Harry Potter & the ever increasing book size

[Chimera]

I had never read any of the Harry Potter books until this summer. Love the movies, have the first two on DVD.

After Prisoner of Azkaban movie came out, I decided that I would give the books a crack, starting with Goblet of Fire. Especially after reading comments on this board about how big the book was and how much would have to be cut out of it.

I must say that I found it to be a pretty decent book. Still a bit too much Deux Ex Machina for my tastes (thought not as bad as the end of Sorcerer's Stone), but all in all a good book.

Well, last week Order of the Phoenix came out in paperback, so I picked it up. Holy craponastick, that's a long book. And....I have to admit...that I found it rather boring and not nearly as much fun. Oh, it wasn't Harry's "bad behavior" that others were whining about. Oh no, I figured it was quite appropriate to a 15 year old in his situation.

No. It was just...a let down. Like "I have to get my characters from here to there, to set them up for the next book". Only dragged out interminably.


Ok, well anyways, today I decide I may as well work my way backwards and I pick up Prisoner of Azkaban in paperback. Was quite surprised at how slim a tome it was compared to the next two!


Anyone know when book 6 is supposed to be coming out? I spent over 800 pages feeling like she was setting me up for it, so it'd better not be another year from now...

 

[Crothian]

ACtually, I expect it to be at least 2 years if not more.....

 

[drothgery]

Eh. If the Harry Potter books used normal-sized type instead of the larger "young adult"-sized type, even Goblet of Fire wouldn't be more than 500 or 600 pages in paperback. If you're used to the much longer works that some modern authors like to churn out, HP's on the short side.

 

[Particle_Man]

If the novels keep increasing in length, then making movies will get trickier, and make some fans crankier. Unless they split the books into multiple movies per volume.

 

[Desdichado]

If the novels keep increasing in length, then making movies will get trickier, and make some fans crankier. Unless they split the books into multiple movies per volume.

Yeah, that'll be the real trick. Prisoner of Azkaban was already difficult enough to fit into a respectable movie size. The next two books only are going to get worse.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Yeah, that'll be the real trick. Prisoner of Azkaban was already difficult enough to fit into a respectable movie size. The next two books only are going to get worse.

I'm betting they'll drop S.P.E.W. altogether.

 

[evildmguy]

This is nice compared to my response about Tolkien

Many things here.

The original plan was to have Goblet of Fire be spread out over two movies. While that would probably only give an additional hour to 90 minutes, it would probably have been enough to at least do a fair summary as the first two movies did. However, apparently the director for Prisoner, whom I don't like with how much he changed because "he wanted to bring some of himself to it", talked them out of it. So, HP4 will only be one movie. I have NO idea how they can do it in one three hour movie.

Second, I agree that some of the endings do seem to have too much on coincidence in what either saves Harry. However, the author does seem to have a plan for it. She recently said that their are some very important questions that no one has asked, so she is obviously thinking about them. (Not, why did Harry live but why didn't Valdemort die?)

Third, I liked the books, so I am biased. However, I think these are probably some of the better books written about kids. The adults don't think they are old enough to handle it and so don't explain enough. The kids, in doing the things that kids like to do, get pulled in deeper and deeper to the bigger issues at hand. Harry is in danger and decides to do something about it, but doesn't always get it right, rather than be protected. The others, his friends, help him out. I have just felt that she is doing things very well with the characters. Contrast this to Grisham's The Client, and that boy was waaaaayyyy too mature for his age, imo.

Fourth, I don't know how much you have read about her or her writing of the books, but she has EXTENSIVE backgrounds on ALL of the characters. Minor characters get a page or two of background and the major characters, places and events she has written a books worth of background on them total. I respect that because I think it shows she does have a plan and is moving in that direction. (Even if it is slowly but that's just me wanting the next book NOW!) I very much respect her for that and think the books have shown that there is a plan very well.

Again, all of this is in my opinion and I am a fan of the books. I didn't think I would like them but they have a lot to like and enjoy in them.

Good discussion! Thanks!

Have a good one! Take care!

edg
Alternity Pimp

 

[billd91]

I've been finding the books to be pretty good page-turners, even the longer ones as the series goes on. Excellent juvenile-aimed fiction and pretty good stories overall for sharing with a family.
What I like about the increasing book lengths (and complexity of the stories) is that Rowling is continuing to challenge kids by raising the hurdle with each book they read. Anybody who can get both adults and kids (especially kids) avidly reading that much has got my respect.

 

[Chimera]

However, I think these are probably some of the better books written about kids. The adults don't think they are old enough to handle it and so don't explain enough. The kids, in doing the things that kids like to do, get pulled in deeper and deeper to the bigger issues at hand. Harry is in danger and decides to do something about it, but doesn't always get it right, rather than be protected. The others, his friends, help him out. I have just felt that she is doing things very well with the characters. Contrast this to Grisham's The Client, and that boy was waaaaayyyy too mature for his age, imo.

Hikack my own thread for a moment...

cough **Xanth** cough cough.

I stopped reading those books many years ago because I was sick to death of five year old children thinking like adults - and being smarter to boot.

Piers Anthony should be legally barred from ever attempting to write from the perspective of a child. He isn't any good at it.

/hijack

Otherwise, you're right. Lots of questions no one is asking. She kind of raises some of them in OotP, about Harry needing to save people, needing Voldemort in order to justify himself.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I love the HP series and hope the last two books are just as long as OotP.