I'm saving it to read later, but I'm going to go ahead and thank you now, because the slam against the Aeschylus epigraph already tells me he's going to be my man.
Hee hee, I loved it! Especially chapter 33's summary. Fanfic for the win!
I enjoyed the books. They're a good playground. but JK is NOT a good writer - and I had decided this by BOOK FOUR, and people always yelled at me for saying so! *sob*
I wanted to add on to the end of the forth review the script, "Consider a war, when done and said - The Backbone of your Cause is Dead!"
I really think that a lot of the observations are just dead on!
I do enjoy the books, but at the same time, there are obvious limitations. I like her characters, and some of them are pretty interesting, and awesome to play with--but I was sad about the end of the series, honestly.
Have you seen the chapter-by-chapter discussion going on mike_smith? DH as seen by someone who hates Harry Potter (the books and the character) and just wants a story that makes sense. Here's the most recent. There are also similar reviews of HBP, PoA & PS there too. Hilarious. :-)
There are so many times in the later books when Harry just flails helplessly and does nothing and is thus rescued by circumstance or his friends, I've been thinking that for many volumes now, so much like Frodo in the LotR series, uncanny.
The miraculously overheard conversations are what really drive me up the wall. Especially when they're on the camping trip and they just "happen" to overhear Ted Tonks/goblins. I mean, seriously. *laughs*
I swear, every writer should have a group of mini-max gamers go over their plot in excruciating detail. My old GURPS group was merciless, and watching them in action is a big reason why I research the hell out of everything before I write it, from phases of the moon to the architecture of the World Trade Center. I may not succeed, but by God, I REFUSE to have errors as egregious as "I obliviated my parents" followed three chapters later by "I've never done a memory charm." That is inexcusable for an amateur, let alone the best selling author in the world.
That was pretty surprising, y'know? I have been wondering if her editors got a little lax at the end. Like they didn't want to confront her on some issues.
I think she flat-out refused to be edited. And being the best selling author in the world, she got away with it.
Six more months would have resulted in a better, tighter, more logical book. But between Rowling's clear wish to finish up, and Bloomsbury's desire to make lots and lots and lots of money with a summer release, that didn't happen.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 09:01 pm (UTC)*diez*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 09:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 10:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 10:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 10:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 10:42 pm (UTC)PS: Terrific icon, one of your best pics, IMO.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 11:35 pm (UTC)I enjoyed the books. They're a good playground. but JK is NOT a good writer - and I had decided this by BOOK FOUR, and people always yelled at me for saying so! *sob*
I wanted to add on to the end of the forth review the script,
"Consider a war, when done and said -
The Backbone of your Cause is Dead!"
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-18 11:37 pm (UTC)I do enjoy the books, but at the same time, there are obvious limitations. I like her characters, and some of them are pretty interesting, and awesome to play with--but I was sad about the end of the series, honestly.
Great rhyme, too!!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 12:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 12:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 12:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 12:52 am (UTC)JRR Tolkien: part of the Canon now.
JK Rowling: marketing genius, but Canon? Somehow I doubt it.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 01:01 am (UTC)And I had never before really thought about Harry and his passiveness. Talk about food for thought.
The poem killed me, it was so amazing.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 01:05 am (UTC)Tanks, Mr. Beahm took that one at PR.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 01:07 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 01:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 01:26 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 03:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 11:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 11:45 am (UTC)Six more months would have resulted in a better, tighter, more logical book. But between Rowling's clear wish to finish up, and Bloomsbury's desire to make lots and lots and lots of money with a summer release, that didn't happen.
Sad.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 02:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-19 11:54 pm (UTC)