On July 16, the 6th book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, will be released. Tight security and controversy have surrounded this book as voracious readers of the series await the release with feverish anticipation. Rarely in the publishing world has so much media and global excitement been generated by the mere release of a book, but then again Harry Potter's is no ordinary story.
The author, JK Rowling, is a genius—and I don't say this lightly. She isn't necessarily the "greatest" writer who ever lived and the Harry Potter books aren't necessarily the "greatest" books ever written, but their combination of clever story-crafting, intrigue, continuity, character development and broad appeal make a formidable opponent to any Pulitzer Prize-winner past, present or future.
The story of the "boy who lived" is clearly (by her own admission) a unique take on yet another historically famous writer, JRR Tolkien, and his beloved classics, The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. In an almost unfathomable manner, Rowling has used some of the Tolkien formula to generate a story both wildly different from LOTR, and disconcertingly similar.
Good versus Evil, epic battles of internal and physical struggle, captivating but believable magic, compelling characters, unbreakable bonds of friendship and, at the center, an orphan boy whose destiny is to save his world from the darkest forces of evil.
I would be hard-pressed to choose which story I love more. One of the first books I ever read as a child was The Hobbit, but Tolkien's arcane and sometimes ornate writing style made it hard for a young and unsophisticated reader to truly understand all the nuances and subtleties that made his books so enchanting.
This is where Rowling and the Potter series succeed so well; she writes and appeals to her target audience, children. Another appealing feature that sets her story apart from LOTR is Harry Potter is set in modern times. It's like an alternative universe that children can truly escape to, but where magic and its infinite possibilities exist. Her ability to capture the essence of youth in her language, tone and intimation is where her true genius lies.
Article comments
1 - DrPat
Nice take on HP5, Dawn! A lot has been made of the echoes of Tolkien in the Harry Potter universe, but Rowling took just enough, in my opinion, to link her work to the older clossic, without weighting it down with too many allusions to the LOTR magic.
2 - DrPat
Um, I meant to type HP4. (Sure, I did!)
3 - Dawn
Thanks Dr. I really find the stories captivating and just so much fun to read. I can honestly say she is one author who deserves the financial bounty she has acquired!
4 - lana
i was wondering how many more harry potter books there is going to be written?
5 - Chris Evans
There is one more in the series after this one. Unless somehow Scholastic convinces Rowling to write more.
6 - Eric Olsen
"Harry Potter and the Recalcitrant Dentures," #74 in the series
7 - Sabbey
i love the HP books they are so enjoyable to read. but wouldn't there only be 7 books :( since well there is only 7 years at Hogwarts.... like J.K Rowling could make it after but i can't imagine what other things could be wihout Hogwarts. But as we've seen J.K Rowling has a wonderful imagination and great hand in writting these books so u never know. i can't wait until the 6th HP book comes out reading it would probably be an enjoyable part of the summer :D
8 - Scott from Modesto
Professor Snape kills Albus Dumbledore, Half Blood Prince is Godric Gryffindor, Hermione and Ron are finally a thing, Draco leaves Hogwarts!!! have fun reading the book
9 - Usman
harry potter and the half blood prince is quite boring in the start, but gets on good as we reaches the end where snape kills dumbledore , but in all this heck, I think that there is not going to be any school in the part 7 and hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizadary has finally been closed
10 - yo yo yo
*** SPOILER SPAM **** **** ********************
snape kills hogwarts headmaster and voldemort commits suicide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
11 - Jesse
All I Have To Say Is That Snape Is The Half Blood Prince Prince Being His Mothers Last Name And His Father's Lat Name Was Snape Who Was A Muggle Makin Prof. Snape A Half Boold Witch In Than Saying He Was The
12 - Aaman
spam spelling-deficient spoilers
13 - Noah
I loved your acting in the movies, especially in the third one!
14 - sanguine sheila
Hi all,
i loved just loved HP6....
Commenting on Harry being one of the Horcrux, I think of it as improbable. My reason being -doesn’t Slughorn say that you need say a spell to transfer a bit of your soul. It seems very unlikely that LV would have used a spell for horcrux right after the Aveda Kedavra!!! Doesn’t it?
Another thing, I love the romance in this book. Yes it’s a bit too much with Ron licking Lav-Lav almost all the time but otherwise its really cute & everything. Did anyone notice that Ron (in the scene where he is unconscious in the hospital after being poisoned) actually utters "er-my-nee"(which I believe is 'Hermione'!!!)
I wonder why Hermione or Harry dint catch that. It would just add more color to their romance had anyone picked that up! Any comments?
I would hate it if the book7 does not have enough romance between Harry- Ginny & Ron- Hermione…. I know its would be a bit strange given there is so much work to be done. But I still hope….
I like the book all in all & cant hardly wait for the last installment!!!
15 - Grace
I totally agree with you! I (oddly enough) have just now finished with the Harry Potter series (or what's there so far) and it would make me a LOT happier with the whole series if something happened between the "furture couples." Just kinda get bored of waiting for something to happen, ya know?
plus, I've found a lot of people that say that the books are getting too scary. Any comments?
16 - Mary Plaia
I LOVED IT
17 - Mary Plaia
HI I LOVE HARRY JANES POTTER AND GINNY POTTER AND HIS KIDS
18 - Mary Plaia
HARRY POTTER ROOK !!!!!!!!!!