Hey everyone, I got super busy and kind of forgot about my blog so...sorry about that...but I figured a bit of a break in your irregularly scheduled Harry Potter reviews was due. So, without further gilding the lily and with no more ado...Muddle Earth by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel.
Summary: So, our story begins as many stories do, with a great hero. His name is Joe and he has a dog named Henry. Through means unknown and mysterious (no spoilers!) he arrives in Muddle Earth and embarks on a mighty quest with the weirdest hodgepodge of characters you ever saw. Go on an adventure to defeat a dark lord with Henry and Joe (and laugh at jokes and many pop-culture references on the way). There's a (rather useless) wizard, and his talking bird, a sensitive ogre and a rather interesting dragon along the way. The adventures of Joe and friends will keep you in stitches (and the reveal of the evil dark lord I mean, who saw that coming?) This book is amazing.
Review: As I've mentioned this book is hysterically funny. It'll keep you reading until the last page and the motley crew of characters will be people who you'll laugh at all through the tale. My review of this book is very short (no spoilers obv.) but only because it would be terribly spoilery if it wasn't.
Blatant and obvious pop-culture references abound and it just serves to make the story that much better, seriously, read this book, you'll be in stitches. (haha sewing pun (but the context for that is a spoiler)).
This Book is, in my opinion, one of the best fantasy books in the genre. It references and parodies the classics you love in such a way that you can't help but think "I understood that reference!"
If you like funny, fantasy books that'll keep you hooked from one chapter to the next and at the end you'll want nothing more than to read the sequel Muddle Earth Too!
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Sunday, 14 August 2016
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 17: Split personalities
Hey everyone I'm back after a 3 month break. I got caught up in my knitting and did less reading I really have no excuse.
I will try to post once a week as I said last time but I make no promises especially if I get caught up in my knitting again.
Summary: Alright, the penultimate chapter, the climax and the denouement. Last we left our hero he had just discovered the culprit, the man behind the plot to steal the stone. Ron and Hermione have gone back up to the main castle to send Hedwig to Dumbledore and go to the hospital wing respectively so it's just Harry and Quirrel. Quirrel uses magic to bind Harry in rope so he can't escape andtries to get the stone from the mirror, he is unsuccessful. Voldemort prompts him to "use the boy" to find the stone hidden in the mirror. So he drag Harry before the mirror of Erised and he fabricates a story about shaking hands with Dumbledore "I've won the house cup for Gryffindor" But the stone appeared in his pocket when he looked in the mirror because the only one who could retrieve the stone from the mirror is the one who "wanted to find it but not use it" A semi-battle ensues in which Quirrelmort attempts to get the stone from Harry but because of his mother's sacrifice Quirrel can't touch him. Quirrel disintegrates, Harry nearly dies and the next time we see him he's in the hospital wing. Dumbledore comes to see him and tells him that he has spoken to the Flamels and the stone has subsequently been destroyed (very unfortunate). the4 book ends with Dumbledore awarding some last minute points to Gryffindor for what Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville did and Gryffindor wins the house cup. HArry's on his way home and he remarks that he's going to "have a lot of fun this summer, Dudley doesn't know I'm not allowed to use magic outside school."
Review: This chater was very good and it shows harry meeting Voldemort for the 2nd time and winning. Whatreally gets me is the efficiency of the Hogwarts gossip mill. "What happened in the dungeon between you and professor Quirrel is, of course, a complete secret, so natural, the whole school knows." But Dumbledore made a grave mistake. I get that he wanted to give Harry the chance to face his parents killer, but not at the expense of his life. Both Harry and Ron (Harry moreso) nearly died trying to get to the stone and then facing Voldemort and then Dumbledore, having narrowly missed Hermione's owl, comes flying in at the last minute to save him. Overall it's a very good chapter and a wonderful book but that did bother me a little. The defenses around the stone weren't very difficulty to get past (3 eleven year olds managed it, in a fairly short amount of time). Also, you'd think Nicolas Flamel would object to Dumbledore using his stone to lure Voldemort to Hogwarts, granted he tried to break into Gringotts for it first but after that why would the Flamels consent to give it to Dumbledore to keep safe, why not keep it safe in a secure area in their home in the middle of nowhere. Anyway that's just me.
So that concludes bok one, the next time we start Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets...ooh.
I will try to update next week and attempt to keep it consistent but I make no promises.
See you on the flip side!
I will try to post once a week as I said last time but I make no promises especially if I get caught up in my knitting again.
Summary: Alright, the penultimate chapter, the climax and the denouement. Last we left our hero he had just discovered the culprit, the man behind the plot to steal the stone. Ron and Hermione have gone back up to the main castle to send Hedwig to Dumbledore and go to the hospital wing respectively so it's just Harry and Quirrel. Quirrel uses magic to bind Harry in rope so he can't escape andtries to get the stone from the mirror, he is unsuccessful. Voldemort prompts him to "use the boy" to find the stone hidden in the mirror. So he drag Harry before the mirror of Erised and he fabricates a story about shaking hands with Dumbledore "I've won the house cup for Gryffindor" But the stone appeared in his pocket when he looked in the mirror because the only one who could retrieve the stone from the mirror is the one who "wanted to find it but not use it" A semi-battle ensues in which Quirrelmort attempts to get the stone from Harry but because of his mother's sacrifice Quirrel can't touch him. Quirrel disintegrates, Harry nearly dies and the next time we see him he's in the hospital wing. Dumbledore comes to see him and tells him that he has spoken to the Flamels and the stone has subsequently been destroyed (very unfortunate). the4 book ends with Dumbledore awarding some last minute points to Gryffindor for what Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville did and Gryffindor wins the house cup. HArry's on his way home and he remarks that he's going to "have a lot of fun this summer, Dudley doesn't know I'm not allowed to use magic outside school."
Review: This chater was very good and it shows harry meeting Voldemort for the 2nd time and winning. Whatreally gets me is the efficiency of the Hogwarts gossip mill. "What happened in the dungeon between you and professor Quirrel is, of course, a complete secret, so natural, the whole school knows." But Dumbledore made a grave mistake. I get that he wanted to give Harry the chance to face his parents killer, but not at the expense of his life. Both Harry and Ron (Harry moreso) nearly died trying to get to the stone and then facing Voldemort and then Dumbledore, having narrowly missed Hermione's owl, comes flying in at the last minute to save him. Overall it's a very good chapter and a wonderful book but that did bother me a little. The defenses around the stone weren't very difficulty to get past (3 eleven year olds managed it, in a fairly short amount of time). Also, you'd think Nicolas Flamel would object to Dumbledore using his stone to lure Voldemort to Hogwarts, granted he tried to break into Gringotts for it first but after that why would the Flamels consent to give it to Dumbledore to keep safe, why not keep it safe in a secure area in their home in the middle of nowhere. Anyway that's just me.
So that concludes bok one, the next time we start Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets...ooh.
I will try to update next week and attempt to keep it consistent but I make no promises.
See you on the flip side!
Sunday, 22 May 2016
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 16: Fluffy again
Author's Note: I realized just now that I published this review without the review attached to the bottom of it, my bad, so please do go read it with the review tacked on to the bottom of it.
Hello everyone after a couple of very busy months I am back. with the 16th installment of my Harry Potter re-read. I confess I had hoped to get this out sooner but all too often that just never happens. I will endeavor to update this blog more regularly (I know I say that a lot) but I'll put blog updates in my calendar if I have to. So, after all this time I return (It won't be so long next time, this I can tell you(not that anyone reads my blog anyway)). I made some amendments to the post on Chapter 15 as well if anyone wants to read them.
So, we're almost at the end of book one (finally) and things are really heating up for our trio of friends, I wonder what'll happen next.
Summary:
If you thought things were exciting last time when they went into the forest for detention (again, logic, what logic? Dumbledore logic apparently), it's a wild ride from here on. So they get back to their common room after their detention and Harry's scar is still hurting something terrible from his encounter with Quirrelmort (but he didn't know it was Quirrelmort). They talk until dawn and then everything goes down hill from there. Our intrepid heroes wonder whatever they are to do if the Dark Lord is indeed back and Hermione points out that Dumbledore is the only wizard the Dark lord ever feared so as long as Dumbledore's around he's fine. They then find out that Dumbledore's been called away to the Ministry of Magic in London (I can't imagine what for even if Fudge is a bumbling fool). With this realization comes the realization that with Dumbledore gone it would be the perfect time for Snape to strike and take the stone (Aw, they still think it's Snape aren't they adorable). Logically they come to the conclusion that the only logical thing to do is to go to Professor McGonagall with their suspicions (obviously). She waves them off as childish fancies (really Minerva?) and they decide they'll have to go down the trapdoor themselves since no one is listening to them. so the sneak out after dark under Harry's invisibility cloak (which Dumbledore conveniently gave him back at the end of the last chapter). And immediately they run into a problem leaving the dorms. Neville. He knows they're going to do mischief and nonsense and doesn't want them to lose Gryffindor any more house points. So he stands up to them. And gets hit with a full body bind curse. Thanks Hermione. So, that obstacle overcome they make their way to the third floor corridor and slip behind the door to come face to face with Fluffy again. Harry remembered that music could soothe him so he puts his flute from Hagrid to his lips and begins to play. They slip down the trapdoor and right into the Devil's Snare
Review:
Well this chapter was most exciting. After they talk until dawn, as I said, everything just goes down hill. All right, so, after they realize that Dumbledore is gone, called conveniently away to the Ministry of Magic. They decide to go to McGonagall. Now, usually, if someone were to go to a teacher and voice their suspicions that someone were going to steal an object of unimaginable value and power for an undead dark lord you'd think they'd get more than a pat on the head. So why wasn't McGonagall more concerned? Why was she shocked they knew about the stone but so blithe about the protections, was she, in fact, confident in her co-workers and their abilities to create impenetrable defences? was she over-confident that no one was working for the supposedly defeated dark lord? Either way it's suspicious. Anyway, they're waved off and they return to Gryffindor tower, no doubt feeling a little bit like McGonagall let them down by not being more concerned. So they decide to take Harry's cloak and flute and investigate for themselves (what they think 3 eleven-year-olds would do against a fully grown and qualified wizard is beyond me but anyway) But they're interrupted by poor bumbling Neville. Now I think it's admirable for Neville to stand up to his friends so Gryffindor doesn't lose yet more house points (again, 150 points off for being out after dark and telling tales about a dragon seems a bit much Minerva). But when they get out in to the common room, they stun Neville and make their escape. Now, putting him in a full body bind and leaving him on the common room floor seems a bit harsh for someone who's just trying to looking after both Gryffindor's and your well being (Making sure they're not found out after curfew would prevent them from getting detention). But never the less Hermione puts him in a full body bind and they go off to the third floor. Later Neville does get recognized for standing up to his friends but it's still rude. Anyway they get to the third floor corridor on the right without a hitch. and here's where things start to go further sideways. harry remembers that Music can put some animals to sleep and uses the flute Hagrid gave him for Christmas (very convenient gift, almost as though he knew it would be needed, or someone did), and they drop through the trap door, facing certain doom.
Now, all in all not much happens in this chapter, the real excitement comes in the last one where everything comes to a head. However, remember Dumbledore did say he wanted Harry to have a chance at facing the man who killed his parents, which, OK, fair point. But with only his two best friends as back up? And no one being told where they'd gone off to? It's almost as if he suspects, even this early on, that Harry will need to almost die to defeat the dark lord and want to prepare him for basically certain death by pitting him against Riddle year after year. Also, the professors were supposed to create obstacles to get o the stone, it was just a little to easy for 3 first year to pass the challenges, they each played to a strength that the trio. The potions puzzle is a logic puzzle, Hermione's good with Logic, the chess game would be only to easy for the best chess player in the Weasley family. And the flying keys would be only too easy for the youngest seeker in a century. And fluffy, it's almost as if Dumbledore knew Hagrid had given Harry the flute and would definitely answer all their questions when they came knocking. However, these are speculations for the chapter to come...stay tuned!
I will try to update again fairly soon.
Hello everyone after a couple of very busy months I am back. with the 16th installment of my Harry Potter re-read. I confess I had hoped to get this out sooner but all too often that just never happens. I will endeavor to update this blog more regularly (I know I say that a lot) but I'll put blog updates in my calendar if I have to. So, after all this time I return (It won't be so long next time, this I can tell you
So, we're almost at the end of book one (finally) and things are really heating up for our trio of friends, I wonder what'll happen next.
Summary:
If you thought things were exciting last time when they went into the forest for detention (again, logic, what logic? Dumbledore logic apparently), it's a wild ride from here on. So they get back to their common room after their detention and Harry's scar is still hurting something terrible from his encounter with Quirrelmort (but he didn't know it was Quirrelmort). They talk until dawn and then everything goes down hill from there. Our intrepid heroes wonder whatever they are to do if the Dark Lord is indeed back and Hermione points out that Dumbledore is the only wizard the Dark lord ever feared so as long as Dumbledore's around he's fine. They then find out that Dumbledore's been called away to the Ministry of Magic in London (I can't imagine what for even if Fudge is a bumbling fool). With this realization comes the realization that with Dumbledore gone it would be the perfect time for Snape to strike and take the stone (Aw, they still think it's Snape aren't they adorable). Logically they come to the conclusion that the only logical thing to do is to go to Professor McGonagall with their suspicions (obviously). She waves them off as childish fancies (really Minerva?) and they decide they'll have to go down the trapdoor themselves since no one is listening to them. so the sneak out after dark under Harry's invisibility cloak (which Dumbledore conveniently gave him back at the end of the last chapter). And immediately they run into a problem leaving the dorms. Neville. He knows they're going to do mischief and nonsense and doesn't want them to lose Gryffindor any more house points. So he stands up to them. And gets hit with a full body bind curse. Thanks Hermione. So, that obstacle overcome they make their way to the third floor corridor and slip behind the door to come face to face with Fluffy again. Harry remembered that music could soothe him so he puts his flute from Hagrid to his lips and begins to play. They slip down the trapdoor and right into the Devil's Snare
Review:
Well this chapter was most exciting. After they talk until dawn, as I said, everything just goes down hill. All right, so, after they realize that Dumbledore is gone, called conveniently away to the Ministry of Magic. They decide to go to McGonagall. Now, usually, if someone were to go to a teacher and voice their suspicions that someone were going to steal an object of unimaginable value and power for an undead dark lord you'd think they'd get more than a pat on the head. So why wasn't McGonagall more concerned? Why was she shocked they knew about the stone but so blithe about the protections, was she, in fact, confident in her co-workers and their abilities to create impenetrable defences? was she over-confident that no one was working for the supposedly defeated dark lord? Either way it's suspicious. Anyway, they're waved off and they return to Gryffindor tower, no doubt feeling a little bit like McGonagall let them down by not being more concerned. So they decide to take Harry's cloak and flute and investigate for themselves (what they think 3 eleven-year-olds would do against a fully grown and qualified wizard is beyond me but anyway) But they're interrupted by poor bumbling Neville. Now I think it's admirable for Neville to stand up to his friends so Gryffindor doesn't lose yet more house points (again, 150 points off for being out after dark and telling tales about a dragon seems a bit much Minerva). But when they get out in to the common room, they stun Neville and make their escape. Now, putting him in a full body bind and leaving him on the common room floor seems a bit harsh for someone who's just trying to looking after both Gryffindor's and your well being (Making sure they're not found out after curfew would prevent them from getting detention). But never the less Hermione puts him in a full body bind and they go off to the third floor. Later Neville does get recognized for standing up to his friends but it's still rude. Anyway they get to the third floor corridor on the right without a hitch. and here's where things start to go further sideways. harry remembers that Music can put some animals to sleep and uses the flute Hagrid gave him for Christmas (very convenient gift, almost as though he knew it would be needed, or someone did), and they drop through the trap door, facing certain doom.
Now, all in all not much happens in this chapter, the real excitement comes in the last one where everything comes to a head. However, remember Dumbledore did say he wanted Harry to have a chance at facing the man who killed his parents, which, OK, fair point. But with only his two best friends as back up? And no one being told where they'd gone off to? It's almost as if he suspects, even this early on, that Harry will need to almost die to defeat the dark lord and want to prepare him for basically certain death by pitting him against Riddle year after year. Also, the professors were supposed to create obstacles to get o the stone, it was just a little to easy for 3 first year to pass the challenges, they each played to a strength that the trio. The potions puzzle is a logic puzzle, Hermione's good with Logic, the chess game would be only to easy for the best chess player in the Weasley family. And the flying keys would be only too easy for the youngest seeker in a century. And fluffy, it's almost as if Dumbledore knew Hagrid had given Harry the flute and would definitely answer all their questions when they came knocking. However, these are speculations for the chapter to come...stay tuned!
I will try to update again fairly soon.
Sunday, 24 January 2016
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 15: Save the Unicorns!
Hello everyone, I'm back again, it's bee a while, since at least last year. I will try to keep my updates consistent but I make no promises especially with the way my computer's been acting lately (chrome froze and shut down and I reopened it and I lost about half of what I had open *growl*) but anyway. I will be taking a week long hiatus from the blog around February 3rd ish but for the time being I'm back (I'll try to update once a week or once every couple of days). Also, as you can see I've changed my blog template, so let me know in comments what you think.
Summary:
Alright, in this chapter we see the aftermath of the incident with Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. Well in this chapter they are assigned detention (Neville, Draco, Hermione and Harry) for wandering the school after dark and telling "cockamamie" stories about dragons. So, naturally they all have detention. After dark. At 11 o'clock at night. The exact reason they got detention in the first place. They are led down to Hagrid's hut by Filch and they go into the forest (!!) for their detention. Hagrid splits them up (Neville and Draco together and Hermione and Harry together) but obviously that goes south because Draco and Neville is just a bad combination to begin with. So Harry goes with Draco and they venture into the forest to find the injured unicorn. Well, Draco and Harry find it alright and there is something drinking it's blood. Draco takes Fang and scarpers but Harry falls to his knees with searing pain in his scar. He is rescued by the centaur named Firenze and taken back to Hagrid. Back in Gryffindor tower he tells Hermione and Ron about it and they come to the conclusion that as long as Dumbledore's around Harry will be safe from the Dark Lord.
Summary:
Alright, in this chapter we see the aftermath of the incident with Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. Well in this chapter they are assigned detention (Neville, Draco, Hermione and Harry) for wandering the school after dark and telling "cockamamie" stories about dragons. So, naturally they all have detention. After dark. At 11 o'clock at night. The exact reason they got detention in the first place. They are led down to Hagrid's hut by Filch and they go into the forest (!!) for their detention. Hagrid splits them up (Neville and Draco together and Hermione and Harry together) but obviously that goes south because Draco and Neville is just a bad combination to begin with. So Harry goes with Draco and they venture into the forest to find the injured unicorn. Well, Draco and Harry find it alright and there is something drinking it's blood. Draco takes Fang and scarpers but Harry falls to his knees with searing pain in his scar. He is rescued by the centaur named Firenze and taken back to Hagrid. Back in Gryffindor tower he tells Hermione and Ron about it and they come to the conclusion that as long as Dumbledore's around Harry will be safe from the Dark Lord.
Review:
Alright, so this chapter really sets up for the end of the book in 2 chapters, obviously they're still way off base with who is behind it, as they still think it's Snape but they know there's nothing really they can do about it. What makes no sense to me, they got detention in the first place for wandering around the castle after dark so obviously the only suitable detention is to wander around after dark. Not only that but in the Forbidden Forest, which is expressly forbidden to Students because it's dangerous in there. Also, I think everyone noticed that Professor McGonagall went a little overboard with the points thing, like, wandering the castle after dark I'd get maybe 20 pints, or 15 points each but not 50. She also acted a lot more shocked than she should have. (Like, really, you've never, not once heard of 4 students out of bed roaming the halls at night, not ever, let's go with that.) Actually this chapter is really good for delving sort of into the way that Dumbledore's mind works especially since he'd probably have to approve the detention to go into the forest at night. Anyway, I think this chapter was really good for setting up for the last 2 chapters, even if the dynamics don't really make to much sense to my mind.
Well that's all for me tonight folks, again let me know what you think of my new blog template and as always book recommendations are always welcome in the comments.
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