I got into an argument the other day with an articulate 17 year old Harry Potter fan - let's call him D - who wanted to know why I was being so nasty in my review of Deathly Hallows. What was wrong with it? I offered various structural criticisms: the ending is abrupt and unconvincing, the subplot with the Horcruxes has not been adequately foreshadowed in the earlier volumes, and the book as a whole is overlong and boring. D expressed surprise that I could call Deathly Hallows boring, when I'd given five stars to Madame Bovary and Animal Farm, both of which he considered far duller. The discussion continued for some time. In the end, I said I would write a review summarising my objections to the series as a whole. Here it is. I had already watched four films of Harry Potter when finally I decided to read the novels. I have to thank a friend that he insisted in lending me the first book. Odd enough, he had it on English language while he didn't read English (at least at that time), so he told me that he was glad that somebody was actually reading the book. (He already had read the first 4 books but in Spanish language). I am not a fan of borrowing books and also I don't like that people lend me books, basically for not being in situation where I may feel obliged to borrow some of my books returning the favor. However, since he insisted so much and I knew that he won't ask me for any of my books, finally I accepted.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Gryffindor Edition Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Gryffindor Edition

One of the best series I've ever read. made my childhood MAGICAL! thank you Queen Rowling! *put my hands in the air* year, again, Harry’s birthday ruined, sympathy for him rising, he broke the rules, again. then he started to fight for his problem, to be strong. At the end, we face the Prisoner. /We rescued the Prisoner

Jim Dale's narration of the series is truly magical. He changes his voice in hundreds of different ways to convey the various characters and their personalities. He brought an excitement to the stories that was just plain addictive. some of my Favourite chapters are; the Flaw in the Plan (7), Beyond the Veil (5), the Only One who Ever Feared (5), Flesh, Blood & Bone (4), Priori Incantatem (4), the forest again (7), Heir of Slytherin (2), Dumbledore's army (5), O.W.L.s (5), Dudley Demented (5), Detention with Dolores (5), Snape's Worst Memory (5), Kreacher's tale (7), every Quidditch related chapter & many more! just as how Not-Ordinary Harry was, I am an extraordinary fan too; the book many people didn't like is my top favourite & the one which is everyone's favourite is my least favourite.

HARRY POTTER: Hogwarts House Editions: Gryffindor: Books HARRY POTTER: Hogwarts House Editions: Gryffindor: Books

All created by Rowling, all aspects of a realistic world, of life. even the Queen invented a wizarding Sport & its worldcup! & even stories & toys for their children. I can go on forever...

The books are fairly well written and humorous. While I think sometimes Rowling tries too hard, her writing isn't bad by any measure. I could not endorse a series with cheesy, slow, over-the-top, sordid, grammatically incorrect, wordy, choppy, incoherent, nonsensical, or any other writing style that distracted from the story.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Gryffindor Edition Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Gryffindor Edition

No books have influenced me the way the Harry Potter series has. It shaped me as a child, as a teenager, as a young adult. It shaped me as an individual. My absolutely favorite thing about this series is how it comes full circle. You start the series with a fun magical tale of a nobody boy who finds out that not only is there a world with witches and wizards but that he is one of the most important people in this world. Sure it's entertaining but it's not deep. Then you get to the end when you see that same boy as an adult standing in the same spot his adventures began and you start to see the story from other points of view. The second time I read the series I couldn't just see Harry's light-hearted experiences, but Dumbledore's careful hand as he guided and prepared this boy for a mission in life that not many people could handle. To see this small sad boy and know the sacrifices he had to make, somehow prepare him without letting him know the extent of the personal hell he will have to endure, and to love him enough to teach him and somehow be able to let him go in the end--well that is not a story a child could understand. That is a story for an adult. Another reason for the phenomenon was its broad appeal--kids, teens, adults, fantasy-lovers and non fantasy-lovers. In contrast, the Wheel of Time series is also excellent and a long, momentum-building series, but its appeal is significantly narrower. Easily the strongest book of the whole bunch. Not only it has a truly well crafted mystery but also, you will amaze to realize how a lot of elements presented in the previous books are explained the reason of existing here in this novel and all is turning around of a character.The exciting tales of Harry Potter, the young wizard-in-training, have taken the world by storm, and fans just can't get enough of the magical world of Hogwarts and beyond. If you buy one of the Harry Potter books, we guarantee you'll want the next... and the next... and the next -- so why not have them all, right at your fingertips?