Rowling: 'I am dreading' ending Potter

[Evil Avatar]

Keeping up on the "Harry Potter" story of the day, you can find a short article on CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/books/07/18/britain.j.k.rowling.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories) talking with author J.K. Rowling about writing the 7th (and last) Harry Potter book.

Rowling said eagle-eyed readers of the current novel would find clues about the next one in the final pages.
She said she had mixed feelings about ending the saga of the boy wizard.

"I am dreading it in some ways. I do love writing the books and it is going to be a shock, a profound shock to me," she said. "Even though I have known it is coming for the past 15 years, I have known that the series would end, I think it will still be a shock."

[Evil Avatar]

Harry Potter has made Rowling the richest woman in England. Somehow, I doubt that the 7th book in the series will be the "last" Harry Potter book.

[ezzkmo]

she's had quite a run. if anything, you've gotta give her props for getting millions of kids reading in this technology-driven generation we live in. i love the books, takes away the stress of real life.

[Heretic Machine]

I easily believe this will be the last Harry Potter book. She'll try to move on to something else, it probably won't be as popular with kids, but her older fans will stick with her.

Also, I think she's an excellent writer from what I've read of the books.

[Savok]

Not everyone is a money whore Evil.

[Evil Avatar]

Also, I think she's an excellent writer from what I've read of the books.

I would say she is a good to excellent writer, but where she excells is in creativity. She has crafted a very fun world that blends many common fantasy elements, but in a way that was never done before. (A school for witches and wizards... you have to admit that it was a first.)

I'm not so certain about her real writing skills, so I do wonder if what she does next will be as good unless she starts again and crafts a whole new world.

[F3nyx]

What's with all the Harry Potter articles? Comic books I can understand, but... Harry Potter news is mainstream stuff that you could find pretty much anywhere you wanted. Does this site have a lot of Harry Potter fanatics or something?

[Evil Avatar]

Not everyone is a money whore Evil.

Yes, Yes they are.

[Evil Avatar]

Does this site have a lot of Harry Potter fanatics or something?

It seemed like we did, so I wanted to kind of go with the hype machine for a couple of days till it dies down. :)

[Reanimated]

If she doesn't want to quit... why quit?

I mean...

[Deadend]

She set a goal for herself, if she doesn't stop, she may keep going.

As if she can bang out 500 pages a year that sells a couple million copies, the urge to just shit on a page every time she wants a bigger house may be overwhelming.

I kinda hope it is a 8 book series, as I am kinda intersted in what happens after you save the world before you can drink beer.

[Kentor]

I would say she is a good to excellent writer, but where she excells is in creativity. She has crafted a very fun world that blends many common fantasy elements, but in a way that was never done before. (A school for witches and wizards... you have to admit that it was a first.)
Except that she was late by around 3000 years on that particular invention.

[Evil Avatar]

I kinda hope it is a 8 book series, as I am kinda intersted in what happens after you save the world before you can drink beer.

The amateur author in me doesn't see any real reason to stop writing "Harry Potter" books when you hit a specific number. That might end this adventure, but the characters can continue on into a new adventure or you can write stories about any of the secondary characters.

Naturally, after seven books I'm sure she wants to try something different, but that doesn't mean you couldn't return to that universe again in the future.

[B_Money]

I would say she is a good to excellent writer, but where she excells is in creativity. She has crafted a very fun world that blends many common fantasy elements, but in a way that was never done before. (A school for witches and wizards... you have to admit that it was a first.)

I'm not so certain about her real writing skills, so I do wonder if what she does next will be as good unless she starts again and crafts a whole new world.

I think her strength as a writer is she writes kids, and espically kids in school together, as they are. Not kids as adults want them to be or as they fear. Except for the Dursleys, all of the characters seem realistic (Kind of funny how the least real characters are the ones who can't do magic).

[Savok]

Yes, Yes they are.
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, The Dream (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream), they gave us a real mascot in Fatso (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatso_the_Fat-Arsed_Wombat).

The commercial demand for Fatso was huge, but Roy and HG refused to allow it, as it would diminish Fatso's meaning.

[B_Money]

I kinda hope it is a 8 book series, as I am kinda intersted in what happens after you save the world before you can drink beer.

Since the books take place in England, Harry will be old enough to drink by the end of book 7.

[ezzkmo]

"But one of my regrets would be that I will never again have the pleasure of sneaking into a cafe -- any cafe I like -- sitting down and diving into my world and no one knowing what I am doing and no one bothering about me and being totally anonymous, that was fantastic." -Rowling

call me crazy, but i'd prolly give that up for a cool billion as well.

[Evil Avatar]

call me crazy, but i'd prolly give that up for a cool billion as well.

Agreed.

First of all, she is an author... not a movie star. She should be able to walk into just about any store anywhere and not be recognized by anyone. And if someone does walk up and say, "Are you J.K. Rowling?" You just say, "No. Sorry." and then they walk away because very few people will have seen / met her in real life.

I would imagine that is semi-true in England and totally true here in the USA.

Second, with that kind of money she can sit in an exclusive cafe somewhere in the Bahamas and not be bothered by anyone. ;)

Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness, doesn't have money.

[DevDict]

I would say she is a good to excellent writer, but where she excells is in creativity. She has crafted a very fun world that blends many common fantasy elements, but in a way that was never done before.
(A school for witches and wizards... you have to admit that it was a first.)

I remember reading quite a few books blending fantasy and reality in a similar way JKR does. Take Terry Pratchett's "Johnny and the" books or how about Neil Gaiman? Clive Barker with his "Weaveworld"? In the beginning of XXth century, Russia had a duo of writers which wrote a few books blending traditional stories and reality (BTW, "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." the game is based on "Stalker" the movie which is based on the "Roadside Picnic" by those writers). When I was 7, I read "The Talking Parcel" which left a good impression on me. It, once again, is a similar medley: cocatrices, mandragores, sorcery and the real world.

I do remember reading something about school for wizards (and I don't mean Gaiman's "Books Of Magic" [1993, hence 5 years before Rowling]) too. I know that last line sounded stupid, but J.K. Rowling may be a good writer yet in no way she is an innovator.

[51|RandoM]

...and to top it off, the money doesn't stop after she finishes the series. That money is just gonna keep rolling in. She might not have had the best deals on the first few, but you can bet she has great deals on the last couple.

I'm willing to bet it wasn't the first book about a school for witches/wizards, fyi. The first one anybody remembers, perhaps.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

Harry Potter might be over, but I would love to see her write more books or a different story line in the wizarding world she created.

[ezzkmo]

Agreed.

First of all, she is an author... not a movie star. She should be able to walk into just about any store anywhere and not be recognized by anyone. And if someone does walk up and say, "Are you J.K. Rowling?" You just say, "No. Sorry." and then they walk away because very few people will have seen / met her in real life.


i saw you call me crazy ;) i was kidding.
anyways, i agree money can't buy happiness. you have to give her credit as an author, to be able to achieve so much fame she actually lost her privacy. like you said, this usually does not happen with authors. she obviously did something right, and did not come in knowing this would happen when she first sat down with a pen. i can understand her annoyance..she's an author..not a film actor.

[snubber]

Harry Potter has made Rowling the richest woman in England. Somehow, I doubt that the 7th book in the series will be the "last" Harry Potter book.

But you just said it. She's the richest woman in England, richer the queen. She CAN make it the last book if that's her wish because she doesn't NEED the money. There's a whole lot more coming for the next 4 movies, too. She's fine.

Now what I believe is she really enjoys writing, and therefore will write another book afterwards, but it won't be another HP.

[MajSheppard]

Screw Harry Potter.

[51|RandoM]

As if she can bang out 500 pages a year that sells a couple million copies, the urge to just shit on a page every time she wants a bigger house may be overwhelming.

You've just given a good definition of Stephen King, imho. Only he requires 1000 pages to wipe his ass instead of 500.

/duck

[Crabby]

I would be sad if my milk train was reaching the station too.

Anyway, Redwall Abbey can beat the crap out of Harry Potter.

[Furious Wang]

I seriously hope the 7th book doesn't end with Potter sacrificing himself to kill Voldemorte. Dear God that would be horrible.

[Blue]

Screw Harry Potter.

You've brought up a very good point. The do indeed have Trolls in the Potter world. Well done.

[51|RandoM]

Crabby,

Does the redwall series of books get better after the first one and the prequel?

I read those two this spring and just couldn't stomach the thought of reading any more of them. The fantasy is just a bit too cutesy for me, with no real edge whatsoever. I mean, sure, the bad guys are bad, but they're like wile e. coyote bad, slapstick bad, which I just can't get into in book form.

I think if I'd read them 24 years ago, I'd probably have loved them.

[Expugnare]

I would be sad if my milk train was reaching the station too.

Anyway, Redwall Abbey can beat the crap out of Harry Potter.
hmmmmm....redwall vs. Harry Potter close one there

[51|RandoM]

Screw Harry Potter.

doh, spoiler for the last book, least he didn't tell us who'd be doing it. :p

[Blue]

I seriously hope the 7th book doesn't end with Potter sacrificing himself to kill Voldemorte. Dear God that would be horrible.

I have an odd feeling that's the way it's heading given some of the things brought up in the sixth book (won't delve into it as there's a spoiler locale on the boards). I too think that would be somewhat cliche and weak, in a way, but if it's handled well it could be quite good. Who knows. Rawling's always done a good job of keeping me guessing till the end though.

[Liquidize105]

Everything good must have an end, otherwise you get Michael Jordan.

I don't think she's worried about getting cut off, she's anxious about the end of a chapter of her life, kinda like the retirement of an undisputed world chapion. It's personally shocking because it's what she's been doing for 15 long years, it's something she's gotten used to and is comfortable with; after that comes the unknown again.


Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness, doesn't have money.
I think the key word is fulfilling happiness.

[Morrolan]

First of all, she is an author... not a movie star. She should be able to walk into just about any store anywhere and not be recognized by anyone. And if someone does walk up and say, "Are you J.K. Rowling?" You just say, "No. Sorry." and then they walk away because very few people will have seen / met her in real life.

You're wildly underestimating her popularity. Your mention of a movie star is a little off. In terms of her recognizability, I think she's more akin to a huge rockstar. Not everyone knows who some big rockstars look like, but do you think that Brian Johnson, or James Hetfield could walk three public buildings without getting recognized at least once? I give Rowling worse odds. There are literally millions of kids who would recognize her on sight, but more than that, there are many, many adults who would as well. Hell, I can see a rough sketch of her in my head, and I've only read the first book.

[jwbxx]

Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness, doesn't have money.That's a pretty shallow statement from a shallow person.

I know plenty of people who are rich and well off and they absolutely hate their lives. Money brings some happiness with material goods, but after a while they dont bring you the same joys of having a family who loves you.

Anyways, Her life story is pretty amazing. From welfare to millionaire, or billionaire.

[Evil Avatar]

Anyways, Her life story is pretty amazing. From welfare to millionaire, or billionaire.

If by welfare you mean "Living off of a writing scholarship." then sign me up. The "living off of welfare" myth is vastly exaggerated. Look it up from a legitimate source and you will see that I'm right. When she was working on the first Potter book, she wasn't on welfare, she had been awarded a writing scholarship.

Lots of writers aren't 1/10th as lucky.

[Evil Avatar]

That's a pretty shallow statement from a shallow person.

And your point was? I forget.

[Lynxara]

1/10th?

Try 1/100th. Most writers in the US have to do it as a part-time job or desperate freelancer until they hit the big time.

[Blue]

1/10th?

Try 1/100th. Most writers in the US have to do it as a part-time job or desperate freelancer until they hit the big time.

Yeah, if anyone out there reading the boards sees this, I would like to point out how much I currently hate my job and hate more every single publishing company I've submitted material to. Thank God I read King's On Writing if only to see how many rejection letters he received.

[Apex]

I would say she is a good to excellent writer, but where she excells is in creativity. She has crafted a very fun world that blends many common fantasy elements, but in a way that was never done before. (A school for witches and wizards... you have to admit that it was a first.)


Wasnt a first at all, there was a TV series on the BBC in the late 80's to early 90's about a witch that went to a secret witch school. I watched it growing up.

Im sorry, but she is not creative at all, there's nothing in Harry Potter that hasnt been done somewhere else. Alot of the main story actually kind of mirrors frodo's story from lord of the rings.

Personally, I think Harry Potter and her books are over-rated. Im kind of sick of it too the way the UK delves into Harry Potter frensy, its like when a star wars film is about to come out, except x100.

[motor]

You're wildly underestimating her popularity. Your mention of a movie star is a little off. In terms of her recognizability, I think she's more akin to a huge rockstar. Not everyone knows who some big rockstars look like, but do you think that Brian Johnson, or James Hetfield could walk three public buildings without getting recognized at least once? I give Rowling worse odds. There are literally millions of kids who would recognize her on sight, but more than that, there are many, many adults who would as well. Hell, I can see a rough sketch of her in my head, and I've only read the first book.

Also, as popular as she is here in america she is VASTLY more popular in the UK. Trust me, she really can't walk into a cafe any more, not in the UK at least.

As for the money, she is the richest person in the UK and she hasn't even begun to get all the revenue from the movies that haven't come out yet. She has made a franchise as big as lord of the rings and did in a time were marketting has "advanced" to the point to milk every dime from it. She works purely for pleasure at this point (she probably could have comfortable retired after the first one) and will for the rest of her life. There is an amount of money where things like power, charity, influence and quality of life become much more important then making more money. My guess is that she will probably take several years off and maybe write some more, but I doubt she will ever try to write another series like this one, the expectation and commitment to write a huge series like that must be very draining.

Haven't read the books yet (I'm waiting to read them with my sons when they get a little older), but she has done a geat deal of good, kids who never would have gotten into reading owe her a great debt of thanks.

One interesting tid-bit: The Harry potter books have been translated into latin to get kids to learn the language so they can read some of the real classics in the original, if that isn't cool, what is?

[TrackZero]

It seemed like we did, so I wanted to kind of go with the hype machine for a couple of days till it dies down. :)

Count me in, the books are crack.

[TrackZero]

I do remember reading something about school for wizards (and I don't mean Gaiman's "Books Of Magic" [1993, hence 5 years before Rowling]) too. I know that last line sounded stupid, but J.K. Rowling may be a good writer yet in no way she is an innovator.

You would be correct, he does go to a school for Wizards, this predated Potter by quite a bit. And I'm sure someone else used it in another series somewhere else as well, though probably not to the effect that they did in Potter.

[TrackZero]

Im sorry, but she is not creative at all, there's nothing in Harry Potter that hasnt been done somewhere else. Alot of the main story actually kind of mirrors frodo's story from lord of the rings.

It does? Explain, as I've never noted any parallels between the two series at all. Or is this just something you've heard?

[Hizawky]

Do not bitch about Originality, everything has been done before.

But, I wish people would go this apeshit over A Song of Ice and Fire, that is waaay better than Harry Potter. But then again, how many Americans go apeship over incest, fratricide, murder, betrayal, war, assasinations, whores, backstabbing, pedophilia, corruption...

[TrackZero]

Do not bitch about Originality, everything has been done before.

But, I wish people would go this apeshit over A Song of Ice and Fire, that is waaay better than Harry Potter. But then again, how many Americans go apeship over incest, fratricide, murder, betrayal, war, assasinations, whores, backstabbing, pedophilia, corruption...

Sony of Ice and Fire is great. Can't wait for the next one to hurry up and come out. No reason I can't like both series.

[Apex]

It does? Explain, as I've never noted any parallels between the two series at all. Or is this just something you've heard?

Or maybe you jus thavent paid attention?

-Acquires a magical item from parents/guardian that grants invisibility.

-Is mentored by a wizard.

-travels to and through a mysterious forest

-Confronts a large spider

-Is accompanied by a small group of friends along the way.

-His arch nemesis is a powerful wizard that is rarely seen.


Those are just off the top of my head.

Theres a website that lists around a thousand. Ill see if I can find it again.

[Evil Avatar]

Or maybe you jus thavent paid attention?

List Edited

Theres a website that lists around a thousand. Ill see if I can find it again.

And yet... none of the items you pointed out were done in Harry Potter in a way that was even a little similar to the Lord of the Rings. They were as different as "giant spider encounter" or "party of friends" can be different.

[nonchalance]

Those are just off the top of my head.

Theres a website that lists around a thousand. Ill see if I can find it again.

Here's a harder task.
Try to find a fantasy series in the last fifty years that DOESN'T have at least that many similarities to LotR.

[Apex]

And yet... none of the items you pointed out were done in Harry Potter in a way that was even a little similar to the Lord of the Rings. They were as different as "giant spider encounter" or "party of friends" can be different.

How are they not similar? The characters even acquire and go to those locations in the same order.

[Heretic Machine]

Im sorry, but she is not creative at all, there's nothing in Harry Potter that hasnt been done somewhere else. Alot of the main story actually kind of mirrors frodo's story from lord of the rings.

"Babylon 5 is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Deep Space 9 is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Firefly is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Buck Roger's is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Farscape is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer is Lord of the Rings in High School!"
"Angel is Lord of the Rings in L.A.!"
"Stargate SG-1 is Lord of the Rings in the military!"
"The X-men is Lord of the Rings with mutants!"
"Spider-man is Lord of the Rings with spider powers!"
"Britney Spears is Lord of the Rings with tits!"

I'm soooo sick of hearing that shit. No, they are fucking not. Lord of the Rings was the STANDARD "Hero's Journey" progression, in an original setting. These things are not copying LOTR, they aren't even copying the stuff that came before LOTR which has exactly the same structure, this is just a standard progression which is hard to deviate from.

[Crabby]

Crabby,

Does the redwall series of books get better after the first one and the prequel?

I read those two this spring and just couldn't stomach the thought of reading any more of them. The fantasy is just a bit too cutesy for me, with no real edge whatsoever. I mean, sure, the bad guys are bad, but they're like wile e. coyote bad, slapstick bad, which I just can't get into in book form.

I think if I'd read them 24 years ago, I'd probably have loved them.

To elaborate further for you, yes it does get less "cutesy." But, did it really start that cutesy? The graphic nature of the books is fairly substantial for a children's fantasy novel which is exactly where both series are targetted. Considering that, reading about a badger being skewered through the neck and lower back with a few spears in a very detailed fashion doesn't seem that cutesy to me. Yes, plenty of killings and slayings in the Redwall Abbey series to sait the old human bloodlust, more akin to traditional adult fantasy novels when you get to the meat.

Personally, I absolutely loved the flair and care that was taken to describing the cuisine of the world. Gawd, I would give my soul for some of those delicious baked goods.

The point is there are tons of childrens' fantasy book series out there that rival Harry Potter. And since when were the villians in Harry Potter particularly evil anyway? Can't one say the same thing concerning the relative harmless and "cute" nature in which the danger is handled in Harry Potter?

[TrackZero]

-Acquires a magical item from parents/guardian that grants invisibility.

Do you realize how many stories involve people being able to turn invisible?


-Is mentored by a wizard.

As in a large percentage of fantasy. Hello @ King Arthur.


-travels to and through a mysterious forest

Does he also breathe air?


-Confronts a large spider

And proceeds to run like hell, not "confront" it like in LOTR.


-Is accompanied by a small group of friends along the way.

You mean, people are supposed to have friends? Madness!


-His arch nemesis is a powerful wizard that is rarely seen.

Well since he's a wizard, there's a good chance his arch-nemesis would be a wizard too. Which doesn't even really need to be said, since In LOTR the arch-nemesis was no wizard, obviously you weren't reading the books.

Beyond it being in the same "genre" (and I use that term loosey, as the Potter books read more like the Hardy Boys than anything to do with Fantasy novels) the only things in common is that magic exists, anyone who has read both knows this.

[Eon]

Seeing as how LOTR was written as a British answer to Beowulf - to provide Britain with a literary epic in the old style that wasn't hopelessly polluted by continental influences, it's unsurprising that a series of books founded in Britain would bear some resemblance.

[Jekub]

Wasnt a first at all, there was a TV series on the BBC in the late 80's to early 90's about a witch that went to a secret witch school. I watched it growing up.

Your quite correct, that would be 'The Worst Witch', based on a series of books by the same name, written by Jill Murphy. Basically about a young girl at Witch school. Pretty much forgotten now, my sister was a big fan.

Pratchetts Unseen University is probably the other big name school of magic, being a school for Wizards. Despite having been in the first Discworld book published around 1986 Pratchett is still fairly often accused of ripping off Rowling. He also has a Wizard, who has dark hair and wears round glasses, in the Pratchett Portfolio he looks remarkably like Mr Potter, the book was published a couple of years before the first Potter book.

A Song of Fire and Ice is the best fantasy I have ever read, bar none. I sometimes wish adult fantasy would get the same level of attention as childrens books are now, such as Potter and His Dark Materials. Maybe its a sign of the decline in reading over the last twenty years or more, 90% of the people I know under the age of fourty barely own a book and would certainly be scared off by the anything more complicated than the latest celebrity biography. Potter however is easy reading, perhaps the children now reading fantasy thanks to it will kick start a new generation of readers and writers.

[TrackZero]

Your quite correct, that would be 'The Worst Witch', based on a series of books by the same name, written by Jill Murphy. Basically about a young girl at Witch school. Pretty much forgotten now, my sister was a big fan.

Yeah, that show got picked up and replayed in Canada on YTV around the mid-to-late 90s, I remember seeing commercials for it.

[Apex]

Well since he's a wizard, there's a good chance his arch-nemesis would be a wizard too. Which doesn't even really need to be said, since In LOTR the arch-nemesis was no wizard, obviously you weren't reading the books.


Saruman, Sauron and Gandalf were all Maiar and referred to as wizards by the people of middle earth. So, yes, he was a wizard.


I had forgotten about Pratchett. Loved his stuff. Must dig out Discworld Noir again when ive got time.

[Lynxara]

Eh, I think it's fair to say that Harry Potter derives pretty heavily from Lord of the Rings - Rowling has cited the Inklings circle that Tolkien belonged to as a pretty big influence herself, after all. And moreso, just about all British fantasy that happened after the 50's owes a big debt of some kind to Tolkien.

This being said-- keep in mind that Tolkien stole entire turns of phrase, scenes, and themes verbatim from Beowulf to make his work. Acknowledging this doesn't make Tolkien's work and what it achieved any less brilliant. Similarly, you don't denegrate Harry Potter, or anything else, by comparing it to a classic like LotR. When you can put a modern work next to a classic and show how the good points of that classic emerge again in its modern counterpart, as far as I'm concerned, you're offering praise.

[bapenguin]

1 word: Prequels

[DevDict]

"Babylon 5 is Lord of the Rings in Space!"

I especially liked the part about Britney Spears *laughs*.

[TrackZero]

Saruman, Sauron and Gandalf were all Maiar and referred to as wizards by the people of middle earth. So, yes, he was a wizard.


*Possible Spoiler if you haven't read up to book 5.*

If you're comparing Voldemort (a guy who spent the first 4 books just trying to bring himself back to life) to Sauron, a giant tower with an eyeball on it, that's quite a stretch. Sauron being some force of pure control and evil, whereas Voldemort was actually has backstory and is a human (not an alien from another world like the Maiar).

Hell, I don't know why this is even debateable, any comparisons between the two have no depth to them beyond surface elements. The books don't read the same, the plots don't match up beyond a few small comparisons only used as sub-plots, they're not even in the same genre beyond having Fantasy elements.

If you think Potter is a ripoff of LOTR, it's obvious you haven't read them both (aside from watching some movie adaptions). I said it at the start, besides both having wizards and magic, all comparison ends there. Anything else is nitpicking (look, Frodo and Harry both eat food! They like girls...well, Harry does at least..., etc.).

[TrackZero]

1 word: Prequels

She already confirmed there won't be any prequels.

[51|RandoM]

She already confirmed there won't be any prequels.

decisions like that have a history of changing.

[KamaItachi]

Were there not rumours of an 8th book set years after the series' end about Harry as an adult?

[aphesian]

A Wizard of Earthsea had a school of wizardry long before Potter.

[SaintArnold]

I can't believe that anybody thinks Harry Potter is even remotely original.

[Wyrm]

Harry Potter itself is not original. Witches, Wizards, Goblins, and Dragons have all been done before. I know the reason I read those books is because Rowling has an absoutely masterful way with words that no other person could emulate. I love the way she writes and I'll be sad when the series is over.

[Heretic Machine]

I guess nothing is original, huh guys? What, stories about PEOPLE?! OMFG, how lame.

Just to spell it out for you: It's not the dragons, the school, or the magic which makes Harry Potter original. It's the execution and style.

[Lynxara]

At what point did "original" and "good" become synonymous?

[Furious Wang]

If you're comparing Voldemort (a guy who spent the first 4 books just trying to bring himself back to life) to Sauron, a giant tower with an eyeball on it, that's quite a stretch. Sauron being some force of pure control and evil, whereas Voldemort was actually has backstory and is a human (not an alien from another world like the Maiar).


Your knowledge of Tolkiens works is evidently pretty limited. Sauron has plenty of backstory and the Maiar are certainly not aliens from another world.

[Hyperglide]

Yes, Yes they are.

How much money is to much money though, seriously? She probably wipes her ass with 100 dollar bills (or pounds I guess seeing as she's English), it would be a mess trying to wipe off all that ink though. Joking aside, when does one draw the line and go from being a woman who takes pride in her work and has integrity to herself and the storyline and her fans or to a corporate whore sell-out?

Money isn't everything. She's already developed so much notoriety that almost anything she pens now anyways will be a instant sellout.

[B_Money]

*Possible Spoiler if you haven't read up to book 5.*

If you're comparing Voldemort (a guy who spent the first 4 books just trying to bring himself back to life) to Sauron, a giant tower with an eyeball on it, that's quite a stretch. Sauron being some force of pure control and evil, whereas Voldemort was actually has backstory and is a human (not an alien from another world like the Maiar).

So the books each have an antagonist who was defeated in the backstory, lost thier body and slowly regain thier power and influence over the course of the series, but because one of them wasn't human, they're not similiar?
Personally, I'm not suprised that there are many thematic similiarities between the two sets of books, after all they're both loose analogies of the British fighting the Germans in World War 1 and 2.

[XenonCJ]

"Babylon 5 is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Deep Space 9 is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Firefly is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Buck Roger's is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Farscape is Lord of the Rings in Space!"
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer is Lord of the Rings in High School!"
"Angel is Lord of the Rings in L.A.!"
"Stargate SG-1 is Lord of the Rings in the military!"
"The X-men is Lord of the Rings with mutants!"
"Spider-man is Lord of the Rings with spider powers!"
"Britney Spears is Lord of the Rings with tits!"

I'm soooo sick of hearing that shit. No, they are fucking not. Lord of the Rings was the STANDARD "Hero's Journey" progression, in an original setting. These things are not copying LOTR, they aren't even copying the stuff that came before LOTR which has exactly the same structure, this is just a standard progression which is hard to deviate from.Actually they all are "Lord of the Rings" to an extent. But what is Lord of the Rings? It's inspired from ancient mythology. What are all the above in your list? Modern mythology.

[cowutopia]

I would say she is a good to excellent writer, but where she excells is in creativity. She has crafted a very fun world that blends many common fantasy elements, but in a way that was never done before. (A school for witches and wizards... you have to admit that it was a first.)

It's not a first at all, actually. I read/own a book from my childhood that was about JUST that, only I can't remember the name. There was this evil guy that stole the kids' lives with a many-colored cloak that would steal their souls or whatever and knit it onto the cloak.

But the beginning story was exactly the same, taking a poor kid with a shitty life away to a magical school to develop his previously unknown powers. I think it started with a W, one word title. I'll look for it when I get home.

[Royal Fool]

It doesn't matter if stuff is 'original' or not. What matters is how fun it is. Harry Potter, to me, is fun.

Personally, I'm not suprised that there are many thematic similiarities between the two sets of books, after all they're both loose analogies of the British fighting the Germans in World War 1 and 2.

Would you mind explaining how Harry Potter is a loose analogy of the British fighting the Germans in World War 1 and 2? I can sort of see it in LotR... but HP, nope. :confused:

[B_Money]

Would you mind explaining how Harry Potter is a loose analogy of the British fighting the Germans in World War 1 and 2? I can sort of see it in LotR... but HP, nope. :confused:

****Spolier alert, post contains details of Books 1-5*****






In the backstory of HP, Voldemort was defeated after a long and bloody war, this is the equivalent of WW1. Then, some time later Voldemort returns and starts rebuilding his powers (books 1-3). He hasn't shown himself, but there are whispers and rumblings, remember nobody is ready to admit that Voldemort is back but Harry, Dumbledore and thier friends. This would be the equivelent of Hitler taking over Germany and rebuilding the German military & making ties with Japan and Italy (Remember in the book, Voldemort is working with werewolves & giants, those would be the other "axis" powers it the analogy). Then in Book 4, Voldemort reveals himself, nearly kills Harry and kills that other kid from the Tri-Wizard tourement. This would be Germany invading poland. In book 5, the overall wizard community refuses to acknowledge that Voldemort is back, despite all the evidence to the contrary. This would be the "Phony war." I won't discuss book 6 but the analogy became clear to me in the first few chapters.

[mister_slim]

Or maybe you jus thavent paid attention?

-Acquires a magical item from parents/guardian that grants invisibility.

-Is mentored by a wizard.

-travels to and through a mysterious forest

-Confronts a large spider

-Is accompanied by a small group of friends along the way.

-His arch nemesis is a powerful wizard that is rarely seen.


Those are just off the top of my head.

Theres a website that lists around a thousand. Ill see if I can find it again.
One of my favorite aspects of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon are the references to LOTR and The Hobbit. There are a few direct analogies, but there is also a fair amount of subtle details. I could scribble out a list using the stuff you list, but I'd never claim Stephenson just ripped off Tolkien. To be honest, any claims that author X ripped off Tolkien is demonstrating that someone doesn't know much basic mythology.

[Heretic Machine]

Actually they all are "Lord of the Rings" to an extent. But what is Lord of the Rings? It's inspired from ancient mythology. What are all the above in your list? Modern mythology.

You don't get it... there is something called "The Hero's Journey."

Separation (from the known)
The Call
The Threshold (with guardians, helpers, and mentor)
Initiation and Transformation
The Challenges
The Abyss
The Transformation
The Revelation
The Atonement
The Return (to the known world)
The Return (with a Gift)

This is something you should of learned about in High School. Pretty much any fantasy story will follow this structure. It existed long before Lord of the Rings (though not written out like this). So you can't just go around saying, "Well so-and-so doing this is just like Frodo taking the ring to Mordor, so -this- is Lord of the Rings in -whatever-."

[Heretic Machine]

In the backstory of HP, Voldemort was defeated after a long and bloody war, this is the equivalent of WW1. Then, some time later Voldemort returns and starts rebuilding his powers (books 1-3). He hasn't shown himself, but there are whispers and rumblings, remember nobody is ready to admit that Voldemort is back but Harry, Dumbledore and thier friends. This would be the equivelent of Hitler taking over Germany and rebuilding the German military & making ties with Japan and Italy (Remember in the book, Voldemort is working with werewolves & giants, those would be the other "axis" powers it the analogy). Then in Book 4, Voldemort reveals himself, nearly kills Harry and kills that other kid from the Tri-Wizard tourement. This would be Germany invading poland. In book 5, the overall wizard community refuses to acknowledge that Voldemort is back, despite all the evidence to the contrary. This would be the "Phony war." I won't discuss book 6 but the analogy became clear to me in the first few chapters

Almost all of that is pretty standard, and has nothing to do with WWI/II.

[Roc Ingersol]

The Hero's Journey is crap. It's an analytical tool that is forcibly tack-welded wherever interpretive matches can be made and hacked-off when things don't line up.

It's like the 3/5/7 act structures and the 9/36/eleventy billion dramatic situations lists. They're so incredibly vague that they wind up saying absolutely nothing of consequence.

There's nothing new under the sun except the way a particular story is told. JKR tells her stories well. She isn't the greatest prose writer, or the most imaginative. But she's good --very good-- and is rewarded for it. It doesn't take anything away from any other author that she happens to get paid. Complaints that 'better' work get overlooked in favor of her 'tripe' sound just like the 'minds' of Billy Shakes day talking down about 'the penny knaves'.

[Crabby]

How much money is to much money though, seriously? She probably wipes her ass with 100 dollar bills (or pounds I guess seeing as she's English), it would be a mess trying to wipe off all that ink though. Joking aside, when does one draw the line and go from being a woman who takes pride in her work and has integrity to herself and the storyline and her fans or to a corporate whore sell-out?

Money isn't everything. She's already developed so much notoriety that almost anything she pens now anyways will be a instant sellout.

When they start making Harry Potter toothbrushes...whoops.

[Heretic Machine]

It's like the 3/5/7 act structures and the 9/36/eleventy billion dramatic situations lists. They're so incredibly vague that they wind up saying absolutely nothing of consequence.

...I don't think you understand my posts. I'm saying that this is a standard progression for a story, Harry Potter -is not- Lord of the Rings in a magic school because most stories follow this same pattern. Making comparisons between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings requires using "increadibly vague" ideas that could be done with almost any other story written before or after LOTR.

[MajSheppard]

Potter sells alot means kids have shit for brains.

[Heretic Machine]

Potter sells alot means kids have shit for brains.

I'm sorry she writes above your reading level. Go back to school.