Rating: Summary: Excellent, Draws Upon Its Own History Review: Truth be told, I was worried that Harry Potter 5 wouldn't live up to my expectations. I found Goblet of Fire to be overly long and a bit uneven in pacing. Order of the Phoenix, however, handily deals with the errors of the errors of the pervious installment in the series. Though slow for the first hundred pages, the pace picks upon Harry's return to Hogwarts and carries the narrative to the book's end. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of in-story continuity; multiple references to past events and cameos from every previous book gave strength to the book. Events and actions that seemed similar to past events were referred to in much the same way a real person would muse with their friends over old exploits. The only downside to all this is that it'll probably be three to four years before we seen Book 6. But, like Order of the Phoenix, I'm sure it'll be worth the wait.
Rating: Summary: The best book yet!... Review: I received this book in the mail yesterday morning, sat down outside on my patio with a tall glass of iced tea, and proceeded to read the entire book in one sitting. First of all, let me say this: Order of the Phoenix blows all the other books out of the water. I was quite sure Rowling would not be able to top Goblet of Fire, which is one of the best childrens books ever written. But she outdoes herself here. I cannot explicitly describe the book without giving away some secrets, so I will just say this: this novel is much darker and more violent than it's predeccesors so parents of extremely young children be warned. The stakes are higher this time around, and of course, Harry's life is in serious danger (when isn't it?). A fantastic book that will not dissapoint hardcore fans and should get Rowling some new ones. P.S. - It really helps to read Goblet of Fire right before Order of the Phoenix, because there are many small details and plot points from book 4 that (for me at least) were hard to remember.
Rating: Summary: Order of the Phoenix Review: JK Rowling never fails to capture her reader's rapt attention while unfolding her story and her work with the Order of the Phoenix is no exception.Far from being the naive child he once was, Harry Potter acts more more daring with the Dursleys and encounters a series of awkward incidents with his crush. He has to contend with strong fits of anger, resentment and defiance - things that punctuate the existence of the regular teenager. It was refreshing to see a character who always came second to Harry come to his own. The Order of the Phoenix expounds on the magical life outside of Hogwarts and the politics swirling about the Ministry of Magic and the wizarding world. And finally, a secret is revealed to Harry. On the flip side, Order of the Phoenix lacks the level of action as well as the introspection and depth of emotion that characterized the previous books. Rowling's storytelling contains less layers; the build up to the climax was not as as exciting and the climax quickly went down. Even though it is not the best in the series, the Order of the Phoenix as a whole is a very good book - I couldn't put it down once I started although it took me nearly 9 hours straight to finish it. JK Rowling has never ceased to add magic to both our world and Harry Potter's world.
Rating: Summary: Brilliantly written - leaves you wanting more. Review: In the fifth installment of Harry's adventures, Rowling shows us that she is indeed a genius. It would be extremely unfair of me to mention anything pertaining to the important contents of the book, so I will not do so. But I will say that the reader will not be disappointed. It will grip you from the start until the finish, and the only disappointment you may feel is the fact that it may be another three years until the sixth book is released. One thing - after reading this, you will want to go back and read the books released prior to this one. There are a flood of new characters to love and loathe, new spells, and marvelous character interactions that only Rowling could have produced. There are plenty of surprises waiting in store - some you may have already had an inkling about, while others will hit you like a bludger to the side of the head. There is no doubt in my mind that it will leave you with questions, perhaps with more questions that you may have first started with when reading the book. For those of you who have not yet read the Harry Potter series, or have only read the first novel and have decided it is far too childish, I beg of you to reconsider and read the rest of the series. It may seem like a children's fiction series from the first three books, but once it hits book four and five, you will see why it is no longer really suited for young children. But as dark as this sequel is, you will not help but smile or even laugh out loud at some of the scenes that take place. All in all, it was a great book, and I am looking forward to the next one.
Rating: Summary: Great Book Review: This is a long book-870 pages, but it is worth your time. It's great for everybody 7 or older. Children under 7 might be confused by the many names and places or might get bored easily because of the length. Adults, who are of course 7 or older, might enjoy it even more than kids. This book is selling fast...
Rating: Summary: Just finished reading Review: I won't waste place for summaries of the book - it's been done here already. Mostly I'd like to share my impressions: Firstly, I gave the book four stars, as you can see. It's entertaining, clever, well written, generally what a good book should be. It isn't perhaps a masterpiece, but among Harry Potter books I'd give it second place (the first belonging still to The Prisoner Of Azkaban). It's frighteningly long - at this rate I expect 7th part to be sold in two or three books - but the reading is smooth enough. (I finished in two days, so you can imagine). Next thing is the actual plot. In my opinion it was a lot more predictable than the other four. The one thing I was not expecting is the thing I'd gladly skin Joanne Rowling for. (No offence meant. I just dislike her choice of character to kill off). I wasn't really surprised with the action turning out as it did, the mysterious dreams Harry had are quite see-through. Characters are developing nicely. I was quite surprised to see that Harry's has finally grown up some - not necessarily in a good way. But he is a tad more believable now. I'd say I like the new Harry, he is slightly arrogant and rebellious, but it's all for the better. Hermione is still obsessed with her studies (with OWLs coming on), Ginny and Neville are positively great. Ron didn't change all that much. (It's okay as I don't like him really). Me and my sister have developed a theory about the Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher: their main characteristics are in a pattern: first there was a disguised bad guy, then an idiot, then a competent and nice teacher, then a disguised bad guy again' So far the theory is proving right. As I mentioned before, I was greatly disappointed with the famous death scene. I think it should have been someone else, not giving any names of course. And nobody explained what actually happened with the person's body, so I expect more details on that in the next part. I might seem a little biased, but I kindly ask for forgiveness, since it was my favourite character who was murdered. To conclude matters ' I think that it was a decent continuation of the previous books (although I still believe that the third book is the best), maybe it lost some of it's surprising contents. For example, Dumbledore's revelations weren't at all unpredictable, I suspected as much for a long time, and I wasn't alone either. I just hope that the wait for the next part won't be that long.
Rating: Summary: The Best in the Series Review: This book is the best in the series by far. The first two chapters are as exciting as the ending in some other books. Overall, a highly recomended buy for all ages! J.K. Rowling, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Rating: Summary: Worth the Wait Review: Harry Potter returns, older, angrier, and most importantly, more fully realized than ever. This latest installment of JK Rowling's magical series fleshes out the framework of her previous 4 novels. Omnipotent teachers suddenly become flawed, parents show their ugly sides, the Dursleys prove to be heros of a sort. Even Ron, the ever-faithful shadow, gets to shine on his own, a welcome boost into 3 dimensionality for his character. Questions are raised, but more satisfyingly, long unanswered questions are explained with wit and flair. Humor hasn't left the halls of Hogwarts, either, especially when Fred and George make a radical decision. Rowling's highly visual and muscular style of writing propels the reader from page to page. This reader rarely noticed the chapter breaks, such was the momentum of the tale. 8 hours after snatching the book from the postal carrier, I finished the 870th page and resurfaced in the muggle world. When's Book 6 due?
Rating: Summary: Surprised again by Rowling Review: Once again Harry is thrust into magical mayhem, government bureaucracy, and the anxiety of exams. I didn't see what was coming, most of my guesses were wrong, and it's never until the final chapters that all the plot lines are woven together so that we mere Muggle readers can grasp the intricacies of the Wizard world. Harry's teenage angst is multipled by the the two worlds he lives in and the complications of his infamy in the wizard world. I will not divulge the results of this year in his life, I shall be Rowling's secret keeper and remain true to the Order of the Phoenix. Her continuity was excellent and past characters rejoin us as new ones join the fray
Rating: Summary: Doesn't Fail expectations Review: One word sums this book up. Superb. From cover to cover the reader is left enthralled, excited and bewildered by the depth and extravagance of Rowlings epic. Thouroughly enjoyable and exciting, this book is better than the previous ones by far.only downside is that it wont fit under your pillow when u finsh reading in bed.
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