Rating: 
Summary: Well, it IS still a Harry Potter book!
Review: *Spoiler*
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was a disappointment to me! It was rambling, ordinary, and uneventful. That said, it IS still a Harry Potter book, so it can't be too bad. This book opens, as all the HP books do, with Harry agonizing over his summer with the Dursleys, wishing he were back at Hogwarts. Suddenly, Harry is whisked away to "The Order of the Phoenix" in London; the headquarters for Dumbledore's small anti-Voldemort group. Finally, after about 200 pages of shouting and unfinished sentences, Harry is back on the Hogwarts Express to school. This year at school, there are a few changes: Ron gets on the Quidditch team and he and Hermione are now Prefects. Cho is coming on to Harry, and a sadistic new DADA teacher is making life miserable for everyone. The kids have to study all the time for their OWL exams. Basically, the next 500 pages concern the everyday goings on at school - and we never learn Harry's exam results! I kept waiting for something to happen...some new insight into Snape's role in the Order, Dumbledore getting closer to Harry...but nothing! In fact, Dumbledore doesn't even speak to Harry for most of the story. The brief interludes with Harry and Cho are sweet, but not enough. We delve no deeper into the minds of Draco, Dumbledore, or McGonnagal, and,in fact, must wait hundreds of pages to even see Hagrid, who has very little to say when he does show up. (The subplot involving Hagrid and Gwamp is very weak.) The whole book leads up (as usual) to the final confrontation between Harry and Lord Voldemort. This time, however, he is not alone with the Dark Lord. The big fight scene is packed so full of characters and confusion that it is completely unsatisfying. Harry escapes (again), so does Lord V. (again), and Dumbledore spends endless pages explaining it all to Harry (again). In the last three years, author JKR has gotten married and had a baby. I can assume, and understand, that these events took precedence over her writing, because the book seems to be all filler and no substance. In fact, it doesn't advance Harry's story at all, and could easily have been left out of the series. It does allow him to grow up and become more emotional and aggressive, but that's about all. The mysterious death that has received so much advance press was not sad at all; this is one case where the story didn't live up to the hype. The Goblet of Fire still remains my favorite in the HP series. This one is ok (because it's still about Harry!), but it is, for me, the least interesting to date.
Rating: 
Summary: Harry Potter 5
Review: What's a great book I have ever read!! If you are looking for something special in your absolutely normal lifestyle, read the book. This story (and the other four preceeding it as well) is a masterfully woven 'fairy tale' which engages readers of any age. I thouroughly enjoyed reading this book. It also has also won over the appreciation of younger children as well.
Rating:
Summary: Fifth time is not quite the charm...
Review: I must confess to some disappointment here. No doubt this is due in part to the great expectations I had and the excitement I felt about getting my hands on Part V of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter saga. I have long admired Ms. Rowling's imagination, plotting and characters and consider myself a big fan. I found the first two books charming, but Prisoner of Azkaban raised the story to a whole new level for me. With its complex plot, stunning reversals and poignant ending, it remains my favorite Potter novel so far.
Book Four was overlong in my opinion, especially in the first ten chapters, but it improved for me in the rereading. One of Rowling's gifts has been how she times the introduction of a new character, setting or magical device to keep me enthralled even when the plot or subplot drags a bit. Examples in Goblet of Fire include characters like Rita Skeeter or the wonderful prefects' bathroom with its many bubbles and peeking mermaid. Nor are these additions extraneous. In Chamber of Secrets, Moaning Myrtle seems like a fun little extra to the Hogwarts family and then is revealed to have some important secrets.
So we come to Book Five, and I can't help but feel that, despite the addition of one amazing new character and a few interesting set pieces, this lengthy novel doesn't come together as well as I had hoped. There is much to like. Rowling does a great job portraying Harry as an angst-ridden teen. Unfortunately, this doesn't always make for exciting reading. As a high school teacher, I tend to find moody fifteen year olds less than compelling, and Harry was tiresome company much of the time. But I applaud the way Rowling has Harry grow and change from one book to another, affected both by the amazing adventures he has endured and by the very act of growing older. And yet, the plot is surprisingly devoid of surprise or of crucial incidents, and the climax is the most disappointing of any of the books.
Tons of new characters are introduced here, but it's surprising how few of them really register. Dolores Umbridge is a triumph of villainy. Rowling has created with each book a wonderful Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Dolores is no exception. I also liked Kreacher, the tragically stunted house elf. But most of the other new characters, both good and evil, appear too briefly to make much of an impression.
What is more disappointing is the way many of the old characters are used. While Snape and Neville finally get further developed and thus more interesting, and Hermione takes her place as clearly the smartest and most invaluable of the heroic triad (future Best Girl for sure!), Ron is given nothing of interest to do, and Hagrid and Dumbledore are seriously compromised. It's hard to describe how without giving things away, but suffice it to say that, for me, Hagrid's giant-like tendency to lovingly put his friends in terrible danger is growing tiresome for me. As for Dumbledore, the whole book hinges on his making a choice that makes absolutely no sense, given the wizard's wisdom and previous actions.
Having written all this, it seems almost ridiculous to complain. Rowling's saga is compelling, even when parts of it are less satisfying than others. I fully intend to reread Order of the Phoenix and expect to get more out of it the second time. (I also plan to listen to the fabulous Jim Dale act out the book; his interpretation of the hundreds of characters in each audio installment is nothing short of brilliant.) And I eagerly await the next book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: I Loved It
Review: I thought that the new Harry Potter book was the best yet. It is nice to see that Harry actually is not perfect and gets mad like normal people. The series has gotten better as Mrs. Rowling writes each successive story. The plots are more detailed and they keep you in suspense. Overall I loved the new book
Rating: 
Summary: Harry is growing up!
Review: It is nice to see that Harry shows emotions and how exciting; dates for the first time. Unfortunately his school sweethart is not the right match so he moves on. Harry is quite a complex character which will be more and more exciting in the following books. Who will survive and who will die. I think we are looking forward to some wicked and wonderful experiences in the future.
As a muggle, I can not wait! Well done.
Rating:
Summary: In two minds about this book
Review: On one hand, I want to be able to defend this book. It *is* good (fun), and has to be judged for its own merits; you can't compare it to "great literature" or you're going to be really disgusted. On the other hand, more things bothered me about this book than about the previous ones. I'm unsure if OotP lost the expectations game, or if I've changed. With how long I've been waiting for this book, both are possible. This book was gripping at times, but after hearing so much about how the books were getting "darker," I was left with a feeling of: This is it? After the ending of book four, the ending of book five was a letdown. In fact, after just the buildup within book four itself, the ending was a letdown. But during the main part of the book, I stayed interested, partly because I enjoy how JKR writes. While waiting for this book to be published, I also kept hearing that Harry was supposed to be maturing. Heh, *no.* He's has the same sort of bouts of being whiny and irresponcible as in the previous books. (Someone needs to remind this kid that curiousity killed the cat, and that he was lucky the first three times he escaped Voldy. Of course he needs to poke around to make the book work, but if he had any COMMON SENSE the book would have been better. I can suspend my disbelief enough to let them have wands and dragons, but I have a hard time believing anyone could be this stupid.) Some of the material wasn't new. A lot of the beginning and even part of the conclusion we've seen before. A couple story lines just ran in circles, the information being hashed and rehashed. This is not to say that the book didn't have superb moments, not to mention the introduction of several characters with a lot of potential. We see some faces from the past, learn some important information about James and Lily in an unlikely way, and, of course, are left anxious to read the sixth book. I give this three stars because it is average for the series. It in no way reflects how the book stands in the grand picture.
Rating:
Summary: A captivating book with some minor flaws
Review: I know that hundreds if not thousands of customers have already reviewed this book, but I though that I would give my comments on it anyway. After my younger sister finished reading the book and hyping up the ending, I was very excited to finish the book, but must admit that I was somewhat dissapointed. The big climatic battle was not as exciting as it could have been and the long-awaited death was not as a dramatic as I thought it would be. After the book, I was left wondering about some things and felt that many questions were left unanswered or answered only vaguely. Nonetheless, I have to admit that this book was captivating and exciting. The writing is very descriptive, without being flowery. And despite complaints that the book did not have enough action, each chapter leaves you longing for more. Admitingly, the book could have been shorter, but since it managed to keep my attention, I can't complain. So...overall, if you are a Harry Potter fan you definately should read this book (if you haven't read it already!) If you've never read Harry Potter books before, I would reccomend starting from the beggining because because otherwise the fifth book might not make sense.
Rating:
Summary: not as good as the last
Review: It was disappointing to see that the 5th installment of the Harry Potter series was twice as long as the others but with only half the action and sense. I was really upset at the change of style and frequent vagueness. I understand that Harry's 15 now and he's supposed to be hurting but it seems a lot more like whining and I just expect more out of a hero.
Rating:
Summary: could be better
Review: Just like everyone else, I had been eagerly awaiting book 5 and was dissapointed after I read it. It was very unsatisfying. Harry isn't the same as the Harry in the other books that I like for his kindness and readiness to help. I think it was unnecessary for JKR to make him so moody and teenager-like. There were many unanswered questions left hanging at the end even in things that were explained by dumbledore. What the veil is and why the one who died could not be saved by the time turner is still unclear. As a side point, if Moody was able to look through the closet, did the boggart look to him as what he feared most, or as how the boggart really looks? When I heard how long the fifth book was to be I was ellated but after reading it i realize it would have been better about 300 pages shorter. Had there been more excitement 896 pages would have suited me fine. There were many very amusing scenes and had that made up the entire book it would have been one of her best. It could also definitely use some more hints and excitement leading up to a more exhilerating ending.
Now, I gave it 4 stars because I am a great fan of the books and think them extremely clever and written remarkably well and I only dislike this one because her other books were so much more superior.
Rating:
Summary: The best yet
Review: Definitely the best one yet hopefully the next two will be really good. Thing will definitely get interestingi just hope he doesn't wait another 3 years to publish it
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