Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Format: Hardcover
Copyright Date: 2000

For Harry, happiness is to be found at Hogwarts where, despite having to deal with the Slytherins and Professor Snape, he can be all he wants to be and can indulge in his favorite aspect of being a wizard: flying on his broomstick and being the Gryffindor Seeker in Quidditch. So he's mildly disconcerted when there will be no Quidditch interhouse competition at Hogwarts this year. Instead, the school's champion will be competing against the champions of two other schools in the Triwizard Tournament. Though Harry has no hopes of competing, he looks forward to meeting students from other wizard schools...at least, he does until he finds himself forced to participate, thanks to the Goblet of Fire selecting him as a champion for Hogwarts. Soon it becomes apparent that there is something darker going on, and with only the aching of his scar to guide him, will Harry be able to survive what is to come?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire continues the Harry Potter sequence, and it--like its predecessors--is a tremendous hit! And I do mean "tremendous." At 734 pages, it is a humongous undertaking for anyone to read. Yet, to paraphrase the local newspaper, kids are reading it! And not just kids, but adults, too! I'm certainly glad that I reserved my copy, since the stores were sold out by the following Monday (they were released nationwide on Saturday, July 8). The only upsetting thing about this (not the reading, mind you) is that I just had to go and finish the book by Monday! Oh, well, I'm enjoying rereading it a bit more leisurely now...but that should tell you about the quality of the writing that it could hook someone in so entirely that he had to keep reading until the end.

The Goblet of Fire marks, to my mind, a turning point in the series. I can't say too much without giving away the entire story, but up to now we've lived with the fear of You-Know-Who's intended return. Now we have other things to fear entirely, such as what will happen if You-Know-Who's followers, exclusive of his actual return, ever get themselves organized and united. And if You-Know-Who does return, what will that mean for Harry and Hogwarts? Especially when you consider that You-Know-Who was a student at Hogwarts (from Slytherin, no less) and holds some influence (through his reputation, no doubt) over the current host of Slytherins, like Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle. Now, I have no more desire to see Harry get hurt--or Ron, or Hermione, or Dumbledore, or anyone at Hogwarts, even Malfoy--but you can bet that the events in this novel are going to play a major role in shaping the next three years of Harry's life at Hogwarts!

Since Hogwarts is a seven-year school, I know we'll get to see at least three more novels centered around Harry's growth, and who knows, maybe we'll learn what he does after he graduates. In the meantime, I'm going to go back and reread all four novels, just because the writing is terrific, the stories are great, and Harry Potter's the kind of hero that anyone--man, woman, or child--can respect and look up to! See you later, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is waiting for me!

Rating: Thumbs up! Can friendly interscholastic competition remain friendly when You-Know-Who's plots and schemes loom on the horizon?

Buy this book in hardcover or visit the Cosmic Tomes Bazaar for other titles.

Looking for something that's no longer here? Check in the Archive to search for it.

Comments? Suggestions? Just click here to send me e-mail. Also, if this review prompted you to read the book, then let me know. I appreciate knowing I made a difference in somebody's life.

You are the th visitor to this page since July 16, 2000.

Back Home Back to Starfire Reviews

| Tomes of Spellcasting | Tomes of Shadowstalking | Tomes of Starhopping |
| Tomes of Other Realms | Tomes of Costumed Adventurers | Tomes of Miscellany |
| Starfire Review Archive |

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page
1