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Summary: I'm not into dragons, wizardry, or magic, but......
Review: ....I love Harry Potter! My first thoughts of the Harry Potter hype was not in the books' favor. I was sure that they were unoriginal and like the other gazillion books with a magical story-line. When many people recommended them, I gave in, and figured, "Hey what the heck? I might as well see WHY everyone loves them so much!" And I'm glad that I did, because now I'm a Harry Potter fan too. What I like about the books, besides all the magic (which makes the books fun, cute, and interesting....not your typical magic, monsters, and dragons, by the way!) is that the characters are very personal, "normal", real, and also brave, spunky, and fun. What I mean by "normal" is this: Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione do anything a "Muggle" (non-wizard/witch) kid would do: get into trouble endlessly with teachers, receive cards on Valentines Day, study and stress for final tests, argue, tease, etc. etc. The story of 3 best and inseperable friends nicely compliments (and sometimes relieves) readers of all the "gibberish words" (such as "Muggle" and many other terms to describe spells and potions), monsters, curses, magic wands, etc. If you haven't read the Harry Potter books yet because you are skeptical, give them a chance like I did. I hope you like them too!
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Summary: Excellent series but....
Review: ....you'll greatly benefit if you read the three series which represent the summit of sci fi/fantasy: Earthsea books, Lord of the Rings and the Narnia books. These are three series of books which, if you liked Potter, you will love. They are filled with adult themes so they arent only for kids. I hate it when age ratings are put on books which are perfectly suitable for adults. They should simply put an all ages rating for all these books.
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Summary: The First of an Excellent Series...
Review: ...and they just keep getting better and better. 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' tells the tale of an eleven year-old unwanted orphan who discovers that his late parents were wizards and he is too. He is invited to attend the highly prestigious Hogwarts School to prepare him for a career as a wizard, but his mean Aunt and Uncle don't want him to go. How he gets to school forms the first part of the story, what happens when he gets there forms the middle act and how he solves a mystery involving the Sorcerer's Stone completes the Hero Cycle for this first book in what is to be a seven part series.J.K. Rowling has a perfect hand at creating likeable archetypes - I daresay she's an equal to George Lucas himself in that regard. I had a little trouble getting into the book because her prose is straightforward in a way that is more appealing to children than to adults, but she has a very dry, grownup sense of humor that becomes a growing presence in this book and an integral part of future installments. I cannot recommend this series enough, and it is primarily for the characterisations that I praise it. If you loved series like Star Wars or FarScape for their characters that grow on you, you will definitely love Harry Potter.
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Summary: Wish they had this when I was 12...
Review: ...had to settle for E.T., which was a great movie, but only an average book. Harry Potter was a great book before becoming a movie, and appeals to children's natural love for magic and imagination. I pity the children whose parents wrongly accuse Harry Potter of promoting 'evil' sorcery and magic. We all grew up enjoying magical fairy tales and fantasies, and it didn't turn us into devil-worshippers. Potter is fascinating, VERY original, and will eventually be a classic of children's literature.
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Summary: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
Review: ...Harry Potter is a pretty good book I thought. I think most people would like it, but it just isn't for me. The main part is Harry is a wizard and is trying to catch a bad villain, with the help of Herminie and Ron. With there help he completed his mission.
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Summary: Overall a ver good read but...
Review: ...I felt the beginning lacked a lot of detail and description to help promote one to visualize what was happening. By the middle of the story I felt a lot more details were being provided which enhanced the reading. Have to say I saw the movie first and liked how they rewrote some of the scenes in the movie vs. how they were originally portrayed in the book. The story I felt did a real good job of getting you to sympathize with Harry so that when all the "good" things start happening to him you simply want to cheer outloud. Liked it well enough that I plan on reading the next book.
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Summary: Wondering what the hype is all about???
Review: ...I generally don't like fantasy stories (witches and elfs and all of that) and I can't imagine being interested in a Children's book. However, one day I was at the airport (two hours early!) and I finished my book! I went to the bookstore and there was Harry Potter. I decided it was time to give it a try and I picked up Sorcerer's Stone. Several months later, I, a 33 year old single man with no children, have read all four of the Harry Potter books and I'm anxiously waiting for the fifth! I NEVER would have believed that I would get hooked! But I did! They are wonderful books for any age. The stories are engaging and the writing is simple but powerful. J. K. Rowling deserves all of the kudos she receives! I strongly recommend this and the other three books to "kids" of any age!
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Summary: Hooray for Harry!
Review: ...I know it's a little cheesy, but these are the best books I have ever read- even better than Tolkien, Jacques, Alexander; and that's saying a lot, coming from me. If you've never read these books before, you need to! Harry Potter is amazing. Also, for all the parents that are worried about whether it's suitable for children, dealing with witchcraft and so on, don't worry anymore. It's fine. In fact, they are against the "Dark Arts." Some other parents are worried that it's too violent- personally, I didn't think it was too violent at all, especially considering how many parents allow their children to watch X-Men or Batman or Spiderman, and how many parents don't mind that they have some... apalling romance novels or science fiction books and magazines in their house, and have no problem with their children reading, or in some cases, seeing that. But Harry Potter isn't violent, rude, crude, or vulgar- but it is still the best book I've ever read in my entire life.
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Summary: Molly Hayes here to.......
Review: ...Insult those who are insulted by Harry Potter! I'm 10 years old here, and even I can see what they were doing! I can see that they changed the U.K. version, so it could appeal to all ages! If they had kept the same version, then a lot of younger kids who were able to read this wouldn't to concentrate on the plot! They'd be to busy trying to figure the words mean! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a better educated generation. And come on, all people, not just kids, need a place where fantasy exists. Some adults need a place where they can remember they're childhood. They just need something to remind of what they used to believe in. This book does NOT lead little kids astray, as SOME people seem to think. It gives them something to believe in. A place to escape the world around them. J.K. Rowling deserves every bit of credit she gets as a Best-Seller Author. And as for those people who think these books are bad for kids, well, all I can say to them is, LOOK AROUND YOU!!!! With all the high-school shootings, guns, and violence, kids need somewhere they can get away from that, and that is what these books can give them. Something good, something magical, for them to believe in.
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Summary: Wonderful; Brings You Back To The Days Of Pure Fantasy
Review: ...J.K. Rowling's debut is a fanciful one and will be rightfully regarded as a classic even 100 years from now. It is timeless. It speaks to the adventurous child in all of us; young, middle-aged or old, it doesn't matter. It is an especially fascinating read for a child, no doubt; however, it is also works for us adults as well. It is far more entertaining than some of the old British classics, such as THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, but it offers the same timeless feel. Indeed, we can easily place ourselves in the young titular hero's shoes because, as he himself says at the beginning, "I'm just Harry." Just an ordinary kid--could be any one of us. Of course, he isn't just any one of us--but what if...?? Obviously, it would be a complete waste of time and energy to write a full-on plot summary of this or any Harry Potter books, so I will not do so. I do want to point out that I saw...the film version of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE first. I loved it and thereby became anxious to read the book from which it had been adapted. Of course, I was already aware from others of the fact that the film had stuck very closely to the book; however, it still amazed me as to how close the filmic adaptation actually was. Not that it mattered in the slightest; HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE is an extraordinary debut novel from a very gifted storyteller. Especially coming out when it did, on the heels of the mindless Pokemon craze, it accomplished the seemingly impossible task of getting kids to read. That is the most monumental legacy that a book can ever have. The story of Harry Potter is timeless and--thank God--not merely a passing fad. Now I just need to catch up on the other books...
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