Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Post by **Mike** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:27 pm

This is an excitement countdown post! There are 5 working days left until I go to Wollies in Stockport to buy a copy! This weekend will be taken up with reading, bbq's and more reading!

Apparently it is already on its way to be a best seller with more than 2 million pre-orders being booked on Amazon. To deliver all these tombs royal Mail have got an extra 184 trucks and a train standing by!! :D

mr_e · Post by **mr_e** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:29 pm

I'm sort of hoping Harry will roll over and die, after watching all of his friends meet agonising deaths, but in a poorly written kind of way.

I really should start on the series one of these days, but a lot of people seem to say the writing quality gets worse as it goes along. Not the most reassuring thing ever. Even so, I like to see people happy and excited, even if I don't understand what all the fuss is about!

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:04 pm

Put it like this, it is better than Dan Brown. The writing quality doesn't actually deteriorate - what makes people think it deteriorates is the fact that people start thinking they are expert critics at children's fiction. I don't believe the book was ever really intended for the adult market (certainly not to the degree that it has now got two different covers) and it is therefore completely unfair to judge it along those lines. If you compare it to the other modern children's classics such as the excellent Stormbreaker series by Anthony Horrowitz then it is just as good and in many places better. If you compare it to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events then it beats it hands down and smacks its arse back to the publishers. Naturally there are parts that I really don't like and feel they could have been better thought out (as there are with the Stormbreaker series) but the children like it, it gets them talking, it gets them reading and it is for the children that she originally wrote it for.

The only bit that really annoys me is that she spends around 80 pages of each book explaining what happens - that is the repetitive bit but, if you care to think about it, the necessary bit as well.

Anyway, rant over, she has re-written the ending apparently. Harry should die in the final battle with Voldemort and I hope he does because it would be a fitting end but I have a feeling he won't. Dumbledore isn't dead - look at the first book - there were 2 potions in Snape's room and they only focused on one. The second one is something to do with reincarnation I have been told. I have a really strong feeling that Neville Longbottom will be the saviour because everything mounts up since book 3 for him to do something. There have been lots of hints and tips, etc.

Me and Rowenna have decided that we are not going to miss out on the chance to actually get into the hype. We are going to go to the Trafford Centre / Manchester on Friday night and queue. Sad? Yes. Worth it? I doubt I'll ever get another opportunity to do this for a book so definitely!!!

mr_e · Post by **mr_e** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:19 pm

Andy wrote:Dumbledore isn't dead - look at the first book - there were 2 potions in Snape's room and they only focused on one. The second one is something to do with reincarnation I have been told.

Bear in mind I may read the series at some stage, so don't go giving away anything from the rest of it! Given my current book backlog, this is looking unlikely.

How long do you anticipate queuing for? I wouldn't want to be there for hours on end, that would just feel wrong. Unless you intend to re-read the last book whilst standing there, as a sort of refresher?

Claire · Post by **Claire** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:53 pm

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, very excited about last book! I'll be out on friday night, so maybe i should go to a bookshop?! i don't think she'll kill off any of Ron, Hermione or Harry, but maybe anyone else is fair game. having said that...i think Horcruxes will be the key thing. she laid a lot of clues about them in book 6 and my cousin has a very interesting theory that Harry is a Horcrux of Voldemort's. Hence the inextricable link/inextricable survival.

I've never read any of the Horowitz books but i have read the first Lemony Snickett. i don't think those books (Snickett) will stand the test of time at all. they're good but not in a literary sense. i gave it to my other cousin to borrow and put it this way, i'd forgotten i had until just then and that is not like me...at all. i agree with Andy...anything that get kids "psyched" about reading is fantastic.

Post by **Mike** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:55 pm

mr_e wrote:Bear in mind I may read the series at some stage, so don't go giving away anything from the rest of it! Given my current book backlog, this is looking unlikely.

What ever rock you have been living under since Dumbledoor died it is absolutely time that you got up and looked around with a bit more interest. Honestly, not know that is like not knowing Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father!

[Gentle fun is what is intended, YES! ]

I don't think it is sad to queue up, what shop is opening at midnight to sell it? You never know I may be there in the background stalking you! :D

I heard a good theory from someone - I suspect it was Claire or Liz as they are the only other two HP fans I know off the top of my head. They theorised that Harry was a cawcrux (think the spelling is wrong but it is the little artefact's that protect Voldemort from dying indefinitely) and Harry would have to die to finally defeat Voldy! I don't know if it is right but its definitely a cool theory!

Post by **Mike** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:57 pm

lol! It must have been Claire's theory as she managed to post it seconds before I did!

On another point, I hope that Harry, Hermione and Ron survive in tact but one major character must die else it would not reduce JK to tears!

John Knight · Post by **John Knight** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:25 pm

I haven't read any of them.

mr_e · Post by **mr_e** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:34 pm

Yay, I am not alone! I'm not going to pay eight flaming quid to read about some bearded dude dying. It takes me too long to read stuff as it is: I may just borrow the final book off someone and read the last chapter or two.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:31 am

mr_e wrote:I'm not going to pay eight flaming quid to read about some bearded dude dying.

Too true, we can do it for free

I think I will be going to Waterstones in the Trafford Centre. It is free parking (I presume somewhere will be open for parking!) and indoors. I expect I will see a few of my students but I don't really give a poop - the phenomeon surrounding it has grabbed me recently.

I have another strong feeling something occurs around the Phoenix because they had to find those four items in the last one (or something like that) and one or two remained unknown. Dunno, just a theory.

Ron won't die - He'll run off with Hermoine. The Ginger always gets the good-looking and intelligent girl :D Yeah right! Rubbish! (Apart from me Rowenna, who is reading this as I type!)

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:21 am

Harry Potter's publisher has cancelled an order of 500,000 books from Asda due to none payment if you believe the publisher and a strop if you believe Asda. . . . That means they were having orders of about 2.5millions books minimum from the uk alone. . . that is only taking account of Asda and Amazon!

Here is the article for your viewing pleasure.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:04 am

I can see Asda's point of view - a significant loss.
I can see Bloomsbury's point of view - make a stonking profit.

However, I don't really care so long as I get my copy and I read it before anyone tells me what happens!

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:07 pm

If anyone would like a HP oriented title this week please let me know and I will arrange!

mr_e · Post by **mr_e** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:43 pm

Sod that, I wouldn't pay £17.99 for it ("eight flaming quid" indeed...how wrong I was) when Amazon have it for £8.99 and are offering to deliver it on the 21st anyway. I can't stand blatant profiteering.

Claire · Post by **Claire** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:19 pm

Mike wrote:
it is the little artefact's that protect Voldemort from dying indefinitely) and Harry would have to die to finally defeat Voldy!

I had not thought of this at all!!!

yes, if harry is voldemort's Horcrux then he would have to die in order to kill him! ooooh, a sublime literary coup de grace!!!!

I will be very sad when i've finished reading it, just "grief" at there being no more. i think that's part of the reason why i've got emotional at the end of a lot of my favourite books: because there's no more left to read. the Time Traveller's Wife and The Return of the King being cases in point.

Oh, and Mike, bring on the HP title!!!

rileyuk.co.uk

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In the deathly hallows Harry Potter. . . . will

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows