Death to Harry Potter!

Remove all ads!

Ugh! I can't belive that poeple like those books/movies! After playing through the Baldur's Gate Saga, the Icewind Dale Series, and about 5 other CRPGs; reading several Forgotten Realms Books; and just being an all-around-fantasy nut, I have developed a bias against Harry Potter.
Here are some things that really bug me about thess terible books/movies:

• 1st off, I can't stand how children can become wizzards after a few lessions of school. In my mind, I feel that it should take many decades of studing, and practice to become a wizzard.
• I hate the way they portray wizzards with those pointy hats, and the way they fly on broomsticks...if a true wizzard wishes to fly, he will transport himself there, or he will levatate like Drizzt does in the book, Homeland.
• I really hate the way they place all of the sorcerer's power in to a little twig, and call it a wand, yes wands do have power, but they are not the storage unit for a wizzards power...and they probably wern't made from a tree branch.
• I can't stand the way they portray elves in the second book...last time I checked, elves were creatures of beuty, not little ugly things that look like deformed Hobbgoblins...LotR portrays elves the best in my opinion.

I'm sure there are mor things that the books/movies portray in the worst possible way, but I won't know, since I refuse to read, or see book three...what evey it's called...

[ December 02, 2002, 21:32: Message edited by: Kitrax ]

 

Beeing utterly sick of the hype about the books, I refuse to even read a them unless they are still talked about 15 years after first release. That I would, perhaps, consider a good proof of quality. Having had a glimpse at the movie I also refused to watch on to read the book instead ... one day

So, to put it blunt, I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about and I like it that way

 

/me goes over to his "poison shelves", examining "The Sorcerer's Stone", received as a christmas gift last year, still unread - eventually resisting the temptation

 

I agree with Tal. I didn't think much of it either, but my brother had Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, and once I started reading it, I was hooked. A lot of people take a negative view to HP (I heard that almost a whole town was convinced that the books were leading their children to be Satan worshippers and burned every book. Give me a break !), but then they take the time to sample it, and they're hooked. That's my h.o. on the subject.

 

Im glad what 'Wizards of the coast' and 'TSR' did in terms of the creation of there fantasy world.

It was a perfect blend of Dragonlance's Krynn, and the whole world of the Lord of the Rings (as well as its predecessors and any books written beyond then). I love the way there is such a grand perspective in races and location, very much unlike Harry Potter in otherwords, which is so Stereotypical to the old wizards in pointy hats and that they can't cast spells without a splinter from a tree branch.

Gandalf is the only Wizard worthy of wearing the pointy hat as it amplifies his eccentric appearance in the stories he's in. Dragonlance readers might remember a certain other character with a awful memory with a pointy hat, good times to be had by all.

I think that Gandalf and the "Wizard" Harry Potter should get into a rumble, then we'll see who is the most disciplined and powerful magic user in literature.

"Your a wizard, Harry" Yeah....sure....and im good old Saint Nick, wielding Excalabur, and sitting on a unicorn, killing rows apon row's of superhero's.

Go ahead, flame me for insulting Harry Potter, but ive posted in a topic which is against the books anyway. (Maniacal laughing)

Oh yeah, another thing. Isn't it strange that both Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter are greatly altered in term's of the length of time the books meant to cover. Couldn't they jsut do the tacky "X years later" thing.......actually, scratch that, its too tacky....well maybe put it on Harry Potter.

[ December 02, 2002, 23:52: Message edited by: Enthasius ]

 

Do you know the BEST reason for the existance of Harry Potter??

It gets children to read who may not have done so otherwise!!! Many children have been turned on to books by the Harry Potter series - so whether or not their wizardry is right is an unimportant question! If the books can make my ten-year-old anti-paper cousin spend hours in front of a book instead of a television set, I say more power to them. I have read some of the HP series, and have really just about had it with all of the negative fuss that has been made over them.

(BTW - I agree with Tal - as much as I love the Forgotten Realms, there are other worlds and versions of spellcraft and wizardry. Sorry, folks, but Elminster and Gandalf are not the only uber-wizards out there!)

 

Seriously though, Harry would be destroyed by them quite easily.

 

burn him,,,,!

blow the man down !

[ December 03, 2002, 01:13: Message edited by: vonGriffin ]

 

KIIIILLLL!!!
Hate Harry Potter(my girlfrend likes it - that explains all)

[ December 03, 2002, 01:24: Message edited by: AlexGK ]

 

Actually take time to read the books. I hated him, but once while at a friends house, I had nothing to do and actually read one. They are great. I finished it in a day or two. It took me half a year to read The Hobbit.

 

I started reading them to my daughter after seeing the Sorcerer's Stone; Then I got hooked. They are an easy read, the kind one tries to finish in one sitting. I thought the writing was great and her imagination was as well. There's always room for another point of view when it comes to the imagination. Like 'Dracula' for example. So many different movies about the same vampire and many of them are great.

 

The books are actually well written. The humor, detail and character development are very good. I started reading them after seeing the films with my son last month. Why such hatred towards the Potter universe? It's not as if Tolkien or D&D set the standard in the fantasy genre. Come on.. lighten up. It's like that last line in the posting before mine. There are many interpretations of vampires. Anne Rice, those LARP ones, space vampires seen in the Buzz Lightyear cartoons..even those freaking cheesy/pathetic S&M ones seen at goth clubs ruining the whole scene with their deviant sexual acts!Silly makeup, leather pants, trench coats, acting all pissed off and sad-like. I..I.. *pants* Sorry sorry, got side tracked

But yes, why should Tolkien/D&D be the *ONLY* form of fantasy?

What about David the Gnome? Remember that odd cartoon from the early 80s? He doesn't tinker with objects, doesn't practice magic. He and his kind are really really small and have big pointy hats. Certainly doesn't have a resemblance to Tiax or Jan Jansen. What about Santa's elves? I don't think they run around with bow and arrows or the like. Why not hate them as well?

HELL, what about dragons? God knows there are 100's of versions of them.

Gabriel

 

Harry Potter is fun; not to be confused with epic storytelling LOTR-style. if your taste is for more "conventional" fantasy, i suggest dipping into the toughpick guide by dianna wynne jones (can't remember the exact title, sorry). highly amusing stuff.

 

The Harry Potter Books are a bit better, IMHO, than any D&D-based book I've read. Why? Becaues Harry Potter works on a basis of the stuff from things that are a bit more wizardish, if you will. On Earth, the average, non-D&D-playing person's idea of a wizard is probably more or less like Dumbledore or Gandalf - wise, old, and always carrying a magic stick. FR - and much of D&D - has corrupted wizards - people who fling fireballs, are young and nimble, and are not treated with a shred of actual dignity and respect (unless they're some sort of famous archmage).

Harry Potter speaks to Joe/Jane 8 year-old. It also speaks to that guy in college who's got a few hours to kill in a bookstore.

Elminster speaks to that guy who wastes his life away on the computer and FR books* (which are quite popuar despite their lack of plot and cardboard characters.)

And the two aren't meant to be exactly alike. Think of Harry Potter, in D&D terms, as a half-sorcerer(ess)/half-wizard. You've got a gift with magic. But it takes seven years of tough study (which seems to exclude basic science and algebra at Hogwarts) to master everythihng.

In D&D, you're either born magical (sorcerer), or go through years of intense study to be able to toss those Magic Missles. It can be both, but you won't see that often.

*Admittedly, not every FR book is bad. Just, IMHO, the good majority.

[ December 03, 2002, 03:22: Message edited by: C'Jakob ]

 

Comparing Harry Potter and FR based books/games are like comparing apples and oranges. Completely different flavors.
What Rowling did was write books children could read easily while giving those books a story good enough to be enjoyed by all ages.
I originally picked it up to be able to talk with my younger cousins about something that interests them. I have read many, many books, fantasy, sci-fi, classical fiction, modern fiction, non fiction, folktales... you get the idea. I have a fairly broad reading repertoire. And Harry Potter books are well written stories, IMO.

 

If all fantasy books were the same then what would be the point. Why can't people run around in pointy hats waving a stick and yelling funny words? But then, why can't a wizard have to study for years to know how to cast a cantrip? There is no reason! It's just the authors impression on how magic works and how they dress.

 

I don't want to fuel any hate against Harry Potter but the story of the series bores me to death. I leave it to those that it was made for: the children!

 

the first three were okay (not great but fun for a rainy afternoon). But hp4 is really awfull! when writing this book Rowling must have thought something like: "hey adults read my books as well! so lets write an adultbook" the result is that it is neither a childrenbook nor an adultbook. It would be the same if C.S.Lewis would have written a few more narnianovels for adults because adults read them as well.