[Wulfa_Jones]

I will start by saying that I have enjoyed J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, and I have noticed the continued improvement of her prose. However one thing that always frustrates me then is the amount of unnecessary exposition she puts in at the start of the books. Now I know that these are children’s books, but not even kids are stupid enough to need to be told the situation book and book again.

It often happens at other parts of the book... I am currently re-reading the Goblet of Fire and every so often a mass of exposition will pop-up in a droning sort of way explaining a past peice of plot or some character trait thats been indentified in past books.

Anyone else have this problem or can you just read past it?

[Erfael]

I will start by saying that I have enjoyed J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, and I have noticed the continued improvement of her prose. However one thing that always frustrates me then is the amount of unnecessary exposition she puts in at the start of the books. Now I know that these are children’s books, but not even kids are stupid enough to need to be told the situation book and book again.

It often happens at other parts of the book... I am currently re-reading the Goblet of Fire and every so often a mass of exposition will pop-up in a droning sort of way explaining a past peice of plot or some character trait thats been indentified in past books.

Anyone else have this problem or can you just read past it?

This is probably due in large part so that you can pick up, say, just the third book and not be totally lost. Just because the fantasy section has made multi-volume things okay, not everyone writes that way. Seems to me that the HP books are pretty much standalones, which means that some level of exposition is necessary in each to keep then separate.

[Chlestron]

I agree and also have THIS to add.

Not everybody can remember all the details of every book that they read and not everybody cares to re-read books again and again. Because the books seem to be released every couple years or so, it is necessary to have a little bit of backstory in each one just to bring the reader who has forgotten about the previous books back up to speed.

[Wulfa_Jones]

I did point out that I understood it was in place because it is a series aimed at children, my main question, which is retrospect was not cleary asked, was does it annoy you - as an adult reader?

Chlestron - fair enough, I would not normally read it again but I needed something to pad out a week until I get paid and can buy something new! :p

[Erfael]

I did point out that I understood it was in place because it is a series aimed at children, my main question, which is retrospect was not cleary asked, was does it annoy you - as an adult reader?

Chlestron - fair enough, I would not normally read it again but I needed something to pad out a week until I get paid and can buy something new! :p

In answer, then, no, it doesn't really bother me as I'm not one who reads everything from an author all at the same time. It helps to refresh my recollection, as well. I'm reading about 1 HP book a year, on average, I think. I am bothered when I come to a book and can't get into it because there isn't enough of that sort of info, though.

[Luke_B]

I like the first three Harry Potter books. The fourth was not bad, but the fifth was bloody terrible. Her careful plotting has gone out the window and it just a mess. Is she getting paid by the page or something?

Incidentally, the new film was not bad. Much better than the first two which were atrocious. But does anybody else wish they'd got Jim Henson's company to do the creatures with puppets rather than done them in CG?

[Wulfa_Jones]

I don't know... I am always torn when it comes to CGI. I hate it when they use to much and I think it looks daft (now) when they use puppets.
But with Harry Potter... I think CGI is the best way forward. Dobbins looked great, but I think Buckbeak would have looked better if they used a real one more often.

[Iskaral Pust]

It doesn't bother me, it's rarely more than a page of writing, easily overlooked. If she contained an entire plot summary of the last books in each I'd start getting annoyed.

[Heresy]

I always dislike when any book pulls a "Let me repeat what you missed so far." I'm always of the belief that the purpose of having summaries included at the front of the novels is to handle useless repeats of info dumps.