Harry Potter

Ok then, so all we need to get Petty into Harry Potter is some decent fanfic to spice the story up a little. Any takers?

  'pedestrian' thats the antithesis of HP right there.

It might be of the story or plot for all I know- I am talking solely about the writing.

Its like the difference between looking at a carving made by someone with natural talent for carpentry and looking at one made by someone who has learnt to carve- you can learn to be very good, but you will never be as good as those lucky enough to be born with a natural gift for it.

Rowling is like that for me, it reads like someone who has learnt how to use the tools, not someone who naturally knows how to use the tools.

you are the only one then.

No, I am not, I did a google search earlier just out of curiosity- its not very hard to find critics of her work.
I just didn't think it worth posting lots of quotes of people not liking her writing as that was not what I was trying to say- which was that I was not impressed with the writing in what I have read of her work.

And I dont need any quotes to know that.

oh well its your loss I guess, I must admit years ago I was put off by all the hooha, but I tried the first book and was surprisingly hooked from the offing, but its a waste of time asking you to try them, you obviously are set to dislike the books for whatever reason. After these arguments you will probably dislike them on principle.  

  

I had no opinion of them at all when I tried to read them- I bought them for my little brother as a present.

I would actually love to read a review of each of the HP books from Petty, regardless of whether or not he liked them, but I don't expect it to happen at this point.  It's pretty much a punchline by now, like the Amy Pond thing.

Ringdrotten wrote:Ok then, so all we need to get Petty into Harry Potter is some decent fanfic to spice the story up a little. Any takers?

I am sure there is good HP fanfiction out there, but all I accidentally stumble accross is Draco/Harry stuff, and neither of us want to go there.

I've enjoyed HP, have them all, first four in Norwegian since I started reading a bit late- and the rest in English so I wouldn'thave to wait for the translation. They are seen through the eyes of a child and later a teen after all, and they are meant for youngsters. And better than pretend intelligent stuff like...what's his name with Brigida(?) and Veronica wants to die, ans Dan Brown.

She may not have the natural powers of Tolkien (or Kenneth Grahame or A.A. Milne), but she has charm and imagination. Enough that I see no reason to grudge her success.

People critique her for stumbling upon a formula (schoolboy tale + magic) that will enchant young people, somewhat like the way Cameron hit success with Titanic (though he was deliberately formulaic) - but unlike Titanic I don't detect any false notes, no lines that ring hollow. She was writing from a compulsion that came upon her while riding a train that became the Hogwarts Express - an inspiration not unlike 'in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.'

I dont grudge her success- good luck to her I say.
I just dont think she is a great writer.

I wouldn't critique her for hitting on a winning formula either- but when it comes to content I would say that it in parts read to me like a sort of pick and mix of classic British children's literature.

then again you havent read the books

I'm still only talking about the bits Ive read. (although if I were to include bits and pieces of the films I have glanced at I would have to add ringwriath like things and a mirky wood with giant spiders in it to that!   )

Ringdrotten wrote:Ok then, so all we need to get Petty into Harry Potter is some decent fanfic to spice the story up a little. Any takers?

i know a fanfic where harry and malfoy are cursed with the marriage spell, so basically they are married, but the spell is cast by some idiot, and well, the lust part and such is a bit stronger and well.. it's kinda good thoguh  they get their own little room at hogwarts (because the spell makes it painful for them to be apart the first two months).. interesting? anyone?

 

Pettytyrant101 wrote:I'm still only talking about the bits Ive read. (although if I were to include bits and pieces of the films I have glanced at I would have to add ringwriath like things and a mirky wood with giant spiders in it to that!   )

Dementors are nothing like Ringwraiths apart from the long black cloaks, and as for giant spiders theres also dragons, centaurs, elves, ghosts, goblins, warewolves, giants, vampires, and a basilisk, whats not to love?   

She's playful with all the stock characters of fantasy.

I have to agree with Petty that she's not a great writer, but her stories are constructed with craftsmanship, without the annoying flaws that dog so many other fantasy writers. In her ability to produce very entertaining output that may never be considered as great literature, I'd class her with Wodehouse. He's still a better writer (people will marvel over individual paragraphs and vignettes of his for ages, I wager), but his greatness lies in craftsmanship rather than depth and artistry.

Rowling will never be quoted just for a perfectly written sentence.

she is also very inventive, who could imagine a Whomping Willow or a Bubertuber? she also helps kids learn about myths and legends, astronomy and loads of other interesting things.

David Yates possibly the director of the new HP spin-off trilogy: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/harry-potter-spinoff-fantastic-beasts-726580

Better bring a flashlight to the movies.

I would have thought that directing four consecutive $900 million-plus movies should open up more opportunities for Yates to explore other projects and passions, but maybe that's what he's doing with this Tarzan movie. I have very low expectations for the Fantastic Beasts films anyway, though.

Yeah, same here, but for some reason I really like the idea of New York, the 1920s and magic

I'd love to be blown away and proven wrong, but I don't want to set myself up for disappointment.

There is some good stuff in the Yates films, though. I softened considerably on HBP after seeing and enjoying DH1. After getting past the initial hype, though, I think that DH2 was fairly uninteresting, having so much emphasis placed on action that, to be frank, wasn't that good (the wand duels were especially weak). And even when the film first came out, I wished that the impressive adult cast had been given more to do.

I was disappointed by DH2 as well, but I really liked DH1 so I agree, Yates did something right