Harry Potter

[Angelus3K]

I've just re-read the 7 books this past month or so, having just finished DH about 5 minutes ago.

I was wondering what you guys think of the series?

The main thing that gets me is if you say "oh I'm reading Harry Potter" or something and people say or more usually think, why the hell are you reading a kids book its stupid. Of course they haven't read a page themselves and do not know just how amazing this series is.

[DrJones]

I think they are great books. Okay, J.K.Rowling stealed a lot of things from folklore and her stories have a lot of narrative faults that even a novice wouldn't fall into (faults that so far were always fixed in the movie versions, fortunately). Anyways, the good things she has, is that she is a very visual writer and you are constantly imagining what's happening at every moment, and she also is usually quite entertaining (except the fifth book, which was full of chaff) so that you end reading the whole books nonstop.

I don't think her characters have any depth whatsoever, though. I think I've only seen more one-dimensional characters in the works of Salvatore, and there are plenty of examples of MarySueism and Flanderization in her novels.

[MusicallyInspired]

It's ok. I don't think it's as big as the media would have us believe. Definitely not up to LOTR standards. I've only seen the movies, though, as I don't read.

[Quest For Glory Fan]

I think Harry Potter is a lot easier to review unbiasly than LotR because you're not raised in contact with those who see it as the bible of fantasy writing. I don't think Harry Potter is as citable when someone chooses to borrow something for fantasy (of which there is much of in LotR) It still definetely holds a candle though. Another thing is that the writing style of rowling simply doesn't translate as well to the screen as Tolkien does. Especially in the next Harry Potter coming this summer which is titled Half-blood prince but should really be titled "Harry potter and the sitting room where he talks to Dumbledore for 600 pages before he dies." In it's defense at least Dumbledore dies and it's over. We don't see a boat sail off into the distance which Sam can't go on for some reason other than to write the f!@#ing book we just watched and we don't have to sit through Aragon being kinged after the hawks fly everyone back (insert other 5 endings here). You get the idea. Overall I prefer watching LotR to HP movie wise but they're both very good. There's no reason one can't watch both.

[Angelus3K]

To coin your phrase here QFGF, the HP movies don't hold a candle to the books.

DrJones, what do you mean by narrative plot faults and no depth of character? The main reason I enjoyed the series was the depth of character and seeing those characters grow from 11 years old to 17 years old, how can you say there's no depth in that?

[Lambonius]

I'd have to insert a qualification to QFGF's post about LOTR translating better to film. We can say that in hindsight after having seen Peter Jackson's modern masterpiece of a trilogy (and the even more amazing extended editions,) but one of the things that made the LOTR trilogy so awesome was the fact that everyone had said it couldn't be done. LOTR was long thought completely unfilmable, which is a testament to just how well Pete Jackson managed to pull it off. In my opinion the level of detail put into every aspect of those three films reaches a new height of film-making never before seen, not even in other sagas like Star Wars, which have comparable amounts of back story.

[Quest For Glory Fan]

Lord of the rings was already a movie, it was narrated by Leonard Nemoy and it was released in the 70s. Sure it was a cartoon but it was still awesome and they included "The Hobbit". Funny thing I noticed as HP1 and LotR1 came out around the same time. They both have massive trolls about a quarter way in except in Fellowship there are 7 fighters (4 of which are atleast competent) That barely kill their troll while in Sorcerer's/Philospher's there are 3 ten year olds that kill theirs quite simply. I always thought that was the difference between the two series. To me even though the rings tried to be wrapped up as tightly as possible it still feels incomplete to me without "The Hobbit" in there.

[MusicallyInspired]

Leonard Nimoy didn't narrater the cartoons. I have all three Tolkien movies (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Return of the King) and Nimoy isn't in any of them. Sure you aren't thinking of an audio book maybe?

[Quest For Glory Fan]

ah I must be, I thought I distinctly remembered his voice narrating when I realized LotR was quoted in Civilization IV which is narrated by Nemoy. Simple mistake. I've just started downloading the hobbit, I haven't watched it since I took it out at the library when I was maybe seven.

[goatmeal]

Leonard Nimoy didn't narrater the cartoons. I have all three Tolkien movies (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Return of the King) and Nimoy isn't in any of them. Sure you aren't thinking of an audio book maybe?

Here is the "Leonard Nimoy / The Hobbit" connection:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ballad ... bo_Baggins

[MusicallyInspired]

Yes, I remember that song. Must be it. "Bilbo! (Bilbo) Bilbo Baggins. Only three feet tall. Bilbo! (Bilbo) Bilbo Baggins. Greatest little hobbit of them all!"

In a slightly off-topic note, I only recently got The Hobbit on DVD and was very disappointed and shocked to find that most of the sound effects from the VHS are not present in the DVD. Which is weird because the movie becomes more of like a silent movie in the action scenes and the sound effects were the best part for me. At least the awesome music is in really high quality.

[Quest For Glory Fan]

Where there's a whip (PShhh) there's a way!

[Blackthorne519]

John Huston "narrated" the Hobbit cartoon (he was the voice of Gandalf, who at times "narrated") and he has a deep, gravely voice similar to Leonard Nimoy's.

Bt

[Quest For Glory Fan]

That and I was too young for Star Trek. Seeing as how it was just a silly mistake I made there are a lot of connections between Leonard Nimoy and the Hobbit.

[MusicallyInspired]

Ah yes. John Huston. There are only a few people in the world with really cool voices and they are:

Patrick Stewart
Leonard Nimoy
John Huston
Terrance Stamp
Sean Bean

At least, those are the top 5 for me. I know I'm forgetting someone, though...

[Brainiac]

Ah yes. John Huston. There are only a few people in the world with really cool voices and they are:

Patrick Stewart
Leonard Nimoy
John Huston
Terrance Stamp
Sean Bean

At least, those are the top 5 for me. I know I'm forgetting someone, though...

Jon St. John...or is that still too traumatic for you? And there's always James Earl Jones, of course.