Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: As ever, JK Rowling has crafted a brilliant novel. The fifth book in the series, which I just completed moments ago, is perhaps the most intricately constructed book of the series; the characterizations, especially of the principal characters, grow deper and more complex with each page. The book hinges on frustration: both Harry's frustration at his lot and the reader's frustration of the many indignities forced upon Harry via the plot. JK Rowling ratchets up the tension marvellously through ill-intentioned characters who commit a series of injustices against Harry's friends; the upshot of this is that the book is quickly-paced and the tight plot will keep many a reader up late at night in an effort to find out what happens next.The deeper mysteries of the Potter universe are unraveled a little bit more here; several hints of what is to come are given. I won't go into too much detail here so that nothing is given away for those who have yet to complete the novel. And lastly, without handing out spoilers like bitter candy, I have to say that the death JK Rowling spoke of was one of the most heartbreaking sequences I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: A fast paced & satisfying read; can't wait for book 6
Review: OK, I'm not a kid but a 49 year old mom who grabbed the book ahead of my teenage daughter, and finished over a weekend. As always, Harry Potter is a fast-paced, don't-want-to-put-it-down adventure. Older Harry Potter fans won't be disappointed, and this includes those like my daughter who have basically grown up along with Harry, Hermione & Ron. But I do think the themes and characters get more sophisticated as Harry and his schoolmates grow up, and Harry's battles, though still firmly entrenched in the world of magic, take on much more of a real world flavor. This might be confusing for the 9 and under set. By the end of the book, most of the adults who have been heroes emerge tarnished in some way; some of the adults who have been seen as Harry's tormentors are seen in a slightly more sympathetic light. Harry himself is often angry, sarcastic and short-tempered. (As a parent of a teenager, I have to say: kudos to JK Rowling for getting this part right - readers might not find Harry a little less likeable, but face it, that's how most 15-year-olds act). Advice for long term fans: if you haven't read book 4 (the Goblet of Fire) recently, a review session would be in order. In this book, JK Rowling dispenses with most of the rehash of what went before, but at the same time these details seem more important than ever. (Try harrypotterfacts.com for a good cheat sheet). Oh, one more note: I think it was really cool the way the book arrived precisely on schedule on 6/21 from Amazon in a specially marked Harry Potter box. Once again, Amazon gets the delivery thing right.....
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful, worth the wait!
Review: 'just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon' said Hermione ' doesn't means we all have'
That is one of my favourite sentences in the book. I read it in one setting which took me about 13 hours to do. I didn't get to bed until 2 in the morning, but it was worth it. It is not my favourite because I think book 3 is the best one so far but defiantly better then the fourth. The only problem I had was the speach Dumbledore gave as I found the two pages of him explaining why he hadn't told Harry long and winding and it could have been said in one paragraph. Apart from that I love it, it made me laugh out loud a few times and the new characters we're a joy to read also the amount one character in particular grew I found wonderful. (not revealing anything, because I wouldn't want to have somebody spoil it for me). I give it 4 stars and I hope we don't have to wait another 3 years for the next one.
Rating: 
Summary: Underwhelmed by the book
Review: I am not sure whether I was underwhelmed by the book or simply expected too much. As a father, I have pre-read each Potter book before reading them to my girls. The first three novels were excellent. The fourth, though somewhat bloated, managed to make me want to turn the page. During the couple of days it took to read Order of the Phoenix, the thought kept recurring that there was nothing very compelling. The book seemed to lack direction. It was as if I just read 500 pages of pure exposition. I was reading filler! And the death of a major character (I won't specify) was a waste. Neither heroic or required, it rang both false and useless. I am no editor, but this book screams for a good one. I suspect it could have been editted down by a couple of hundred pages and been as good or better than some of the earlier novels. The ideas are apparent. They are not well developed or executed.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait...
Review: I just finished this book and now will have to wait impatiently for the 6th book. Anyways, Rowling did throw some nice curve balls in the book, but was well worth the wait. The one thing that has puzzled me after reading it is why wasn't Harry asked to join the "Order of the Phoenix" yet. I know he is supposed to be to young and all, yet he does so much. And the other thing that is curiously unanswered was that the anger he was displaying from the connection between him and Voldermont or just teenage puberty? hehehe...Anyways, it does read pretty fast for 870 pages and I can't wait to see it in the movies and maybe catch some other things I missed. Good luck with reading it and have a nice day! MD
Rating:
Summary: Darker and more complex
Review: The Order of the Phoenix strips Harry of the last shreds of childhood and plunges him into an even more dangerous world. Or worlds, I should say, as the impact of you-know-who's return reaches Privet Drive. As Harry's story continues to develop in complexity and emotional depth, Potter newcomers may find it difficult to follow the plot, while parents of young children may be stunned by the level of evil that invades Hogwarts. However, devoted fans will only be disappointed by the sad fact that the book does, indeed, have an ending. And now the long wait begins for book 6....
Rating:
Summary: Ends where I'd have liked it to begin.
Review: There is much to be said of this book; it speaks many truths and touches upon the subjects of teenage angst, adolescent fears, and the fumbling nature of the first forays into romance. That being said, it might not be what one expects in a book about wizards, giants, and blast ended skrewts. Phoenix is a character study more than an adventure. The clever storylines mysteries of the past novels have been thinned and the adolescent anger and self loathing beefed up. Harry is brimming with wrath and resentment through the whole story-- to the point that it is a testament that we are willing to put up with his behavior. His emotions are real enough, and you have known or were this character at some point in your life. There, Rowling must be given her due, but story arc seems to have stalled. The fear and foreboding that ended the fourth novel merely continues on for another 870 pages. We are sustained in this tension for the duration, I suppose much as Harry is. The book mirrors the uncertainty and impatience of teenhood, and for that it should be applauded. Yet, for all that occurred, the plot advances very little. In traditional fashion, the author will most likely recall the hundreds of threads she began in this book and carry them on in the next two, but this book leaves the feeling that payoff is far off. I think that this book contains bits of truth and literary magic; Rowling proves that there is a reason why her work is so beloved. However, all the great storylines and scenes I anticipated did not appear in this book. The Death Eaters make rare and brief appearances, as does the Dark Lord himself. ... of a main character lacks the expected impact and resonance. The budding romances... remain buds. To put it simply, Order of the Phoenix ends where I hoped it would begin.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Incredible
Review: One has to wonder, when considering the vast amount of reviews that will surely emerge for this book in a few days, what one can say that could stand out in the middle of such a collection. And ultimately, there is nothing more to say than Rowling has once again outdone herself and produced a volume as magical as the characters within. I won't waste words with a plot synopsis that would spoil the book for anyone, or nitpicks about the occasional grammatical mistakes, or the question of whether this book can even be considered as one written primarily for children (the story is bleak, and little ones may want to stay away). What deserves mention more than anything else here is the novel's wonderful and brave characterization. Rowling is an astonishing, delightful writer and only improves with each successive volume. It is true that any good work of literature has characters that change and grow, but in Rowling's world that growth takes on a very literal and extremely powerful meaning. For better or for worse, as they age these characters continue to deepen and develop before the readers' eyes. There is a sense of both familiarity and of change, of growing maturity and responsibility. And yet, at the same time this maturity brings a loss of innocence, a sense of growing uncertainty, and the horrible realization that must eventually come to us all: that even adults, grownups - the people in charge - are not perfect, that they make mistakes, and that those mistakes can be costly. That bad things do happen to good people, that evil is monstrous and unrelenting, that life is not fair. Harry, in other words, finds himself facing what we have all faced, or what we someday must - the rebelliousness and confusion of young adulthood, and the questions to which there are no answers. The other characters, including the adults, find themselves struggling with similar responsibilites that illustrate how difficult life can be for all of us. They too grow and show us sides we've never before seen, and the reader walks away richer for it. The magic is still here, the Weasley Twins still get up to plenty of uproarious antics, Quidditch games still thrill the school, and the climax is as action and magic-packed as ever, but at its heart this is a coming of age story. In that regard, it is a resounding, if bittersweet, success. When I reached the end of the book, I was a little curious that Rowling never told the readers which house won the cup. Immediately afterward, however, I realized it no longer mattered. Not to Harry, not to his friends, and not to me. There are more important things in this world. I only hope the characters have enough courage to face them, and Rowling enough to continue her unflinchingly accurate depiction of the trials that they, and all of us, must undergo.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the Wait in Line!
Review: The first review!? Here in San Jose, CA we had to wait in line for an hour to pick it up, but it was worth the wait. These books have a special meaning to me and my wife. Three years ago we went to New York City for a vacation and I brought an engagement ring along with plans to propose after dinner at the top of the World Trade Center. All that day and even during the ride back to the hotel after dinner, all she wanted to do was read Harry Potter. I had to take it away from her just to ask her to marry me!
Rating:
Summary: TOTALLY different book
Review: The fifth installment of JK Rawling's Harry Potter series is easily identified as the point where the author has decided to hammer home the fact that Harry is no longer a child. Harry is no longer the happy-go-lucky Hogwarts kid who is in wide eyed and pleasant wonder of the Magical world, he has become snappy with his friends, withdrawn, and occasionally explosively angry. Harry spends much of this novel fuming about some thing or another. He's been sulky before, but never for an entire book. Not that this is all Harry's fault. After being nearly universally recognized as a "hero" due to his unwitting near destruction of Lord Voldemort, now the Wizarding newspapers have been painting him as a delusional and disturbed young man who is very dangerous. Now when people stare at him, it's out of fear or disgust, not awe. There is a lot more action and scary sequences in this book, and Harry's interest in girls is becoming slightly less G-Rated. The biggest change, however, is the storyline itself. It is no longer something the average 12 year old could pick up and instantly get involved in, the plotline is tangled and some sequences are just plain confusing. All in all, I liked this book the least of all the current titles. It's still a very good book, but it's just got a totally different feel than the previous ones. It's more like a Tom Clancy novel than a charming tale of innocent magic.
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