Rating: 
Summary: A sign of our times
Review: This book is just a sign to show us all that our culture, and children, are reading trash, where they should be reading much other material. Its a shame that even 15+ teenagers are calling this 'The best series of books ever' Give me Tolkien or Dante any day please
Rating: 
Summary: The best of the series
Review: I got this book and I read it nonstop untill I fineshed. It was so good! I read untill 4 in the morning the next day! This is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: The Harry Potter books are all awesome! They all deserve five stars. The books are written in a way that once you start reading it, you can't put it down because you want to know what happens next! By my opinion, the fourth book is the best so far! I read the whole fourth book (734 pages) in one day. The best thing that I liked in the fourth book is the Triwizard Tournament. Harry gets picked mysteriously to be in the tournament, even though he is not old enough. I think everyone should read the Harry Potter books!
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Summary: Harry's newest and darkest adventure
Review: In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, we once again meet with our friends Harry, Ron, Hermione and the entire cast of unforgetable characters which make these books so special. In this book, it is Year 4 at Hogwarts, and the event of the year is the huge wizarding tournament being hosted by Hogwarts between it and two of its rival wizarding schools, the first such competition in over 100 years. While each school is to have only one representative, and that student must be 17 or older, somehow Harry is entered as the FOURTH champion of the year-long event. To top matters off, it appears that Lord Voldemort is trying once again to rise and take his place as the dark lord. How did Harry get entered into the tournament? What means will Voldemort use to exact his revenge? Who does one trust? All told, this latest book of Rowling's is more of a mystery and less of a fantasy than her previous Potter books. She admirably manages to convey the growing maturity of Harry, Ron and Hermione - you can believe that they are 14 and not the 11 years olds started in the original book. The double meaning behind the new characters names is still there and it is fun to see how the character will evolve to fit his/her name. However, I found this book to be far darker than the previous ones - I would not feel comfortable giving it to a 9 year old to read. The final climatic battle is intense and disturbing. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the book for me was that the ending was less of completion and more of a harbinger of what is to come in the next book. While each of the previous books did hint about what to expect in the next, each had a very satisfying conclusion. It is clear that we are being prepared for a grand final battle between good and evil. And who is serving on which side has yet to be determined. On the positive side, I enjoyed the numerous plot twists, and I found this book was able to draw me in completely. I could not put it down until I finished. Considering the 700+ pages, that is quite an accomplishment. I would recommend reading this book, but only to a slightly older audience - no one under 11 please.
Rating:
Summary: Wow. (spoilers ho!)
Review: This is possibly the most intense fantasy read I've ever experienced. Thanks to the fact that I'm a bit walking-impaired at the moment, I had a three-hour block in which to read the book... and needed another half hour to recover. Not a page is wasted in this story--every single word means something.The plot is darker than any previous book. It starts out as always, with Harry staying with the Dursleys over summer break, until he receives an invitation from his best friend Ron to go to the Quidditch World Cup. However, it seems that there's followers of Lord Voldemort afoot--called Death Eaters--and they've decided to mess things up, more than a bit. The story begins to become more and more convulted as it goes along, so I simply suggest that you read the book. My own personal comments? ~There is *definitely* something between Ron and Hermione (and the way to pronounce her name properly is in this book! it's at the very top of page 419), although Hermione finds herself a boyfriend that isn't Ron. It's an interesting subplot. :) ~Yes, a character dies-- the scene where it happens reduced me to tears, and I had to put the book down for a few moments. But it's done really well. ~The new teacher--Mad-Eye Moody--is a great, fascinating character, and as always there's a huge backplot going on involving the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that I only caught a glimpse of as I read the book, but made perfect sense when I came to the end. ~Rita Skeeter is possibly the most annoying character ever created...and the most backbiting. She's like all the supermarket tabloids rolled up in a bright maroon witches' robe... ~Dumbledore has major guts. Wow. That's all I'm saying. In conclusion? This book is a well-thought out, well-executed, all around captivating piece of fantasy literature. It's definitely not for any kids under nine (too dark and intense and creepy! let them read the first three over and over, and when they get older give them the fourth to read), but everyone else will alternatively have a blast and have shivers over this book. Aw, forget me, just go out and read it!
Rating:
Summary: It was well worth the wait!
Review: J.K Rowling is a writing genius. This has to be one of the greatest books ever published. Her talents as a writer are astronimical. It was well worth the wait to be able to read this gret book. She has a keen sense of humor and adventure. It is a must have for kids of all ages.
Rating:
Summary: Goblet of Fire: The Best Harry Potter Thus FAR!
Review: Harry Potter IV, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", is 750+ pages of the most well spun story I have ever read. Reading it was worth all the anticipation! From the moment it arrived upon my doorstep I could not put it down-- and within 26 hours of it's arrival (there was a pesky 9 hour period when I fell asleep face down in the middle of chapter 20) I triumphantly closed the book, already looking forward to Harry Potter V and calculating the days until *its* release! J.K. Rowling has out-done herself once again, and it is with much excitement that I wait to learn of Harry's exploits during his fifth, sixth, and seventh years at Hogwarts. BRAVO FOR HARRY POTTER AND J.K. ROWLING!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Spiffing!
Review: I was about the 180,000'th customer to pre-order "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" on Amazon.com. On Saturday, July 8th, I went out--but at the stroke of midnight, I dragged my friend to the nearest bookstore to witness possibly the biggest publishing event of my lifetime. As a Harry Potter fan I have grown very fond of Harry and take people's appreciation for him quite personally--I know I'm not J.K. Rowling, but my heart beat quite fast when I saw long lines looping around the shelves of books in both of the biggest bookstores in my town! Children, parents, adults, all waiting to get a dose of their magic in the middle of the night! Although I wasn't purchasing the book I still got my share of Potter magic early on (I also managed to snatch a pair of HP glasses and a lightening bolt tattoo:)). Saturday dawned into day and I found myself not sleeping well, and finally dragging myself downstairs to await the FedEx delivery man lest I wouldn't hear the doorbell from upstairs. I was a bit disappointed to find out that he wasn't showing up any time soon, and went out to lunch. I am not a bit ashamed to admit it, I found myself dragging a friend (another one this time) yet again to the same bookstores to inquire about Harry Potter events going on. Well, well, they were OUT of the book! Now Amazon was back in my graces, since I preferred having the book delivered in the peace of my home rather than having to wait in lines for hours or risking the book being--<gasp>--sold out within 8 hours! I once again felt my heart full as I congratulated Harry Potter (under my breath) of his spectacular success. When I arrived home around 7 o'clock, my book was resting safely on my doorstep. Letting out a squeal, completely unabashed for a twenty-year old, I grabbed the box and made a run for kitchen scissors! Starting from 8:00 PM (after all I had to see my friend off politely) to the early dawn of 4 o'clock the next morning, I was happily lost in the wonderful, magical world of Harry Potter. Now, I am sure there will be sniggering critics (who will remind me strongly of Draco Malfoy) complaining about the chaotic plot line, unfocused episodes (such as Hermione's gallant efforts to start the S.P.E.W, which seem to fade away from the story unresolved), and as Rowling has told us before, increasingly dark tone of the book that may scare our young muggles. HOWEVER, let me say this in defense: Harry Potter lives as vividly and as truly as any one of us in J.K. Rowling's world--and in mine and in many of yours--and so, as unfocused and complicated and dark as this book may be, it is Harry Potter's world and he lives it wonderfully, and we love him for it. Through the chaos of the Qudditch World Cup, conflicts with his friends and enemies, and the Three Tasks he must overcome, he becomes more and more dear in our hearts. In my eyes, the complexity of the plot and detailed accounts of his adventures at Hogwarts make him all the more real and wonderful, now more than ever. Excellent adventures, involuntary gasps (esp. if you are reading this in your commuting subway), laughters that will bring tear into your eyes, and the remarkable Rowling-esque twists and turns in the plot await you. Be ready to welcome Harry Potter into your world. This is history in the making! PS: do not worry too much about the forewarned death in this book--it is certainly sad but the character had not been developed by Rowling enough for us to break our hearts over--that would have been too cruel!
Rating:
Summary: The saga is just beginning
Review: J.K. Rowling said this was the pivotal book in the seven-book series. She was right. The first three books, as great as they were, as now nothing more than extended prologues to what is the beginning of the real story - Harry Potter starting to realize his purpose, and his potential. A true page-turner, the 734 pages simply fly by, and I was left wanting more - now! The introduction of the Triwizard Tournament and the existence of the other two wizarding and witchcraft schools set the stage for what will certainly become a broader stroke with which the forces of Lord Voldemort will eventually be faced (and from which they will gain additional power?). The one disappointment with this book, and frankly with the series so far, is that it lacks character development in the darker characters - Draco Malfoy and his ilk. However, given events in the final chapter, those characters may take more substantive roles in the coming books. The death of one character was quick and stunning, yet will undoubtedly serve as a foundation for things to come. The last few chapters actually had me choked up - rare for a book. The emotions that come pouring out of everybody at the end is a notable release for a series that, to that point, was nearly emotionless. A great read, good fun, thoughtful, introspective, and most of all, leaving the reader longing for more. I thought I would be anxious for the next Star Wars movie, or Matrix 2. Nonsense. The only future date I care about is Harry Potter, book five.
Rating:
Summary: Enchanting
Review: JK Rowling has once again cast a spell over her latest book. She is a master at pulling all of her details together. I enjoyed this as immensely as the first three, if not more. I was captivated by the tense moments in the triwizard tournament and the scenes with lord Voldemort. She also brings in some new characters that give the book some great twists. I LOVED IT!
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