I'm finally giving in

[EowynCarter]

To each their own: I loved the Potter books from the first paragraph. The lady can write very witty and immersive prose.

I liked the first books, still do, but book 3, and the beginning of the forth, where the point I got really hooked.

I rather liked twilight,too. Though not as much. Still have a world that is something "new".

[Musette]

Originally Posted by durkinrobinson

I've often said that people shouldn't make fun of literary phenoms - and the masses who follow along - until they've actually read the book in question.

Then I started making fun of Twilight fans.

So I'm finally giving in and reading the series. I'm going to try anyway, and in the end I'll either continue to make fun of "them" or start making fun of "me and them."

Wish me luck, folks.

I'm late, but I'll chime in and wish you a good luck as well. I read all 4 books two years ago. Once. Never again.

[Rizla]

Apparently the Twilight books are more girl-oriented. Being a bloke, I haven't bothered. I have also heard from a girl who loved them that the prose quality is less than timeless.

Now Harry Potter... The series is a classic. Rowling is a genius writer. The first 20 or so pages of HP1 is Dickensian. Anyway, I digress...

[mrscoach]

Originally Posted by Jcas

my daughter who is not an avid reader actually read the whole series and raved about it so much i thought i just had to give it a go to see what i was missing.

I purchased the first book, and tried as i really wanted to read it, but i just found it intolerable .

For those of you that have enjoyed it as my daughter did, i am really pleased for you all, but it's just not for me.

I could have written this post, except I didn't buy book one for myself. I picked up my daughter's books and tried to read them. Blech. My daughter would stay up at night reading, which is an accomplishment because she HATES reading. *Sigh, where did I go wrong?*

[hnoto]

I agree with lots of you...read the first one, choked down 1/2 the second one and gave up. Lots of my adult friends are Twilight fans...I couldn't stand any more of Bella's whiny, depressed, teenaged angst. I love paranormal romance, I love fantasy, but just couldn't get into this series. I liked her book, The Host, better.

From what *I* have seen, the fans are either teenagers or adults who don't usually read a lot. I hate to make generalizations, but that is what I personally have seen.

[HappyMartin]

Apart from the Twilight books two other examples come to mind. I tried the first Potter book and thought it read like a script for a computer game. That odd game they all played zooming around the sky had me giving up. With the DaVinci code I got to the point where I found myself hoping the big albino bloke would kill everyone and everything so the book could end and then I gave up.

[JaneD]

Revisiting this thread because I think I am about to eat my own words about Harry Potter. I just finished reading "Fantastic Mr. Fox" to my 7-year-old son and we were fishing around for another book to read, and I landed on Harry Potter.

Well, we're through the first 10 pages and are both rather captivated. Maybe the experience of theatrically reading it out loud for my son is enhancing the experience, or maybe it's just seeing how enthralled he is, but I'm enjoying it much more than I did when I first read it. Must also agree with Rizla that the first chapter is quite Dickensian in tone, in its description of the Dursley family.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by JaneD

Revisiting this thread because I think I am about to eat my own words about Harry Potter. I just finished reading "Fantastic Mr. Fox" to my 7-year-old son and we were fishing around for another book to read, and I landed on Harry Potter.

Well, we're through the first 10 pages and are both rather captivated. Maybe the experience of theatrically reading it out loud for my son is enhancing the experience, or maybe it's just seeing how enthralled he is, but I'm enjoying it much more than I did when I first read it. Must also agree with Rizla that the first chapter is quite Dickensian in tone, in its description of the Dursley family.

You are in for a fantastic ride. Harry Potter is easily the second best series I have read. It is truly phenomenal - especially once you hit the 3rd book.

[astra]

Originally Posted by foghat

You are in for a fantastic ride. Harry Potter is easily the second best series I have read. It is truly phenomenal - especially once you hit the 3rd book.

What is the first?

JaneD
I envy you. HP is one of the very best fantasy series I have read. Enjoy

[foghat]

^ IMO, Stephen King's The Dark Tower trumps all.

[astra]

Originally Posted by foghat

^ IMO, Stephen King's The Dark Tower trumps all.

It is in the one of the very best fantasy series I have read

[foghat]

Originally Posted by astra

It is in the one of the very best fantasy series I have read

Ha.

I love the Harry Potter reference in Wolves of the Calla. with the Snitch like weapons stamped, Harry Potter model.

And then how in the epilogue of Harry Potter series ***maybe minor spoiler - highlight below to read more clearly ***


Rowling brings us to 19 years later.


*** end spoiler ***

- a clear nod to King's Dark Tower, I thought

[astra]

Now when you mention it I remember the snitch. I didn't read HP or seen movies when I read the Dark Tower, so I didn't pay attention to it.
Nice, indeed

[GraceKrispy]

I have to admit enjoying the Twilight series of books. I thought the writing was bad (very reminiscent of the type of writing I'd get from the higher 4th graders), and if I were to review it, it wouldn't rank very highly, but I enjoyed it. The first half of the second book is the worst of the whole series, as I recall. I enjoyed The Host as well. I think I liked them because the concepts were intriguing, the writing was not exceedingly painful (at least it was edited, it was just very juvenile), and I tend to enjoy young adult books as a nice "brain candy" type of break anyway. I was, however, annoyed by Bella, and could not figure out why everyone liked this whiny girl. Kristen Stewart, who strikes me as a whiny mess in any movie she's in, was perfectly cast (for the record, I did not enjoy the movies at all)

I loved the Harry Potter series as well, and I very much enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse series (as a more adult version of Twilight , but more readable). I think the thing that all three of those books accomplish well is the escape factor.

[bethlo]

well, obviously in the minority, but outing myself as one thirtysomething mom who enjoyed the twilight series. i will often tell others that while i do not think Meyer is a good writer, i do think she is a good storyteller (big difference IMO).