Round 1, Division 1, Match 16 (Prisoner of Azkaban, 14-9)

[mith]

15 - The Stranger - Albert Camus
2 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3 of the Harry Potter Series) - J.K. Rowling

[Dmi]

I read this Harry Potter book about 20 times. Does this mean I can vote 20 times?

[zorT Kitty]

Ooh, tough choice. I wouldn't mind if either one proceeded to the next round. It looks like Camus is in greater need of my vote right now, though, so thats where its going. But if I were going to root for a HP book, it would be this one...

[dethwing]

I wonder of the Potter Series gets better as you go on. The first certainly wasn't engaging, and didn't make me at all desire to read more.

[Courk]

It does get better. I actually rank them as follows:

3 <-- best
5
4
1
2

[Dmi]

I read the 3rd one before the 2nd one. I don't remember having missed out on much except a few references to the end of the second book in the beginning.

[Jedo the Jedi]

Courk's rating is about the same as mine. I actually like 5 better than 3. 1 and 2 were definitely when Rowling was still getting into it.
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[Mackay]

Courky's is similar to mine. 3, 4, 5, 1, 2. I didn't like CoS at all.

I'm not voting, but I'm rather glad. I really like HP3, but I'd feel kinda dirty voting for it.

[Antrax]

HP rated, top to bottom:
4 (actual depth to characters, plot that isn't half bad)
3 (slightly less boring and inane than the previous two)
1 and 2 (both are identical. characters that are as deep as a piece of cardboard, boring pointless plots that rely on a surprise in order to keep the reader interested)
5 (same as 1 and 2, only the characters are even shallower, as remarkable as it may sound. The plot doesn't follow logically at all from anything and the series loses internal consistency. Most importantly, the level of pathos created by JKR's sad attempt to convincingly write teenage angst is simply overwhelming, and leaves the reader feeling hollow and suicidal)

And of course, "The Stranger" far outranks them all combined.
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[Elayne]

Thank you Antrax for summarizing my feelings on book 5 of Harry Potter. The teenage angst pouring out of that book almost totally ruined Harry for me.

[Hitchhiker]

*agrees with Antrax and Elayne* Hope Harry gets over himself in #6.

My ranking of HPs is
3 (fun, fast, clever, cool plotting, lots of Hermione, and a competent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for a change)
4 (lots of depth, real-world parallels, backstory, a bit more darkness, opens up the world more, has a couple of excellent twists)
1 (introduces everybody -- light, cute, easy)
2 (a letdown after #1)
5 (angst! long, dull, kill-me-now-I'm-fifteen-years-old suffering)

[mith]

What HH said.

[Guest]

I haven't read any HP yet, but my 9yo kid says 3 is best, 4 & 5 the worst.

[Tally forgot to log in]

bah, me above.

[DMTsurel]

Exactly what HH said.

[Mackay's Brain]

If Harry were a Muggle, no doubt he'd have a blog filled with self-pitying bad poetry. Teehee.

[extro...]

Did the people who voted Potter read the full version, or the children's version?

[Dmi]

There's 2 versions? Besides the British cover difference?

[extro...]

I've seen them sold as both children's and adult's versions - is the only difference the cover?

[Courk]

Yeah. The British publishers were afraid adults wouldn't read the book with a cartoony cover, so they have the children's cover and the more sophisticated cover for adults.