Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[The Queen]

I had thought I would just skip it -- didn't care, but what the heck, had to know how the story turned out. I won't spoil anything. My opinion; the first 350 pages or so were a waste of time and frankly just depressing; I think she could have conveyed the teen angst and requisite plot points in less than a third of that, and I look forward to them cutting all that nonsense out in the movie version. But once you get past that point, the various resolutions are mostly satisfying.

[Haggis Killer]

I was really looking forward to this. No intention of skipping it. As the series darkened, I rather expected things to get worse for our heros. So the first ~350 pages didn't surprise me. It really rolled along for me. I was surprised by a number of things as I went along, so it kept the hook in my lip the whole time.

I really liked it. I liked the twists, I liked the climax and I liked the wrap up. It's hard to imagine no more of these coming along, but I'm happy where everyone landed.

Except for the body count amongst the characters I cared about. But you knew going in it had to go that way.

[Drunk Monk]

We just finished the first book... been reading it to our kid. At least we won't have to wait, and by the time we get to the last book, it'll be on remainder or in the used bins.

[The Queen]

We have 4, 5, 6 and 7. I'm sure we'd be happy to loan them to you.

[Drunk Monk]

But my cub wants to collect them all for herself. She's filling her bookshelf up sure and steady.

It's easy enough to find used Potter books.

[El Dingo]

Just finished it.

Probably the best of the series. Rowling has really honed her chops.

The book was long but covered a lot of ground. All of the characters from the previous books made an appearance (even if just as party guests or Ministry employees). There was a small attempt at recapping what had gone before, but for the most part, if you haven't read the first 6, you're screwed.

Very dark, very violent and scary. The torture scenes (yes I said scenes, there are tons) will be especially appealing to that 8 - 12 demographic.

Can't wait for the movie. I vote for Brian DePalma or Darren Aronofsky to direct.

[Drunk Monk]

looks like we're investing in the boxed clothbound edition of the complete set. so much for my save-money-with-used-books idea...

[Drunk Monk]

Truth be told, this was the first one that I thought was ok. Books one and two were mediocre at best, largely derivative of Dahl and Lewis, IMO. T is into it, but has issues with the dementors. It's so the rage at her age. They're just getting into chapter books. Many have seen the films. We're also reading a lot of Neverland Fairy books, but I won't torture you with those.

[Haggis Killer]

It's all about Captain Underpants around here. It's hard to argue against them when Benzilla's reading skills are leaping forward like frisky salmon in a Pacific Northwest riverbed.

Captain Underpants.....

I mean, I'd seen the books in stores but always assumed I'd never have to pick one up and read it. Ok, so they're pretty subversive and funny. Still.

There's also Boxcar Children and Magic Treehouse. We're getting all the good stuff these days. 'Course, I remember Boxcar Children from my own 1st or 2nd grade days, so that one's fairly nostalgic.

Captain Underpants is much, much more recent. And subversive. Big B likes to say "Captain Underpants books are very polite. Tee-hee-hee!"

It's just so danged cute.

[Drunk Monk]

Benzilla's probably ready for Walter the Farting Dog then.

[The Queen]

And if he enjoys Walter, he's welcome to Preston, the Farting Dog. I'd miss him, but good G-d, that critter can take a sleepy man, wake him up instantly and get him to jump 20 feet across the room. I've seen it happen! :Hangman:

[Drunk Monk]

It was a while ago, and I must say, it was very enjoyable. I didn't read/listen to every chapter.

It's become such an icon in the landscape of my kid's culture. Upon conclusion of the family reading of the series, T has taken it upon herself to re-read it all by herself. She'll be done with book 2 by the end of the weekend, I imagine. Book 3 is the first real wrist-breaker, but she's so into it. Some of her classmates (mostly girls, the boys are all into Star Wars) have read the whole series several times. Rowling's effect on literacy is so positive. Hermione is a fantastic role model for girls.

T wanted a wand from SNWMF. I was unable to find one. I found a nice wooden hairpin, and she was delighted. She was stupifying her parents with it for days. We just ordered Gryffindor robes for her Halloween costume.

I want a "Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts" t-shirt. For a spell (pun intended) my haircut was very Snape-like. Now it's become more Sirius Black-ish.

[Drunk Monk]

We also got DVD #5 so the only one missing in the collection is #1. And T is well into book #3. DM is still hoping for a "Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor" shirt, but now he wants it in embroidered polo, with a Slytherin crest. A while back at the Fillmore there was some dude running around in an orange prison jumpsuit with Azkaban written on the back. That was quite funny.

[Drunk Monk]

T is on book 5, but has slowed up to refresh her neverland reading since Tinkerbell is on the DVD horizon. Now with The Tales of Beedle the Bard coming Dec 4th, Dm is hoping Kepler's does one of those book release parties. He felt he missed the boat on those. Maybe he'll get a Defense Against the Dark Arts t-shirt made for the occasion. Hopefully, T will be satisfied with the standard edition of Beedle, not the $100 collector's edition...