I can't help it, I was bouncing yesterday. I can't wait for the last Harry Potter novel!
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I was thinking that, once the series was complete, I might pick up the remaining books I don't have, and read it straight through. Certainly the first book was good, though it didn't inspire me to read the others as they came out. (I have Books One, Two, Three, and Four, given to me as gifts.)
Posted by rcorporon (Member # 2879) on :
Honestly? No. The last two books were quite terrible (the last one didn't even have a proper ending) so I'm not really looking forward to the next one.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
The last two books are my favorites!
Actually, I had to read book 5 twice to really like it. The first time I was a little taken aback by Potter's sudden teenage angst. The second time I read it I understood it better and could properly enjoy the book. Of course, neither book came to an ending in the same way that the first four did (especially book 6) but compared to other series I've read....well, I just didn't think it was a deal-breaker. I'm enjoying the fact that each book is growing up a little bit and becoming darker.
But I can understand where you're coming from. Honestly, books 5 and 6 are quite different from the rest of the series. I expect book 7 to be even more of everything you probably disliked in books 5 and 6. (But I'm sure looking forward to it!)
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Me, too, Christine.
Maybe not exactly bouncing, but I think I'll go to Amazon and pre-order it, rather than stand in line till after midnight as I did (to see what it was like) on the last one.
Posted by tlmorganfield (Member # 3461) on :
I'm pretty excited too. As soon as Amazon sent me the notice that it was available for pre-order, I placed mine. I particularly enjoy reading them with my kids.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
Maybe it will be a good time for me to do that bank robbery I've always dreamed of.
Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :
From what I've seen on drudge report, I think it ends with Daniel Ratcliffe riding away on a horse. Naked.
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
And now you've spoiled it for the rest of us. Good going, J.
Posted by BruceWayne1 (Member # 4604) on :
What do you mean spoiled, now I might go see it. LOL
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
Yeah, Radcliffe and the horse are creepy.
But I'm excited. I was wondering if anyone here would mention the release date.
Jo Rowling always said book 6 was really a two parter, that's why it ended the way it did.
Matt
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
It should have been set to release on 7-7-07, as book 7, that would have been cool.
[This message has been edited by Zero (edited February 03, 2007).]
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
The trouble with the seventh is that the fifth movie is coming out on the 13th. Now personally, I could care less but the movie producers are worried that if the book is released just before the movie, people will be sitting in their living rooms reading rather than planting their buttes in a movie theatre. This way, the book is coming out after the movie has had a week and a day to draw in crowds. I think they are probably right in the order -- with the book set to release a week AFTER the movie, it should feed the frenzy but if the book came out first...well, who could care about a movie based on a book everybody's already read?
I went to Borders last night and reserved my copy at the store so i wouldn't have to wait for it to come in the mail. They said they would have a midnight party, so I can get it seriously quickly if I can find a baby-sitter. I also got a sticker that said, "Snape is a very bad man."
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I don't think I'll preorder. There are usually bunches of them lying around the bookstore the next day.
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
JKR couldn't release the book on 7-7-07 because that's the anniversary of the London bus bombing, which is still a painful spot for English people. She is a fan of "7's" and still got them in by having the book released in the seventh month, on the seventh day of the week, in the year 2007, AND 21 is 3x7! She is the most analytical writer I've ever read, hiding clues and putting them in plain sight but you don't BELIEVE they're clues until two books later when you go, "Ah-HA!"
As for Dan and the horse - I sure wish I could go and see him in Equus. He's developed tremendously as an actor (and physically - yikes!) and no, he's not underage IN ENGLAND for what he's doing (here, maybe, but not there). The angst and rage he's learned to portray as Harry will be nothing compared to what he'll have to portray as that deranged stablehand. Sure wish I could've talked my hubby into another trip to England! *sigh*
Lynda, who believes Dan will get rave reviews for his performance - and who can't wait to read book 7 (which must be the longest of all of them, given it's hefty price. Yay for "the longest book"! And "yay" for Amazon having it for $18.95 or so compared to ~$36 elsewhere!))
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
When book 6 came out we went to Barnes and Nobles for it. We had to go earlier in day to wait in line for a bracelet that would let us back in that night. Then we had to wait until midnight, then we had to wait until our group was called, before being able to buy the book.
Afterwards we went to Wal-Mart. They said they just put several pallets of books out and the lines were gone within twenty minutes, no waiting, no stupid wrist bands.
I bet Wal-Mart will have the last book for $20 anyway.
Matt
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
Amazon.com has the book for 18.95 NOW (pre-orders), although they don't have the audio book yet (*sigh* - I always get both).
For book 6, I thought I had my order in via Amazon, but I messed it up somehow and found out I wasn't going to get my book on the first day it was released (WAAAAH!) which also happened to be our 35th wedding anniversary. My dear, sweet hubby had seen a story in the paper about a Harry Potter festival in Wilmington Ohio (about 45 miles or so from us) and he asked if I'd like to go. What fun! They'd turned the whole old Main Street in to Diagon Alley, with Gringotts (we had to get a Galleon, Sickle and Knut to pay for each book, which also gave us a number in line), Honeydukes, Flourish and Blotts (the bookstore hosting the festival) and a street carnival complete with a parade of people in costume. Shops and businesses in town had professionally made signs with their "Harry Potter" names, including #12 Grimmauld Place and loads of other places. It was such fun! "Ectoplasm" (foamy bubbles) fell from the fourth story window of the Victorian-era hotel, and free showings of all the HP movies were held in the Victorian-era (GORGEOUS!) theater - projected from a laptop onto a huge screen on stage. At midnight, someone rode a unicorn (live horse that was very skittish about all the weird stuff going on around it) down the street to announce it was time to get the books. Snape gave a Potions Class, someone came dressed as a portrait, there were Dementors and Hagrids and TONS of Harry Potters - one family had three children, two boys and a girl, and the second boy's hair was spray-painted red so he could be Ron, while the girl's hair was mussed to make her "bushy haired" like Hermione. What fun!
Lynda, who can't wait for July!!!
Posted by cll (Member # 3673) on :
My husband works for Costco. He's been informed that the minute his warehouse opens he will need to go grab a copy of the book (or even two copies- my ten year old and I are arguing over who gets to read it first). Costco will have it for just as cheap if not cheaper than Wal-Mart. This is the first book of the series that we've had to wait for as we just started reading them last year. I'm interested to see how Rowling wraps everything up. I'm even more interested to see what she pulls out of her hat next. Does she have more in her or was Potter it?
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
I don't think she'll be able to stop. Maybe with Potter, but the writer in her won't be satisfied until she dies. At least, that's how I would be. But that doesn't mean she'll ever choose to publish again.
Posted by Max Masterson (Member # 4799) on :
SPOILER ALERT
Anybody else think Snape is going to turn out to be good really? I would really be surprised if he's simply a bad guy in the last book. I think the whole point of the oath he made to kill dumbledore was to excuse him for doing it.
Anyone at all agree?
[This message has been edited by Max Masterson (edited February 04, 2007).]
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
Max -- would you pleas edit your post with a SPOILER warning for those who have not read the series? If you'd like to discuss that issue, we could start a post in "Discussion of Published Books"
[This message has been edited by Christine (edited February 04, 2007).]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I note in passing that the date is on a Saturday...usually the industry likes these things on Tuesday to maximize sales. (July 7th is a Thursday.)
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
July 7 is the anniversary of the London bus bombing, so that wasn't an acceptable choice for a publication date. And the last two books came out on Saturdays, IIRC.
Max - I think you're right.
Lynda
Posted by xverion (Member # 4908) on :
I'm dying to read it. I waited the last time at Barnes and Noble at midnight, and was #742 in line if I remember correctly, but it went pretty quick. Plus there was a starbucks in there, so it wasn't that bad.
Posted by RillSoji (Member # 1920) on :
I'm so excited for it too! In July we can finally end the debate that's been raging in my family!
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
Lucky you! At least your family will talk about it! They just look at me with amused tolerance, *sigh* I have to do my Harry talk with online friends.
Lynda, glad she HAS online friends who are just as wild about Harry as she is!
Posted by Max Masterson (Member # 4799) on :
sorry christine. It was a good point.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Right now, I'm just mild about Harry. (I had to say it.)
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
Don't worry, I'm sure that Harry's just mild about you Posted by kmckendry (Member # 4936) on :
Perhaps my family is just a tad fanatical. I already have 3 copies on order for the house and two for the elementary school library. Once the audiobook is ready for pre-order, I'll order that as well. This way 3 of the four of us can read the books at the same time, I get to read a copy when I get home from work--assuming I've not finished it by then. The audiobook will be played in my car as I drive to and from work, even if I have not finished the actual reading.
Once we are done, one copy of the book will be sent over to a brother's house for him to reed.
Keith
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
3 copies! My husband reads it to me.
Of course, we will probably also get the audio version when it is available. I have all the others on audio.
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
I have all the hardcover books and the audio books as well. Those books are the ONLY thing I've ever found that I could listen to while driving long distances and never get sleepy, even when I've heard the book bunches of times!
JK Rowling has a nice post in her diary on her website (www.jkrowling.com) about her feelings about ending the series. It's an intersting post. Check it out!
quote:[Rowling] continues, "If it comes as any consolation, I think that there will be plenty to continue arguing and speculating about, even after 'Deathly Hallows' comes out. So if you're not yet ready to quit the message boards, do not despair," she writes.
"I'm almost scared to admit this, but one thing has stopped me collapsing in a puddle of misery on the floor. While each of the previous Potter books has strong claims on my affections, 'Deathly Hallows' is my favorite, and that is the most wonderful way to finish the series."
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
While on the one hand that's really cool.
On the other hand... it sounds like she has questions about her books and story that even she cannot answer. Which bothers me.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
I don't know that I read it that way. You can have reams of background information on your books that you can't fit in or that doesn't make sense to fit in based on the POV you've chosen. This leaves much open to interpretation. IMO, the greatest books leave bits up to the imagination of the reader. Speaking as one with a great imagination, I appreciate that. No, while there are story questions that must be concluded in the seventh book, there are definitely things that can be left for interpretation and debate.
As an author, when I have this happen, I respect the readers to come to their own conclusions. The book speaks for itself. I may have my own ideas that fill in those holes but if it is not explicitly in the book, then there is no reason that my interpretation is any more or less correct than anyone else's.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I feel a prediction coming on...I foresee Rowling writing more books, some involving Harry P., some not, but set in the same universe, but not at the school. And why not?
(Out of the depths of my memories of the first book, I recall something about Dumbledore being involved in Britain's victory in World War II. Wouldn't that make a tale? (Or am I just interpolating something from someone else's stuff? Either way...))
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
It won't matter because Harry Potter and Voldemort will both die in this book.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
I just want to know why she has to kill off Ron? I mean, he's the comic relief.
What's with Harry and horses anyway?
I seriously doubt Harry will die. Call it a hunch.
Matt
Posted by hoptoad (Member # 2145) on :
Maybe the corner of each page will be dipped in poison and all the finger-licking page-turners will die instead.
Posted by Corky (Member # 2714) on :
You know, A Conan Doyle tried to kill Holmes off because he didn't want to write about him any more (and hasn't J.K. said she won't write any more Harry Potter books? Hmm, just noticed that J K is an abbreviation for "just kidding." Coincidence? Yeah, probably.).
Of course, it didn't work for Doyle to kill off Holmes, but I wouldn't be surprised if Rowling did it anyway.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
Steven King met JK Rowling recently and begged her not to kill of Potter in the way Doyle killed Holmes. I thought it was interesting that he cited the Doyle example.
Matt
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
I just ordered the book from Amazon.com.
If I don't get it promptly on the 21st, there'll be hell to pay. Just mark my words. Hell, I say!
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
[SPOILERS]
Speaking of the Snape/Dumbeldore thing; I've heard it suggested that Dumbledore may have been turned into a Horcrux (maybe during the scene in Bk 6, where LV is applying for the DADA position), and, knowing this, asked Snape to kill him.
Makes sense, if you ask me.
[This message has been edited by cvgurau (edited February 07, 2007).]
Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :
I'm pulling for the ending where Harry wakes up in the small room he started in, and realizes it was all a dream, that there is nothing special or remarkable about him whatsoever. Would it be a satisfying ending? Not at all. Would it be a totally capricious, arbitrary, in-your-face exercise of the enormous power that Rowling has gained over millions? Absolutely. That alone justifies it.
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
She can always write prequels.
Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :
Yeah, because that worked so well for George Lucas. :rolleyes:
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
J I'm with you. Except I'm taking it a step further.
JK Rowling will be introduced as a character in this book and she'll save the day, not Harry Potter. Harry Potter will die in chapter one.
Posted by kmckendry (Member # 4936) on :
The final scene will have Harry and Voldemort locked in a duel where the flows from their wands are held together--similar to how they were in Goblet of Fire. Then the balcony where Dudley is hiding collapses under his weight and he crushes Voldemort to death.
Keith
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
You know, I really, honestly, don't think JKR is going to write any more of the Harry Potter story outside these 7 books. I'm sure her publisher would *love* for her to do so and she may be pressured, but I hope she sticks to her guns. This is the story. I don't need the prequels because I know how they end and I don't need sequels if she ties up book 7 properly.
Rowling has said qite consistently that she has no plans to write more of this series after book 7. In a recent interview, she said she had very mixed feelings about saying good bye to the series that she has spent 17 years of her life on.
I really think she's done.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
So many series end in such a good way, that to go back would be sacrilege.
I'm upset that they're making another Indiana Jones movie because the third one ended so well.
They're making another Ghostbusters movie as well, and even though they were kind of silly, they should let it end where it did. The third one is slated as a CGI (Bill Murray refused to act in it, but he'll voice it) and will take place in Man-hell-ton, a hell version of Manhatton. And no, I'm not joking.
I've even heard rumors of a fourth Back to the Future movie. Again, don't risk screwing up a good thing once the series is over.
Matt
Posted by wrenbird (Member # 3245) on :
I think Rowling should write more in the series for one reason. Part of what makes the Potter books so fantastic is the elaborate world that Rowling has created. Of OSC's MICE quotient, I think it could be argued that the Harry Potter books are mileu stories. Because of that fact, it would be a shame for there not to be more stories that take place in Hogwarts. Harry Potter or Voldemort don't even have to be mentioned in them. Rowling could create new characters completely, but the books would still be totally awesome. I'd read them, and so would millions of others. If Rowling forever abandons Hogwarts and the Magical world that she has so painstakingly crafted, I will be severely dissapointed.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
I think Rowling wants to get away from Harry Potter. I think she wants to do other things. As a writer, I would want to see if I could have success doing other things. Sure, the Potterverse has been hugely successful, but could she do something else. It's like OSC's Enderverse. He has a hugely successful collection of books all in the same universe, but he has been able to find success with outside of that universe as well.
Perhaps Rowling will write new books in the same universe, but if she does, I hope she waits twenty years to do it.
Matt
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
She had planned to write a book for adults (so she said a few years ago) but apparently that's gone by the wayside. She says she wrote a new children's book between books 6 and 7 (I think that's right - or maybe between 5 & 6?), but that was set aside to finish the HP books. I think she'll come back to her magical world at some point, but I sure hope she doesn't wait 20 years - and I'd love to read more about Harry. He's such a great character!!
Can't wait for July!!!
Lynda
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
Hollywood and their incessant need to screw up good movies with sequels seems to stem from their inability to come up with anything original.
As for the Potter series, I have to disagree that there is anything at all fantastic about the world Rowling created. At least, it is not what drew *me* into the stories. I found the world itself to be a mish-mesh of popular fantasy and mythology -- nothing that hasn't been done before and will probably be done again. Not even the idea of sending kids to wizarding school is unique, although now if anyone else does that they're accused of copying Harry Potter. The magic system is actually underdeveloped. It has never been clear to me what the cost of and rules for magic are. If you want to kill someone, why don't you say Havadah Cadavrah (sp? Sorry...I listen on tape) all the time?
But the stories themselves are charming and the characters interesting and sympathetic. What Rowling really does well, IMHO, is tell a story. I'm not sure if it will transfer to future endeavors but I wish her luck.
Posted by J (Member # 2197) on :
I wouldn't get my hopes up. As a character, Harry Potter is built from the ground up to die heroically. Doesn't mean he will, but I wouldn't bet against it.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
I didn't read any HP until I saw the first two movies. I figured it was a stupid kid series and thought adults were idiots for reading them.
I really liked the first two movies. There was charm, I liked the characters. Looking back, the first two movies are the weakest, and Christopher Columbus has no imagination. Those movies are flat compared to the rest.
Matt
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
J -- I agree. I don't know if Harry will die or not at the end of the seventh book, but Rowling has set up a situation in which such a death would be believable, tragic, and not entirely unexpected. i can honestly say that going into the seventh book, I fear for the hero's life. I rarely feel that way with adult fiction, so she must have done something right!
RMatthewWare: I saw the movies after reading the books but I have to agree that the first two movies were weak and unimaginative. I also thought they tried too hard to capture every moment of the books verbatim, which is not the strength of a movie. The third and fourth movies did a much better job of bringing the world to life. (Although in all cases, the books were better, of course! )
So, have you actually read the books at this point or have you still just seen the movies? You're really missing out if you haven't read the books. Even in the first movies, they missed so much of the characters. Some of the minor characters are really a treat to spend time with but the movies don't have the time.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
On whether Rowling will write more---there's an anecdote about J. D. Catcher in the Rye Salinger going around, about how every so often, he shows up at his bank to put a manuscript-sized bundle in his safe deposit box. Short of him working the most incredible con, a manuscript-sized box could only mean he's handing over a manuscript.
Rowling might write and hang on to the result---after all, like Salinger, she won't need the money, and, also like Salinger, the Harry Potter series will be a hard act to follow. But I doubt she'll stop completely.
(I found Catcher repellant, myself---alien to what I liked in literature in those days---then again, I did have to read it in school---and that's a killer to just about everything one might read.)
