Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

[Murphie]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Yeah my thoughts as well, but everyone has gone "Potter" over it. See thuis BBC news articled here

To sum up and info from the papers I read this morning....

325million copies sold about 60% by mail order i.e. from amazon etc.

Amazon.co.uk sold 2.2m copies in just preorders.

Our mail service Royal mail has had to bring in extra staff to deliver the 600,000 books posted to arrive this morning, and had to put on a whole mail train and 22 extra lorries to cope with it.

In London people qued for 3 days, and considering all hell has happened here in teh Uk with severe storms and major flooding, they still waitied just to get the book when it was first released and be the first person to read it... Sad.

I don;t get this be first culture, if there is somethign I want I'll get it but I wouldn;t care if I had to wait a few days for it, there re more things in life...

The last paragraph sums it up....

"I've been talking to my friends about Harry Potter theories for so long, and I'm not going to be able to do that anymore. What will I do with my life?"

My answer would be.... "GET ONE!!!"

I'm curious as to what exactly your problem is with people enjoying a series of books. People line up for video game systems, for movies, for a damn phone, for crying out loud. What's so different about lining up for a book (save of course the fact that you can basically wander into any grocery store and pick up a cheap copy the day of)?

How dare people enjoy something. How dare they lament the fact that they will never have another book in a series they really enjoy to look forward to. How silly of them to appreciate a little bit of escapism. I can totally see how other people liking something that you are obviously too superior to appreciate would be worthy of mockery.

Congrats.

[DakAttack]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Only strange people line up for video games, movies, phones, and books. I can understand the love for your favorite book, but it's just Harry Potter in general that I can't wrap my mind around. It's not a children's book, and yet it employs the childish themes and adults love this stuff.

I suppose I'll never understand.

[Gobo]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Best line in the book:

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" uttered by none other than Mrs. Weasley as she charges down to kill Bellatrix.

Anyway, I really think she did a good job wrapping it all up, even though I think she killed off way too many characters.

[Jonastb]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

I finished it about an hour ago. It was a very good ending. I am sad about some of the characters that got killed, but it wasn't supposed to be happily ever after.

I think the best part was the trip through Snapes memories. I don't think his death was as grandiose as it should have been though.
J.K. tied up the loose ends nicely.

The greatest thing about Harry Potter in general, is it got kids to start reading again. I am not talking about the ones that always did, I am talking about kids who didn't want to pick up a book, ever.

[Kirsteena]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Personally I happily adore Peter F Hamilton (I treasure my signed copy of Pandora's Star), and have loved the Harry Potter phenomenon. Nothing wrong with a bit of pure escapism. JKR has never said she is anything but a story teller - it isn't designed to be a great piece of literature, but a story.

I get that people don't get the whole HP thing. But, in this day of computers, internet, TV - it has got kids reading again. And the biggest book launch in history is nothing to be sneezed at - if the people didn't love it in their millions, there wouldn't have been the launch in the first place. There is certainly place for them all in this world, and anything that gets children reading - who can complain?

[Jarre]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

I'm curious as to what exactly your problem is with people enjoying a series of books. People line up for video game systems, for movies, for a damn phone, for crying out loud. What's so different about lining up for a book (save of course the fact that you can basically wander into any grocery store and pick up a cheap copy the day of)?
How dare people enjoy something. How dare they lament the fact that they will never have another book in a series they really enjoy to look forward to. How silly of them to appreciate a little bit of escapism. I can totally see how other people liking something that you are obviously too superior to appreciate would be worthy of mockery.
Congrats.

My problem is people having to be first to get something, and will do anythign to get it first. My question is whats the point? Why can't you wait a day or 2, why do you have to be first in line to get it, whats so special that you have to miss days off work (yes there were some people in that line that pulled sickies from work just to be first in line, 2 people got sacked when there boss walked past the shop in my city and saw them, it was in the local paper yesterday) Its the whole thing of patience, I hate inpatient people, and people take things too far.

I'm not condemming people who like books, games, movies etc. but people take it too far and get obsessive about being the first. Look what happened when the PS3 came out, people fighting to get their hands on one, its insane. Its a console, its a book, its a movie, its not life or death if you have to wait a day or 2 for it.

And yes it is true, Child Line (A uk charity counselling service for children) have launched a helpline for children who have read the book.

Here is a caption from the article viewed here

"Childline is preparing for a deluge of calls from Harry Potter fans after the final book in the series goes on sale.
The phone counselling service has asked its volunteers to work extra shifts with the death of a key character expected to cause a surge in demand."

Murphy I have no problem people enjoying a series of books, its when they take it too far....

[Jarre]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Personally I happily adore Peter F Hamilton (I treasure my signed copy of Pandora's Star)

Now I'm Jealous!

[Caspian]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

I think its more than just being about being first. Its that people have really wanted to read this book and all wanted to read it as soon as possible.
I think of all the things that people have waited in lines for, a book is the most healthy.

Personally, I just got done a reading it a little bit ago....Yes, reading till 4am isnt healthy, I know. Especially when it gives you a headache, you've been doing it for so long all at once.

Yes, Gobo, that line made me laugh out loud too.

Dak, don't watch the movies and expect to understand the majority of people's excitement for it. Like most movies derived from books, they're not near as good (though still enjoyable in their own right). Yes, even the books are children's books (though as they progress they lean more and more to the early adolescent stages at the earliest). The Chronicles of Narnia are also children's books, but they're probably my favorite books of all. Only real difference being that Lewis really had a lot of metaphor in them that you won't get unless you're really looking.

I liked the book, liked it a lot. I was somewhat worried that she'd do something stupid (this next part will be in spoiler for those who don't want to know since very little has been said that would be spoilers, yet)

Click me if you dare, Muggle

and kill Harry. Would have been bad for the business, any new reader would very likely be turned off the whole thing if they found out it wasn't worth there time to begin with. Anyway, I'm glad Severus was actually good. Kinda figured he almost had to be, otherwise how bad of literature is it when what you expected to be true for the last 6 books, ends up being totally correct. I REALLY enjoyed the King's Cross chapter. It really tied up all the things left unsaid b/w Harry and Dumbledore, and really gave some closure to what had previously been a very abrupt departure.
Its neat to see how much Rowling has grown as an author over the last 7 books. Her writing really improved and made you care about the characters more and more as it went on.
I also rather liked the 19 years later, though it was a little cliche'.

I'm also hoping she's a liar and that she might do some books about post school. Something along the lines of Harry becoming an Auror and fighting the dark magics that are still in the world. Because you know that Voldemort wasn't the first, nor he will be the last Lord of the Dark Arts.

Anyway, its really late, I'm really tired and have a bad headache. I'll write more when I have the time. Goodnight, and to those still reading, enjoy.

[Kirsteena]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Murphy I have no problem people enjoying a series of books, its when they take it too far....

As ever, it is a tiny minority that really take it too far, and those are the ones that end up in the media - so the media themselves skew it out of all proportion.

[Murphie]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Exactly. Star Wars fans are hardly represented by the people who dress up or have Star Wars weddings. Gamers are hardly represented by that guy who sits in his parents basement getting fatter and fatter, etc.

It's fine that some people aren't going to get/like/whatever the series. We don't all like the same things. It's when people go out of their way to tell everyone how stupid they think it all is, and how these people need to get lives, etc. That's what makes no sense.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Only strange people line up for video games, movies, phones, and books. I can understand the love for your favorite book, but it's just Harry Potter in general that I can't wrap my mind around. It's not a children's book, and yet it employs the childish themes and adults love this stuff.

I suppose I'll never understand.

Will you line up near a fence to get your sports equipment or cards signed by your favorite athlete? Will you scream if they hit a home run? Do you wear the band's T-Shirt to that band's show?

If so, its pretty much the same thing.

At any rate, I don't follow the Harry Potter books, but I get what's going on. Its good that the books are getting kids reading again, it'll get kid reading other books. HP wasn't mainstream from the start, it grew from obscurity, which is even better. Things like Lord of the Rings movies have fueled this trend and kept people reading. Its a good thing.

[DakAttack]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Will you line up near a fence to get your sports equipment or cards signed by your favorite athlete? Will you scream if they hit a home run? Do you wear the band's T-Shirt to that band's show?

If so, its pretty much the same thing.

I don't do that stuff either. Fanaticism would be a step out of character for me.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

I don't do that stuff either. Fanaticism would be a step out of character for me.

You don't happen to have green blood, do you?

[Feba]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

Harry Potter dies, I think.

He tries to.

Somebody dies.

Somebody? At least a hundred some odd people must've died by the end of it- at least nine or ten characters we know.

So what is Snape is actually a good guy?

Kinda. He was basically doing everything for his own sake, but he was on the right side.

I just finished the book. It was pretty dang good, and I'm satisfied with the way the series ended.

Same. I really don't feel like there are any loose strings left hanging around, and I kinda think that might help some kids learn to deal with death.

Only strange people line up for video games, movies, phones, and books.

Not true.. strange people are the ones that wait for for days on end to get something. I see no problem with a person waiting in line for something (although I personally was tired as heck on friday, just grabbed it from a giant wal-mart display the next day)

Best line in the book:

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" uttered by none other than Mrs. Weasley as she charges down to kill Bellatrix.

That was pretty good, but the best line was actually when Hermione said "It's the way the Wizard uses the Wand that matters! Some Wizards just like to talk about how their wands are bigger and better than other peoples!", or something very, very close to that.

I think the best part was the trip through Snapes memories. I don't think his death was as grandiose as it should have been though.

I dunno, I think giving him a fairly quick and dirty death still left some confusion over whether Snape was good or not until the very end of The Prince's Tale.

The greatest thing about Harry Potter in general, is it got kids to start reading again.

Agreed. When reading is the 'cool' thing to do, that's a great thing, when waiting until the movie is out to find out about something is considered lame, society isn't totally brainless yet.

the death of a key character expected to cause a surge in demand.

WHAT key character? Dumbledore and Sirius were already dead, nobody really likes Snape. Dobby..?

I also rather liked the 19 years later, though it was a little cliche'.

I dunno, I could take it or leave it. It's nice to see they all got out alright, and went on to live their lives, but it doesn't say anything about what they actually did, hardly anything about cleaning up the huge mess, if anything it just seems to lead into a new series of books (which I would be pretty pissed off at if they ever came out to be completely honest)

[Olorin401]

Re: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows discussion thread (MAJOR SPOILERS, DUH)

OK so when they make this movie it better be rated R.. Seriously soooo many characters died.

And I agree with how the series was ended. Everything was wrapped up quite nicely.

I think the best part was the trip through Snapes memories. I don't think his death was as grandiose as it should have been though.

What? Being eaten by a possessed snake isn't a good enough death for him? He should have a more gorey and fittingly stupendous murder considering the role that was set for him throughout the series? Actually, I personally think the fact that Voldemort didn't kill him using his wand is quite flattering.