Re: Brief comments on Magic, Dumbledore, and The Epilogue.
Jeordam Send a noteboard - 07/04/2010 06:09:20 PM
Magic
I agree with you on the magic being inconsistent, but my larger problem with it was that became too simplistic. The earlier books were full of new and unusual magic. In the later books, magic use seemed to be limited to unforgivable curses, along with the occasional stunning or disarming spell. I was hooked by a story about a kid living at a boarding school teaching magic, and the last few books basically threw that away entirely, with hogwarts (as well as study in general) dwindling into the background. Ah well.
I agree with you on the magic being inconsistent, but my larger problem with it was that became too simplistic. The earlier books were full of new and unusual magic. In the later books, magic use seemed to be limited to unforgivable curses, along with the occasional stunning or disarming spell. I was hooked by a story about a kid living at a boarding school teaching magic, and the last few books basically threw that away entirely, with hogwarts (as well as study in general) dwindling into the background. Ah well.
See, I loved the stuff that dealt with the school. The class schedule, exams, homework and the like was cool. All of a sudden, the school stuff was back burnered. And then honestly, I don't get how there can be a whole wizarding world out there, and magic usage is limited to like 10 main spells and some plant/animal lore. Really?
Dumbledore
I hated the way in which Dumbledore died. I didn't care too much about his actual death, but I spent the rest of the series waiting for his death to mean something, or to be explained. Neither one ever happened. Dumbledore going down without a fight, begging Snape to do it. . .both were so completely out of character that I knew it had to be a trick. But it wasn't. It was just a very puzzling, anticlimactic death. Cedric's death was far more meaningful and dramatic, and we only knew him for a book or two. Dumbledore was Harry's mentor for the entire series, as well as the most powerful wizard in the world, and he got nothin'. Bah.
I hated the way in which Dumbledore died. I didn't care too much about his actual death, but I spent the rest of the series waiting for his death to mean something, or to be explained. Neither one ever happened. Dumbledore going down without a fight, begging Snape to do it. . .both were so completely out of character that I knew it had to be a trick. But it wasn't. It was just a very puzzling, anticlimactic death. Cedric's death was far more meaningful and dramatic, and we only knew him for a book or two. Dumbledore was Harry's mentor for the entire series, as well as the most powerful wizard in the world, and he got nothin'. Bah.
I agree. For the most part, the good guys deaths were traumatizingly lame. Dubledore is gone in a flash. Sirius falls through a shrouded arch. Mad-Eye Moody falls off his broom. Weak...all of that. Cedric & the Weasley Twin who died got more of a send off, and made a whole lot more impact storywise (especially Cedric). When Sirius died, the biggest aftermath we saw was teen-angsty HP. Moody was basically in passing. I felt more for when Hedwig died. And then Dumbledore just crumpling to the ground? It was weak, in a lame way not cool way.
The Epilogue
Everyone I've talked to hated this, but I actually enjoyed it. It was cheesy, true, but I really like to see things get back to normal after big battles for some reason. Too many stories show you the fight, but very little of what everyone is fighting for. Always seems like you win the prize, but never get to find out what it is. Sure it might make a more dramatic ending to fade to black as the last arrow falls, but, darn it, I want to know if my gang got their happy ending or not.
Everyone I've talked to hated this, but I actually enjoyed it. It was cheesy, true, but I really like to see things get back to normal after big battles for some reason. Too many stories show you the fight, but very little of what everyone is fighting for. Always seems like you win the prize, but never get to find out what it is. Sure it might make a more dramatic ending to fade to black as the last arrow falls, but, darn it, I want to know if my gang got their happy ending or not.
I am still unsure of it. I think it would have been cool to see everything back to normal later in their years, but having all the kids pair up was just....wierd. Not sure I like that. How many high school relationships last for 19 years? Very few.
~Jeordam
ex-Admin at wotmania (all things wot & art galleries)
Saving the Princess, Humanity, or the World-Entire since 1985
Saving the Princess, Humanity, or the World-Entire since 1985
Harry Potter (the entire series)
- 06/04/2010 11:00:07 PM
1630 Views
Re: Harry Potter (the entire series)
- 06/04/2010 11:29:49 PM
923 Views
Really?
- 07/04/2010 05:41:46 PM
959 Views
I honestly think it's a combination of the two
- 07/04/2010 05:55:18 PM
848 Views
I'll give you that....
- 07/04/2010 06:11:27 PM
864 Views
It does seem logical that the series gets more teenager-oriented as Harry grows older.
- 07/04/2010 06:47:57 PM
874 Views
Re: Harry Potter (the entire series)
- 07/04/2010 12:26:22 AM
1146 Views
I get where you're coming from
- 07/04/2010 06:19:13 PM
960 Views
That's kind of the point though...
- 07/04/2010 08:44:26 PM
916 Views
This is how I see it too
- 08/04/2010 12:43:03 AM
1026 Views
just a comment about your rich=bad
- 08/04/2010 02:05:32 AM
983 Views
I agree with many of your points.
- 07/04/2010 12:44:31 AM
1073 Views
I have to dispute the concept of going "too far."
- 07/04/2010 06:32:47 AM
829 Views
Hm, I don't know.
- 07/04/2010 11:08:12 AM
914 Views
This is a lot like the argument I'm having with Joel on the CMB concerning original sin.
- 08/04/2010 07:21:39 AM
826 Views
- 08/04/2010 07:21:39 AM
826 Views
Where is this debate? I'd like to read it.
- 08/04/2010 05:18:38 PM
1481 Views
I should have put "debate" in quotes. It's about four sentences long.
- 08/04/2010 10:32:43 PM
817 Views
- 08/04/2010 10:32:43 PM
817 Views
More conversation on Snape.
- 07/04/2010 06:01:37 PM
1125 Views
His death wasn't very spectacular, but he did play an essential role...
- 07/04/2010 06:45:58 PM
1015 Views
Brief comments on Magic, Dumbledore, and The Epilogue.
- 07/04/2010 07:13:55 AM
1169 Views
Re: Brief comments on Magic, Dumbledore, and The Epilogue.
- 07/04/2010 06:09:20 PM
1022 Views
The movies are even worse about this.
- 07/04/2010 06:15:35 PM
899 Views
Death doesn't actually happen in slow-motion fit for the cinema screen.
- 08/04/2010 07:24:31 AM
914 Views
Re: Death doesn't actually happen in slow-motion fit for the cinema screen.
- 08/04/2010 03:27:09 PM
887 Views
Harry Potter and Star Wars have two radically different approaches to this
- 07/04/2010 06:13:25 PM
1077 Views
When my son asked for his own set of Harry Potter books,
- 07/04/2010 10:26:37 PM
921 Views
This is assuming of course...
- 07/04/2010 11:00:15 PM
972 Views
I was most irritated by the ironic names
- 08/04/2010 05:38:59 AM
1005 Views
Re: I was most irritated by the ironic names
- 08/04/2010 10:07:40 PM
1285 Views
Exactly - it's not as obvious if you're a kid, then it seems clever and it's fun to decode.
- 09/04/2010 01:04:11 AM
945 Views