54 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Passionate Debates- This is Where You'll Find Them!, June 18, 2009
This review is from: Mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views from the #1 Fan Site (Paperback)
Don't let the tongue-in-cheek tone or occasional just-for-fun debate fool you, this book displays a rigorous analysis of the Harry Potter series presented in a concise enjoyable format. Despite having spent some time perusing the comment boards at various forums, there were debates presented here I had not considered before. The debate on which character is more underestimated by others, for example, led me to wonder what other characters might have been included. I was fascinated by the debate on whether secret keeper details in Deathly Hallows contradicted earlier information. I found myself rereading portions of the books to see whether I agreed with the conclusion here.
The book is filled with laugh-out-loud moments and some of the discussions on the movies are hilarious. While the authors are occasionally critical of the books and movies, their love of the series they have spent years discussing is thoroughly evident. I was often reminded of the trio debating Professor Snape or SPEW endlessly in the library or Hogwarts common room. Any true fan of the series has imagined being in on those discussions, this is the book that takes you there.
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47 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
When fan boys publish, September 3, 2009
This review is from: Mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views from the #1 Fan Site (Paperback)
For those who picture the stereotypical science fiction or fantasy fan as a relatively young adult (usually male) who obsesses over the minutia of every piece of fiction (the sort who can speak in Klingon or Sindarin and will endlessly debate who'd win a battle between a Balrog or a Nazgul), the book Harry Potter Should Have Died will little to dispel that image. It is a book by fan boys and for fan boys.
The book is based on issues discussed on [...], a major website dedicated to the Harry Potter books. Each issue is presented as a question, with both sides presented. For example, the first question asks whether J.K. Rowling should have kept Dumbledore's sexual orientation private. Both sides present their argument and then the editors present their verdict.
Some questions are interesting. Is Severus Snape a hero? Are the female characters too stereotyped? Are the Slytherins too demonized? On the other hand, some questions are inane: Would you rather make out with Voldemort or a Dementor? Would you rather shave Hagrid's back or give Voldemort a foot massage?
Some discussions show that for all their knowledge of the Harry Potter books, the writers have little knowledge of other works of fiction. A discussion of who'd win a fight between Gandalf and Dumbledore (a true fan-boy debate if there ever was one) neglects the fact that for all his powers, Dumbledore was mortal and Gandalf was not. I'm not saying that's the deciding factor, but it shows how the writers aren't even that knowledgeable about Tolkien.
I am a fan of the Harry Potter books (and to a lesser extent, the movies), but the authors of this book are fanatics. I suppose it'd be okay, but I don't think they even get the answers right much of the time. Often, they treat the issues as either/or situations, when the real answer is somewhere in the middle. If you enjoy the Harry Potter books, you might find this book interesting. To an extent, the questions are often thought-provoking, but the discussions are just as often silly.
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20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Summer Read, June 15, 2009
This review is from: Mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died: Controversial Views from the #1 Fan Site (Paperback)
Once I started reading this book I couldn't stop. The chapters average 2-3 pages each, so pacing yourself is easy and you can read chapters out of sequence if you like. This book is intelligently written with humor and insight. The authors obviously know the Harry Potter series inside and out, and the essays offer opposing views of many important issues from the seven book series. The essays range from the lighthearted - "Would You Rather Shave Hagrid's Back or Give Voldemort a Foot Massage?" - to literary criticism - "Which Character Fails to Live Up to Expectations?" Some essays are serious, and some are laugh out loud funny. This book is written for grown ups and young adults: a great summer read.
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