[Belgarion]

Is there anyone else out there like me who has managed to avoid the HUGE, MASSIVE, MEDIA PROPAGANDA of reading the Harry Potter series?

I have never glanced at such a page nor a word. I have been offered the books for free from a mate of mine. But, I simply declined the offer finding such an offer offensive.

It is very hard living in the UK to listen all that rubbish about how good Harry Potter is.

How do I know he stinks when I never read such a word?

Well that simple, when you look at the front cover picture of a gawky, skinny, bespectacled weed on a broomstick flying about to save the world....you know simply that J R Rowling doesn't deserve any penny and I will not contribute such a penny to an overrated author.

It makes me angry that J Rowling earns more money than the classical authors such as Donaldson, Philip K Dick, Robert Heilien, etc....she even has been rumoured to earn more that the accumulated total bank balance of JRRTolkien in the past few years.

:mad: :mad:

Gosh, I feel better now, I needed to get that all out of me :p

[ezchaos]

Bel, I totally agree with you. I don't have one iota of interest in reading these books either.
What's funny is I have all of the HP books sitting idle in my own home. My daughter is only 2 1/2 years old and she already has all of the HP books, plus some of the companion 'fan' books. They were given to her by relatives for Xmas. Obviously, she hasn't read them yet, but I imagine that I'll probably read them to her when she gets older.

[kegasaurus]

I can't say that I've read Rowlings books and there not on my to read list, but this woman has done a service to fantasy.

How you ask? Well for every twenty saps that read her books, one will think to themselves 'fantasies not that bad.' They will go online, come to this magnificent site, learn that they are nerds closeted away, seeking an escape like the rest of us, though we won't admit it, and pick up an Eddings or a feist and they will become one of the family.

So if she can get the rest of the worlds forebearence for the genre to lessen then I guess we can call it a nescessary evil.

As for the money, who cares. She's done well to get kids reading and something like that you can't put a price on.

I will read these books one day, just to see what the fuss is about.

[Rob B]

Interesting and for the most part, pretty true quote about Rowling/Potter.

and say that every fantasy writer living today should get down on hands and knees to kiss J.K. Rowling's, er, feet. She not only has managed to write fantasy that adults don't mind being seen reading on the bus, she has also created millions of new fantasy readers out there.

May the gods rain blessings upon Harry Potter.

[LeMort]

Originally posted by kegasaurus

... Well for every twenty saps that read her books, one will think to themselves 'fantasies not that bad.' ... and pick up an Eddings or a feist and they will become one of the family...


Ugh!

Must... Not... Comment.

Must... Be... Nice...

[Miriamele]

I haven't read the HP books because they just don't appeal to me, plain and simple. I doubt if I ever will. I tried watching the movie, but hated it.

However, I guess it's true that Rowling has brought a lot of attention to the fantasy genre, and that's good. But I still don't think she deserves all this hype (and money--more than Tolkien? That's a travesty! :mad: ). I don't think the books have achieved such massive worldwide popularity because they're really the best thing out there, I think it's just a trend thing. I mean, kids always want to do what other kids are doing, and once a certain number of kids were reading the books it just snowballed until there wasn't a single child in the English-speaking world who wanted to be left out, and then parents started reading them to see what it was all about, and it goes on...

[LeMort]

You know what I really hate?

Seeing adults reading Harry Potter in public.

I mean, what possible enjoyment could an adult get from the books? They're written for children! But not in a "mistakenly marked towards kids, but actually quite good" kind of way.

It's reminds me of middle-aged men who, in the throes of a mid-life crisis, grow a pony tail, wear a medallion, and want to go out partying with their kids....

I really hate to see out of touch adults desperately trying to appear trendy and "down with the kids" by reading HP books in public.

[kegasaurus]

Originally posted by LeMort


Ugh!

Must... Not... Comment.

Must... Be... Nice...

Fire away.

I used Feist and Eddings as examples as they were the people who got me hooked as well as Brooks. Would I recommend them to hardcore Mick Foley Fantasy readers? No, but as a place to start, particularly for kids they are light and everything turns out nicely.

As for Tolkien, I don't believe his books are the best thing since sliced bread and I would not recommend them for a kid to read to get into fantasy. Yes he was a pioneer, but as with most pioneers, where they once trekked, cities now stand.

As for Adults reading kids books, I found an old copy of the BFG by Roald Dale the other day and instantly was engrossed by it. It's a sad time when we have to act our age adn if you disagree, you'd want to meet my grandfgather who is from all accounts the same as he was when he was fourteen. Screw society and do as you will.

Once again I rant and I apologise.

[ChrisW]

Ouch:(.

Umm i've read Harry Potter and will continue to do so(even in public!!!). I put of reading them for quite awhile due to all the media hype but finally decided to try them cause this person I liked was a fan of them. The books are good but can't really compete with adult fantasy. As kids books they are great but there are other childrens authors such as Dahl(sp?) that are just as good if not better.



I mean, what possible enjoyment could an adult get from the books? They're written for children! But not in a "mistakenly marked towards kids, but actually quite good" kind of way. A good story can entertain anyone no matter what age group it is written for. If you can't see that you are a git!:eek:

As for begarion well he is already one.

I have never glanced at such a page nor a word. I have been offered the books for free from a mate of mine. But, I simply declined the offer finding such an offer offensive.


Oh gee whiz you better not go see the Lord of the Rings movies as there is HUGE MASSIVE MEDIA PROPAGANDA about them. Therefore they suck.

You people sicken me!

[LeMort]

Originally posted by Caldazar
... A good story can entertain anyone no matter what age group it is written for. If you can't see that you are a git!:eek:


Actually, I've always considered myself to be more of a jerk than a git...