Just like the iPhone

[sakuraamplifier]

Judging by my friends page recently, I am the only person on earth who does not care about Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, I have no animosity towards anyone who does care, but I am just not interested. Want to spoil it for me? Go ahead! (But you might not want to do it in the comments, as there are people on my f-list who will FUCKING KILL YOU.)

Comments

[sakuraamplifier]

My defining petty fanboy argument came the first time I ever saw any artwork from Cardcaptor Sakura. I jokingly said "Man, they've been watching Sailor Moon!" in reference to the wand Sakura was holding in the picture, and my fanboy friend flew into a rage yelling about how the wand looked nothing like Sailor Moon's wand, and I should be ashamed of myself for even thinking something so stupid. This was in the middle of a bookstore in Japan, and I think it was the most embarrassed I had ever been up to that point in my life. That was the point at which I realized I would never be a real fanboy.

[wolfofsilver]

the reason that i like the harry potter books is simple. good writing.

[vitiosuslepros]

I've never considered the Potter books to be that great. The writing is mediocre, the development relies on traditional methods, and Harry is the typical hero from a overly tragic background. Also, I do not take kindly to overly depressing sections of books meant to show just how much better Hogwarts is.

And Harry is an annoying, shrieking teenager.

[sakuraamplifier]

And Harry is an annoying, shrieking teenager.

Hahaha. I've heard a lot of debate over whether the writing is actually any good or not. I heard something on the BBC once where I thought two critics were about to go at it, with one saying the writing was garbage and the other trying to defend it. I just kept thinking "You guys are getting this worked up over a kids' book." Again, not to disparage any of the adults who read it, because I know lots of things have crossover appeal, but it's the fervor with which some people view it.

And, yeah, I could do without the parts of the movies that deal with his "real world" family. They always remind me of rape scenes in movies--just an easy way to make the audience feel outraged.

[paulkienitz]

The writing is good and not good depending how or what part you look at. It's very clever, it has a deft light touch, and she manages to mix in everything you want in a story. On the other hand, the longer the series goes on and the thicker the volumes get, the more that light technique is ill-suited to support the ponderous bulk of the vast epic tale, and the weaknesses start to show.

I've been thinking that I want to reread book 5, because people are talking about various nonrecurring characters in the movie and I don't remember any of them. Maybe book 5 is the low point of the series... it's certainly the one where Harry is at the peak of annoying&shrieking behavior, and oddly, in acting that way he's at his least believable. But, it does have a Philip José Farmeresque prolonged battle at the end.