I love the books, and am eager to begin reading 5 (but Michael got to it first.)
I wouldn't put it on the same level as Tolkien, but it reminds me of a series by Diane Duane that I loved as a kid that began with a book called "So You Want to Be a Wizard?" The kids in that book found a book in the library by that title and through it discovered a new world of wizardry and magic that few kids knew about. The use of real world/current day settings and magic is not so new to children's fiction, but I've found few examples of it that are as well written as either Diane Duane's books or the Harry Potter series. Rowling is basing herself in some very old traditions: - Orphan boy or girl becomes accepted in community/school and finds family/friends (Anne of Green Gables, Heidi) - The prep school stories -- kids and their misadventures at school -- (Examples, anyone? I can't think of specific ones right now) - The traditional fantasy story of a growing war between good and evil and the hero (in this case Harry) being the world's only hope (Tolkien, Star Wars) What makes Rowling's books so much fun? We've all been to school, but we'd all love to be at a school like Hogwarts -- as much as we'd probably all love to be going to a school like that run by the X-Men and develop special "powers"/magic there. So it's something familiar combined with that element of wonder, and Harry is himself a fun hero because he's learning the ins and outs as we are, as his heritage was hidden from him for so many years. Judith > From what I understand, it is very well written, and reads well for most > ages, even adults. > > I know a number of adults that like the books. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
