Rowling to kill off two characters

by Kristin Darguzas (Subscribe to Kristin Darguzas's posts) Jun 26th 2006 4:49PM

I've never read a Harry Potter book. I'm not a huge fan of the science fiction genre, which I gather this is, though I don't claim to really know. But JK Rowling and the Harry Potter series have been in the news often and vigorously enough that I think I might have to go out and read one. What I do completely love is that Rowling was a struggling single Mother before she wrote the series, it's such a great success story.

Apparently the seventh and final book in the series has been written and hidden away. The British Mom and author notes that two characters are to be killed off in the final book, but she won't reveal who for fear of hate mail.

The Harry Potter series has sold 300 million copies worldwide. That is the entire population of the United States and that completely blows my mind.

So what is the allure of these books? Why the fanatical following? Nolan and I will be taking a stroll to the used bookstore this afternoon to try and figure it all out.

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Comments (19)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ginny 6-26-2006 @ 5:04PM

The Harry Potter series of books appeal to me. Of course, after having two children the only reading I do is on the toilet...and it's usually Reader's Digest. ;)

Ginny 6-26-2006 @ 5:05PM

That should read, "Doesn't appeal to me"

Rengirl 6-26-2006 @ 5:10PM

I'm a huge fan of the fantasy genre - which is the category I think the HP series fits best. Dragons, magic, wizards, spells - it's good fun for kids and grown-ups who like feeling like a kid now and then.

Nicola 6-26-2006 @ 5:59PM

I do not read fantasy or sci-fi as a rule, but these books are so much more than that and appeal to readers of all ages and interests. Start with the first book (you really have to read them in order) and see what you think. I had a young cousin who pushed book one on me when I was sick in bed and in order to reinforce her love of reading (and not hurt her feelings), I decided to give it a go. I have been hooked ever since.

marnie 6-26-2006 @ 6:11PM

I'm a huge fan of these books--they're intelligently written and a lot of fun. Rowling doesn't shy away from the evil that exists in Harry's world. He comes up against some truly horrible people and just deals with him the best he can. He's not perfect--has a temper and doesn't always listen to good advice he receives. He's just a teenage boy with a good heart who happens to be a wizard. The books are addictive and I, for one, will have my book #7 pre-ordered so I can read it as soon as it's released. (And, yes, my husband will have to watch the kids for a couple of days while I read it...)

R. 6-26-2006 @ 6:26PM

Love the Harry Potter books -- I remember that one of them was released on the same day as my oldest child's birthday party, and after a full day of birthday activities, I sat up reading the book until the sun came up the next day. Did I mention I love the Harry Potter books?

I wish that J.K. Rowling hadn't mentioned that two characters would die in the next book -- I'd really rather not know. She's killed three characters off in the series so far, in ways that seemed reasonably organic and neccessary to the plot, but when you know it's going to happen ahead of time it just seems gimmicky in a network sweeps kind of way ("Tonight on CSI Miami -- someone Horatio loves WILL DIE!")

Razib Ahmed 6-26-2006 @ 6:50PM

"Apparently the seventh and final book in the series has been written and hidden away. The British Mom and author notes that two characters are to be killed off in the final book, but she won't reveal who for fear of hate mail."
Poor the author. I really wish that we the readers can form a strong movement against those people who want to offend writers like Rowling.

Cassie 6-26-2006 @ 7:46PM

I don't usually like the genre that Harry Potter falls into, either. But I am hooked on them. I'm not a huge fan, I don't wear a wizard hat and carry around a stuffed owl, but I do like them a lot. I am currently reading the 6th one now. I reccomend them, even if you wait until your child is a bit older to read them, and then you could read them together and talk about them. But you should read them at least once.

KG 6-26-2006 @ 7:50PM

Actually to be completely accurate, the article says that the final CHAPTER has been written - not the final book. And as Rengirl says, these books are in the genre of fantasy, not of science fiction.

Anita 6-26-2006 @ 9:44PM

I love the Harry Potter books and I normally don't read Fantasy. My daughter's babysitter convinced me to read them after the forth book came out. Now I eagerly await each new one.

I've challanged many friends and family to just read the first three chapters of the first one and if they don't like the book after that, then not to bother. Several people have read some or all of the first book and don't like them (including my husband) but many more have become as obsessed as I am!

Belinda 6-26-2006 @ 9:54PM

I love the Harry Potter books! They are magic and fun! I know she will NOT be killing off Harry Potter. She has already said that he WILL survive the book, but won't say if he will survive to adult hood. I have all the books and I can't wait until my daughter is older (like maybe 7 to 9 years old) so I can read them to (or with) her. They are just AWSOME!

Mamacita 6-27-2006 @ 12:05AM

Me? I adore them all.

I will also say that I think Harry Potter has done more to promote literacy than any local or state-sponsored reading program has ever hoped to accomplish. I've seen little boys who struggle to read the front of a cereal box, working like dogs to wade through a huge fat Potter book, just because they're so excited about the characters and the plot, AND the peer factor, because all the kids are talking about the books, and those who haven't read them are left out.

Go, HP!!!!!

And I have nothing but admiration for Rowlings, who used to live in the back of a car and is now richer than the Queen, and it all came from her own imagination.

To quote Anne Frank: Excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent.

Nina 6-27-2006 @ 2:07AM

Oh, I love Harry Potter. I started reading them after the 3rd book came out and have been hooked ever since. I love fantasy books of all kinds, and even though the plot line is generally pretty predictable with this series, the characters are so endearing and it's so well-written.

Laura Snow 6-27-2006 @ 3:04AM

I'm pretty sure Harry will die. I just have a feeling.

Laura Snow 6-27-2006 @ 3:05AM

Wanted to add why I think Harry will be one that dies. The author has said numerous times she does NOT want to go beyond the 7 books in the series and the only way to stop the fans from demanding another is to kill off the main character.

suburban misfit 6-27-2006 @ 10:14AM

Read the first book and see if you don't get hooked! I'm a huge fan of the genre (I re-read the Tolkien books every two years) but I did not want to read the first Harry Potter because of the hype. My MIL begged me to read it and now the whole family is anticipating the last book.

Brad Hill 6-27-2006 @ 10:43AM

I don't even have kids, and I've read every HP book. Rowling was a clumsy writer in the first one, but even then her humor and inventiveness shone through. That book deserved both the praise and criticism it received. In laster books Rowling has matured with her characters.

The books' main appeal to kids, I believe, lies in the central character. Harry represents normalcy gifted by specialness. Many kids either instinctively feel that way, or wish they did.

Uly 6-27-2006 @ 8:39PM

I just about only read fantasy and sci-fi (this is fantasy, by the way - no blurred lines here!).

Though her killing two characters was what I'd already predicted. One is obviously going to be Voldemort (unless she gets weird on us and kills the hero while letting the bad guy live, that is), and the other is probably going to be one of Harry's close friends - I'd guess Ron if I had to place money on it.

Uly 6-27-2006 @ 8:42PM

Hah, Laura - remember Sherlock Holmes? He was killed, but he had to be "brought back to life" in order to appease his fans.

Even with Harry dead, the series could continue, in the form of "interquels" - books that take place at the same time as the Harry Potter books, but from another perspective. Consider the Ender's Game series. First we have four books featuring our main character, Ender - then we have a book that takes place *during* the first book, but from the view of a minor character in that book - Bean. And he has his own series branching off from that.

I'd love to see a Harry Potter book (not a fanfic - I've seen enough of that, some of it quite good, some of it quite bad) from Neville's point of view, or Dean's (whose story was stricken from the books, but which promises to be quite interesting if it ever gets told properly). Perhaps just one book for each secondary character, though, instead of seven each.

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