Hmmm. What's your favorite *now*?

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 183044

> Jerri:
> One thing I find interesting as we discuss which of the HP books 
are 
> our personal favorites, is that some people are talking about which 
> books are "best".  Am I alone in seeing a major difference? 

Zara:
As someone who recommends people start with PoA, I want to say, I do 
see the difference. I *still* recommend people start with PoA. <g>

> Jerri: 
> And, in fact, the series is more like one monster story divided 
into 
> seven volumes.  The first books are necessary parts.

Zara:
Yes, they are necessary. But that does not mean they are equally well 
executed. The fact that they are sold as separate books, means to me 
that I am entitled to consider them AS books, making them "equal" to 
one another. Even if it did not...I could imagine, in recommending a 
novel to someone, saying "please don't give up until you've read 
Chapter X". But with books, this invloves trips top the library or 
additional expenditures. The fact remains, for me, that neither of 
the first two books made me want to pick up the next. To me, this 
gives permission to call them mediocre. (I did enjoy them, which I 
why I would not call them "bad".)