A friend pointed this out to me. Still can't figure out how I missed it. Name has been deleted to protect this GE residents dignity and manliness:

Many revelers reported plans to tear into their 759-page prizes soon after midnight. Andrew, 38, said, "This is more important than Christmas. I've read them all 16 or 17 times. I'm going to start reading tonight. I won't watch TV or read the newspaper or sit next to anyone on the train who's reading it until I'm done."

(Andrew), a software engineer, added, "And I'm not going to read it fast - I'm going to make it last."

I'm certain Christians throughout the western suburbs cringed when they read that.

My question...having never read one word of any of these books...are these books really that good? Reading them sounds like it is almost a sexual experience to some (see above). I can only speak of the movies that I have been obligated to take my children to. Having not read the books...I don't find them all that special.

I love them all and couldn't put the books down!

I think what attracts me to the story is that there are all these very real people - perhaps a little exaggerated but not too much. And these people are so real yet have these great magical powers (which I think we all fantasize that we could have) and don't really abuse them but respect them and use them the "right" way. Of course there is the whole good vs. evil theme but to me it's actually more insightful than that: In the 5th book, Harry has this conversation with his godfather, Sirius, expressing for the first time his fear about being like Voldemort. Sirius tells him, essentially, that we all have the capacity to act in good or evil ways and that none of us are perfectly one way or the other all the time. Dumbledore says similar things to Harry - it's about the choices we make - how we CHOOSE to act, not just how we feel inside that is important.

This to me, is a critical point to make in our society and especially to our children.

There are a million other reasons I love the books but that's the bottom line on the message I derive from them.

The books are well written and developed. I do know some who don't like HP, but if you do it is like a sexual experience for your mind.

My kids read their asses off, but never got into HP. I don't think the oldest one found it very cool. That said...I love when kids read, my kids...your kids, everyone's kids.

I have read The Catcher in the Rye several times since high school and each time I do so I notice something new that I hadn't picked up prior...but I have not read it 16-17 times. Nor would I change my daily lifestyle in order to do so. So...these Potter books must be really, really good to have read them that often in that short a time period...or Andrew has little if anything else to do with his time. Perhaps I envy him.

Clam, I've read all of these books. (Well, to be completely correct, I listened to the unabridged audio books of the first six and read the seventh). They are pure escapism for adults, as just about all sci-fi/fantasy is. For kids the appeal is essentially a coming of age / superhero story.

They aren't poorly written but they're not nearly as good, in my opinion, as Herbert's first few Dune books or LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy. And they don't even sniff Tolkien. I felt, while reading, that there were definitely portions of the seventh book which were off-pace, and there were plot points that approached "cheesy". But that has been an element in past books so it wasn't too surprising. I did thoroughly enjoy the last 300 pages or so. It really starts racing.

Rowling does, however, have a penchant for mystery novel-esque endings, where characters will tie everything up in neat packages. One of the tell tale signs is paragraph-sized monologues from characters who had only previously spoken in single sentences. Still, it was a good read. I got mine on Saturday night and was finished by Tuesday. My main motivation for reading it so quickly was that I didn't want to hear a spoiler before I was finished.

Anyway, if you are interested, you'd best start at the beginning with Book 1 or 2. The first movie was practically chapter by chapter of the book so if you want a jump start, start reading with Chamber of Secrets. At that point, you begin to get subplots and character motivations that the movie leaves out or alters slightly.

I love the Harry Potter books! My friend (single cat lady train rider) from California came out to visit the weekend the book came out. Every time she fell asleep, went to the bathroom, or got on the phone I picked that book up and continued reading.

It's a magical world, and I enjoyed reading every one of those books.

You know, speaking of reading a book multiple times...I think everyone has a favorite, or a favorite series that they multi read. I have read the Potter books a couple of times, But the book that I read once a year (my favorite) is Atlas Shrugged. Well....that one and the Mrs. Pollifax series...Those are excellant.

[/QUOTE]My question...having never read one word of any of these books...are these books really that good? Reading them sounds like it is almost a sexual experience to some (see above). I can only speak of the movies that I have been obligated to take my children to. Having not read the books...I don't find them all that special.[/QUOTE]

I have read them all, including the seventh. Even hosted a lock in at our church for the kids who picked up their books at midnight and wanted to stay up all night reading it. I do have a tendency to plow through them. I have never been a big fan of fantasy and I have stayed with the books/series so I think that says something about her ability to tell the tale. But once I put it down I don't go back to it, the way I have with other more nuanced novels.

They are well written with good themes and a lot of imagination. The story telling is compelling and well paced. But as I have discussed with my daughter, who is a HUGE HP dork and rereads the series each time a new one comes out, they are akin to The DaVinici Code or Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys. Every chapter ends on a cliff hanger and while bad things do sometimes happen to good people, he/they always lose and would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddlign kids!

My middle child who is right in the age range and gender of HPmania prefers the Gregor the Overlander series.

I have just read the 7th book. Good thought about the Hardy Boys, to which I was glued in Grade school. I enjoyed it, as I have the other 6, but in this one, I half expected the Stone Table and Bilbo Baggins to show up in the reveal everything scene. I liked what she did with Snape's character, who has always intrigued me. Dumbledore actually becomes a tragic character. I just wish I had that Pensieve!

The good news is that children read these books in hyperfocus. Wouldn't it be nice to see that in other things?