Tuesday, July 19, 2005

The Half-Blood Prince

"Prime Minister, I am very sorry to have to tell you that he's back. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back." "Back? When you say 'back'... he's alive? I mean--" The Prime Minister groped in his memory for the details of that horrible conversation of three years previously, when Fudge had told him about the wizard who was feared above all others, the wizard who had committed a thousand terrible crimes before his mysterious disappearance fifteen years earlier. "Yes, alive," said Fudge. "That is--I don't know--is a man alive if he can't be killed? I don't really understand it, and Dumbledore won't explain properly--but anyway, he's certainly got a body and is walking and talking and killing, so I suppose, for the purposes of our discussion, yes, he's alive." Just got an e-copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from an acquaintance in my mail box. And it seems a little interesting. But still, there are a few questions that always pop up on my mind whenever I read a Harry Potter book:

  1. Who are the rulers/monarchs of the Wizard community?
  2. Where is the government? And who is the prime-minister?
  3. If there is no government then how could there be a Ministry of Magic or a Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?
  4. Why only Potter has enough courage besides Dumbledore to call He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by his name? Why couldn't Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic do that?
  5. Why am I bothered by these silly questions and misgivings?

Lol really I think the Potters must be left for my little 10-year-old cousin, she wouldn't get any of these questions. I am better off with my Forsyths, Grishams and Follets. Thanks Rowling!

15 comments:

Sidrat said...

I really dont understand how one book could create such a hype.. *bummer

JonyBr said...

For kids there is HP, for adults theres Stephan King & Stephan Hawkings :D

Anonymous said...

Lol JonyDada, Hawkings is for like *real* adults. You know, like we have here.

And is there only one book? Gosh! I ve read three fake sequels then!!!

*dies of shock and embarassment*

Sidrat said...

u got the point na?? :P
lemme rephrase.. how could one Harry Potter create such a hype.

btw, Hawkings is not for adults.It can only be comprehended by physics geeks only. that i have learnt from thye fact that despite startin over 4 times, i still havent completed the book.

Samar Owais said...

I am a die-hard HP fan. well not exactly...i fall short of doing crazy HP related things.

Having read all 5 and am in the middle of the 6 i have to say Rowling knows a money making story when she has one in her mind.

To answer your questions uXuf:

1. There are no rulers/monarch of the magic world. the story might be based in and about london but they haven't acknowledged the queen as theirs.

2. Ofcourse there's a government. that's how there are all those rules and regulation. and they have a Minister for Magic which is equal to their Prime Minister.

3. See 2.

4. HP had no idea what all the hype about him or the fear against voldy before he came to hogwarts so he's never been able to understand the fear. it's like manners that parents engrave in their kids...the fear's been engraved too. The parents were afarid because they saw their whole families being wiped out by Voldy and his cronies aka The Death Eater. And as for Dumbledore...he's the greatest wizard of wizarding times...his bravery made him so...and the fact that he's always been able to intimidate Voldemort.

5. Only you know the answer to that.

Anyone want HBP spoilers? hehehe

Anonymous said...

Yeah, s!d, but what I meant was that you cant teach a kid about the general theory of relativity. So that goes for adults only.

And no, I haven't read Hawkings, and I dont want to either!

As to why one single Potter could create such hype, you can read the books and decide that. Got the point this time!

Extiinct: I never knew (or forgot) that Cornelius Fudge was supposed to be their PM! And now the way they talk about their (supposed) PM, I dont think they ve got any respect for either Fudge or for Scrimgoeur for that matter. I used to think that the Ministry is some department.

And I liked that "Voldy" thing. You're really getting into it head over heals. My advice, stop reading HBP, and make things better :P

summer moon said...

See the thing is that to get respect you have to be respectable in times of crisis which unfortunately ( if you have read the fifth book you would know) Cornelius Fudge does not do. It's the same kind of a faltering respect we have for our own politicians.
I don't agree that Harry Potter is for kids or Stephen King is for adults , (though of course I don't expect a 5 year old to understand Stephen King ) Books are always for everyone . Anybody any age can read any book. Depends on taste.

By the way , my name means ' the first part of a song' . It also means ' a traveller '.

Samar Owais said...

Yeah well who respects their governments and leaders nowadays anyway.

and I finished reading it!!! even though it's mostly talk and the only action of the book is at the end but it's still HP. and the way it's ended HP series can go on and on...till he destroys voldemort atleast.

I was head over heals from the first chapter of the first book. it's a 5 year old affair. I'm afraid it's too far along to halt now;)

Anonymous said...

Aw my dear girl Sanchari, we were talking about Stephen HAWkings being for adults (or physics geeks). I agree for Stephen King, they can be read by anybody. Infact, anything can be read by anybody, but the problem is of actually deciphering the stuff. So you see, I wont actually think about a ten-year-old kid deciphering much of either Hawkings or Qateel Shifai!

Waisay too bad of me I didnt complete HP:OTP, primarily because the same ten-year-old cousin took the book back with her :(

Extiinct: I am half way through, dont sweat it out. I bet we will get two more HP books. One for the last year and one for the year after they graduate!

Anonymous said...

Sanchari: I thought the first part of the song is called "Mukhra", the same being known for "face". But guess that's only the result of watching years of "Antakshari"! :(

Saad said...

Hawking for adults!!!!! i can bet me life 99 percent of the adult population of Pakistan wont get what Hawking is saying. Dream on dude!

Reeny said...

can you please email me the e-book? mehreen.zahid@gmail.com

summer moon said...

well the first part of a song also is called a mukhra . 'Sanchari' is a synonym.

Anonymous said...

Ofcourse I will, Mehreen. But the problem is, I currently am in Skardu, and I am not carrying the book with me. I will sure send it to you once I get back home :)

Anonymous said...

sssSSSSs~: Exactly what I meant! Hawkings is too much for adults, so what to say about kids. I am not explaining any more :)