Who Hates Harry Potter? - Page 2

Rûdhaglarien · 09-26-2002, 05:43 PM

Yeah... they do get darker. I believe, at one point, she said that she wanted her books to grow with her audience, so that the readers wouldn't get... how should I say... bored...?? I know that I won't... I hope... unless the fifth book never gets here!!

Lanelf · 09-26-2002, 11:38 PM

You must remember when comparing HP to LOTR, Tolkien started out with children's books. He just made his more historical-sounding (is that a word?) as he went on. I mean, look at
'The Hobbit'! It's a kid's book, and if you've ever read it then LOTR, Whoa! does it move quickly!
Lanelf.

Silverstripe · 10-26-2002, 01:04 AM

I like Harry Potter but I don't really take the series seriously (I might take it Siriusly but that's a different matter)

*ducks as everyone throws tomatoes at her head for making the terrible pun*

englishnerd · 10-26-2002, 03:49 PM

IronParrot, good point about children's lit...I mean, C.S. Lewis said in his essay "on writing for children" that the best children's books aren't just for children...He said he read "A Wind in the Willows" in his late twenties, and didn't feel cheated for it; in fact he felt that good children's literature should grow with its reader. Chronicles of Narnia being the handiest example, (not that I'm comparing them with HP) when I first read Narnia at age 8 or 9, I loved the story, but of course did not understand the symbolism. Every time I go back and re-read, I get something new, a deeper understanding. They are the kind of books you can never outgrow, like Baum's Oz, like Montgomery's Anne and Emily series', they withstand repeated explorations by revealing new aspects as you grow. I'm not positive HP will do the same, but I do think that dismissing the genre of children's lit categorically as being shallow as so many scholars seem to do is bad logic.

Telperion · 11-01-2002, 03:49 PM

I thought the Harry Potter series were okay, but nowhere near LOTR of Narnia or anything like that. You read them once and you were done, if you tried to read them a second time, they were boring. I think that they got way too much press.

Ma Uai: Ua Nemti · 11-01-2002, 09:19 PM

I agree with the Telperion fellow.

Aeryn · 11-01-2002, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GandalfTheWhite
its no lord of the rings but its a very good book, a lot simpler and easier to read than tolkien

I completely agree, Rowling did what Tolkien did. They both created their own worlds. I like both books myself. I think there is alot of hype but there is for LOTR after the movie too.

And I personally didn't think Narnia was all that great.

Sylvee Estel · 11-05-2002, 01:09 AM

I like Harry Potter. It got me involved in fantasy books. If it weren't for HP I'd still probably still be reading Sweet Valley Twins. Yuck.

Miranda · 11-12-2002, 06:52 PM

Harry Potter! Yuck! Don't want to offend anyone but finally somewhere I can vent my absolute hatred for those damn books. They're such a cheap mix of everything that's gone before. I read the first got utterly bored and tried the others but failed to get beyond chapter three! I saw a thing about the new movie on the news today and saw something about there being a giant spider in it- does anyone remember Shelob in 2Towers- coincidence? I think not. LOTR is the King of all fantasy fiction and it shall never be bettered. Even Gandalf himself could write a better tale and he's been around for God knows!! Tee hee. Mx

Silverstripe · 11-24-2002, 06:28 PM

Wow! It looks like that last comment has scared everybody off!

Duddun · 11-24-2002, 09:01 PM

When they first came out i was like 7 or 8 so they were good, but then I tried rereading them a year later and they were boring. Theres nothing that you miss really the first time that you will see the second time. I tried again last year but still deathly boring.

Telperion · 11-25-2002, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Miranda
Harry Potter! Yuck! Don't want to offend anyone but finally somewhere I can vent my absolute hatred for those damn books. They're such a cheap mix of everything that's gone before. I read the first got utterly bored and tried the others but failed to get beyond chapter three! I saw a thing about the new movie on the news today and saw something about there being a giant spider in it- does anyone remember Shelob in 2Towers- coincidence? I think not. LOTR is the King of all fantasy fiction and it shall never be bettered. Even Gandalf himself could write a better tale and he's been around for God knows!! Tee hee. Mx

I don't feel quite as strongly as Miranda about Harry Potter, but I agree with her completely when she says that LOTR is the king of fantasy. i have read a lot of good books, and none of them are anywhere near as good as LOTR.

**crickhollow** · 11-25-2002, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Telperion
I don't feel quite as strongly as Miranda about Harry Potter, but I agree with her completely when she says that LOTR is the king of fantasy. i have read a lot of good books, and none of them are anywhere near as good as LOTR.

I don't think it's fair to compare Harry Potter or anything else to LotR--Tolkien is in a category all by himself. So, knowing that no other author is going to be able to do what Tolkien did, I can still enjoy their work for what it is. If I compared everything to Tolkien, I'd never read books by any other author, and that would leave me pretty ignorant.

Claenoic · 11-26-2002, 04:24 PM

I personally have a soft spot for Harry Potter. That got me into fantasy. It IS over hyped, it doesn't mean it's quite bad though. I'm waiting for the 5th book, since Rowling says it'll get darker. More for adults, maybe, by the 7th book. Who knows? And if you've only read the first book and said you hated it, that's a bit like generalizing, isn't it? Each book has a certain style. And once you scratch the surface, there's more underneath. Goodness, perservering is what got me halfway through The Book of Lost Tales, and then it was all downhill...

Hanza · 11-28-2002, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Telperion
I don't feel quite as strongly as Miranda about Harry Potter, but I agree with her completely when she says that LOTR is the king of fantasy. i have read a lot of good books, and none of them are anywhere near as good as LOTR.

Have you notread the rest of the thread. You cant compare the two. It is an unfare comparison. LotR and HP have different styles. and i think they can both be enjoyed.

dont just read the first book and give up. They get better. I also like the films because i cant remeber everything from the book so it makes it more interesting.

I hope they get darker as i grow up so i can follow them.
I'm the same age as Daniel Radcliffe (no idea where that came from

)

Blackboar · 11-28-2002, 04:52 PM

I think the HP books are quite boring. The films are O.K but
I cant get into the books.
They are NOTHING compared to LotR. (In my opinion anyway)

Coney · 11-28-2002, 05:24 PM

Hmm, wouldn't say I hated them, but I'll be in no hurry to read them again. Great characters but absolutely rubbish storyline

The 4th book was especially terrible, Rowling seemed to be so confused about the plot herself that she wrote a summory (from the characters POV) as the last chapter............aaaargghh, I hate it when an author does that.......I prefer stories where actions are told as they happen, not when a character "fills in the gaps" to round it off

.

Maybe in the next books we'll be told less about what the characters are eating (which is all they seem to do until the bad guy turns up) and more about what is actually happening to shape the events of the tale

**crickhollow** · 12-01-2002, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blackboar
I think the HP books are quite boring. The films are O.K but
I cant get into the books.
They are NOTHING compared to LotR. (In my opinion anyway)

We've been over this. HP is nothing compared to LotR because you cannot compare them. It's like comparing a lamp to the sun (hehe, Silver Chair reference)

Silverstripe · 12-02-2002, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crickhollow
We've been over this. HP is nothing compared to LotR because you cannot compare them. It's like comparing a lamp to the sun (hehe, Silver Chair reference)

Oh, dear. Now I'm picturing Rowling telling fans of LotR, "You imagined a brighter and better Harry Potter and called it The Lord of the Rings..." while keeping them imprisoned underground (or perhaps in the Underground?

)

**crickhollow** · 12-03-2002, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silverstripe
Oh, dear. Now I'm picturing Rowling telling fans of LotR, "You imagined a brighter and better Harry Potter and called it The Lord of the Rings..." while keeping them imprisoned underground (or perhaps in the Underground? )

As loyal followers of Tolkien, one of us will inevitably cry out, "I choose to belive in the Lord of the Rings whether it exists or not!" (or something to that effect

)

But seriously, folks. Try to judge Harry Potter by its peers, not by time-tested, proven masterpieces. What else has been published in the late 90s/early 2000 that compares with Harry Potter? Nothing. If the world of fantasy literature were a school, I wouldn't say that JKR has received the highest marks in the history of the institution, but she has darn well earned the top marks of her class.

09-26-2002, 05:43 PM	#21
Rûdhaglarien Elven Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 288	Yeah... they do get darker. I believe, at one point, she said that she wanted her books to grow with her audience, so that the readers wouldn't get... how should I say... bored...?? I know that I won't... I hope... unless the fifth book never gets here!! __________________ I have a very expensive pen.

09-26-2002, 11:38 PM	#22
Lanelf Elven Warrior Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: The Second Drawer Down Posts: 407	You must remember when comparing HP to LOTR, Tolkien started out with children's books. He just made his more historical-sounding (is that a word?) as he went on. I mean, look at 'The Hobbit'! It's a kid's book, and if you've ever read it then LOTR, Whoa! does it move quickly! Lanelf. __________________ Hey, I'm back! resounding silence You didn't even notice I was gone, did you? Well, I'm back now anyway. Artemis Fowl must find Mulch Diggums! You'll never shut down the real Napster

10-26-2002, 03:49 PM	#24
englishnerd Hobbit Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 39	Children of all ages IronParrot, good point about children's lit...I mean, C.S. Lewis said in his essay "on writing for children" that the best children's books aren't just for children...He said he read "A Wind in the Willows" in his late twenties, and didn't feel cheated for it; in fact he felt that good children's literature should grow with its reader. Chronicles of Narnia being the handiest example, (not that I'm comparing them with HP) when I first read Narnia at age 8 or 9, I loved the story, but of course did not understand the symbolism. Every time I go back and re-read, I get something new, a deeper understanding. They are the kind of books you can never outgrow, like Baum's Oz, like Montgomery's Anne and Emily series', they withstand repeated explorations by revealing new aspects as you grow. I'm not positive HP will do the same, but I do think that dismissing the genre of children's lit categorically as being shallow as so many scholars seem to do is bad logic. __________________ "Wrestle with me; I want to name you." **************************** "Have you ever tried to get up with a sprained dignity?"---Mrs. Who from A Wrinkle in Time

11-01-2002, 03:49 PM	#25
Telperion Enting Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Calgary Posts: 78	I thought the Harry Potter series were okay, but nowhere near LOTR of Narnia or anything like that. You read them once and you were done, if you tried to read them a second time, they were boring. I think that they got way too much press. __________________ Wherever you go, there you are. Aim for the stars, if you miss, you'll at least land on the moon! He who is made of air should not accuse the wind. My mind wanders. "Not all those who wander are lost." Therefore, my mind is not lost. Now, my question to those of you who doubt my sanity is this: How can someone who has not lost their mind be insane?

11-01-2002, 09:19 PM	#26
Ma Uai: Ua Nemti Elven Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: We'd tell you but you're all out to get us. Posts: 215	I agree with the Telperion fellow. __________________ Pharoah "Vires decusque."

10-26-2002, 01:04 AM	#23
Silverstripe Empress of the Writewraiths Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Running around somewhere inside my head. So what are YOU doing here?! Posts: 1,546	I like Harry Potter but I don't really take the series seriously (I might take it Siriusly but that's a different matter) ducks as everyone throws tomatoes at her head for making the terrible pun

11-05-2002, 01:09 AM	#28
Sylvee Estel Elven Warrior Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 115	I like Harry Potter. It got me involved in fantasy books. If it weren't for HP I'd still probably still be reading Sweet Valley Twins. Yuck. __________________ ~Sylvee

11-12-2002, 06:52 PM	#29
Miranda 'Bohemian princess of Covent Garden Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Mill Posts: 544	Harry Potter! Yuck! Don't want to offend anyone but finally somewhere I can vent my absolute hatred for those damn books. They're such a cheap mix of everything that's gone before. I read the first got utterly bored and tried the others but failed to get beyond chapter three! I saw a thing about the new movie on the news today and saw something about there being a giant spider in it- does anyone remember Shelob in 2Towers- coincidence? I think not. LOTR is the King of all fantasy fiction and it shall never be bettered. Even Gandalf himself could write a better tale and he's been around for God knows!! Tee hee. Mx

11-24-2002, 06:28 PM	#30
Silverstripe Empress of the Writewraiths Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Running around somewhere inside my head. So what are YOU doing here?! Posts: 1,546	Wow! It looks like that last comment has scared everybody off!

11-24-2002, 09:01 PM	#31
Duddun I Antha Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: You expect ME to know? Posts: 784	When they first came out i was like 7 or 8 so they were good, but then I tried rereading them a year later and they were boring. Theres nothing that you miss really the first time that you will see the second time. I tried again last year but still deathly boring. __________________ If you say my name I go "What?" If you say my name twice I go and look it up in the dictionary. **************************** I'm Not Evil! ************************** If the critics say it's good, is it really That good? ************************** It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's a balloon! **************************** Duddun, Son of Bubbun

11-26-2002, 04:24 PM	#34
Claenoic Queen of Prolonged, Unexplained Absences Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Texas. 'Nuff said. Posts: 556	I personally have a soft spot for Harry Potter. That got me into fantasy. It IS over hyped, it doesn't mean it's quite bad though. I'm waiting for the 5th book, since Rowling says it'll get darker. More for adults, maybe, by the 7th book. Who knows? And if you've only read the first book and said you hated it, that's a bit like generalizing, isn't it? Each book has a certain style. And once you scratch the surface, there's more underneath. Goodness, perservering is what got me halfway through The Book of Lost Tales, and then it was all downhill... __________________ Very Biased Alternate Script (but it's funny!):Click here! FREAK RAIN!!!!!!!! O.o Queen of prolonged unexplained absences and long, loooong car rides. Well, hullo everyone. As you can see, I don't hang out here muchly anymore. There's a good reason for this. Y'see, I've been hanging out at a different chatboard called Cardboardia. So far, I've been havin' a blast. Not that I don't love the TLA, but the magic of Entmoot is lost on me. So, as soon as TLA ends, so will my existance here, probably. Who knows though? I might stay. Highly unlikely however. This is a good bye in advance, then. Unless you want to join me and my group of friends at Cardboardia. Cheers! Last edited by Claenoic : 11-26-2002 at 04:27 PM.

11-28-2002, 04:52 PM	#36
Blackboar Legolas's beloved sister and Queen of the Wood Elves of Mirkwood Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Under the hill at Bag-end, Hobbiton the Shire Or Rivendell,I can't remember!!!!!!!!!! Posts: 1,086	I think the HP books are quite boring. The films are O.K but I cant get into the books. They are NOTHING compared to LotR. (In my opinion anyway)

11-28-2002, 05:24 PM	#37
Coney The Buddy Rabbit Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Trapped in the headlights.. Posts: 3,372	Hmm, wouldn't say I hated them, but I'll be in no hurry to read them again. Great characters but absolutely rubbish storyline The 4th book was especially terrible, Rowling seemed to be so confused about the plot herself that she wrote a summory (from the characters POV) as the last chapter............aaaargghh, I hate it when an author does that.......I prefer stories where actions are told as they happen, not when a character "fills in the gaps" to round it off . Maybe in the next books we'll be told less about what the characters are eating (which is all they seem to do until the bad guy turns up) and more about what is actually happening to shape the events of the tale __________________ Blessed are the cracked, they let the light in Beatallica

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