Rating: 
Summary: Hogwarts School obviously doesn't teach proper grammar...
Review: Once upon a time, there was a boy named Harry Potter. His adventures delighted us as we read about them in his first four books. After a long wait, we finally found ourselves in the presence of the boy wizard again. And some of us were disappointed...I know I'm not going to be popular for saying so, but I had a lot of problems with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. For the first two weeks I had it, I barely touched it; I would try to read it, but the story just didn't seem to be going anywhere. I almost decided to give up on it. But I kept going, hoping the story would take off and grab my imagination. For a book that took so long to write, I would have expected a lot more editing. Take out a little bit of unnecessary dialogue here (can you say "er...?"), a little bit of irrelevant description there, and the book probably could have been trimmed to a more manageable size (reading this thing in bed is hard on the fingers... 700+ pages in hardcover make for a heavy book!). I was also appalled at the lack of proper grammar. Everyone in this book talks in run-on sentences! I don't remember noticing this in the previous four books, but then, this book didn't have a really interesting storyline to distract me. Book 5 also doesn't stand on its own. You really have to have read the previous four books to make sense of all the references (and since I hadn't re-read any of the other books in preparation for this one, I couldn't properly remember half of the things that were mentioned... three years is a long time to have to remember all those little details). There are still so many unanswered questions. After 766 pages, I feel sort of empty and cheated. Harry's lost someone else in his life, for seemingly little reason other than to make him more miserable. There had better be some really good explanations in Books 6 and 7! Finally, I realize this is first and foremost a series of books, not movies. But, as it looks probable that all of these books will be turned into movies at some point, I am rather disturbed. Book Four was depressing enough; how that could be made into a movie for kids, I'm not sure. Book Five would have people leaving the theatres in tears of frustration and grief! After all, who wants to spend $... to see a depressing cliffhanger? I've given the book three stars because after I reached the mid-point, I started to get a little bit interested in the story. The first half took two weeks for me to get through; the second half took a few hours. I kept reading, desperately hoping that the story would blossom, that something would finally be explained. I'm still disappointed with the way this book ended, but I did enjoy reading some parts of it. Fred and George and their Skiving Snackboxes had me smiling to myself. Professor Umbridge was deliciously nasty. Hagrid's newest "project" was sort of amusing. And I liked Rowling's clever literal use of a metaphor for death. But, overall, it was not enough. I hope Book 6 is a lot shorter, a lot more exciting, and a lot less depressing (although, judging by the tone set in the last two books, I don't think things are going to get any lighter). And an editor would be helpful... there are enough reasons people want to ban Harry Potter books. Let's not give them "bad grammar" as yet another one.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book
Review: JK Rowling does it again with this new Harry Potter book. It is decisively better than the other four and maintains throughout 700+ pages a wonderful story. All the characters are back again plus some oldies and Harry begins to experience things all 15 year olds did and continue to. Fits and a hanckering for girls are the most distinctively different features that Harry now possesses however one thing that he doesn't lose as he is growing up is his wonderful charm. The reader cannot help but rotting for Harry through all the different trials and tribulations he faces. The only thing that slightly let down the book are the description of the fight sequences towards the end. I know it would be difficult to attempt to make interesting a fight that includes sparks from wands being constantly directed and fired against the opponent, but still it wasn't as exciting as other parts of the book. In fact the last few pages are not of the outstanding level of the previous 700 of the book however this in no way makes the book any less exciting or overall excellent.
Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Wow!, she done it again.
Review: Wow! She done it again. I am really amazed that JK started a series about a wisard boy. As soon as the book came out, I went to the store to buy with my dad. I started to read the book that day and it was so exiting that I couldn't drop it. It took me just 4 days to read it. I thought that the Order of the Phoenix was the best book written in the series yet. Its a fun, exciting, adventurous, thrilling, but dangerous ride for Harry with up coming troubles ahead. The book is mostly about a boy who was faced with dangers in school now trying to convince the misitry of magic that the powerful Voldermort has again rise to his full sef better than ever before.
Rating: 
Summary: Long, Winding and Almost Pointless
Review: Is JK being paid by the word? I read the first half of the book before realizing nothing had really happened and the point of the plot was no where to be found. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book but it is overly long and more on par with the quality of the first or second book and well below the gripping suspense of the 3rd and 4th books.
Overall this book reminded me of a lot of middle books in three part trilogies. They are continuations of the first book but really only filler setting up the third book. This was a lot of filler with a rather lame excuse for a plot and ending.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Awesome
Review: This book continues the bestselling Harry Potter series building on all of Harry's previous encounters witht the evil Lord Voldermort. It seems that in this installment of the eventually seven volume series, J.K. Rowling becomes more philosophical, rather than writing purely escapist literature. I am quite annoyed that I will have to wait at least a year for another book. Ms. Rowling certainly has some skill.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Reviewed by Maya M. Dwivedy In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Phoenix), the fifth Harry Potter book, J.K. Rowling's style of writing has changed vastly from past sequels. More emotions set up for the good vs. evil plot, and details and descriptiveness change the easy-reading standards. She has gone at length to describe the turmoil, fear, and the anxiety that corrupts Harry's dreams and his well-being.
In Phoenix, Muggles think as usual that they can indulge in 'mind-reading' but wizards believe in "Occlumency" - the art of hiding one's thoughts from magical prying. So, sinister Potions teacher Severus Snape ridicules Muggles of their 'mind-reading' talks. "The mind is not a book that could be opened at will and examined at leisure." Snape thunders. Readers notice that Harry's mind gets more complex, as it acquires a few more layers of complexity intertwined with anxieties, frustrations and fear of failures. Magic, excitements, adventures, unknowns and the fear of death have always been ingredients of Ms. JK Rowling's writing. Phoenix begins like her previous books with the long, hot summer and the finger-nail biting waiting for magical summons to come followed by hasty packing and arriving at the twilight zone like Platform 93/4 - the gateway to the world of magical adventures.
In Phoenix, the plots have thickened. Voldemort is back with a band of his evil Death Eaters. Hogwarts' Head Master Albus Dumbledore has organized an informal society with Mad-Eye Moody and Remus Lupin to fight against Voldemort's evil wizards. Harry spends another thrilling year at Hogwarts, the magical school he attends, though he faces difficult teachers (including the Potions Master, Severus Snape), homework, arguments with friends and foes, feelings about Cho Chang, and most of all, the strange happenings and their connections with Lord Voldemort. Thus, the struggle between good and evil is as intriguing as ever. Still Phoenix has the same base, though. Harry is now 15 years old (he ages another year in every book), but still is considered highly dangerous by the cautious relatives Dursleys. He is physically bigger and has developed a quick temper. He gets more sarcastic, suspicious of his elders and quickly gets upset even with his best friends Ron and Hermione. To even add more petrol to his inner raging fire, Harry loses a character that he needs most. Harry adopts a sullen and gloomy personality. His dark nature increases and he burns with his anger. Yes, Draco Malfoy is still evil; Neville proves to have a surprising past; the Sorting Hat sings another poem of history; and Harry's scar throbs with pain. His two best friends, Hermione and Ron fail to understand him.
So Harry Potter we meet in Phoenix goes through a series of long roller-coaster emotions of thrills and joys as well as pains and frustrations compounded with many faces of fear wrapped in looming failures. Four years of rage and fear, magnified by the death of his friend, Harry feels are shared by the readers. Thus, Harry Potter's volatile feelings and fears seem to converge and run together with that of his readers. But, we still wonder, why is this a popular book? Perhaps because of the pain and suffering Harry experiences gives the readers something they themselves could relate to. Whatever the reason, the magic of Harry Potter is so compelling that either you fall in love with it and get hopelessly further addicted with each sequel. Or if you are critics, you just can't tolerate it. But no matter who you are, you just can't ignore its spell. The magical genie of Harry Potter books Ms. Rowling has created keeps growing by leaps and bounds. I love reading books of magic and mystery. They do cast spells on you, and take you to a new dimension of imagination where the fictional characters assert their birth rights and often redoubt their own existence. Like compositions of J.R.R. Tolkien's rich prose and memorable poetry are embedded with riddles: It can't be seen, can't be felt, can't be heard, can't be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes and follows after, ends life kills laughter. They compel you to hum their verses long after you finished reading.
So is Ms. Rowling's' Harry Potter, though in a different universe from Tolkein's Lord of the Rings series. Harry Potter's plots have their own aura and appeal, and marching ahead with novel sequels like the mystifying Phoenix. The magic of Harry Potter reigns in all, and his readers cannot wait to read the next sequel. DwyzBihar
Great Falls, VA
USA
Rating:
Summary: Two more to go, then we can get on with serious literature
Review: JK's work has become cliché. This was never considered high literature, but much of the original wit and imagination has vanished, and apparent inconsistencies with her prior books have been found. We're committed to see this through to the end, but now it has become an endurance match of waning interest.
Rating:
Summary: I can't wait for book six!
Review: This was a great book. I consider a great book one that you can't wait to finish because you've got to know what happens, but then are very disappointed that you've finished and there no more to read...
Rating:
Summary: Good, but could have been better
Review: This is probably the least satisfying installment of the Harry Potter series. It is certainly not a bad book, and Rowling deserves praise for allowing Harry to grow up, with warts and all, and challenging the reader to do the same. Her flair for characterization is as strong as ever, especially through introducing the odious Dolores Umbridge and "Loony" Luna Lovegood, and we finally get a real understanding of just how powerful Dumbledore is (no wonder Voldemort fears him). But after reading Order of the Phoenix, I must say I was rather disappointed. I found it unnecessarily long, adding text without adding much substance. Promising subplots (especially the increasingly complex character development of Professor Snape and Neville Longbottom) go nowhere, and Rowling seems more concerned about introducing potential plotlines for the next two installments rather than nailing this one down. Worst of all, the action in Order of the Phoenix, especially the rather ho-hum climax, is, well, kinda dull. The startling revelations and plot twists that made Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire such compelling page turners is generally absent from Order of the Phoenix. I could not put the first four books down, but had to will myself to finish Phoenix. I certainly have no plans to abandon Harry Potter in the future, but I doubt my anticipation for future volumes will be as great.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing but expectant
Review: Like many others I have to confess myself disappointed, but hopeful for the next two books. I devoured the fifth book almost in one sitting and enjoyed doing that immensely, but was left frustrated on many counts. I had a very different idea of what the Order of the Phoenix would do and who would be in it; I expected more action, but when it came towards the end of the book it didn't seem to quite work. Our expectations of some of the characters, notably Dumbledore and Harry, were undermined - while this may be truer to 'real life' it's a shame to do that in such an excellent and gripping book series so far. Some of the places (the Order's headquarters)and new characters (notably the evil cow Umbridge)are positively repellant; in fact, I wondered if J.K.Rowling hasn't steeped herself a little too far in the 'dark side' as some of the shock-horror moments are verging on sick! And yet the surprise death was surprisingly mundane - maybe it was hyped up too much before the book came out. But she did redeem herself with the ending which leaves us with a more hopeful view that the next book will be tighter, more positive, and follow through some of the loose ends left untied in this one (eg Snape's role in it all). But despite the initial disappointment I remain a solid Potter and Rowling fan!
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