Official Order of the Phoenix thread (spoilers obviously)

[Computron]

wow, I lloved this book, after a grueling 10 hr read where I was unable to put the book down I finished it and was well satisfied that the final product had lived up to the hype.

I now am gonna be stuck in a perminant wait now for the next one - How will I survive

I thought Harry teaching the students Defense techniques was really good and I love the fact that Neville is getting good at it and was able to do loads of spells - The one thing that I really wanted at the end was for Neville to be the one who captured that person who tourtured his folks, I also noted that he mentioned his gran was gonna kill him for breaking his wand but I would love to have had some reference at the end, some comment from Neville about how his gran reacted to news he had helped stop and capture loads of Death Eaters - Would of been nice IMO

Also whats gonna happen next year with Quidditch, Ron is obviously gonna be keeper, Harry as Seeker, Ginny will take over Angelas position - Do you think Mrs Weesley will force George & Fred to go back for their final year - meaning all the weasleys will be in the team

The death think I felt was also milked a bit, I found it funny that every character seemed to die at some point and we were stuck reading 2-3 pages to see if that was the one - Unfourtunatly the final death was hardly that emotional I felt and seemed slightly rushed IMO.

The one minor point that annoyed me slightly was Harry's temper, yes I know he is a teenager doeing his important exams but he seemed to lose it every 5 minutes. I know they said Voldemort was trying to control him but I think it would of been cool to go into more detail, using Harry's temper as saying it is Voldemorts aggression that Harry is feeling or something

The other teachers getting some development was also nice, the way that they all hated Umbridge and didn't aid her in any way.

To me I loved the bits where characters got development more than anything else and this book has it, I suspect a lot of people will say it is slow to get going (150+ pages before they get to school IIRC) but I don't mind and all the revolations from Dumbledore at the end are so cool.

oh and if you are gonna post some random **** in this thread I have this to say to you

STUPEFY!!!!

[Savannahtron]

I bought the book, and did not read any of your post, because I don't want any spoilers, but I got a great deal on the hardback, only $16 at Wal-Mart.

I am going to read it to my daughter, who loves Harry Potter at the age of 4.

I bought Hard Wired, and want to read it over the next week, but I am starting a new job, so I am not sure how that will play out with my free time.

I am off weekends now, woot!

[Jetfire]

I brought it.

It was awesome.

Got it saturday.

finished over 3 days which included a visit to Southhampton saturday night for a party. Got back sunday afternoon.
Finished late yesterday. Had npo idea as lost track of time for 2 days.

My joint fav with Goblet of fire. In manys ways Goblet and phoenix are 2 parts oft he same story.


My fav parts was just after the start and the invasion of the Department of Mysteries. Fecking out of this world. A massive mystery, Harry, Herm, Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny vs the Death eaters, Death eaters vs the order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore vs Voldemort. Surprise after surprise after surprise. Fecking awesome.

Originally posted by Computron
wow, I lloved this book, after a grueling 10 hr read where I was unable to put the book down I finished it and was well satisfied that the final product had lived up to the hype.

Yup. Like I said I felt this was her joint best Harry Potter so far.


I now am gonna be stuck in a perminant wait now for the next one - How will I survive

Ditto. Ihave no idea how I got through the last wait.


I thought Harry teaching the students Defense techniques was really good and I love the fact that Neville is getting good at it and was able to do loads of spells - The one thing that I really wanted at the end was for Neville to be the one who captured that person who tourtured his folks, I also noted that he mentioned his gran was gonna kill him for breaking his wand but I would love to have had some reference at the end, some comment from Neville about how his gran reacted to news he had helped stop and capture loads of Death Eaters - Would of been nice IMO

Yeah. I thought the same. I'm sure it will come along in the next book, along with other stuff.

[B}

Also whats gonna happen next year with Quidditch, Ron is obviously gonna be keeper, Harry as Seeker, Ginny will take over Angelas position - Do you think Mrs Weesley will force George & Fred to go back for their final year - meaning all the weasleys will be in the team [/B]

The Weasley twins are simply my favourte characters. Their escape from Hogwarst and Umbridge was excellent.



The death think I felt was also milked a bit, I found it funny that every character seemed to die at some point and we were stuck reading 2-3 pages to see if that was the one - Unfourtunatly the final death was hardly that emotional I felt and seemed slightly rushed IMO.

When Author was bitten by the Snake that Harry possesed I thought for sure he was going to bite. Rowling is fantastic at red hearings.
I do think the death was describing more as a shock rather than a saddness which sometime occurs.


The one minor point that annoyed me slightly was Harry's temper, yes I know he is a teenager doeing his important exams but he seemed to lose it every 5 minutes. I know they said Voldemort was trying to control him but I think it would of been cool to go into more detail, using Harry's temper as saying it is Voldemorts aggression that Harry is feeling or something

Harrys temper was simply the best part of the book. His feelings of frustration and being left out by those he thought he could trust really came out well and I liked and identyfied with Harry far more in this book than anyother.


The bit that annoyed me, (and only after when I was thinking about the book) was the lack of character developement between Ron and Hermiony. In Goblet there was a lot of tension and clear attraction between them and none of it got developed . More Malfoy would be better too. He is Harry's arch nemisis and some developement of his character could be cool.

The other teachers getting some development was also nice, the way that they all hated Umbridge and didn't aid her in any way.



Umbridge has to be the JKR creation I hated more than anybody else. I have to say as someone in education I found Rowlings perceptions and parodies of the current education climate dead accurate.
Especally when shje announced that the pupils shouls not do practicals or learn anything actually reallife abotu 'defense against the dark arts' but a "ministry aproved" sylabus. That is damned accurate and a strong reason why suddleny we have a shortage of teachers.


To me I loved the bits where characters got development more than anything else and this book has it, I suspect a lot of people will say it is slow to get going (150+ pages before they get to school IIRC) but I don't mind and all the revolations from Dumbledore at the end are so cool.

I likeed the start a lot. Best characterisatrion of Harry Potter yet. It really developed him more than anyother book. I thought it was great when Harry found out that his father wasn't actually an angle when he was younger.

The revelations were preety good too. I almost thought for a second that Longbottom was destined to battle Voledmort too

And the moral of the story is?

Never talk in a dodgy pub.

[Sixswitch]

Originally posted by Jetfire 2.1

finished over 3 days which included a visit to Southhampton saturday night for a party. Got back sunday afternoon.
Finished late yesterday. Had npo idea as lost track of time for 2 days.

I've read them all in the space of three days. I really couldn't put them down. I finished Goblet last night at about 4AM, and started the last one right away. It's a testament to JK Rowling's ability that I was able to follow the plot (which was certainly not simplified or 'dumbed down') despite the late hour.

My joint fav with Goblet of fire. In manys ways Goblet and phoenix are 2 parts oft he same story.

I think it's my joint favorite with Philospher's Stone actually. It's much more mature than the first one (I think Rowling probably developed the complexity and maturity of her books as her original target audience would have grown older). However, the great thing about the first was that as Harry was discovering all this weird and brilliant stuff, I was really excited to discover it too.

My fav parts was just after the start and the invasion of the Department of Mysteries. Fecking out of this world. A massive mystery, Harry, Herm, Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny vs the Death eaters, Death eaters vs the order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore vs Voldemort. Surprise after surprise after surprise. Fecking awesome.

My favorite bits where the bits with the DA, the final battle in the Ministry, and the last bit as Dumbledore was explaining the Prophecy.

I likeed the start a lot. Best characterisatrion of Harry Potter yet. It really developed him more than anyother book.

I kinda didn't like the start. Maybe it was the time of day I read it, but I found that it was laid on a bit thick that Harry felt neglected/frustrated.

I thought it was great when Harry found out that his father wasn't actually an angle when he was younger.

Yeah I liked that bit too. I expected Harry to appologise to Snape at one point. It's obvious now why Snape hates him too - He reminds him too much of his old man.

Another thing I liked was the irony of Harry forgetting about the mirror when he needed to contact Sirius... If he hadn't forgotten about it, Harry might not have even gone to the Ministry.

The revelations were preety good too. I almost thought for a second that Longbottom was destined to battle Voledmort too

Sixswitch prediction: Neville kills or captures Bellatrix, only to be killed by Voldemort.

Tell you what. I SOOO do not want to wait for the next one. These books are great. What impresses me most is the attention to details. For instance, back in Book 3 (I think), Trelawney made a real prediction for Harry. Dumbledore told him that it's the second she's ever made, and now finally we find out what the first was. There are tons of little details like this that make the books great.

[Prowl?]

sirius isn't dead.....
its a feign, there were so many unresolved issues around the character that it just has to be a feign. Something to drive harry nuts emotionally, without destroying the complete meaning of book three....

deal with the fact that i just said sirius died.
Its a spoiler thread.

[Sixswitch]

Originally posted by Prowl?

deal with the fact that i just said sirius died.
Its a spoiler thread.

Course it's a spoiler thread. Anyone who bitches can fly off a cliff or something.

I don't buy it though, unless of course in the next book, Harry goes through that dark gate thingy to find him. But from what I could gather (from the conversation he had with Nick), people who are happy being dead would not come back as ghosts. I'm taking this to mean that they wouldn't come back through the gate either.

Also, in one of them (book 1 or 2 I think), I seem to remember someone saying that James Potter would have seen death as an adventure. I reckon Sirius would see it in a similar light.

Face it. He's dead! Dead as Brawn.

-Ss

[Jetfire]

Originally posted by Sixswitch
Course it's a spoiler thread. Anyone who bitches can fly off a cliff or something.

I don't buy it though, unless of course in the next book, Harry goes through that dark gate thingy to find him. But from what I could gather (from the conversation he had with Nick), people who are happy being dead would not come back as ghosts. I'm taking this to mean that they wouldn't come back through the gate either.

I think that was partly that you have to do some kind of preparation in life as a wizard (indicated by nick) in the first place to come back other wise they would be no getting rid of Voldemort or anyother dark wizard.


Also, in one of them (book 1 or 2 I think), I seem to remember someone saying that James Potter would have seen death as an adventure. I reckon Sirius would see it in a similar light.

Face it. He's dead! Dead as Brawn.

-Ss

the death was quite weird by Rowling made it quite clear whoever died would be quite certenally dead. I do love the red hearings she placed though out the book though.

[Sixswitch]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention.

One thing that seriously surprises me throughout the books, is how damned evil Draco Malfoy is. I mean, it's not like he's just a bully or minor thug (like Dursley), but he's a full on evil son of a bitch.

Sixswitch prediction Number 2: Harry kills him.

-Ss

[Jetfire]

Originally posted by Sixswitch
Oh yeah, forgot to mention.

One thing that seriously surprises me throughout the books, is how damned evil Draco Malfoy is. I mean, it's not like he's just a bully or minor thug (like Dursley), but he's a full on evil son of a bitch.

Sixswitch prediction Number 2: Harry kills him.

-Ss

Draco?

Nah. his Dad maybe but I got serious doubts on any of the long featured Hogwarts kiddies going down.

If I have 2 minor criticisms of OotP is not enough Draco or Hermy character development.

[Sir Auros]

originally posted by Jetfire:
Umbridge has to be the JKR creation I hated more than anybody else. I have to say as someone in education I found Rowlings perceptions and parodies of the current education climate dead accurate.
Especally when shje announced that the pupils shouls not do practicals or learn anything actually reallife abotu 'defense against the dark arts' but a "ministry aproved" sylabus. That is damned accurate and a strong reason why suddleny we have a shortage of teachers.

Yep, I think this was the first instance of anything that really satirizes something in the real world (other than muggles of course) and I didn't find it heavy-handed or anything either.

I have to disagree with Computron about Harry's temper...I can identify with him easily because of that. He's at the age where only he knows how he feels, he knows everything, etc. That's the way kids his age are.