, eerie setting of Hogwarts; I can see the potential for some seriously gripping, dark stories in the world she has created.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
I think the order of my favorites is: 4, 6, 7, 3, 2, 5, 1. Five was a lot like SW Ep 3, to me - some cool stuff, some painful character stuff.
I'm just looking forward to her Encyclopedia Hogwartsia, or whatever she'll call it.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
The Hitchhiker's Guide to Hogwarts?
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
"Hogwarts-A History".
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
"I say we let OSC rewrite them all, without the "she said fiercely" stuff."
My favorite was the use of "bracingly." I don't think there was anything that Hermione wouldn't consider saying bracingly.
Is that even the word? My spell check is tossing it out.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
quote:Originally posted by steven: I say we let OSC rewrite them all, without the "she said fiercely" stuff.
No way! He's just going to posess Hermione and make her lecture everyone about morality! Not to mention McGonagall, and Hagrid as well.
I love all of the books, but 2 is probably not my favourite. Compared to 3 it isn't as strong. It's not bad though.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Puffy Treat: Reading the actual article (and not the misleading title) it seems some mild, off-hand, hazy remarks by Rowling about possibly doing another novel set in the Potterverse some day has been spun into "The Harry Potter series will continue!"
Which isn't what she said.
Well, natch. But then what would all the rapid Potterfen squabble about?
And yes, bracingly is a real word.
Posted by adfectio (Member # 11070) on :
Maybe my problem is more that 1-4 were released on a timely schedule. Then 5 seemed to just take forever. By the time I actually got a chance to read it, the series had lost all of the magic, at least for me. Hogwarts was simply another school, and just happened to house wizards instead of normal children. I guess I just kinda felt like it was the same thing over and over again with a little bit of a twist to keep it partially interesting. I liked the first one; two was ok, not great, but not bad; three really got me into the series; four was phenomenal to me; and then five killed any interest I had. Maybe I should give it another chance.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
If Rowling wanted to do us a favor, she'd release the setting to the world and let us fill it with for-profit fanfic.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
Please, no. The deluge of "Draco is GOOD, it's those filthy stuck-up Gryffindors who were REALLY evil!" stories alone would bury us all in moments! Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Puffy, you have to add:
but Harry knew all along that Draco was good and they made passionate love twice an evening, just like Sirius and Remus.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
quote:Originally posted by PSI Teleport: "I say we let OSC rewrite them all, without the "she said fiercely" stuff."
My favorite was the use of "bracingly." I don't think there was anything that Hermione wouldn't consider saying bracingly.
Is that even the word? My spell check is tossing it out.
How about "sallow"? Everyone had some sort of sallow feature in the series.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by steven: I say we let OSC rewrite them all, without the "she said fiercely" stuff.
I say we let Stephen R. Donaldson rewrite them, and Harry can clench a lot.
Posted by calaban (Member # 2516) on :
Another Potter book would seem dangerously close to Lucasism to me. Sometimes you just have to step away from the painting and call it finished.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
Well, if she did books about James at Hogwarts, I could see it being Lucasism. But she's created such a cool world. I mean, I think she should definitely not write more books about Harry, but she said that herself in the link in the first post. Why not explore that world a little?
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by breyerchic04: Puffy, you have to add:
but Harry knew all along that Draco was good and they made passionate love twice an evening, just like Sirius and Remus.
The absolute creepiest stuff I've run across is the Snape/Hermione fanfic. Granted, most of it takes place after Hermione is an adult, but still. <shudder>
Posted by calaban (Member # 2516) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lisa: Well, if she did books about James at Hogwarts, I could see it being Lucasism. But she's created such a cool world. I mean, I think she should definitely not write more books about Harry, but she said that herself in the link in the first post. Why not explore that world a little?
Although I believe that it is possible to revisit a world effectively, I wonder how much could be added to her world before it starts to detract from it. I use Lucas as an example not just because of 1-3, but also because of the re-release of 4-6. I think he returned to his canvas after having lost the focus that created the original work. I'm not saying Rowling can't pull it off, but somewhere within me the undead ghost of a disillusioned star wars fan boy stirs, shuddering when considering what could go wrong.
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lisa:
quote:Originally posted by breyerchic04: Puffy, you have to add:
but Harry knew all along that Draco was good and they made passionate love twice an evening, just like Sirius and Remus.
The absolute creepiest stuff I've run across is the Snape/Hermione fanfic. Granted, most of it takes place after Hermione is an adult, but still. <shudder>
I am so ashamed for being momentarily intrigued.
I agree that some books set in the Potterverse could be great fun. Especially so long as they are far enough removed from Harry and his Crew.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I like Snape/Hermione!
I would love to see another book, possibly based in Hogwarts (through a teacher's perspective, maybe Neville). Or some even less known charecter like Susan Bones or Dennis Creevey.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
I think the most interesting spinoff book a la Ender's Shadow would be from Ginny's perspective.
Otherwise, I don't think it's a good idea to do a prequel with James, Sirious, Snape, and the crew. I don't think they'd come off well.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by El JT de Spang: I think the most interesting spinoff book a la Ender's Shadow would be from Ginny's perspective.
Agreed.
quote:Otherwise, I don't think it's a good idea to do a prequel with James, Sirious, Snape, and the crew. I don't think they'd come off well.
Meh, it's not like they come off very well in the existing novels. Rowling makes it pretty clear they were jerks in school.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
That's what I was trying to say.
More than that, though, I think it's tough to write an enjoyable book where the protagonist is an a-hole.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I'd much rather see it later, after the Voldemort stuff, from someone else's perspective. I'm afraid it would be too much harry worship and hate if done while he was at hogwarts.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Madeline L'Engle did a good job of telling completely different stories about the children of characters from earlier books, and the earlier characters were only peripheral parts of the story, usually. I think it can be done well, but it has to be done carefully.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Yes, but I think that's largely due to the nature of the Wrinkle in Time universe. What with the time-travel and dimension-hopping it's relatively easy to keep your characters from bumping into one another. Hogwarts is a lot tougher, I think, in that respect.
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
I still want to see the story of the Hogwarts Founders. There's a lot there- the Gryffindor/Slytherin split over ideology, Helga Hufflepuff and her daughter (who was killed by her lover). And that's safely removed enough from Harry and the crew.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
JT, I disagree. The books that focus on Meg and Calvin's daughter (why am I blanking on her name? Poly!) don't have that much time travel. There's only one that's really all that involved in the time travel. But it's been a while since I've read them all, so I could be wrong...
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
I like Shawshank's idea about the founders. And what about a collection of short stories that happen at Hogwarts several years before Harry ever showed up?
OOOOooh, I want her to do more adult oriented stories that happen in the Potterverse long before Harry was born. Neato. (And scandalous!)
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
You know in all honesty I expected Draco and hermiony to hit it off. Glad it didn't happen that way though i felt the Ron/Hermiony angle went a little predictable. I downloaded a pdf of book 7 to avoid spoilers while waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail and it took me a second try to find the correct pdf.
Its amazing how some people can mimic Rowling's style it didn't click that something was wrong 2-3 chapters in.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
Hot damn. She looks pretty good when she's not getting tarted to look like a 15 year old.
She should just fall in love with Radcliffe and get that out of the way for the universe.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
If OSC rewrites them, will Dumbledore be married and have kids?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: If OSC rewrites them, will Dumbledore be married and have kids?
Yes, not only that but he'll take up whole chapters TALKING about the importance of having babies and getting married. But not in that order. He'll start off every school year with a speech about that very thing.
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
I'd prefer Stephen King to rewrite them.
Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia comes back and starts killing students.
Slytherin's Monster is a clown named Pennywise.
And of course, every student at Hogwarts has some sort of psychic power or 'shining'.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Terry Goodkind could rewrite them.
Slytherin are progressives who hold constant charity drives. When they're not doing this, they like to brutally rape everyone in sight. Over and over again. In loving detail. Every book culminates in Harry creating a work of art that makes everyone realize just how important their individuality actually is.
Or Robert Jordan could--whoops, guess not.
Too bad. I was looking forward to seeing what Goblet of Fire would be like without Harry making an appearance in it anywhere. Also, Hermione would marry Harry and all of the Weasley boys, and pull on her braid a lot in frustration with them.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Anne McCaffrey could rewrite them. Then Harry could Time It and rescue his parents.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
George Lucas isn't busy. He could do it.
Turns out that the original division between the houses was caused by a disagreement over the day's lunch menu. Also, magic is caused by parasites.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Thomas Pynchon could do it. Then we'd have no clue what any of the books were about, but we could read them all in a single day.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Maybe Nancy Kress would do it.
Turns out "magic" is just a bioengineered trait.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Kevin J. Anderson could do the rewrites.
Actually, no. He just wants to write sequels about all their kids.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
James Cameron has volunteered to do the rewrites. He says Hogwarts will now be located in the middle of the ocean, and that his rewrites will be the greatest works of literature ever.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: Anne McCaffrey could rewrite them. Then Harry could Time It and rescue his parents.
And there would be a tapestry!
(Also, these are hysterical.)
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
I'd like to see books about the other wizarding schools. Whole new cast of characters, same world.
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
Maybe a story about the Salem Witches Institute? It'd be nice to see a Potter or Weasley grandchild study abroad in the States.
Of course, being in the states, I am biased.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: George Lucas isn't busy. He could do it.
Turns out that the original division between the houses was caused by a disagreement over the day's lunch menu. Also, magic is caused by parasites.
If Lucas rewrote the books, we'd find out that Voldemort didn't kill Harry's father, he is Harry's father. Hermione and Harry would turn out to be twins separated at birth.
Dumbledore would say things like "Understand love, Voldemort cannot".
Furthermore, we'd find that the reason we never learn anything about Harry's grandparents is that James Potter's (aka Voldemort's) mother was tortured to death by muggles and his father was a magic parasite.
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
"Would you like Professor Snape Would you like him in a cape? Would you like him with a snitch? On a broom, playing Quiditch? Would you like him with a snort Spying on Lord Voldemort? Would you like him Harry my friend Would you like him in the end?"
"I will not like Professor Snape In a dress or in a cape. I can not, will not Dumbledore Like Professor Snape, not one dot more."
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
You know, I've decided that George Lucas' style can be effectively described as Wagner-esque. Especially when Darth Vader takes his first steps in Episode III, it was just like watching an Opera...only with immense CG effects.
Posted by jeeshkid (Member # 9885) on :
It would be hard for Rowling to make another book about Harry and his friends after the they all grow up happily ever after and marry their high school sweet-hearts epilogue she put at the end of the seventh book.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Is James Michener still around?
His version would flesh out all those details we always wished for more of when it came to the magical geography of England. He'd only have to sacrifice the characters to do it.
-o-
Actually, I heard Harper Lee wants to do it. Well, actually, she'd just stop after the first book.
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Ooh, I just found in an old trash bin, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Death" by Stephen King:
Harry Potter awoke in the maternity ward. It wasn't the smell of ash and cooked meet wafting into the room that woke him. It was the heavy weight and sense of someone staring at him that popped his eyes open.
Eyes stared back.
Giant, sickly bulbous eyes stared back not three inches from Harry's face.
Panic, a deep rising wave of panic set in, but was quickly dashed as Harry realized to whom those strange eyes belonged.
"Dobbie, what...what's going on."
"Harry Potter is awakes? Good sir. Harry Potter is safe now. Dobbie loves Harry Potter. Makes sure he is safe." Dobbies bright orange hunting cap and blue scarf tickled Harry's nose as he slowly climbed off of Harry's face.
"Dobbie. What happened. The last thing I remember was dancing with Cho at the Yule Ball..."
"Terrible. Terrible things master Harry. Dobbie, sir, does not wish to tell the great Harry Potter what has happened." Dobbie played with the shirt he was wearing as pants.
"What happened. I do not remember."
"It was Moaning Murtle sir. Draco Malfoy invited her to the ball he did. Danced with her, and said she should be crowned queen of the Yule he did."
Harry put on his glasses. "Yeah, I remember seeing her there. I don't remember the details. What happened."
"Oh, Draco did a nasty trick to her, he did. Was making fun of her all night behind her back. Then, he promised her a crown to make her queen of the ball he did, but the crown was jinxed it was. When he put it on her head it weeped sir. Gallons of bloody flowed out of the crown it did, covering Murtle. She did not take it very well I'm afraid."
"What did she do?"
"Oh, The Great Harry Potter knows never to tease a Ghost. They have powerful magic in there own way. She called up ghost chains to lock the doors to the great room, so that none could get away. It was then I knew that the Great Harry Potter needed to get away I did. So I took you, just as the fire started?"
Harry gasped. "Fire!"
Dobbie frowned. "Bad fire sir. Most everyone killed. Professors and students sir, all burned by ghost fire."
Harry could not believe his ears. "All? Didn't anyone get out?"
"Well, sir, Mr. Ron and Ms. Hermione did get away sir. They were outside the room when it was locked. Snogging, they was sir."
"Where are they?" asked Harry. Right now he needed his friends.
"Well, sir, I believe its all Crookshank's doin."
"What was?"
"You know how when that nasty Sirius was chasing that mouse man--Wormtail? You know how he seemed to get away from you that day? He didn't. He turned into a rat as you saw, but those dementors kept you a bit busy. You didn't see Crookshanks chase the mouse, and eat him."
Harry was shocked. Did even Wormtail deserve to be eaten by a cat?
Dobbie continued. "Eating a Wizard, even one who's in the shape of an animal, why it does something to people, and to animals too. Ever since that day Crookshanks has not been right. He's been runnin off into the woods lookin for some hunter to play with. And he found it, he did."
Harry wasn't sure if he could handle any more, but it was too late to stop now. "What did he find?"
"He found the car sir. He found that old wild car in the woods. It was feral now Mr. Harry Potter. It hunted for food, as did Crookshanks. Together they chose the time of the fire to come back. When the fire burst out, why, those not burnt were running around looking to get help. Ron Weasley and Ms. Hermione too. When the car drove up Harry Potter's friends were not sure about getting in. But when the girl saw her cat sitting on the roof, why they thought it was safe."
Harry gulped. "It wasn't, was it."
Dobbie shook his head. "I don't know what happened once they got inside that car, Mr. Harry Potter. Couldn't see much through them dirty windows. Did see some blood though. Heard some screams, even over the sound of the hall burning."
Harry tried to close his eyes, but the image of the car attacking his friends was all the stronger for it.
"Ms. Ginny and Mr. Neville they got out too. At first they tried to get in the car, but when they saw what was going on, they tried to get the others out of it. It is a shame. The car attacked them it did. Crushed them with its mean wheels, the nasty thing."
"Ginny too?" Harry whispered.
"Well, sir, yes. The giant fellow, Hagrid. He came out up from his cabin to help, but he came too late Mr. Harry Potter. Something inside him just broke when he saw the girl and boy's bodies there on the ground. He went to them and tried to hold them. That's when the Ministry folks showed up. They says the giant must a gone mad and killed them all. Poor Hagrid was just too broken to say a word back. They took him to Azkahban. They says they'll give him a kiss there, but he says its too late. He says his souls already gone."
Harry understood what Hagrid meant. He felt as if his soul had also been torn away. Still, if Hagrid or any of there were still alive, Harry Potter was going to help.
"Thank you Dobbie. I'm feeling better now. I am going to...."
"Oh no, Mr. Harry Potter. Its too dangerous out there. You need to stay where its safe. You need to stay here. Hogwartz is closed. Nobody will come here now. Haunted, they say. Nobody will ever come up here again. That means that you are safe Mr. Harry Potter. As long as you stay here, you are safe. Mr. Harry Potter, you are going to stay here."
For the first time Harry noticed that Dobbie was carrying a large sledge hammer. "What's that hammer for Dobbie?" he asked.
Dobbie looked down at Harry's knees. "I'm sorry, Mr. Harry Potter" he said as he raised the hefty sledge. "Truly I am sorry."...
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
Wait, the sledge hammer was from Rob Reiner and Andrew Scheinman's retooling of William Goldman's Misery screenplay. King wrote something different in the novel. (It's been a while since I read it, but I think she actually cut off his foot!)
Just sayin'. Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Dan, I enjoyed every bit of that. Thanks!
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: If OSC rewrites them, will Dumbledore be married and have kids?
Yep. He'll still be gay, except he won't do anything about that, since he'll be too busy being happy about being married and having kids.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
If George R. R. Martin rewrites them, by the end of book 1, Harry will be dead and Hogwarts burned to the ground.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I'm more concerned about JK Rowling rewriting them than anything else.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
quote:Originally posted by plaid:
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: If OSC rewrites them, will Dumbledore be married and have kids?
Yep. He'll still be gay, except he won't do anything about that, since he'll be too busy being happy about being married and having kids.
And America will either be a bunch of whiners who deserve the downfall that's coming their way because of their appeasing politics or a great country that has gotten fed up with the world not appreciating their efforts, depending on whether a Democrat or a Republican president is in office. If necessary, this will switch halfway through the series.
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
OMG--Ayn Rand doing Harry Potter.
"Who is Dobbie Galt?" everyone asked.
Hermione Grainger grumbled. For the fifth straight day the house elves she was liberating had not shown up to clean her simple, economical, politically correct one room flat.
She clambered aboard the Knight Bus, the only socially responsible way to get to her work in the department of Social Services. The driver frowned. At least today she wasn't back-seat driving.
At the ministry she bumped into her old friend, Ginny. Since the end of Voldemort Ginny and Harry were happy in their life.
Then, about three months ago they broke up. Harry stayed home with the kids, but Ginny had disappeared. Now there she stood, in front of the ministry, contemplating the building with a frown.
"Ginny!" Hermione screamed.
Ginny looked up. She had not loved Hermione as much since Hermione had broke up with Ron. She had driven Ron to drink with her causes and social agenda. Poor Ron, raised poor and forced to surrender his earnings to all of Hermione's causes. Finally, when she used his Butterbeer money for a Werewolf Rehabilitation Center, Ron had had enough. He left her that day and took up living, apparently happily, with a Vela half his age.
But Ginny understood now. Her smile was forced.
"Ginny" Hermione screamed again. "What a pleasure. What brings you here?"
Ginny smiled back. "What a perfect witness" she thought. "Hermione" she said. "Long time no see."
"Where have you been?" asked Hermione. "What happened between you and Harry."
"Oh, you'll love this." said Ginny, snaring Hermione with her love for gossip. "After we were married Harry seemed content to live off his money and his fame. I wanted to do something, create something, be something. The children were fine, and seeing them off to Hogwartz was wonderful, but I wanted to do something more.'
"That's when I met Dobbie Galt. He was the house elf. Every day he did things. He created things. He got things done. We wizards just lived off their hard work. It was like you were saying, except..."
Hermione was proud that her views of Elf rights fit with Ginny's experiences. The "except" however, was irritating. "Except what."
Ginny smiled. "Except they don't want to be freed, or to be given our charity. They work because the work itself is ennobling. They work for the pure honor and joy of doing and creating. Your attempts at stripping them of this by pitying them and looking down on them has infuriated more than a few." ..... 100 pages of Philosophical ranting ..... "
Hermione shook her head. "Who fed you this garbage."
"Their leader, my leader. Dobbie Galt, House Elf and truth speaker. He was able to fix up my new house, then he fixed up my head, then, last night, he fixed up my body. He forced himself on me and it was wonderful." Hermione cringed at that image (and face it, we all do).
"So, um, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked, trying hard to get the image of Elf love out of her head.
"The ministry, and all the wizards and witches, need to start over. That's why I'm here. I'm the only one with a wand and with their power coursing through me, the only one that could do this--Avada Boomada."
With a wave of her wand the Ministry of Magic collapsed downward in upon itself. A new order, a just order, had been brought to being, and Hermione Granger, fighter for Elvish rights, feinted at its beginning.
Posted by the_Somalian (Member # 6688) on :
quote:Originally posted by Alcon: No. Do not want. Not unless they get her an editor and stat. Books 5 through 7 were such amazing let downs that I really don't want an 8th. And I kinda want them to go back and edit the ever lovin' crap out of the back half of the series. Maybe include 4 in it too. Her edited books are amazing, she has a talent for plot, her world is wonderful and her style -- once shortened and cleaned up -- is a blast. But once the editors stopped trying her books went hard core down hill. The plot became messy with unnecessary turns, her style became slow and bogged down and the world became harder to get lost in.
But I guess there isn't much chance of her being edited more in the future... unless her fame dies down or people start to actually read her books more closely. Oh well.
Thank you for this post.
Rowling forgot that less is more, and the installments after book 3 are considerably inferior because the needlessly bloated length attenuates the charm/excitement. I was considerably disappointed with "Goblet of Fire" because of this.
The only way I could get through book 5 was through audio CD, and I won't even bother with the rest.
Posted by Lanfear (Member # 7776) on :
These books aren't going to be literary classics. Comparing them to LOTR is a joke.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
And yet they will be remembered for all time.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I don't care what anyone thinks. I think they are fantastic books. Very enjoyable and just plan good.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
quote:Originally posted by the_Somalian:
Rowling forgot that less is more
Partial disagreement. I saw it as Rowling realized at some point during the writing of book three that the series didn't have to be an endless P.L. Travers/Roald Dahl riff. Suddenly, her own voice came out, loud and clear. The massive increase in pages sprung from her desire to explore where -her- imagination was taking her. I found it so much more interesting and enjoyable than what came before. Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I liked the extra pagage. It kept a person occupied while waiting for the next book to come out. Plus carring it is good excercise.
Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
I have a love/hate relationship with the longer books in the series.
But its more based on the fear that she was allowed too much freedom in the later volumes. Sort of like what happened with George Lucas and Stars Wars. Great imagination but certainly needed to be wrangled. I'm concerned that once Rowling became such a HUGE name that the editors and publishers stopped being so critical.
I've heard that the first book was heavily edited to keep it at a kid-friendly length. Its sad to think what might have been left out, but I think it benefits from having a tighter focus.
I enjoy the last two books in the series but I've read each only once or twice while I will re-read any of the first five at the drop of a hat. I know some people have complaints about GoF and OoTP, but I think the length and plot of those books reflect Harry's advancing age and involvement in the magical community. But that balance seems thrown off in the last two. We see more the magical world outside of Harry's little bubble and maybe I'm just disappointed that they weren't more interesting.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
I heard Terry Brooks was going to do the rewrite. He's leaving everything exactly the same, with the exception of the titles to which he will append "of Shannara."
Posted by Szymon (Member # 7103) on :
quote:Originally posted by Sterling: <shrug> I've liked them all; the early ones are just different from the later ones. The only one I mild-to-moderately disliked was "Harry is a teenager, it's time for him to start screaming at everyone" book 5.
I absolutely and completly agree. I didnt like this "snogging" thing as well. But the book is great, so is the idea.
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
Joss Whedon should rewrite the whole series as a seven season TV show.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Of which part of one will air, and that out of order.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
quote:If George R. R. Martin rewrites them, by the end of book 1, Harry will be dead and Hogwarts burned to the ground.
*laughs bitterly*
I still don't think I've quite recovered from Martin's books.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by plaid: If George R. R. Martin rewrites them, by the end of book 1, Harry will be dead and Hogwarts burned to the ground.
True. In addition, Order of the Phoenix would be coming out "real soon, now".
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Marvel Comics is going to write them.
They will, of course, be retconned now, and every 2-4 years, in order to be more relevant, destroy the mythology already established, and basically rake in cash.
Changes include--
Dumbledore will now be bald and in a wheelchair.
Prof. McGonagle (sorry for the spelling) will drop 40 years, develop into d-cups, and have a penchant for wearing fishnet stockings and form fitting outfits. Since she is a strict disciplinarian, these will always be black and she will always have a whip in her hands.
Snape--since many in the target audience have issues with greasy hair, a change of his look is mandated--he will now always wear an odd looking helmet.
While there will be no Hogwartz uniform, there will be "house" uniforms. Griffindor will be tight jeans and tight t-shirts. Slytherin will be Slutty DuJour. Hufflepuff will be Catholic School Uniform--2 sizes too small for the girls. Ravenclaw will be Goth, because face it, Goth is a viable and under-served market.
Muggles will develop super robots who's sole purpose is to destroy Wizards and Witches.
Wizarding Robes will be replaced with spandex and capes.
Stan Lee will get a cameo--which is hard to do in a book.
Voldemort will be...well, he's a petty, revenge obsessed villian already. Good Marvel Villian.
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