Rating: 
Summary: Adults beware -- you'll be drawn in!
Review: I've always hated fads and crazes, and had an almost subconsious notion that the Harry Potter series was nothing more than an overly popular children's story following in the wake of Tickle-me-Elmo and Razor Scooters. So it was with reluctance that I picked up "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and with skepticism that I glanced through the first few pages. The shame in reading a "children's book" and the doubt that I could actually enjoy it had passed by the end of the first chapter, and if I had no need to work or sleep I wouldn't have stopped reading until I had closed the cover on the series' fourth book. The shocking truth is that Harry Potter is NOT a children's book; neither is it an "adult book." Rather, this is a story. As such, anyone who enjoys good stories should find this tale irresistable. With an open imagination and a comfortable chair, a reader could easily get lost in the magical world of Harry Potter for as long as the series lasts.
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Summary: The audio version is even better than reading the book!
Review: I've been a huge fan of Jim Dale's from the very early 80's when I first heard him on the soundtrack to "Barnum." For the audio version of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", Mr. Dale has outdone himself and I can think of no better person to read the book aloud. I had purchased the hardback about six months ago but I was introduced to the audio version this past weekend. I was in tears hearing the line "Send me an owl." There is such a sense of humor in this cassette set. I imagine I'll be purchasing these as an addition to the hardcovers I already own.
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Summary: Addictive through and through.
Review: I've been a series reader for as long as I'v been able to read. From the Sweet Valley Twins, to Fear Street and Everworld, I rarely strayed from my strict regimen of series books. That is, until I saw Harry Potter sitting haphazardly on the shelf, the very last one of it's kind, at my local bookstore. I couldn't help myself; the promise of wizardry and dragons intrigued my every atom. I began to read it a few days later (only for the sake of an extremely chaotic weekend.) From the first page to the last, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone never ceased to amaze me. The author emits the talent of Roald Dahl, and even excedes him in her work. I was extremely amazed to hear that this is a first try of a struggling sinlge mother (as it said in About the Author.) But about the book: It starts off in our basic world; one filled with Muggles (as the wizards call us) and, gasp! no magic. Harry Potter is an emotionally abused boy who was left at the doorsep of his Muggle Aunt and Uncle's house, after the tragic demise of his parents. But even at his youngest age, Harry was a celebrity in wizard terms. The most powerful and evil wizard ever known to set foot upon the earth murdered Mr. and Mrs. Potter, but somehow failed to kill Harry himself. The only thing this wizard, timidly named You-Know-Who, left in his wrath was a lightning shaped scar on Harry's forhead; the only interesting thing about him, or so Harry thought. Harry is treated as the red-haired stepchild of the family, physically abused by Dudly (his cousin) and completely ignored by everyone else, Harry had a pathetic existence. Locked in a cupboard he lived, until the first of the letters came. Harry went to open it, but his Uncle Vernon snatched it away before he had the chance. Vernon and Petunia (I think that's the aunt's name...) forbid Harry to read it, and they dispose of it. The next day, Harry finds TWO letters, addressed to him, seemingly identical. These too are ripped away from him. Day after day Harry recieves letter after letter, the amount doubling each time. Finally, Uncle Vernon gets fed up with this, and he moves his entire family, including Harry, into a hotal room. There, Harry recieves another letter. Outraged, Vernon moves them to a ramshackle house (generously named so) for surely no one would be able to reach Harry there! But again he was mistaken; a huge giant named Hagrid stormed in their little haven, and whisked Harry off the second Harry's birthday hit. Hagrid told Harry all about his wizardry roots, and that the myth that his parents died in a tragic car crash was completely untrue. Harry goes back to live with his Aunt and Uncle, but then goes off to Hogwarts, a wizardry school. There, he meets the good, the bad, and the disgustingly ugly. He forms wonderful friendships with Ron and Hermoine. Together, the trio get themselves in many a jam, but they always manage to pull through. Things ran rather smoothly for awhile, if you exclude Draco, until the three learn of the Sorcerer's Stone, hidden deep within the castle of Hogwarts. They form suspicions that a certain teacher named Snape is plotting to steal the stone, that contains the Elixer of Life, which would make anyone immortal. So, they go off on an adventure to capture the stone before Snape has the chance. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens, but look out and beware, because this book is filled with action, adventure, and a moral that every child, literal or at heart, must learn to know.
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Summary: Not just for little kids...
Review: I've been hearing a lot about Harry Potter lately. I always thought they were just kids books but when a couple of my friends told me to read them I did. And they...were...awesome! I finished the first one in three days, the second one in two, and I'm reading the third one. These are some of the greatest books I've ever read. I can't wait for the whole series to come out.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Read
Review: I've been hesitant for YEARS to read this novel, but I finally bought and read it. I must say that the author impresses me quite a bit. JK Rowling really knows how to write a good story. It kept me interested and turning the pages. I admire and respect Rowling as an author, even if I don't respect her as a person for her careless and irresponsible marketing strategies. Anyway, I highly recommend this novel for its literary value. And, it's fun, for kids and adults.
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Summary: Fun!
Review: I've been putting off reading HP as I figured it was a case of MASS HYSTERIA... LOL! I don't usually read NY time books.. and my husband doesn't either.. so since the movie is coming out next month.. we had to of course! =) Let me say.. this book for kids is fun & fanciful.. It's got everything a kid would want..Action,adventure,humor.. sympathetic characters.. and a splendid pacing.. I finished the book in one sitting while waiting in the airport for my flight to LA.. My husband finished it on the flight back. It made us both laugh & we enjoyed it pretty much. It still reads like a kid's book..but that's what the intended American audience was for.. So keeping that in mind, it rates pretty well with me.. It didn't live up to the hype for us.. so it's not too clever, but fun. Read it soon!
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Summary: Thoughts from a Mother of Four
Review: I've been reading this book to my kids - and we all are enjoying it very much. I've heard all the negative comments about the 'evil' side of the story. Think about it - many children's stories have evil characters - Aladdin, Little Mermaid, gosh, even Bambi! The 'bad guy' shows up all the time. I think the Harry Potter books are delightful and imaginative. They get kids to read and love reading. (Also, a quick recommendation for some great books on parenting - check out these: Kid Cooperation, The 10 Greatest Gifts I Give My Children, and Perfect Parenting
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Summary: My Harry Potter Theory
Review: I've been trying to figure out what made this series so popular and this is what I came up with. Don't get me wrong, the Harry Potter books aren't bad and I like the idea of making the books progressively more mature. And the fact that its over-rated goes without saying. Of course its over-rated. Anything this big that doesn't fundamentally change life as we know it is over-rated. As a children's book its probably brilliant and I won't dispute that...however, I think that the fact that so many adults have got into it is misleading. Reading these reviews (and many others) one would get the impression that the books with imigination the likes of which has never been seen before...and that's simply not true. I think that the reason one would get this impression is because most of the readers who buy the hype associated with any mainstream book are mainstream readers. So to the likes of those who spend most of their time reading books by writers like Danielle Steele and Tom Clancy any writer with a half decent sense of imagination is something new to them (I'm talking about imagination in the fantastical sense here...I'm not suggesting that writing based on reality is not imaginative...just a divfferent type of imagination). But for those of us who's reading is dominated by stories set in magical realms and universes, there isn't much in Harry Potter that is new. In fact, Harry Potter is very much a recycling of many cliches associated with magic rather than an innovative exploration of the theme. For example, the concepts that magic users wear Wizard and witche's hats and use wants and broomsticks are old and tired. Its perfect for children, because that's what they probably expect, but not for adults. There is nothing new in stones of power, mirrors reflecting other dimensions, flying vehicles and so on. So basically, if most of your reading is fantasy, you will probably be less than throroughly impressed with this book. However, if these themes are relatively new to you, you'll probably find it nothing less than an amazing feat of imagination and you'll rave about it endlessly...
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Summary: A Review by the average Muggle on the street
Review: I've debated writing this review for some time now, but at last I think I can summarize what my thoughts are on this book. Be forewarned beforehand that I'm a Christian (Oh no! One of them! *crowd hisses*), but don't let that fool ya, I'm actually a decent guy. I don't know when this book was written, but what I do know is that the media has innundated us with it. You know what I'm talking about...Harry Potter books, t-shirts, puzzles, toys, lunchboxes, and more paraphenilia than you can shake a broomstick at. This I think is amplified when you have Jerry Falwell banging on a podium (where 99% of the rest of we Christians hold our collective breaths and hope he doesn't say something embarrassing) and calling it evil. After well over a year of seeing this constant deluge of "Harry Potter is sooooo wonderful!" hooplah, I finally gave in and grabbed my niece's copy of it, and sat down one weekend to see what all the fuss was about. At the end of the weekend I looked up from the last page and thought to myself, "Did I miss something?". That was the experience for me...I walked away from it one single word on my mind. Hype. Now before I'm accused of being a closed-minded witch hater, there's a few things here that should be cleared up before some of the fans here burn me at the stake. The plot is a bit hazy at times. It gels up at small certain times throughout the book, but never really solidifies until the end. This isn't to say JK Rowling is a bad author (or authoress, if you will)...there are times within the book where her talent really shines through. She, to me, has a special gift for describing places and people especially, making images of them come to mind without effort. But let's face it...the people within the book are pure stereotype. The kids are either all good or evil, no in between whatsoever, and the adults are just plain inept. And to the chagrin of all the fans here, let me say I didn't really much care for the character of Harry Potter himself. There is no stoic character there, just a mouthy one who, in my humble opinion, goes looking for trouble. I liked Ron best of the children, just a good all round kid, followed by Hermione, much the same. But I never did quite get a good connection with any of the others to be honest. The "adults" running the school, including the headmaster, are portrayed for the most part as simpletons, unaware of some of the most blatant activities taking part practically right in front of them. Before I get lambasted, I understand this is a children's book. I went into this thing with an open mind, expecting a really gripping story and plentiful visualizing. But the book was only partially successful in this to me. I'd sooner recommend the Narnia series or Lord of the Rings, but there seems to be a large enough CS Lewis vs. JK Rowling slugfest going on as it is. And before I cease my diatribe, I'll shortly explain that the reason that the average Christian doesn't recommend this book is because it's forbidden for us to dabble in the black arts. That's generally accepted as the domain of "the other guy", and so witchcraft is chronically avoided. So when a book or series of books comes out that candy coats the subject, making it more palatable for young minds (and more than a few parents), we instantly go on our guard. Bear in mind that 99% of us don't think Teletubbies or Barney are evil. Just annoying. ;) It's not personal against anyone who reads and likes this book or the remainder of the series. My niece tells me that of the 4 released books, this is probably the most non-thrilling one, and proclaims that the next 2 are the best. But after this I just don't have the desire to read anymore of them. Thanks for your time. :)
Rating:
Summary: Stunned...
Review: I've heard alllll the hype about the Harry Potter books. I've been saying, "Yea yea, I'll get around to reading them sooner or later". Well, I finally picked up this book and expected it to live up to the hype and then some. Well, I was not disappointed. I can't think of enough adjectives to describe my feelings for this book. I can't say that it is the best book I've read, Tolkien holds that territory firmly. However, it is easily an instant classic, and I look forward to collecting the entire series. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
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