I looked at your little review of the Harry Potter books. Was a little shocked that you said they weren't brillant books. (Dead on brillantly entertaining). Then I realised you just started the third book. So I forgive your not praising the books as the most incredible writing since the 60's.

Don't get me wrong: I think they're really very good books. I just finished the third one, which is generally considered to be the best of the lot, and I loved it. I think they're great fun to read, with interesting characters, entertaining plots, and an almost perfect setting (who wouldn't want to go to Hogwart's?). But I wouldn't say they're as brilliantly brilliant as the hype would have it. Anyone who's read a lot of fantasy can see where Rowling's gotten her inspiration, and that's fine, but a little more credit to other writers -- like Neil Gaiman and his "children's fantasy" novel Coraline, for example -- might be in order. Mr. Potter has a tendency to overshadow everything else around him, and that's not always so good.

But, heck yeah, they're greatly entertaining books, all of them (so far), and I can heartily recommend them to anyone. Rowling deserves every bit of the success she's had, no question. She's a smart writer. I'm also looking forward to the new movie, which -- from early reports and reviews -- sounds much better than the first one.  ¶ 17:18