the half blood prince

Mordecai

i just finished. this book is really just setting the stage for the next book isnt it? it's quite well written, but i would criticise the dialogue sometimes - teenagers do not talk like that.

silly i know, but does anyone know when the next one is out?

The Bollox

I am about half way through, there's an awfull lot of tongue wrestles in it

SingingCherry

I finished it earlier today and there are quite a lot of horomones flying about in this one, but I suppose that's to be expected from teenagers!

VERY good- I think the best so far. The last was full of teenage angst and Harry constantly throwing temper tantrums, and in this he's much more mature and level headed.

As for the next book... I have a feeling we won't be getting that for a good long time, sadly.

Patricide

Very good book i really felt like i was there along with all the charecters and i was soo sad at the end but i feel there was a lot unanswered so im eagerly awaiting 7 dont think well see it for some time either though.Theres still a LOAD of story to be told kinda makes you wonder how jk will be able to fit it into one book and if she does how long is it gonna make it?

The Bollox

I just finished it, it is very good, and I believe the most appropriately named so far

unfortunately the end was the most heavily cliche'd thing so far, it was more like the end to the first in a series

I don't believe it was the best so far, I think The OOTP holds that title

keevita

yeah, it was a bit of a shock at the end all right. i liked it a lot, but that big thing that happend (dont want to ruin it for anyone who hasnt read it yet!)
was a real disappointment. i agree with harry being far more mature, not caring what ppl were saying about him, but i dont think the dialogue was too advanced for his age. love the shipping that went on too, expected but satisfying!

also, mods, is there a possiblity of opening a HP board, maybe in hosted public? he´s got to be as good as the hoff!

Sleepy

Just finished it half an hour ago after acquiring it this morning. Excellent stuff if a little predictable

the identity of the half-blood prince was no surprise, Harry's new love interest was screamingly obvious and I knew who was going to die as soon as I heard there was a death in this book

.

The final chapter is almost a torture of a cliff-hanger,

after the funeral when Harry does the "noble" thing and gives his little speach

. You can imagine the terminator 2 theme tune playing for the last few pages as it builds for the seventh and final book. J.K. Rowling better have started on number 7 because I don't think the fans are going to be all that patiently waiting for it!

Sleepy

Mordecai wrote:

teenagers do not talk like that.

I know quite a few that do tbh.

silly i know, but does anyone know when the next one is out?

At least another year away

*Angel*

I wasn't very happy with it, but I expected it to basically just put all in order for the next book, so it wasn't a surprise. I found it ok, nothing more tbh.

Some things just seemed stupid, I don't think Rowling wrote of the relationships well, namely Harry and Ginny's. And above someone said teenagers don't act like that, so so true!

Dumbledore's death, was to be expected imo, now all the attention can be faced on Harry.

Absolutely pathetic, the fact that Hermione and Ron decided they were going to accompany Harry on his 'quest', Harry could at least objected a little more than he did. I do realise though that they would eventually follow him so far into his journey, but really he sure have argued more, especially having just left Ginny.

Perhaps you think I'm mad but Snape I believe has NOT turned over to the dark side, I think that Dumbledore had reason enough to trust him (which I'm sure will be verified next book). You could very well argue the fact that he killed Dumbledore is proof enough that he obeys Voldermort, however I think under the circumstances it was Snape's only option, rather than both Snape and Voldermort dying therefore leaving no spy on the other side.

So there's my stupid thoughts!

shacko

This book is dreadfull. It's 450 pages of padding and 150 of story. What i used to like about the earlier potter books was how how the story progressed would progress through the year.. Now all we get is 500 pages of Harry's

crush on Ginny

and everthing i developed and rapped up in the last 100 pages.

Sleepy

I disagree with you on the teenage relationships Angel but your idea

that Snape hasn't turned and in fact, killed Dumbledore with his permission

is certainly intriguing and tbh is the sort of thing we've come to expect from JK Rowling.

shacko, use spoilers!

Draupnir

I would whole heartedly endorse the theory that Snape has in fact not turned to the "Dark Side". The Unbreakable Vow meant that, should he not kill Dumbledore, he would die. And quite possibly, Dumbledore had instructed him that he was to make sure that didnt happen. Dumbledore after all seems to place great trust in Snape and I genuinely dont believe he was wrong, no matter how good an Occlumens Snape was.

My main reason for seeing a lot more in this particular issue, is that the sealing of the Unbreakable Vow appears on the cover art, and normally that kind of place is saved only for the most important parts of the story.

I'll post more later at lunch time.

toiletduck

finished it last night, really enjoyed it but as has been said, i think there was far too much padding!

theCzar

toiletduck wrote:

finished it last night, really enjoyed it but as has been said, i think there was far too much padding!

bang on, the whole middle part of the book was pure filler, and lacked adult appeal.

In Summary, it was gripping, well written but instantly forgetable.

I'm pretty disappointed.

grumpytrousers

Finished it last night as well. I though that when the book was good, it was very good; the stuff about

Voldemorts early life

was very well done and leaving aside the rivers of hormones flowing about the place, the story rattled along nicely. As a set up for book 7 it did the job nicely

Loads of bits of Lord V's soul to pick up about the place!!!Bring it on!

The one problem I have, and it's only a slight one, is that in books one to four, the bit after 'Harry Potter and' (in the title) tended to involve a 'quest' or some class of task to be achieved, be it finding a stone, opening a chamber, finding a prisoner or winning a tournament.

And in those books there always seemed to be a specific double whammy, wherein the battle would inevitably be won, but the war went on; Harry et al would emerge victorious and then there'd be a post mortem of 'Well done son, but we're still up the Gary Glitter 'cos Voldemort x, y, or z'

Somebody made the point of there being too much flab, and I can kinda see where that comes from. I don't have a problem with reading the irrelevant stuff; with zippy prose like this, it's a pleasure, but there is a feeling one gets of water being treaded - that Rowling is thinking 'Gotta get a few more books out of this before the final showdown'. What would have been nice (and what's alluded to on the blurb) is more of the worlds of Magic and Muggle colliding. The first chapter deals (and does it very humerously!) with the Prime Minister having a chinwag with Fudge, and yet nothing more happens in this thread...

Anyway, no more than with Star Wars 3, as a set up for the final showdown, it's done it's job. It kept me out of trouble, out of the pub and up till all hours reading it; something Joseph fcuking Heller never managed...

banquo

shacko wrote:

Now all we get is 500 pages of Harry's

crush on Ginny

and everthing i developed and rapped up in the last 100 pages.

you meant 'wrapped'.

Sleepy

I'm not sure I agree with the "padding" argument.

Harry's giving up his blossoming relationship with Ginny at the end of the book shows an important step in his growth to maturity. This is not something he would have done in earlier years (shown in his reluctance to stay out of contact with Sirius). Without what some posters are referring to as "padding", this wouldn't have been an important sacrifice at all. Maybe it's because I've dated a best mate's younger sister in the past I related to a lot of Harry's dilema as to how to handle his feelings for her but I think this sort of subplot was necessary in order for Harry to go after Voldemort properly in the final book. You can take him more seriously when he's prepared to sacrifice things he cares so much about (Ginny, Hogwarts, a normal life) in order to take Voldemort down.

The whole Ron & Hermione thing has been a subplot of the books since the Chamber of Secrets and a lot of the fans of the series are absolutely dying for that to come to a conclusion so I can't see that as filler either.

Quidditch has been a major subplot since the first book and the day to day running of Hogwarts has always been an important plot device to show the passage of time. So, where's the padding?

hussey

Snape I believe has not turned, I believe DD asked him to kill him, rather than let draco - as he knew draco had 'good' in him (crying in bathroom, regret over warewolf near his friends) DD froze harry as he knew harry would interfere, I am sure DD could have easily disarmed Draco. he delayed draco until everyone arrived.

When snape was called a coward, he flew off the handle (if he was on DD's side it would have been a brave and heroic act), as I think snape wanted to kill himself (Snapes arguement with DD over 'not wanting to do it anymore')

Snape stopped harry from being tortured (this would not have killed him).

again just my opinion - also RAB - regulas black?? the locket being the one they couldn't open in the Order??

I believe Serius death, being crucial to harry owning Grimald Place.

DD needed to die so harry could face Voldemort alone, as with alot of hero books

grumpytrousers

I spent most of yesterday mouthing an anagram of 'cnut' whenever Snapes name came up, and yet, the proposition here that he's really still on the side of the OOP makes sense. Literature has always had charactars sacrificing themselves for the greater good and as part of a bigger plan, and Dumbledore allowing himself be killed so as to keep Snape as an effective double agent makes sense. Reminds me, if memory serves, of something similar in the last Narnia book where Aslan is killed admittedly without the double agent shennanigans. And obviously the entire world ends soon after, but y'get me drift!

Oh, and regarding padding...it's nothing new either. Any of you folks tried reading David Copperfield. Now THAT'S what I call padding...

Sleepy

hussey, I think you're probably right.

the only problem now is to stop Harry from killing Snape in the 7th book!

*Angel*

Sleepy wrote:

hussey, I think you're probably right.

the only problem now is to stop Harry from killing Snape in the 7th book!

Yup, and also the fact that Snape is gonna have all the 'good' side after him, and he's not going to have anyone to confide in now that Dumbledore is dead.

shacko

It's Infernal Affairs all over again. Snape rocks and dont forget in otp were it's made clear snape had feelings for Lilly potter

Dagnir Glaurung

Let's not forget Dumbledore's reaction when he saw Snape arrived. I think 'pleaded' is the word used. I can't imagine Dumbledore pleading with an enemy. More like a 'do it' plea. As shacko said, Snape had feelings for Lily. So he could have been really sorry for her death. Or maybe we just can't accept the truth

grumpytrousers

Aye, I was thinking this as I read the final chapters; it's just TOO much of a cop-out to have Snape turn bad in this manner. I'm not sure what the 'rules' are of baddies in fiction, but I think, and most would probably agree, that if a reader has invested 5 and a half novels of 'Snape is dislikeable, but not truly evil' (at least currently!), it's a breach of trust with the same reader for the author to effectively thumb his/her nose, shout 'yah-boo-sucks-fooled you' and run away...Dumbledore had done as much as he could do; harry will have come of age by the time book 7 kicks off, he has pretty much all the background information he needs now, and he's at a stage where if the wisdom if Dumbledore hasn't rubbed off on him by now, it's never going to. Dumbledores time had come, he knew it, he was weak, his hand was evidence of this and he effectively managed, in his final act of sacrifice, to leave the door open for the OOP to have an 'in' into Voldemorts camp, and, to an extent, to allow Draco Malfoy a degree of redemption...

banquo

Since snape and Dumbledore are both skilled at Occulmency it's very probably [imo] that Dublmedore was pleading with Snape to kill him so to convince the Death Eaters that Snape was on their side. Definatley a sacrifice on Dumbledore's part.

theCzar

I'd say it was worked out in advance that snape kills dumbledore, and dumbledore sacrificed himself to place Snape in an unimpeachable position with Voldemort so as to aid Harry when the moment came. Malfoy I think will be redeemed in the last book, helping Harry save the day. I look forward to finding who RAB is.

I thought the "Romance" was cack handed, and I didn't like it. It was the main focus for much of the book, with the Prince and Dumbledore taking a backseat. I found the actions of Harry/Ron/Hermione to be consistently infuriating. Tsk. Teenagers.

I know lots of HP fans will love it to pieces, but I also know love is blind. I thought it an unworthy addition to some of the finest books ever written

grumpytrousers

theCzar wrote:

I'd say it was worked out in advance that snape kills dumbledore, and dumbledore sacrificed himself to place Snape in an unimpeachable position with Voldemort so as to aid Harry when the moment came. Malfoy I think will be redeemed in the last book, helping Harry save the day. I look forward to finding who RAB is.

I thought the "Romance" was cack handed, and I didn't like it. It was the main focus for much of the book, with the Prince and Dumbledore taking a backseat. I found the actions of Harry/Ron/Hermione to be consistently infuriating. Tsk. Teenagers.

I know lots of HP fans will love it to pieces, but I also know love is blind. I thought it an unworthy addition to some of the finest books ever written

agreed...

Weren't the flashback scenes brilliant though...

carpothepunk

yeh the flashbacks were quality,and i also agree the theory about the you know what woth the you know who

punka

theCzar wrote:

I look forward to finding who RAB is.

RAB= possibly Regulus Black?

Sleepy

But he was a death-eater, no?

theCzar

punka wrote:

RAB= possibly Regulus Black?

possibly

Sleepy wrote:

But he was a death-eater, no?

doesn't that make it more likely e.g.

he'd know about the Horacruxes

Sleepy

But if we're to take the theory that Snape hasn't actually been a treble agent against Dumbledore (and instead a double agent working for him) surely we can assume that if Regulus Black, who we gather to have been nowhere as near to Dumbledore as Snape appears to be, it'd be stange for Snape not to have had more information on them?

theCzar

Sleepy wrote:

But if we're to take the theory that Snape hasn't actually been a treble agent against Dumbledore (and instead a double agent working for him) surely we can assume that if Regulus Black, who we gather to have been nowhere as near to Dumbledore as Snape appears to be, it'd be stange for Snape not to have had more information on them?

could be that R.B. found out by accident, it doesn't seem Voldemort would let anybody in his confidence about them.

punka

theCzar wrote:

possibly

doesn't that make it more likely e.g.

he'd know about the Horacruxes

yup, that was what i was getting at

plus the fact that he was mentioned earlier on in the book. i can't imagine it's going to be a completely new character.

Rew

They already said that

Regulas Black is dead, but I did think it was odd that they mentioned him quite a few times

theCzar

Rew wrote:

They already said that

Regulas Black is dead, but I did think it was odd that they mentioned him quite a few times

there's no way to know when the horacrux in the cave was replaced, he could have died after

Rew

theCzar wrote:

there's no way to know when the horacrux in the cave was replaced, he could have died after

Good point and

the note starts with "I know I will be dead long before your read this..." which I had also forgotten

carpothepunk

how u put the spoiler things?

theCzar

carpothepunk wrote:

how u put the spoiler things?

put [sp*iler] and [/sp*iler] around the text you want to, er, spoil.

except replace the *'s with o's, i had to use * to stop boards.ie from interpreting it as a spoiler

Sleepy

Had anyone else heard JK Rowling say that there was to be a big revelation about Lily Potter in THBP?

Because aside from the fact she was good at potions

we didn't really learn anything major about her...

*Angel*

Sleepy wrote:

Had anyone else heard JK Rowling say that there was to be a big revelation about Lily Potter in THBP?

Because aside from the fact she was good at potions

we didn't really learn anything major about her...

No I didn't hear,

but maybe she was talking about the new potions teacher liking towards her.

but you're right nothing of a big revelation evident

Sleepy

Yeah, it's strange, I keep wondering did I miss something!? Because I definitely read it in an interview.

I've read a theory on-line that perhaps there was something between Snape and Lily, the evidence would appear to be there but I can't imagine it would have been anything other than an unrequited love on Snape's part for the girl who was nice to him (you might remember she stuck up for him when James Potter was bullying him in one of the flashbacks in OOTP). Perhaps this is why Dumbledore is also so convinced of Snape's guilt over his part in the Potter's death and hence so trusting of him?

butters scotch

i finished it last night, i'm still a bit undecided tbh. it was good for the most part, answered some questions however i guessed half way through who the lastest victim was and kinda saw it coming. the romantic stuff was maybe just to lighten the book to younger readers? or to show that even in dark times love can be found etc. it annoyed me that jkr can drag out the hermione and ron thing! i know stupid but its just not subtle! i'm interested to see how jkr can finally finish the series and how the three of them will adapt to life outside hogwarts, and will it meet up to eager expectations. however if harry doesn't survive in the next book she'll probably have some very angry fan letters! i still think the order of the phoenix has been the best one so far.. but will still be looking forward to to the last installment.

The Bollox

I cannot believe I have to wait another two years for the conclusion, it's not fair

has anyone got predictions for where the final fight will take place? I had a talk with a friend earlier, I said Grimmauld Place because

now that Dumbledore is dead, I don't know what will happen, he WAS the secret keeper, does that mean no-one else will ever be able to find the place, or that the spell is broken, meaning Voldemort will find it and seek his locket/horacrux

however my friend said it will take place where James and Lilly met their match, I think that would be too obvious, and so far JKR has not been very obvious about how and where she is/has been taking the story

butters scotch

the last fight will probably take in godric hollow where harry's parents lived thats where it all started, well when harry was being choosen by voldemort and all that jazz..

toxic_angel

isn't it mentioned in one of the books that Regulus Black wimped out and was killed in less than a month of turning away from the death eaters... I think it's at the start of TOOTP. Making it even more likely that RAB is Sirius's brother.

Rew

Its mentioned in this book

Sleepy

toxic_angel wrote:

isn't it mentioned in one of the books that Regulus Black wimped out and was killed in less than a month of turning away from the death eaters... I think it's at the start of TOOTP. Making it even more likely that RAB is Sirius's brother.

Yes but Regulus Black remains the only RB we've encountered in the books and it'd be unlike Rowling to introduce another new character to fill this role of RAB. There are a number of contributing factors to this theory:

The wording of the note in the locket, Voldemort is addressed as 'the Dark Lord' which indicates that this was the work of a Death Eater (which we know Regulus was).

Regulus's name had been removed from the Black family tapestry as he had 'disgraced' himself by turning on Voldemort. (Revealed in OOTP)

During the same tapestry scene there was a mention of an Uncle Alphard that Sirius was quite fond of. Could Alphard be Regulus's middle name?

Whoever RAB is, he/she says in the note that he/she expects to be dead before Voldemort finds out about what he/she has done. This would be consistent with Regulus being killed shortly after turning.

Finally, and most importantly, remember in OOTP that Kreacher was desperate to protect a silver locket from being thrown out when they were cleaning the house? None of the Order were able to open the locket at the time (and Dumbledore wasn't around to identify it's true nature: a horcrux). This would also explain why it was important to the plot to have Harry inherit Grimauld Place which may have seemed to have been passed over quite casually at the start of THBP but, knowing Rowling, it's inclusion wasn't for nothing. This was important to hand Harry the first of the remaining Horcruxes to destroy. He's quite a few to get through before he can kill Voldemort!

I'd bet my username on it, RAB is Regulus Alphard Black.

theCzar

Sleepy wrote:

Had anyone else heard JK Rowling say that there was to be a big revelation about Lily Potter in THBP?

Because aside from the fact she was good at potions

we didn't really learn anything major about her...

hmmm

Snape: Harry, I AM your father
Harry: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sleepy

there's a lot of speculation that the reason Dumbledore placed so much faith in Snape was because he genuinely regretted his part in the Potters' murder because he was in love with Lily. Remember, during their time in Hogwarts, it was Lily who stopped James from bullying him. There's also the matter of Slughorn's commenting that she should have been in Slytherin, maybe it was Snape who helped her with her potions because from the previous books we know that her particular strength (or at least her wand's particular strength) was with charms?

Of course I'm sure any such love was unrequited and regardless, there are constant mentions of how much Harry looks likes James and there's the small matter of his Patronus as well

*Angel*

theCzar wrote:

hmmm

Snape: Harry, I AM your father
Harry: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hee hee, that would be funny!