Good writer - Shallow and Deep

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 141301

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Mira <anurim at y...> wrote:
>
> --- lupinlore <bob.oliver at c...> wrote:
> <SNIP>
> > I grant that JKR is not as good a writer as I once believed and 
> > hoped, ...
 
 
> Why did you reach this conclusion, Lupinlore? I am
> interested because, hard as I tried, I had exactly the
> same impression all through HBP, but I would not be
> able to put the finger on what was causing it. Can
> you?
> 
> Mira

bboyminn:

I've already posted a long comment on this thread, but there are a
couple other issues I want to address. As I've previously said, JKR's
writing is becoming very limited because the story has to draw to a
predetermined conclusion, that doesn't allow her much flexibility as a
writer.

HBP is far from my favorite book, it was good, but it leaves me
worried about the final book. Can she pull it off with the style and
class of the other books?

Let's compare stories -

Goblet of Fire (my favorite)

Quidditch World Cup
Tri-Wizards Tournement (Dragons, underwater, maze; foreign students,
etc...)
Harry and Ron at odds with each other

That's the on-going story. For the moment we'll ignore the climax.

Half-Blood Prince

Draco's up to something
Harry has a book that someone has written in
We take Pensieve 'trips' with Dumbedore and Harry

Again, ignoring the climax, and concentrating on the on-going story.

So, what I'm really saying is that other than the Pensieve 'trips'
with Dumbledore, there really isn't much of a story at all. I
certainly doesn't have the depth of plot that GoF or PoA have. But I
accept it. Again, things had to be said and done, ground work had to
be laid, the Horcruxes had to be introduced. 

So, in a sense, the demands of the overal story plot limited the plot
of this one book. But what worries me is that JKR has indeed written
herself into a figurative corner. How can the Percy side plot be
resolved? How can the Horcrux side plot be resolved? She promised us
an explanation for Sirius's death, how can she resolve that? How will
the Neville subplot be resolved? So, what's up with Draco? What's up
with Snape? And of course THE BIG ONE, how will the Harry/Voldemort
plot be resolved? She has simply created too many crucial plot items
that /I/ want and need resolved, and that must be resolved for plot
reason. But there is only one book left, and if the book could span
five years, then she might have a chance, but the book can only span
ONE YEAR. Just the Horcrux search lone could take many years to resolve.

So, my hope is that JKR can and will write a spectacular final book
that will blow us all away, but my fear is that the last book will
read more like a list, a list of items being resolved until the final
BIG ITEM is resolved and we arrive at the epilog; item, item, item,
item, BIG ITEM, epilog, end. 

I am satisfied with HBP, it moved the story forward and told us things
we needed to know, but as a stand-alone book, I don't count it among
the best books I've ever read. So; important as part of the series,
but weak on its own.

But, again, that weakness leaves me very worried about the final book.

Gee... only two more year to wait! What fun!

Steve/bboyminn