118. And a break from Politics--back to Harry

J.K. Rowling reads aloud from THE DEATHLY HALLOWS in a London museum while we were buying and reading in Saipan and elsewhere.








Look for my review of the book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) in Friday's Marianas Variety.

115. Potter mania and my first poll.

I've created my first poll, relating to Potter mania and the Deathly Hallows.

Yay! (I love blogging. I love learning how to do these simple things and having fun with it. )

So Bota, bota, bota! Or, in English, vote!

But if you haven't yet gotten the book, while u wait:

114. Snape-Friend or Foe?

Friend or foe?

I'm voting FOE.

I think he has irrevocably put himself on Voldemort's side by killing Dumbledore. That doesn't mean he's 100% evil. Obviously, the man has some good in him, enough to garner Dumbledore's trust. He was abused as a child and can deserve some sympathy. He may have been like Draco Malfoy--playing with the dark arts but not really, seriously cut-out for the job. But he enjoyed killing Dumbledore, and in my book, that puts him on the dark side, FOE.

And I'm amazed at how many people, serious HP fans, truly believe Snape is good, or at least not evil/foe material.

Watch this discussion: PhoenixRisingConference

113. Harry Potter Mania

I am eagerly awaiting the 7th book, HP and the Deathly Hallows.

It's due out on 7/21/2007 BST (that's British Standard Time or British Summer Time, a/k/a Western European Summer time--TheEverHelpfulWikipedia )

Millions of people all around the world are waiting, too. One in 43 houses in England will be having the book delivered by post. DarkMarkReports (7/19/2007)

Wow!

I have a copy that will be delivered by post to me in Saipan, but I'll also be standing in line getting a quicker copy! Can't wait, you know. Others are also having trouble getting the book on time.

Israel is threatening bookstores that will open on the Shabbat to sell HP. MugglenetReports (7/19/2007).


In the meantime, some in the U.S. have gotten theirs early--causing Scholastic to sue the distributers. ScholasticSues


And the NYT has already published a review of the book WITH SPOILERS! Aack! (But if you want to read it, NYTReviewofHP )

But CBS has vowed to not spoil the reading pleasure for all of the 21st (the scheduled day of release).

In the meantime, we're watching the latest release of HP movies--the Order of the Phoenix, and reading magazines and newspapers reporting on the various HP stars.

Like:

The "Weasley" twins, James and Oliver Phelps. They are in Japan, having arrived at Narita International Airport today (7/19/2007), and are giving out autographs. VeritaserumReports
Too bad I wasn't flying then!

What do you think will happen? I'm reviewing my predictions--SaipanwriterPredicts-- one more time and trying not to be too single-tracked in my focus on the Harry.

So any last thoughts on what will happen?

(Addendum: 2 characters die. Who will they be?

I'm guessing--1. Lord Voldemort and 2. Ron. I have to believe that Harry does in Voldie. It just HAS to happen. And I know I said in my predictions that I hope that Wormtail does in Snape, but I don't think Snape will die. I think Harry will continue to wrestle his hate of Snape, and have to balance his own ability to love with his willingness to hate.

So I think Draco Malfoy or his father either resists killing Hermione, despite their loathing of muggle-borns and Draco's jealousy, or that Ron takes the hit. But I'm guessing Ron dies. And I'll cry--especially for Mrs. Weasley, who will be devastated, and proven anything but silly.)

53. Latest Harry Potter Excitement

Here's the cover art for the new front cover of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I found it over at ShelfTalker (a lovely blog thanks to the folks at Publisher's Weekly). My first reaction is that Harry is playing tennis--he's just tossed his ball into the air to serve an ace.

But wait-here's the full cover as it wraps around the book.



It's an odd assortment of images. The curtains at each end make it look like a stage play. The arched structure in the background looks Roman, and like a stage set. The orange sky looks both uplifting, like dawn, and troubling, like rampant fire. The dementer (or inferi? or is it Lord Voldemort with red eyes?) [ed. OKAY, it's official, it's Lord Voldemort] on the left seems to be reacting to something other than Harry, not threatening Harry. And Harry's arm in the air still seems ridiculous.

I wonder what the splintered wood in the foreground is--it seems incongruous, unrelated to the curtains or the stone arches. And are the shadows in the background a throng of observers, spectators? They add to the feeling that this is "staged."

I wish the characters were relating to each other or something in the picture. And I wish that Daniel Radcliffe's image hadn't worked it's way into the GrandPre vision of Harry. ED. I just noticed that Harry has something around his neck--the locket? or something else?

I think this cover will grow on me, though. I like the orange vibrancy.



And there's this--the book cover to be released in the UK.



Harry looks like he has buck teeth (maybe we do need the Daniel Radcliffe version after all!). Hermione looks like a floozy. And Ron's red hair isn't (red). And they, too, are reacting to something outside the cover. (Or have they been sucked into a vault at Gringott's?) Perhaps that's a stylish innovation, but it doesn't work for me.

So I'm happier with the "American" cover art. Although, I do also like this "adult" cover for the UK (although I think the locket should be gold, not silver).

And I can't wait to read the books. Seeing the cover art is exciting. It makes the book's imminent appearance all that more real.