I completely understand your preference TFG. I am the same way. Although I do enjoy parallel worlds to our own. Particularly Urban Fantasy, so I don’t think I would necessarily not enjoy them. That first book is sort of a barrier for me I gues…and one of my own making, I admit. I know a few people who read the 3rd or 4th book & then went back & read the series because they enjoyed those. Apparently they are more in a style of younadult/adult writing. I could not tell you for certain since I did not read them. Now my issue with that would be, I am rather anal about any series I read or watch. I want to progress with it. I hate jumping in, in the middle so many things are going on that I don’t understand. Basically I can be a pain in the sorryBarb sometimes!
I really dig “urban fantasy” like Neil Gaiman writes, but I don’t know that it’s the same as HP.
Anyway, the first two books are actually funny to me, whereas the rest gets pretty serious, though there are definitely lighter moments here and there. I’m a bit disappointed to see anyone see the books in a negative light because children can enjoy them; many of my favorite books can be enjoyed by all ages, like Stardust, Coraline, The Graveyard Book, and I’m sure some other books that Neil Gaiman didn’t write.
Just because a book was written with a lower bar of entry does not mean it is necessarily of lower quality. The imagination and sheer excitement present in HP 1 and 2 speak for themselves.
I can appreciate how some of you feel. I was also a skeptic, making jokes and never taking HP seriously till I saw the Time Travel in the Prisoner of Azkaban. That got me interested enough to finally read the books and I have never regretted it.
There is a reason why HP is so popular. It may have started out as a children’s book but as all truly excellent story it naturally evolved and is a story for all ages. I have never meet someone who has read these books and didn’t fall in love with them. I would suggest maybe starting on Prisoner of Azkaban because there is not much missing from the first two movies. It is really in Year 3 that there are important story lines that are left out or not fully developed. Year 4 really begins the mature story lines. Year 5 introduces an emo Harry dealing with not only the normal teen angst but the constant threat of death. Years 6 - 7 are the meat of the story where the real answers begin and Harry comes into his own.
The movies are great because (just as Lord of the Rings did) they bring people to the HP story that may never have given it a chance. If the movies are all you see that is great but just like LotR the “real” story is that much better. Many stories have (child) teen heroes (Ender’s Game, Dune, Star Wars) and since Harry’s youth is really the setting of the story it is naturally stereotyped as juvenile literature. Let me just say “When has the hive mind lead you astray?”.
Hmm…You make a good argument for starting with Prisoner of Azakban. Maybe I’ll give that a shot. Thanks!!
FWIW, I’ve always thot that this is what makes the Potter universe so strong. Our time and setting might encircle the Potter 'verse, but virtually none of the story takes place there. If anything, the Potter 'verse creates an extremely strong sense of “other” that makes it unique. It’s such a complete 'verse with its own mythos, history, and future. Very, very cool.
And I’m totally a sucker for juvenile literature. Why? My sense of imagination remains as strong as when I was a child, so I just fill in the gaps between the book’s target and adulthood. I couldn’t imagine passing by Incarnations of Immortality or Harry Potter or Robert Asprin’ Myth series just because I’m old. 
I didn’t get HP until ‘Goblet of Fire’. Some of my family and friends were into the books but I really didn’t get it.
One afternoon, while working on my mother-in-law’s computer, I saw ‘Goblet of Fire’ sitting on the desk. I was running a search for duplicate files and had some time, so I grabbed the book and started reading. The book starts like a murder mystery and I could not put it down. Once I got to the World Quidditch match I was hooked. I asked to borrow all the books. Since they are written for children, they are a quick read even with some over 700 pages.
‘Goblet of Fire’ is still my favorite.
My sense of imagination is still very strong too, and books that present a complete verse are exactly the kind of thing I like. It’s hard to pin down why I’m so resistant.
Interesting. I’m sensing a trend here. Sounds like starting somewhere in the middle of the book series is the way to go for anyone, like me, whose having trouble getting into it. My wife has read all the books and my 9 year old is almost done with Goblet of Fire. And even they admit it gets to a whole knew level of interesting towards the later part of Goblet.
I think you both may misunderstand what I am saying. I am in no way trying to indicate that they are “lower quality”. I have never made fun of Harry Potter, It’s hard to throw stones when I live in a glass house! What I am saying is that the style of the first book in the series is a style that really annoys me to read. I couldn’t read The Hobbit for a similar reason, both books are at completely opposite ends of the spectrum.
That said, when I get the chance I will take Talos’ advice on where to start & see how it goes. I am currently rereading LKH’s Anita Blake series culminating with book #17 which just relased. I am also intending to read the July/August book of the month I just don’t have time to read any others right now.
Again, I have throughly enjoyed the movies so far & I am planning to see the newest one.
I think you may misunderstand what I am saying. I LOVE throwing stones and as long as the glass shatters away from me, all is good. 
I am just saying since you enjoyed the movies I know you will enjoy the books. Like Talos, GoF is my favorite and completely hooked me. It was also the first one that was new to me (I read them after PoA came out). Even after seeing the movie I believe there is so much good stuff that one can get out of the books I just want to give my endorsement. GoF was a big change for the series and Harry growth into a young man. IMO - the movies are not capable of conveying the emotion of the story.
When you get the chance please let us know how it goes, good or bad.
Just clowning around. 
I really am looking forward to the pod casts.
I haven’t read any of the books yet simply because my reading list is so long (and I am guilty of writing them off as “children’s books”), but I would love to get the GWC take on the whole phenomenon. I may even pick one up at the library. I already know from the hive mind, not to start at the beginning.
It’s what I started with, and I REALLY don’t like books 1 or 2 so…might be a great plan
You can of course start wherever you want, and I hope you enjoy the books regardless. Unfortunately, the arguments I would make for readingthe first two first hinges on spoilers, so all I can say is that I hope that if you liked the series you give the first two books a chance, especially since they’re such fast reads.
As I mentioned previously, there’s no obvious retconning here. There are threads that carry throughout the entire seven-book narrative, even some that you would never think twice about on your first read. Characters, places, and events are all surprisingly well-planned and plotted, and these things matter all the way through.
For whatever it’s worth, Prisoner of Azkaban might be my least favorite simply because of pacing, but I like all of them.
I came into the Harry Potter 'verse something of a snob who didn’t want to read a fad book that kids liked, but I was forced into reading them when I shipped all my stuff to move out to Iowa and had nothing but a GameBoy Advance and a book to tide over the last few days. Now I’m an even bigger fan than the Mrs., and I suspect on some level she rues the day she sent me that story about that Boy Who Lived.
So I guess it’s hard for me to understand what’s not to like. I usually give books a few hundred pages to catch me or not, and by the time you’re a few hundred pages into Sorceror’s Stone, it’s already over with. What’s to lose?
I think I remembered why I’m in the minority and don’t like book 5. Sirius Black is my favorite character.
Book 5 and 6 and 7 spoilers
[spoiler]And his death was a complete waste and imo not planned very well at all. Harry just forgets about the mirror? Yeah okay mhmm. He manages a way to get all the way to London but can’t remember what’s in his trunk? I don’t buy it. Especially after he made a vow not to use it. You don’t vow something then forget all about the object in question. Also the way he died, that was COMPLETELY leaving it open for him to come back and it didn’t happen. If he’d died like that and then came back later? Totally cool with it. But to just let it end like that makes me rage. Same with Remus and Tonks in the last book. Such pointless deaths. arueguegu. ALSO it’s totally that frakker Dumlebdore’s fault!
ALSO I just rewatched the scene from the movie, the aftermath was done EXCEPTIONALLY well. I love when shows/movies/etc cut out the sound right after something happens
Just read this: J.K Rowling originally intended for Tonks to survive the Battle of Hogwarts, but chose to have her and Remus die in reparation for giving Arthur Weasley a reprieve in the fifth book.
FFFFFFFFFFFFF That’s not cool JK. NOT COOL[/spoiler]
Book 5 is my least favorite of the last four.
[spoiler]If Harry was a Slytherin “He” would still be alive. I don’t agree that it was left open. Many people told Harry he was gone and he couldn’t come back. It is never fair in love and war and not all will make it to the frontier. ;)[/spoiler]
Psh. It was totally left open. You know it how it works [spoiler]No corpse = no confirmed death![/spoiler]
Double Psh on you!
[spoiler]No Soul = No Life! ;)[/spoiler]
I don’t presume to speak for everyone, but here’s my thinking about spoliers and Harry Potter. Don’t bother with spoiler tags. Those of us who haven’t read the books can fend for ourselves when it comes to avoiding spoilers. And likewise (I think this goes without saying) ChuSeanDra should feel free to speak with complete freedom on the podcast. It’s obvious that the Crew and many other people are really into HP, so don’t hinder yourself by editing your words. Anyway, just my two cents.
Book 5 was a slightly frustrating read. I agree with Sean that it was very compelling and really riled the emotions. However, as the longest book it could have stood a bit of editing as there were times when I thought the story kind of repeated itself. Nonetheless, its still great…
I too am quite fond of Sirius Black. And Book 5 is not one of my favorites, though I don’t dislike it. Harry was just annoying (I know that was part of the point, but it bugged me) and I’m with Phil on the length -
But then again, my favorites are 3 and 7
For the most part I agree with you since they’ve been out for several years now. However, I think that for those of us who are just now starting to read through the books, it’d be nice if ppl could use spoiler tags for books beyond where we’re at in the book reading/re-reading thread Keara started.