[the_old_crowd] Re: Rewriting OotP

[Jim Flanagan]

>Randy said:

> This is a very democratic book writing group.  So feel
> free to make suggestions about what needs to be fixed,
> etc...  The object is to have some fun, and be able to
> make a Book 5 that we all love.
>
> Revive Book Five!
>
> Randy
>


I'm a bit confused (not an unusual situation) -- is the proposal to actually
"fix" things in Book 5, or to do a parody as a bit of a lark?

If we want to fix book 5, then perhaps we need to do a survey of what people
think was wrong with it.  (Has anyone in Fandom done such a poll yet?)  Here
are some of the things off the top of my head that need fixing:
- Harry acting like a spoiled, intolerable brat for the entire book
- Dumbledore keeping him in the dark all year, making him feel shut out like
at the Dursleys'
- Sirius getting the finger (clearly Harry's fault, IMHO)
- Lack of meaningful character development for Hermione
- Clunky red herrings about who was going to die
- The *lame* climax in the lobby of the MOM (Dumbledore vs Lord V)
- Dumbledore's soppy debriefing at the end of the book (yuck!)

On the other hand, there were some *very* good things in book 5 that deserve
acknowledgement:
- Wandless magic (does this foreshadow Harry the SuperMage?)
- Thestrals
- Umbridge (great baddie!)
- Gred & Forge
- Ron the Qudditch Star
- Centaurs
- Getting to see inside the Ministry and St. Mungos
- The Dept of Mysteries
- Occulumency/Legilimency
- Aurors
- Neville
- Luna Luna Luna!

-Jim