Saturday, July 21, 2007

A Harry Potter weekend

I went to see 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' last night. I thought it was good. A bit sketchy on some parts. I think there were some things that I wouldn't really have gotten if I hadn't already read the book. Still, it was a pretty decent movie even without those bits.

I remember thinking, as I left the theater, that I should have pre-ordered the new and final book ('Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows') on Amazon so that I could get it without hassle.

Imagine my surprise when I went to get the mail today, and there was a package from Amazon with a bunch of Harry Potter references printed on it. Apparently I had pre-ordered it (several months ago, at least) and completely forgotten.

No one who knows me will be at all surprised by this.

Speaking of final books, I read on Robert Jordan's website that the next Wheel of Time book will be the last one. It was also mentioned that it will be significantly longer than the others (given the brick-like size of the others, this one must be a cinder block). It will have to be, if Jordan is going to wrap up the series in it. I've said before that I think it's time for the series to move clearly towards closure, but I am not sure one book, even a particularly long one, will be able to do so satisfactorily.

Later,

4 people have spouted off:

Qalmlea said...

Re: Robert Jordan

One of the best things about the last book was that some long-standing issues did FINALLY get resolved. So, in that sense, I'm glad he's heading toward the end. But unless this last book is at least as long as tEotW, there doesn't seem to be a reasonable way to get through enough of the intertwining plot threads. Besides, TWO more books would bring it up to a full circle of 13! ;^)

Kyle Szklenski said...

I couldn't stand the last book in WoT. I think Jordan lost his way and got really obscure for 2-3 books, and I don't envision myself buying the very last one at all. George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, however, should be pretty spectacular in its end, I should think.

I bought HPatDH at around 8:30 AM on Saturday morning after leaving Jackal at Mike's house so she could go on vacation in Canada, got home at around 11 or so, slept until 3 PM, got up and read almost non-stop until I'd finished it on Sunday at 7 PM. Actually, there were quite a few inbetween things, but it SEEMED like non-stop reading.

John said...
I got my copy in the mail, so about 11 am Saturday.

I was finished by 4:30 pm on Sunday.

There was also quite a bit of in between stuff. Cleaning, playing Heroes of Might and Magic V, eating, that sort of thing.

I have read some anthologies that George RR Martin has edidted, but I don't think I've read anything actually by him.
7/24/07, 12:19 PM
Qalmlea said...

I tried reading the first George RR Martin book. I can't remember how far I got, but it just wasn't to my taste. I've seen plenty of positive reviews of it, but the guy's writing just doesn't do anything for me. *shrugs*