Rating: 
Summary: The magic continues...
Review: People have been waiting eagerly for the fifth installment of this epic saga for more than two years now. Sometimes, the longer the wait, the greater the anticipation. And sometimes, the more anticipation and hype that precedes a book (or movie for that matter), the larger of a letdown it will be if the novel or movie isn't all that wonderful. Well, in the case of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, that needn't be a worry. People were a little wary on just how on earth J.K. Rowling would be able to contend with the phenomenal literature she had already brought to our lives with the first four novels, but somehow, some way, she has done it again.
But Harry Potter, the book and the character, isn't the same old bag of tricks that readers have become accustomed to. The likes of an innocent and sweet little boy are far gone, and replacing it is a young man, a teenager crashing into the angst of his adolescense. Harry is much angrier, much more impatient and certainly not as tolerant with his friends. The character has become that much more complex, but the development of maturity through adolscense has been so beautifully portrayed in this novel, it is hard not to enjoy every page of it. Also increasing dramatically in scope are the dangers and worries that Harry has to face. While his maturity becomes greater, so does the evil that endures. Lord Voldemort is back as we know from the previous volume, and Harry is just waiting hopelessly for Voldemort to appear one day out of thin air to sweep him off his feet and murder him. He doesn't know who to trust and he certainly doesn't find resolve in the ministry of magic, which only proves more dangerous and uncertain than anything else. But there will always be Ron and Hermione, and the moment they first appear on page, we feel that jolt of warmth that we haven't felt and have been waiting to feel for more than two years.
Other characters come back as well, and Harry can find much comfort in his Godfather, Sirius, who is fleshed out in this novel to be a very enjoyable character of literature. While the fourth installment, Goblet of Fire, was a sheer display of plot, this novel is all about character study. And through these characters, we experience their pain and happiness that much more closely, due to such deep portrayals.
It seems that with each book comes a rising power of darkness, maturity and adventure. While Harry becomes more mature, so does the narrative. But the enjoyment does not subsibe one bit, if not increasing. While some of the book is a slow chunk of richness, there are moments of pure brilliance that will never be forgotten, and when you've reached that last page, you will have read one of the better novels in your life. Add to the series another very magical and impressive tome. Possibly the best one yet. Welcome back, J.K. Rowling. And thank you.Jason Kramer
Rating:
Summary: This is the best story
Review: This is the best story I have ever read. It keeps on getting better and better. I can't wait for the next book!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Best Yet
Review: This is by far the best in the series. The author like the main charecter continues to grow wiser and more sophisticated as the series progresses. This one has Harry turned 15 learning more about himself and how the world works as he also copes with the problems typical to teenagers.This story allso has a very ponient lesson for all of us, particularly with the fear coming from 911. That my must not surender our freedom to become safe. ... This story should be read by all.
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Summary: HARRY POTTER IS FINALLY BACK!
Review: harry potter books are just a DELIGHT to read, and really are some of the most interesting, fun books i have ever laid my hands on. once you open a book, you find yourself in a perfectly crafted fantasy world, with wonderfully shaped characters and great twists and turns, this is one series not to at least TRY. harry potter and the order of the phoenix is probably the most unique of the series, in the way that instead of the "hidden" voldemort plot, it is present from the first page. the book is mostly harry's thoughts on perspectives, but don't let this turn you off. there's still PLENTY of hogwarts action, and the TRIO is still surviving school. open this book, and let your mind fly off and witness voldemort's return, harry's first kiss, ron's increadible accomplishment (it may suprise you!), and the suprise SAD ending that will have you really thinking.
ALTHOUGH NOT MY FAVORITE IN THE SERIES, THIS BOOK ROCKS! you will probably need to read the other books first, or you will be REALLY lost in this!
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best but a close second
Review: This book was fantastic and while it was not as good as Book 3 it is much much better than the 4th one. The book was dark but not disgusting like some scenes in the 4th book. And the humor was probably the best in this book. The Book has the most nastiest Harry Potter character in the series in the form of that... Dolores Jane Umbridge. The ending was the best part .... Also Dumbledore kicked ... Yoda-style. The characters were fantastic and Harry himself came as something of a surprise. Fred and George were also hilarious( their best yet). Few flaws but - the book started out very slow and some parts(very few) like Hagrid's story did not have a purpose. Maybe it will be explained in the next few books. Also Ron felt a bit sidelined and Harry stole the spotlight from him for a change. Otherwise the book was awesome and second best in the series. A whopping 9/10.
Rating:
Summary: The pivitol book.
Review: Okay, so I debated whether or not to run out and buy this book the day it hit the shelves, so I decided against it and bought it the next day.
The reason I could no longer resist the urge was because this is the pivitol book in the series. This book needed to be well writen really needed to start making connections, tying lose ends, and needed to explore the development of the characters, especially Harry, in order for this series to be truely successful.
I feel this book did what it was meant to do. Obviously JK Rowling rereads her own books before she continues in the series. Which is comforting. I am about 100 pages from the end and can't wait to tear it away from my fiance so I can finish it.
However, I do have one complaint which kept me from awarding the book 5 stars. That complaint is that Rowling both improved and took a step back in her ability to write conversation. She improved with her ability to have more then one conversation or train of thought flowing at once. Where she reversed her abilities was in the usage of verble crutches, most annoyingly, "Er." The "Er" is over used. I mean... er... if you wanted... er... a person to... er... get through a sentance.... er... you'd want it to not be inhbited every couple of words.
Other then that, I highly recommed the book.
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Summary: ¿Order of the Phoenix¿ showcases a darker, more mature story
Review: I picked up a copy of the newest Harry Potter novel "Order of the Phoenix" on June 21 and managed (between work and other responsibilities) to finish it in less than two days (no small task, considering that the book weighs in at well over 800 pages). My verdict after reading the first four novels: "Order of the Phoenix" follows in the vein of "Goblet of Fire," and showcases a darker, more cynical Harry, who spends most of the book fighting feelings of rage and hopelessness aimed at his closest friends and professors. The book begins, as always, with a miserable stay at the Dursleys (Harry's loathsome foster family), but things quickly go wrong as the worlds of magic and Muggles collide with startling consequences for all involved. Harry's fifth year is his most challenging so far: the O.W.L (Ordinary Wizarding Level) exams at the end of the year will help determine his future course of studies and profession. Bogged down with an impossible courseload and still emotionally fragile from the events in "Goblet of Fire" (including the death of a fellow Hogwarts student and nearly being killed himself at the hands of Lord Voldemort), Harry is once again involved in a sinister plot against him masterminded by Voldemort. His circle of friends again includes Hermione, Ron, and Neville, and this time around we see the beginnings of a hesitant romance with Cho Chang. Harry is utterly confused and embarrassed at his behaviour towards Cho, including a stolen kiss under mistletoe and a fight at a tearoom on Valentine's Day, and he and Ron lament the confusing nature of females in general. Old friends from previous books make appearances here, including Mad Eye Moody and Professor Lupin, both former Defence against the Dark Arts professors, and Sirius, Harry's godfather. The Weasly twins Fred and George are back and up to no good as they plan to open their own magic shop in Diagon Alley with the winnings from Harry's Triwizard Tournament. Ron is made prefect of Gryffindor, much to the consternation of Harry, who has also been banned from playing Quidditch by the new villain, Dolores Umbridge, a toadlike woman with a particularly sadistic bent where Harry and friends are concerned. A conspiracy is afoot, and it will take the combined skills of Harry's friends, professors and acquaintances to solve it. Much of the book is formulaic, resembling the other four in the series. Rowling has, much like Tolkien, created a self-sufficient, utterly believable alternate universe for her characters, filled with exotic foods, sports and classes. But "Order of the Phoenix," like "Goblet of Fire," sustains a much darker tone overshadowed by tragedy, death, evil and revenge. Harry's anger is all consuming, and when a very close friend dies, it is implied that Harry's rashness and sullen obstinacy could have been the cause for the death. "Order of the Phoenix is sure to be a hit with Harry Potter fans, but perhaps not the best book to attract new readers as it relies heavily on past novels in the narrative. No real revelations here not present in the other four novels, but an entertaining read nonetheless.
Rating: 
Summary: Forget who dies; there's lots more to question in this book
Review: To my surprise, I felt only slightly sorrowful, almost removed, at the fact that Rowling killed off the only character who's kept us turning pages in the successively worse book 4 and book 5. Indeed, the fanatic idolatry I've associated with this character has been reduced to a fine subtlety after reading The Order of the Phoenix. The truth is, the character himself has not changed much. Subject to the same human weaknesses as all of us, he/she nevertheless remains the character with that unique, rough-edged tenderness that makes him/her so endearing. In the way he/she loves, and in the way he/she hates, there is a tremulous voice that speaks persistently of passion; perhaps he/she belongs to a class, as Snape says, of those who "wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves" -- "weak people." To the very end, I loved this character for what he/she is, what he/she's symbolized, and what might have been if situations were different. Then why is it that I seem lacking of emotion at his/her tragic death? (I apologize for the irritating gender-neutrality, but, not spoilers here) The Goblet of Fire was grossly excused by your truly, simply because Rowling has reached such a height with Azhkaban that I refused to believe that she could achieve anything less. GoF had the kind of set up that, had it not belonged to the Harry Potter series, I would not have tolerated. But at least everyone stays in character in GoF, Harry has his eye on the big picture, Dumbledore's lair is a sancturary, and there is consistence amidst twists. All, it seems, is lost in Order of the Phoenix. Harry, for example, begins to get on everybody's nerves. Perhaps Rowling is trying portray the angst and uncertainty of the teenage years, but this characterization of Harry has made him highly unlikeable -- and almost a bore about whom to read. He jumps to quick and often angry conclusions, he refuses to believe he could ever be wrong, and he thinks that everyone -- including his friends -- are all out to get him. The few Quidditch scenes that we do get in this book seem like the result of a strained effort to include the game in the story, furthermore, the post-Quidditch Weasley/Malfoy quarrels and hexes are exact replications of earlier excerpts. Hermione's efforts in freeing the house elves are noble, yet impractical: she never learns that the elves have been refusing her kind offers. Therefore the entire S.P.E.W. storyline remains in midair, unable to gain the readers' sympathy, yet not unfavorable enough to shun and criticize. Dumbledore keeps his distance, and many times during the story one is tempted to question his intentions -- but his "explanation" to Harry at the end of the book is hardly satisfying. I personally do not feel that his "secrets," revealed to Harry at the very end, are "secret" enough to justify his lack of involvement in Harry's plight during the course of the book. Hagrid's disappearance and the "invisible" Thestrals create a nice string of suspense in the beginning, but the answers to those mysteries leave me with a longing "what?" and a sense that my suspicions were wasted. Fred and George bore me a bit, but I quite liked their swift and sweetly rude departure. Even still, their adventures are, at best, a convenience to the main characters when they need a miracle. Despite Harry's tactlessness and rudeness, Cho Chang does certain things that absolutely annoy me; and none of the kids, even those in the D.A., impressed me. And of course, Rowling succeeded in making me absolutely loathe Dolores Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic -- in fact, Umbridge's existence made the entire Hogwarts experience in book 5 a right hell on earth. The result of all this is that I don't know where my loyalties belong. Although I did want certain characters to meet an ugly end, I did not particularly want anyone to triumph. The Order of Phoenix took their secrecy to astonishing levels, so astonishing, in fact, that I became disinterested in what they were planning after a while. As Sirius says, "the world isn't divided into good wizards and Death Eaters," and when you have a bunch of newly introduced wizards who just don't make an impression, it seems that everyone is just somewhere in the gray area. The loyalty summoned for Sirius Black and Remus Lupin at the end of book 3 is nonexistent here. When you go through most of the book with such a mindset, the shock effect of the tragic death seems greatly compromised. Many have criticized the lack of emotion of the surviving characters after the death. While some suspect that Lupin's lack of response to the tragedy sprouts from connections with the Dark Arts, I think that very simply, Rowling was tired. She has little energy left to devote to investigating character emotions by the end of the book. But from another perspective, the question arises: if the members of the Order are fighting so hard for the good of the wizarding community so as to ignore the deaths of those closest to them, then what stronger value lies in these sacrifices? If the Order is urged to usher away feelings of loss of their loved ones for the "greater" notion of martyrdom, then how can they convince, even when they have succeeded, the rest of the wizarding world to value love, loyalty, and brotherhood? With all of these questions in my mind, and an accumulated boredom that has reached quite a high level, the death of my favorite character made only a small impact. I suspect that Rowling would not have expected this reaction. She does, however, make a rather feeble attempt to hammer in the sense of loss and "what if" after the character's death. Yes, the entire tragedy could have easily been prevented had Harry just had a little more faith in his elders, and in the love that they have for him. Or if he had more respect for the years of experience that elude him in youth. But even these sighs of regrets are faint. I wait casually for the next one...and will probably make Azkhaban the last HP movie I watch in the theaters.
Rating:
Summary: Order of the Phoinex is an excellent read.
Review: I have been a fan of the Harry Potter series ever since I read the first book. Since the Goblet of Fire, I've been waiting a long time for this book. I finished it in about three days, now I normally don't read for long periods of time but I just couldn't put this book down! Every time I finished a chapter I wanted to keep going to see what happens next. Now let me tell you, don't let the size of this book frighten you. Yes it's very long, but who cares? The point is it's very enjoyable to read and you always want to know what happens next. I can't believe people rate this book down because of this size, that's obsurd. A lot of exciting thing happen in this book, espically the end. The last few chapters had a lot of action going on, and it's unlike anything that's happened in the Harry Potter series. We also learn why Voldemort tried to kill Harry. Also another character dies in this book. When a ceartain character died in The Goblet of Fire, I was shocked and afterwards sad. This time it's worse because it's a major character. It broke my heart to see this character die and I could understand how Harry feels afterwards. This book is worth buying, I suggest you do and don't let anyone say it's bad just because it's "too long".
Rating:
Summary: a major potter fan
Review: ok this book is the second best in the series. i think it was AWSOME! but the sad thing is when someone dies, again. see this book is about Harry and his trouble or really the schools trouble with a new teacher, Ms. Umbridge. she is REALLY horrible she let Mr. Flich the cartaker whip the kids if they got out of line! well, Ms. Umbridge becomes the head of Hogwarts and everything goes wack! Fred and George Weasley leave in a very interesting way. And Hagrid also brings back sonething very interesting. i won't say anything more you have to read it. this is really good, but not the best. it has 870-something pages! but if you get interested it won't seem like that much. ENJOY!
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