What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Orofaniel]

No, what I'm talking about is when she has used some thing which are very close to, to take a topical example, Lord Of The Rings. Sauron is often referred to as the Dark Lord; Voldemort is always referred to in exactly the same way by Snape. Grima Wormtongue was a traitor in Lord of The Rings; one of the four animagi, Peter aka Wormy, betrayed Lily and James Potter.

Yes, Amanaduial the archer, I totally agree with you here. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I disagree on the point of details. Her writing isn't like that of a primary school child who has just discovered adjectives, true enough, but its certainly nowhere near spartan on that front either. She has quite a good balance I think. The descriptions she gives her characters are quite memorable really, such as that of Sirius Black when he was fifteen- "His hair flopped into his eyes with a sort of casual elegance that James and Harry's could never manage." (I'm sorry if that quote is a few words out, I wasn't using the book. Its in the chapter named Snape's Worst Memory if you really feel the need to check- I just find the HP books easy to quote after a first reading) This description, and the others around Sirius, weren't very long, and were relatively quite simple, I suppose, but the words are very well chosen to fix that image in your head. I have a photographic memory, and when I just think of a character, especially one with a description in the Order Of The Phoenix, I can immediately come up with a clear image of them (apart from Voldemort, for some reason I can't place him).

I would say that the details are more "worked out" in Tolkien's books. When you think about it, Tolkien used many many years on his works. Rowling didn't use that many I think. I also feel that each character has more detailed and "deeper" history in LOTR. Characters in HP has history too, but I don't think thay are developed that much as Tolkien's character.

And her use of irony, in the last chapter of the fifth book for example, is far from childish.

I think you misunderstood me. I have never said that she writes childish and her books are like that. I'm only saying that HP is originally a children's book. I saw an interwiew with her, where she said it herself. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Then again, I heard some stuff about LOTR. It was said that Tolkien first told the story to children as a "good night" story, but I don't know if that's true. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] So would that make LOTR a children's book? I don't know the answer, I only feel after reading the HP books a couple of times each, and LOTR too that LOTR is much "deeper" and detailed.

EDIT: My 450th post!!!! yay
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[ July 08, 2003: Message edited by: Orofaniel ]