Awright, I’m sick of hearing about the movie. I already know what happens anyway. The booklets about “beasts” and “Quidditch” were a waste of time, charity or not. What I want to know is, WHEN IS THE FIFTH BOOK COMING OUT? And, can anybody provide some spoilers, just to whet the appetite? And, will this book be 1400 pages long??? (i.e., twice as long as #4, just as #4 was twice as long as the others?)
I dont know but I cant wait either.
Did you know the first book (in Australia) was called “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone”
as opposed to “Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone”
Dunno why?
In England the title was also “Philosopher’s Stone”.
The philosopher’s stone was an actual myth of the Middle Ages, and it was much sought-after by alchemists for much the same reasons described by Ms. Rowling. She’s pretty much spot-on with her research, there.
But I guess they figured us Yanks couldn’t handle Philosophy, so they changed it to “Sorcerer’s Stone.”
I don’t know why they do things like that! Just like I don’t know why the English edition of “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” has the Wolf Captain’s name as Maugrim, but in the American edition it’s Fenris Ulf.
Sheesh. Good thing we Americans never heard of the Philosopher Maugrim, cuz our poor little brains would probably implode.
The reason it was called that in England and Australia (don’t know about Canada but probably New Zealand as well…) is that the phrase “the philosopher’s stone” has connotations, in the more “british” types of english-speaking cultures, of magic and mystery. In case you didn’t already know, the phrase refers to a lump of magical material, made through alchemy, which will (give immortality/turn lead into gold.) (Can’t remember which…)
But in the USA, the phrase has no such connotations. So the title was changed to one that would have such connotations, and “sorcerer’s stone” was the result. I think they shouldn’t have changed it since it would have been a nice educational point to teach us dumb americans about some of our english/british heritage, but oh well.
On second thought, it might have been confusing since the word “philosopher” can never have a connotation of magic in America even though it can in England/Britain/Australia, etc…
-Kris
oops, sorry, looks like tclauie got to it first. Anyway, now you know, and (in unison) knowing is half the battle.
-Kris
The fifth Harry Potter book (Order of the Phoenix) isn’t due out for a long while (this movie and various promotional responsibilities have delayed her usual regular schedule) It may not be out until Xmas or later.
It won’t be any longer in size than the last book, that one was the longest of the series (apparently).
The fifth book, which is tentatively titled “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”, won’t be out any earlier than the beginning of 2002, says author J.K. Rowling. Summer of 2002 is more likely.
And there are other textual differences between all the British/UK/New Zeland/Canada version and the American version. Bonnet->Hood, Biscuits->Cookies, stuff like that.
I’ve read both versions of the first book and far prefer the British editions.
Also, just as an aside, everyone knows that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is up for a Hugo award for best SF/Fantasy novel this year (and has a decent chance of winning)
Fenris
Errrr… that should be “does everyone know…”
I appologise for hijacking this thread, but I need to ask - Do people really think the Harry Potter books are worthy of all the attention they are/have generated? I have only read the first in the series, so am unable to tell if things improve, but I found her writing to be very unexciting (almost juvinile) and I wasn’t inspired to read the second. I can see the appeal to children, but adults? Have I missed out by not reading further? Or do others agree with me?
BTW, SF/Fantasy authors that I have read and enjoyed include Asimov, Clarke, Scott Card, Gemmel, Eddings, Tolkien, Lewis, Carrol, Bradbury, “Thomas Covenant”, etc - just to give you an idea of my tastes…
Gp
How old are you, grimpixie? I ask because these books are written for children, and that may have something to do with your impression of her writing style and your appreciation thereof. The fact that many adults also enjoy these books is a testament to the author’s skills.
I’ve read all four and have found them (much to my delight) to get more complex and better with each passing year. I see this as evidence of Rowling’s style maturing but also of her acknowledgment of Harry’s growing older and more sophisticated as he matures.
Swell stuff.
Well, since the Hugos are fan nominated and voted on by fans, there are enough people who think it’s worthy enough to give it SF’s highest award! 
**
I didn’t like the first book at all, but as the series goes, it gets more complex and adult, and book four is wonderful. It’s definitly worth trying the second book.
Fenris
Well, I have no problem with Rowling possibly winning a Hugo. How do you vote on that, by the way?
I would like it very much if, in future installments, Rowling goes into more detail about the system by which magic works – like, the basic laws and principles, and stuff. She’s only dropped hints so far, and the impression I’ve gotten is that working magic is much like working with computers.
Well now - with such high praise, I shall have to suspend my disbelief and flounder on…
I have yet to read a “mainstream” authour who has a good “fundamental” description of the way that magic works. (I say mainstream bacause that is what I read and there may well be a “non-successfull” authour out there who does an excellent job that I just have not read…) I suspect the reason for this is that, as they are making it up as they go along, there IS no real basis for it and they have to fudge the details… unless of course the stories of Rowling being in league with the devil are true and she IS speaking from personal experience ;).
Gp
grimpixie: not sure what you mean about “the way that magic works”. If you mean “please suspend my disbelief, dear author”, then I’d heartily recommend Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea series. I first read it when I was about 10 y/o, and it’s still (especially the first book) among my favourite works, 25 years later. Also, her descriptions of magic (its effects, limitations and dangers) are fascinating and might be what you’re looking for.
And btw: I regard the HP books pretty highly too. It’s too easy to be cynical about them. Last year, when the hype about the 3rd book was at its height, the newspapers in Britain were full of idiotic articles comparing HP unfavourably to Tolstoy and other literature, missing the point entirely IMHO - it’s better for children to read than not to read, and they’ll read Rowling more readily than literature.
You have to buy a membership in this year’s Worldcon. The way the Hugos originally worked, you had to actually go to that year’s Worldcon. Somewhere in the…um…'70s(?) something called a “supporting membership” was created so that more people could vote even if they couldn’t go to the convention. It’s currently $40.00 for a supporting membership. Part of the reason they charge people to vote is that it deters ballot stuffing (but doesn’t stop it, or how can you explain one of L.Ron’s Mission Earth books getting nominated in the '80s? :p)
If you decide to do so, I’d hurry: the voting deadline is…um…mid-July?
This year’s Worldcon site is here (and you can sign up and vote online).
Next year’s is here
**
A) If you like detailed explorations of magic systems (I do too!), I highly recommend two books: Rick Cook’s Wizard’s Bane (and the first two sequels…but not really the rest) about a computer programmer who goes to a magic world and begins writing magic “code”. Loads of fun. The other is Lyndon Hardy’s Master of the Five Magics where the author sits down and explores in detail the magic systems of his world.
B) I hope Rowling goes more into the “mechanics” of the magic too, but my guess is that she won’t. I think she’s going to get more into the politics of the…um…don’t wanna spoil anything for grimpixie and others…er…politics of the current situation.
Fenris
I for one do not want to see Rowling get into explanations of her magic “system.” Larry Niven does that in his fantasy; he goes on in great detail about where the energy comes from and how the magic does or does not defy conservation of energy.
I want that in science fiction (I read only hard sf), but leave it alone in fantasy! As long as the author’s consistent, I don’t care to read any more.
Now, to continue the hijack in a different vein: Fenris, your links tell me that WorldCon is the same weekend as Dragoncon down here in Atlanta. I thought Dragoncon was always scheduled not to compete with WorldCon.
Also from your links, I see that WorldCon is in the U.S. two years in a row. But I thought it alternated U.S./rest of the world every year.
FWIW, the explanation in Asprin’s myth books were good enough for me. Then again, they were light-hearted books, so maybe I’m going easy on them.
Another vote for HP, btw. I mean, hell, it would have won last year’s Whitbread awards if not for the backlash against it… (Cite available on request.)
I don’t know any details of the next book’s plot, but back during the fall the news station said that the 5th book was already a best-seller on Amazon.UK, since 400,000 copies had already been reserved- and Rowling hadn’t begun writing it at that point. I’m sure she’s started it by now…
I found the first book hard to get into, but since the kids I was working about were so into it, I read on. Then I read the next two within a week or so. I haven’t read the 4th one yet, though.