The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling

All of you have probably read the book as well as other reviews about it, especially the Potter enthusiasts, so it would be worthless to give more details about it. And so, I'd rather give my perceptions about the contents of the book.  

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, for me, is not something comparable with the Harry Potter series, as it is certainly not made to be so and which the author has clearly disclosed in public. At first, Rowling did not really intend to publish the book for her billions of fans but only as a token for the people who made the fame the Potter series is currently enjoying.  

But as our favorite author saw it unfair for the people who placed her at the pinnacle of fame to be deprived of the chance of having the book, and as she intends to extend her hand to needy children through a charity which she herself co-founded, the book was decided to be published worldwide.

Content-wise, the stories, in my opinion, could not truly level with fairy tale stories we, the supposed muggles have met as a kid. But then, it is indeed a good supplement to hungry Potter fans who crave for more details related to the series. Furthermore, it is a genius step of Rowling to include commentaries made by Albus Dumbledore for it created a more vivid picture of the magical world already known to the public.  

I already have dropped the idea of looking for moral lessons in Rowling's stories ever since she stressed in an interview that she never intended to teach morality in her writings but to present the story at her will. Nonetheless, I felt the need to seek for moral lessons the stories in the book could be teaching as it is supposed to be a book read by young wizards. 

In a wizard's point of view, I believe, each stories have a lesson to tell not only for the wizards but also for us who read them. In "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," it teaches us not to refuse to lend a hand to somebody who is needy if we have the power to do so. In "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," it tells us that sometimes, what we need can be found among ourselves, among our friends and colleagues, not in some wish-granting fountain of luck. In "The Warlock's Hairy Heart," it shows us that man can never keep himself away from the warmth of ones love because next to it is savagery and ill-will. In "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump," it presented the fact that fooling someone will only bring bad luck twice to the person who is fooling around. "The Tale of the Three Brothers" is also the same as the tale storied by Hermione Granger in the eventh installment which, I guess, teaches us to be more logical in thinking what something can bring us in the future that at present.

Apart from these, I must say there is nothing more.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Is it farewell for Harry?

Indeed, nothing can be more sorrowful than saying goodbye to a true friend that for some time has given you something to look forward to. Such shrill emotion may have been the feeling of every Potter reader out there especially those who have grown with Harry in the seventeen year-conception of the seven-volumed series. Rowling had finally drawn a period over Harry last July 21 with the release of the most anticipated book in history, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Through sentences weaved with subtlety and exuberantly painted character personalities, the Deathly Hallows moved the reading public to a heart-hitting story drawing away from the convention pictured in the first six books. In this last installment, Hogwarts has become a battleground for archenemies Harry and Voldemort, though Harry really did a little in the fall of the dark lord. As Dumbledore puts it, Voldemort has met his fall due to his hasty and uncritical decisions. We have seen action and adventure all througout the last volume and indeed, little misunderstandings on the Ron-Harry-Hermione league may have caused their defeat, but luckily, friendship triumphed above all later in the novel.

Anger and the thirst for vengeance overpowered in The Hallows though with some essence of fright, despair and a little bit of humor - ingredients that well proved the author's greatness. Angst is one thing, death is more at a certain degree. But no matter how poor Dobby risked his life as well as other characters on Harry's side battled against evil, still, words of wisdom from Prof. Albus unmasked a profound understanding not only to Harry but to his readers as well. Nonetheless, Rowling opened a whole lot of light on the life of the then thought perfect and saintly Hogwarts headmaster as she moved Snape away from the bad light through stunningly and intricately laden revelation in chapters dedicated to them. Surely, surprises await anticipating readers.

Rowling may have been beffudled by the public's sudden fanatism to her books, but she can't deny that she had created a generation of Potter breeds who would assure the Potter series a spot in the hearts and minds of every generation of men. No, Harry hasn’t bid farewell yet. – nickyguinto

REMINDER:

IF YOU ARE TO QUOTE ANYTHING FROM THIS REVIEW, PLEASE, AT LEAST CITE MY NAME. IF YOU ARE TO COPY THE WHOLE REVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT bibliosensei@gmail.com. THANKS!

Check out my other reviews at:

www.bibliosensei.multiply.com (add me up)
www.bibliosensei.blogspot.com
www.nickyguinto.blogs.friendster.com

NARNIA: The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis

Category: Books
Genre: Children's Literature/ Fiction
Published : 1954

There is indeed a large difference between writing an adventure novel from writing a novel which should turn into an adventure. The former could be defined quite impressively by a writer who's passion in the art is innate while the latter can just be a product of someone who thinks he writes with passion.

I have read many other masterpieces in print and I'm sure I'm worthy enough to tell which author fits the quality of whichever. And I should say, at this point that C.S. Lewis possess the genuine quality of the former, the one whose passion in writing is innate.

The same quality of Lewis has been testified by his great installment to the Narnia series by the title of The Horse and His Boy. Although I did not find the 2nd book (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) in the series commendable in my view, this third book made me think over the aforementioned conclusion.

Have I read the second book write? Or am are my senses numbed by the time I was reading the 2nd book? Because to tell you honestly, I was really impressed with how Lewis provided an impressive plot.

It was entitled so under the idea that in Narnia, animals and humans are treated equally. That's why, instead of saying the boy and his horse, it's the horse and his boy since Bree, the horse, seemed to own Shasta, his human after allowing him to ride on his back and be directed with the way. In short, the horse possesses the boy in the narrative.

The story is about a boy named Shasta, who by work of greed in power during his younger days, have unfortunately been taken away from his family which is the royalty in Archenland (a kingdom before the land of Narnia). He knows that he is a son of a vicious fisherman who enslaves him until a talking horse (a Narnian horse) together with his evil master spent the night at their place. Bree and Shasta that night decided to run away from their masters which began their long, tiring and surprising journey towards Archenland and Narnia.

On the way, they met Aravis, a princess of another kingdom who, like them, run away from home too because she was bound to be wed to a grand vizier (I think it's an adviser or something to the king), but the problem is the grand vizier is too old for her and niether does she love the old man.

Most of the story and surprises happened and springed up while they were crossing Tashbaan and the great desert. It's a thrilling adventure with a shocking, or rather, sudden revelation in the end which children and adult alike who would delve on this masterpiece would enjoy, treasure and remember.

Let's put away the formal tone. If you are someone who loves sudden twists at the end of the story as much as I am, I doubt you'd ever let yourself hanging until you finally let down that rear cover.

As I've mentioned, because of this third volume of Lewis' most revered series in the literary history, my eagerness to grab a copy of the succeeding volumes on the list has woken up my senses with The Chronicles of Narnia because, as you know, and if you have read my other reviews when it comes to the 2nd book, I've mentioned that I was disappointed with how it turned out, which I will not take back. Dullness is far from the third one and vividness of the picture it portrays made me give two thumbs up for the author.

If you're a Harry Potter or a Lord of the Rings fan, don't miss this out.

Harry Potter and The Epic Journey to Fame - A Scrutiny of the Greatest Bildungsroman Ever Told

This is a published review on our college paper. Hope you'd enjoy it... If there's anything offensive here, just let me know. If you want to cite something, here's how you can do it:

Guinto, Nicanor L. "Harry Potter and the Epic Journey to Fame - A Scrutiny of the Greatest Bildungsroman Ever Told." The Footprints. Vol. 13, No. 1. June - December, 2007. pp. 18-19.

I really worked so hard to write this. I hope you could appreciate it.

Harry Potter and the Epic Journey to Fame
A Scrutiny of the Greatest Bildungsroman ever told

For seventeen years, we have seen how a fictional character by the name of Harry James Potter grow up in the hands of a newbie in the literary scene. We have sympathized with Harry’s plight as an orphan, tasted triumphs and defeats in his wealth of adventures, delivered peace and battled adversities in light for goodness, deciphered clues and uncovered truths enroute out of trouble and savored glory coupled with bliss for every trek well-passed. We have also seen the lighter side of Harry as he learned to love, reach out for love and fall out of love. Indeed, nothing is comparable with the vividness and subtlety of Harry’s character in the sea of fictional outgrowth – a character who lives not merely as a personality in a book but a living person in the hearts and minds of Potter enthusiasts and who in one way or another had been a companion, a comrade and a friend.

Every bits and pieces of Harry now provides the living proof of Joanne Kathlene Rowling’s magical wisdom and impeccable ingenuity. Her extraordinary jumpstart came to redefine the prodigious history of fiction writing, as she was hailed today as the author who rekindled the beauty of writing as well as the burning desire of readers in hope for a good story.

But there is more to Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling, which in itself a story of some kind. And here, I highlight some vital points which ushered this bildungsroman to an epic journey to fame.

Harry Potter and the Magical Writer

Imagine yourself as a plain language teacher with no other goals than to give your daughter a brighter future singlehandedly because your husband felt that you do not deserve him. Then after a couple of years, while sitting on a train station as a nobody, you became very very excited on something – a peculiar tale that keeps on urging you to put it into writing though you know that there’s not a single drop of a writer’s blood that flows in your body. But then, you finally decided to let it overcome you and in an instant you became the face of every magazine and the words of every newspaper print.

In Rowling’s case, it’s not a mere imagination, though. It’s a reality which is worth the buzz since if she never let loose such an overwhelming thought, she would never have been richer than Queen Elizabeth herself and as highly acclaimed as the man who was crucified to death.

“There is a J.K. Rowling who lives in the hearts and minds of children everywhere,” writes Lev Grossman in TIME’s July 23, 2005 issue. The kids and adults alike who share the same interest with the literary feat will forever remember the picturesque world of witchcraft and wizardry nor will they forget the times they took part to a history in the making as they stood to wait in a seamlessly endless line of devouts to the cashier in every book release.

Interestingly, as Grossman reveals in his interview with the author, this woman who invaded bookstores worldwide by storm through her spellbinding tale does not even like fantasy novels. She did not even finish reading Lord of the Rings nor did she lift her fingertips on a Narnia book – two early 50’s novels to which her books are being compared a lot. She tells that it was only when she finished writing the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone in the US) back in 1997, that she realized she had produced a 309-paged one.

The fiction writer, however, stood to her decision, until the release of the last installment last July 21, that she may never again write a Harry-Ron-Hermione sentence in her future books. But, nevertheless, fans are still hopeful that one day, Rowling would eventually give in and write another Harry.

Harry Potter and the Monumental Climb

The Harry Potter series by far has bent substantially all the records a book could ever have. Primarily, The Deathly Hallows soared as the fastest selling book of all time, having been sold with eleven million copies in the first 24 hours of its release worldwide. That’s roughly 127 copies per minute! Accordingly, the series became the primary cause why The New York Times introduced a Children’s Book Bestsellers back in 2000 because Harry Potter never left the number one spot.

Would you believe that before the bestselling series trailed its way to success, the author has been turned down by a number of publishers claiming that the theme and the universe of the story is so obsolete and fictionally clichéd? It was Bloomsbury which first saw the potential of Rowling. By now, the British publisher enjoys several billions of dollars and innumerable submissions from other prolific writers. It’s the same with the American publisher, Scholastic through Arthur A Levine, which holds majority of outside UK publications.

Rowling remembers that when her first book finally flew right onto her hands, ambivalence, instead of uncanny euphoria took over her. Would you blame her for such a shrill emotion when your little piece of ingenuity will fall under the conservative eyes of literature pundits?

But no negative comments made this phenomenal book break the sturdy wall that for so long have separated the young from the old. After months of the quiet launch, an unprecedented number of people in various ages and nationalities have learned their faithful ways to every book shop selling the novel and have embraced the thought that there will be a more enticing world in the perspective of a newbie in the fiction scene which they’ll be following all through its very end.

It reached its peak when it finally entered the United States. Early raves in Britain brought about unparalleled curiosity to each and every sons of Uncle Sam. What was then a silenced book launch became a tumultuous line of mid-night party releases from different parts of the globe in the book launches that followed.

And now, the image of that small, skinny, bespectacled boy will forever remain in the hearts and minds of people, most of which are adults, which will always remind them that once they’ve felthow to be a child again. By the way, “… old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young,” right?

Harry Potter and the Ingredients of Greatness

Professor Albus Dumbledore is probably the wisest of the wise in the literary picture today (though recently revealed to be a homosexual by the author herself). His wisdom echoes that of the author’s character. No wonder, her brilliance in concocting the best personality traits of her characters and painting a picture of a more enthralling world through balanced yet exuberant narratives are perhaps the most likely ingredients that paved the way to a “modern classic,” as critics put it, which “will last for a century, and a century after that, and another century after that,’ until mankind dissolves from existence.

Ruel S. De Vera, in his review with the Deathly Hallows (Phil. Daily Inquirer, July 23, 2007, p. C1) wrote “After 10 years…Rowling’s world-changing series about a young wizard growing up at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry reaches its conclusion as the most anticipated novel in history.” Indeed there’s no point of argument over such assertion as perceived from the statistical records earned by the books over the years.

What makes it great then? Not the title, not the cover, not even the never-ending praise and criticisms nor the unkind fate of Harry, his gang and even that of Voldemort’s, but the thought and feeling that there is a possibility of a thoroughly established world where magic really does exist just lingering somewhere around our planet.

They have a bank run by goblins, a form of currency in exchange of products and services, a marketplace – the Leaky Cauldron, a school – Hogwarts - which trains potential children, a concrete law, a variety of means for transportation and communication, a well-reserved history, a treasure trove of culture, traditions, practices and beliefs and of course, a government agency, the Ministry of Magic, which acts as mediator and overseer of the wizarding community. An extraordinary world as such, as Ms. Rowling puts it, is hidden under the International Confederation of Wizard’s Statute of Secrecy - a brilliant scheme to introduce a world that neither exists in the eyes of muggles (non-magical people) nor is acceptable in the olden days.

The author even made a strong relation to that of our written history because several centuries back, witches have been dispersed and worse burned to death by old Europe which may have caused them to go into hiding from the public’s eyes, given that the tale is true. Hence, the Potter books may be regarded as another living proof that if history and fiction connives, any imaginary piece will shine a brighter glow in a multitude of colors of prominence. Talk about The Da Vinci Code.

Harry Potter and the Sinister Attacks

J. D. Salinger, with his forceful novel The Catcher in the Rye have been in the prime light for scrutiny over the years due to its exposition of explicit and unacceptable language in his narratives and expressly including in improper teenage pretentions and angst. But then, it’s ironical that the novel now fulfills its greatness in various academic curriculums, including that of the Philippines’.

The same with the Potter books, the Order of the Phoenix became the talk of conservatives and fundamentalists regarding the outward expression of love and lust of the character towards one another and the “below-the-belt” violence spiced even more by death as its main theme. For an instance, Harry and Ron caught Ginny and Dean kissing with one another in a very conspicuous place and time but the latter dismissed the idea of doing their thing somewhere private. For those reasons, it now appears at the list of the Most Challenged Book of the century in close rank with that of Salinger’s.

Again, ironically, California State University, and now a number of other academic institutions, have introduced a course “The World of Harry Potter” in their curriculums. Some initiated various other activities related to the series which are geared towards promoting a thorough study of the novel.

Meanwhile other religious analysts argue that the book is highly heretical because it not only neglected God as the supreme being, it also promoted the vindictive deeds of witches which in the medieval ages have been condemned and kept into oblivion till now by none other than the church which dominated Europe back then. They say that a children’s book must inculcate the idea of a God as what its predecessors had done - The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia - which were mainly based on Christian teachings.

However, as I see it in a perspective of a devout, there are certain points in the novel which may have implicitly promoted a religion – Christianity to be exact. Didn’t Harry receive gifts from persons he loves when it is Christmas Day? and didn’t they have the so-called Easter Holidays?

In addition, isn’t Rowling’s stance of not defining a specific religion on her novels a brilliant scheme? If she never did so, no Muslim, nor Hindu nor Jew nor Bhuddist would have leafed through the pages of her book only to find out that a religion that is foreign to them or maybe which they probably condemn is highly appraised on the fictional work. If she did so, it wouldn’t be a worldwide craze as it is now.

Furthermore, Rowling was outwardly criticized for treating her story non-sentimentally. But Grossman in his article in TIME - J.K. Rowling, Hogwarts and All - gave the most appropriate notion as to why the Potter books now lies in the pinnacle amidst a sea of negative reactions. “It’s precisely Rowling’s lack of sentimentality,” Grossman writes, “her earthy, salty realness, her refusal to buy into the basic clichés of fantasy, that make her such a great fantasy writer.” And for that, she became a one of a kind trend-setter. Look at how James Patterson’s Maximum Ride Series, Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart Series and many others sprouted so fast in the bookshelves. Truly, the aforementioned answers the reader’s hunger for more plots similar to that of the Potter books while they stand waiting for the next volume to be released.

Copyright lawsuits were also thrown upon the author and her books. Even the-not-so-famous The Legend of Rah and the Muggles and Larry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly, a novel by Nancy Stouffer in 1984 partake in the Potter craze. Stouffer claims that she is the rightful owner of several concepts in Rowling’s work and that she (Rowling) plagiarized her work. But later on, the case was “dismissed with prejudice” and she was fined $50,000 for her "pattern of intentional bad faith conduct." However, in another interview with TIME, Rowling revealed how affected she was by the issue saying “It felt as if some strange woman had come out of nowhere saying she was my children's mother ... It was like a punch in the stomach.”

Moving on, when it comes to book releases, the author had always set a particular date for her work to be published. The problem is, spoiler embargoes had not been evenly tight. In the release of the Deathly Hallows, copies were delivered and contained in high security vaults, as if the book is jewelry worth several billions! Dealers to where the books were delivered were also forced to sign a contract which mandated them not to open the boxes till the official release date. Reports even say, that just to keep the suspense in tact, the publishers printed the books in pitch darkness yet, no substantial details could support such claim.

But here’s what’s true. Analysts revealed that the publishers have spent several millions of dollars to be assured that copies will be taken out of the box in the exact day and time prescribed by the author. But then, “technical” failures caused a copy (Deathly Hallows) to fall in the hands of a 17-year old in the U.S three days before the official release date. They say that Scholastic paid the teenager with a great amount (exact figures were not identified) just to stop him reading the book and continue it only on the day prescribed.

***

The fun never ends as some would say but with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last July 21, a period has already been drawn in the story which means Harry-Ron-Hermione is most likely over and done with.

However, more and more enthusiasts began their advocacy of continuing the story through signature campaigns which would be submitted to the author as a plea to create a Wizard University. With only two movies left in the line, Harry Potter is in danger of becoming a figment of history as its predecessors had become. It’s the greatest fear of majority of Harry Potter fans. But let’s not go away with the possibility that the Potter books could have hatched a generation of superb story tellers, far more better than those we now have. Since everyone is considered a good writer at their own disposal, we can say that the possibilities are endless. Perhaps, one of Potter breeds could be the next J. K. Rowling who would soon arrive in the avenues of success and streets of fame (and fortune). It could probably be any one. It could probably be you.

© Harry Potter is a copyright of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury in U.K. and Scholastic Press in U.S.

REMINDER:

IF YOU ARE TO QUOTE ANYTHING FROM THIS REVIEW, PLEASE, AT LEAST CITE MY NAME. IF YOU ARE TO COPY THE WHOLE REVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT bibliosensei@gmail.com. THANKS!

Check out my other reviews at:

www.bibliosensei.multiply.com (add me up)
www.bibliosensei.blogspot.com
www.nickyguinto.blogs.friendster.com

Uzumaki Naruto vs. Harry Potter

It's quite a long time since i've written my last blog (in Fiendster Blogs). I really missed writing one. Although I don't particularly know if anyone truly read this, the good thing behind is the fact that I could enhance my writing skills in some ways and I could reflect the things that are happening to me or those which I am doing in another. On top of that, I feel fulfilled everytime I see my works or rather writings published online. One day, through this, I might find whether I truly have improved in different aspects of my life.

Lately, I have been really hooked at watching the anime NARUTO which basically forced me to rename this blog with sensei which, of course, I learned from the series. I was quite astounded at how they give meaning to a sensei - a teacher or mentor in English, but is far more different and somehow complex to its equivalent in English.
The NARUTO series gave me the perfect definition of who I want to be once I embark in the field of teaching. It's quite impossible to express it in words, though, but I'll make sure to be a sensei some day.

As for the anime NARUTO, I find it truly addicting, which if I reflect back to the days when I was reading HARRY POTTER, I found that they share the same excitement that any reader or enthusiast would feel. Furthermore, both of their stories are somehw related in terms of the background of the main characters.

Take a look at Harry. He's a kid who grew up without his parents and who have been outcasted by the society he lives in. As for Naruto, they are the same, he, who grew up without the love and care of parents and who was considered a monster by the village of konoha.

When they learned who they really are and who they really want to be, they became a different person who little by little gained friends and acceptance from people around them.

But there's one thing that I like more about Naruto than Harry. Naruto has a great determination to become a Hokage, the village chief, who is entrusted with the welfare of the villagers. But as for Harry, I can't really dewcipher what he's aiming at until the end. And with that, I was quite moved by Naruto's story more than how I felt back when I finished Harry. The Harry Potter series do gave me the sense of suspense, which I guess became its primary asset. But I feel that I am much more impressed at how Kishimoto and his team molded the character of Naruto. Truly impressive, I must say. And I feel that if it was originally written in English, it would have gained far more recognition than the Potter series.

Well, these are just my opinions, though. I don't know if you would feel the same. But try watching Naruto if you find time. Be sure to watch it from the start...

The Japanese word above is actually my nick name's japanese versions, Nicky, which in Japanese is pronounced as NIKKU. I planned to include it on this blog's title but it's a JPEG image and my computer does not support Japanese caractres, so I guess, I'll just leave it posted on this article.

Posted by Nicky Guinto on April 25, 2008 at 01:15 AM in Weblogs at Friendster Blogs

On FRODO, HARRY and LUCY

This review is virtually late for I have promised one right after I read each, though I've done one with The Hallows. But, nevertheless, though I can hardly remember vital instances that could beef up this review, I would rather cite important points which could give you something to ponder about if ever you've read any of these or rather wants to read the other ones sooner or later.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA [The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]

Yes, you could see two books in the picture but sad to say due to the unrelenting wave of responsibilities piling up on my stack of unfinished tasks, I only managed to finish the one with the movie version already, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

However, I've read some 1/4th of the 3rd one in the row entitled The Horse and His Boy but I'll just talk about it as soon as I manage to complete all of my tasks at hand.

Well, Narnia is actually a book which could be most appropriately given to growing up children for I personally find it to be written for them. The story is told in simple terms which virtually everyone could understand and contains out-of-this world points which most likely would be of interest to young boys and girls.

The plotline is simple and every bits and pieces of the story could all be recalled in a flash top it up with illustrations which could eventually foster faster comprehension to its readers.

Although the universe of the story could, in some ways be similar to that of TLOTR and HP Series, i find it very short to the point that it seems I was deprived of vital circumstances that could have pointed the reason as to why this or that happened. I hate to say this , but the story seemed dull. Add up the scarcity of characters who most likely are very hard to picture in mind should illustrations were not present.
I've seen the movie and it seemed better than how it went in the book. I did not picture a whole battlefield with green grass enveloping the travelers who come in search for Aslan nor did I vision a batallion of gargoyles, tree ghosts, elves, dwarves and trolls battling under the evil queen's command. Neither did I saw a good battle between the protagonists and the antagonist. It all seemed to me as children on stage portraying the character traits suggested in the book. It's dull, truly dull and I honestly felt the hunger for more DETAILS.

I should say now that it was due to the book that I learned the importance of side stories which frequently adds more volume to novels. It quenches the reader's thirst for something to ponder about which later in the story could give dramatic changes to how readers hoped or foresaw the whole story to end.

The bottomline, The Chronicles of Narnia, with all its seven books did not much satisfied my craving for a world I longed to be utterly familiar with. It is indeed a children's book as its label suggests.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS [The Fellowship of the Ring]

You are right if you've guessed that the book is thickly clad with descriptions ranging from the clothing of the characters to the weather situation as it happens in the story. TLOTR is definitely the opposite of Narnia.

The universe of the story is richly written in carefuly selected and arranged prose narratives making it as vivid as the real world can be. What particularly amazes me is that it seemed to me as if the writer, J.R.R. Tolkien really did made some sort of a History of Hobbits to the point that it's not a fiction but a revealing fact. I've felt that with Tolkien's narrative. And it could have possibly been even more clearer to me if ever I've read the prequel first to the series, entitled The Hobbits before leafing through the pages of the first one.

But with that, it had been so confusing on my part. When I was in some 1/4th of the story already, only then that I found that Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Men and wizards in the story share similar attributes physically, only, they differ in height and ornaments that they put in their bodies.

I usually picture an elf and dwarf to have an image that is very far from that of humans, and so as hobbits, if ever they've been a part of folk tales.

Yes, the plotline seemed realistic due to the clarity of descriptions, but sometimes, I feel the whole novel is outpouring with unnecessary points which could be trimmed out to achive brevity and speedy comprehension.

It's much like those classic novels containing an immense number of descriptions that could have been written rather simpler than the way they are seen today.
I came to the point that I am totally intrigued about what would come next but due to the overwhelming statements and unworthy citations I literally fall out of my desire to finish the whole story.

I even had resigned to continue reading it at one point but with my inclination to know what happens next won over my boredom. Thank God or else you probably won't be seing this review.

Nonetheless, overall, I should argue that the story is worthy of being comapred to Rowling's books for it somewhat contains the same elements which readers of Harry Potter have found very exciting and worth finishing to the very end.

HARRY POTTER SERIES

The picture is a shelf-ful of my potter books. the first six are of course in paperback covers since it has just been recently that I discovered its wonders and the seventh one, the hard cover. But as soon as I leave school to pursue my goals, I'll find a way to buy the first six in hard cover version and I would be happier if I could buy it personally in a bookstore from the U.S. Hehe..

Now with my review. Without bias or anything, I should say that the Potter series still hold the number one spot on my list with regards to these three books.

It's detailed and is written in the simple lexicon having a world that is richly painted with characters and settings that highly supports the narratives. It's as if a reality brought in print and an interesting historical record of a boy who, at first do not contain the bearing of a hero, as literature defines it, or a powerful protagonist who could blow away adversities and hindrances in a flash.

In my opinion, the subtlety of the friends C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien have all been combined in the head of Rowling, less the negative sides of the former and more of the creative side of the latter.

As you continue reading the potter books, it's as if for every event in the story is a climax which later on would be replaced by an increasing feeling of satisfaction as the story nears its end.

And in every volume is an ever-perplexing twist which could paint a smile on reader's faces after saying "I thought the story would end this way..." then after finally releasing the copy from the tight grip, "... but better end it that way..."
**More to follow...

Please leave some trace by commenting on what you've read.. thank you.

Posted by Nicky Guinto on December 28, 2007 at 10:16 AM in Books at Friendster Blogs