For the first time since the publication of the first novel in the series, I'm caught up with everyone else. Now we will all wait for installment #6 to come out this summer.
Some random quiz-bowl player hampered the experience for me, by writing a question (in a packet from a pack-submission invitational, as played on impromptu when the Post lady wanted us to stage a "practice" after R's wedding) that spoiled a key plot point. On the other hand, there's a point at which my knowing the spoiler actually made me less perceptive than I would have been. That is all. I hope people who've finished Phoenix know exactly what I mean and other people don't think too much about this.
Those of you who've read this far, did you hear about the Rowling interview where she said something like "watch Neville"? Hmm, actually I think I know this expressly because of what one of you commented. Anyhow... having gotten to the end of Phoenix... duh... Knowing what we know now, how could we NOT scrutinze Neville?
Does anyone else find that Harry's intense empathy combined with Luna's bizarre detachment yields something like Dumbeldore's disarming politeness?
Posted by Matt Bruce at January 22, 2005 12:34 AMDespite the fact that I've been enjoying each new book slightly less than the one before, starting with Azkaban, I really did love Luna. I was overjoyed to see a major Ravenclaw character finally appear!
I'm also eagerly awaiting the revelation of the name of the third person in Harry's class who can see the thestrals. We know that Harry and Neville can (and why), and that one other character was interrupted before naming the third. (Don't remember which one was interrupted; I don't have my own copy of book 5.) Luna doesn't count, because she's a year behind Harry. So, it has to be someone who is in Harry's year, and is in either Gryffindor or Slytherin, the two houses that shared the appropriate Care of Magical Creatures class time.
I think Cho counts as a major Ravenclaw character under any standard by which Luna counts as one... but maybe that's my bias.
On the topic of enjoying new books less, Goblet of Fire is my favorite in the series by a pretty wide margin (not that any of the others are bad). Goblet of Fire was also the latest book in the series the first time I read them. I've noticed a pretty strong correlation between how many books were available when you started and which book is your favorite, at least among people who prefer books 3 and 4. I don't think I've surveyed anyone who started after book 5... Matt?
On the topic of knowing spoilers, I'm not sure what you were less perceptive too. If I remember correctly, when I read the book I only knew what JKR had revealed in interviews. Are you thinking of foreshadowing to that specific event?
Posted by: David at January 22, 2005 08:36 PMPurely on quality I'd have to rank the books 5, 3, 4, 1, 2 (i.e. best is Order of the Phoenix, least good is Chamber of Secrets).
That said, you can infer a decline in quality-per-page from the fact that Phoenix is anything other than best by acclamation. It's 869 pages(!), compared to about 320 each for the first two and 435 for Prisoner of Azkaban. (7xx for Goblet of Fire?).
Posted by: me at January 24, 2005 04:37 PM