Monday 26 March 2012

Harry Potter
Reading the first one for the millionth time.
However, this time I've realised that the book is fitted for an eleven year old (the age of Harry at the time) so perhaps they continue this theme? I certainly don't remember the last book having such simplistic language...

What do you guys think of the 1st?
Why does it grip you? *Thinking face*...

11 comments:

  1. I recently reread the first Harry Potter as well, and I must say I was shocked. The first time I read it I must have been about eleven myself and I completely loved the book. I remember reading all the HP books on the day they came out, and the next day in school I would have discussions about the book with my classmates.

    This time around the experience was quite different though. In the past years I have read a lot of books, books that are more challenging than the first HP. I found that the language was more fitted for my eleven year old self than for my present self. I personally didn't really enjoy the book this time since I felt too old to read it.

    I do believe that the books developed in the same pace as I did when I was into HP, because I never felt like I was reading a childish book whilst reading one of the sequels.

    The first book does however symbolize the first in an epic series that took the world by storm, and although the language might be little simplistic the thought that this was the book where it all started made up for it all.

    I'm proud to be your first commenter and I will be following you from now on since I too have started writing a fantasy novel.

    I do hope that my post is somewhat coherent and I have achieved in making my thoughts clear to you. English is not my first language so ignore mistakes and do not feel hesitant to ask questions regarding this or any following posts.

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  2. wow! you're not English? Believe me, I would never have guessed that!
    I'd be interested in hearing about your fantasy novel! When reading back on the Harry Potter series, I have always wondered how J.K.Rowling managed to make such a masterpiece while making it look so easy!
    What is it in them that makes you want to turn the page?
    My aim for this novel is to show the world that fantasy novels can be intelligent and cleverly done, at the same time as being absolute fantasy.
    Well, this is my dream...I'm not entirely sure it will work out that way!

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  3. Well, my fantasy novel is a work in progress and I am currently attempting to write something that functions as a stand-alone prologue to my actual novel. I am however nowhere near even finishing that and it is far more work than I had thought beforehand. I think that the question: What is it that makes you want to turn the page? is incredibly hard to answer because there are so many aspects to a book and it has to be just the right combination to make a great novel.

    I do feel like I might have an explanation for the HP series developing along the way; The Philosopher's Stone was JK's first novel and thereafter her books developed as she developed as a writer and as her fans developed.

    I think that your goal for your novel is a very noble one, and a very hard one as well. There is this large prejudice among critics and literature teachers that fantasy cannot be literature (exempting LOTR). So you will have to fight that deeprooted prejudice, but I do fully support you and I have the same goal in mind as you for my novel. Every fantasy novel should be judged solely on the quality of the novel and not be immediately tagged as 'lecture'.

    Apparently we both share this dream and I'm sure we will eventually reach our goal if we work hard enough on our masterpieces ;). And if not these, since they're our first, then surely any future work. Might that not be in the stars for us, then I'm sure someone else will come along and sweep the prejudices concerning fantasy off the table.

    And now I will end my again quite extensive comment. Pff, be glad you're not in my mind; it's a chaos, a chaos in two different languages.

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  4. I agree with you about the JK, HP thing.
    it certainly does develop along with her.
    While writing, she went through depression, poverty, heartbreak... and perhaps this is what subconsciously interests us?
    I know our dream is a difficult thing to aim for, so, as I am in the middle of my A Levels, I thought writing might not be the best idea, but I'm always reading.
    I'm interested into looking at what bores me, bugs me and interests me.
    so are there any novels you suggests I take a look at?

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  5. If you mean fantasy novels than I have enough for you to take a look at, good and bad. Novels in general though I'm afraid I'm not much help since I've only just started exploring the world of literature after years of being a dedicated reader of fantasy.

    Regarding fantasy novels to look at I'll do you a favour and leave out the bad ones (which aren't too numerous anyway). Books that might be placed in the same category as HP are for example The Hunger Gamges series by Suzanne Collins and the Inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini (Eragon). When in need of something a bit more mature I'd suggest taking a look at The Shadowmarch series by Tad Williams (probably my favorite fantasy series) or the more famous series by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire).

    There are also two writers that I've enjoyed thoroughly when I read their first books and started to dislike their books along the way for whatever reason. These writers are Terry Goodkind and Raymond E. Feist. The former is famous for his Sword of Thruth series which started annoying me after the seventh book. The latter wrote many series about a world called Midkemia, The Riftwar Cycle and The Empire Trilogy were amazing but his other series left me quite dissapointed after reading his first two.

    So it might be fun to see wether you can figure out why I (and I know many others) grew tired of both writers as their bibliography expanded. Anyway, if you have any more questions I'd be glad to see if I can answer them.

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  6. Thanks a ton! I've found Riftwar Cycle in a local library so will take a look when I'm not reading a million other books :) Couldn't any Raymond E. Fiest but I will keep looking!
    All my friends have been telling me to ready The Hunger Games... and I will.. after my exams!
    What do you think of Terry Pratchet? I can't bare him.. but my best friend adores him! I don't see what she sees in it!

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  7. I'm glad you found my suggestions to be helpful :). I personally only read the Hunger Games because I wanted to have read the book before seeing the movie. I read it in a couple of hours and it was really very enjoyable. It wasn't the best I've ever read but it's a good story. When you get the time you should listen to your friends and read it.

    When do you have your exams? I am currently in the middle of a week of tests and my final exams (I believe you call them A-levels) start in May. After that I will finally say goodbye to secondary school and start university :D!

    About Terry Pratchett; I can't bare him either, once started one of his books but I put it down after the first chapter I believe. Don't know what it is about him, but it's just not for me.

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  8. At last! Somebody who agrees with me about Pratchett! He completely bored me.. I got to about the second chapter and then gave it back the library!
    I'm taking my A Levels late May/June and will be going to Uni after a gap year. (In which I'll write the book).
    I'm also planning to stay in Scotland with some friends for two weeks and go to Nepal for a few months to get away from my humdrum life at home. (Though plans are not decided and Nepal isn't the official choice).
    It will be incredible whatever I do! A whole year with no exams to study for!
    WOW.

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  9. Wow, a gap year.. And the plans you have for it sound amazing. I envy you. I mean who wouldn't want to go to Nepal for a few months to get away from it all, sounds so utterly serene :D!~ I have myself thought about taking a gap year but eventually decided it not such a good idea. I know that after a year of freedom I'd have a lot of trouble getting back in line and studying hard.

    I have decided to rather do it all in one giant leap and then after my master degree I'll see whether I still feel like taking a gap year. I'll be 22 by then so still young enough to be well...young but old enough to be considered an adult all over the world (specifically USA).

    My god.. I can't get over how jealous I am right now, your gap year sounds like it's going to be amazing!

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  10. I decided to do one because I thought if I had to go straight into yet more exams and studying, I might just go insane, so I decided I would go travelling and do something crazy to get out into the world. Where I live is very closed off from society because I am deep in the countryside.
    I would love to go to the USA but everything there is just too expensive. I will go there sometime!
    I also thought, the more independent I become, the safer i'll feel in the whole new world in university.
    Ultimately, I feel very trapped and, at the moment, fantasy novels seem to be my only way out!

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  11. I see where your coming from, I sometimes feel like going crazy about all the studying I have to do. I just hope a three-month holiday will do me good :). And I'll just have to think about what I'm doing it all for, a good future!

    I hope that you find your independence and peace next year and I am already looking forward to hearing how your book will come along over time. Fantasy is indeed ideal to get away from your daily life and imagine another world where, especially when you write, you are in charge.

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