Writing Warning! This thread contains unmarked spoilers!: Harry Potter, Book 6.

[Syk3]

It seemed like you enjoyed it, Dagger, and I'm glad to hear it. :)
[QUOTE=Dagger][spoiler]One thing that particularly bothered me was Voldemort's noticeable absence, flashbacks aside. Don't get me wrong--I thought the parts about his childhood were by far some of the best segments in the book. However, this is the only installment of the HP series, as far as I remember, in which the man himself has not made an appearance.

To me, that made the conflict between Death Eaters and Muggles & regular wizards seem less immediate and less real/urgent than it would have been if she at least gave us a glimpse of Voldemort orchestrating things from behind the scenes. It's far more compelling to see him interacting with other characters than to simply have people talk about him a lot, even though much was revealed about his background, and the concept of Horcruxes kicks ass in so many ways.[/spoiler][/quote][spoiler]Well, off the top of my head, he wasn't in Prisoner of Azkaban, was he? I really didn't mind his absense, myself, especially because of all of the scenes we saw from his background. The thing we have to keep in mind, though, is that it's clear that we'll be seeing quite a bit of him in the next book, so perhaps Rowling was trying to balance it out a bit. Get some background on him in this book.. and then go ahead with the final duel and whatever else in the next one.[/spoiler]

[quote][spoiler]As for the romance--Lupin/Tonks felt [i]extremely[/i] contrived to me. I'm not objecting to this as a slash fangirl, haha--and it doesn't matter anyway, since Sirius has kicked the bucket--but I felt that both Lupin and Tonks were somewhat minimized as characters by being thrown together with virtually no real visible development of the relationship. I know many fans feel differently, but I would have appreciated an all or nothing approach to the whole romance thing--either spend a lot of time making the relationship believable and sympathetic, or leave it to the fanfic writers.[/spoiler][/quote][spoiler]I'm not sure if I really need to reply to this since I imagine that you'll be reading the other posts a little more in depth later on, but.. Rowling has mentioned that we'll be getting a lot more focus on Lupin in the next book, and I imagine in doing so, the relationship will be more fleshed out than the glimces we saw here. So in a sense, she's planting another one of her necessary seeds.

I should also take the time to say that while many of you seemed to really enjoy the Fluer part at the end, I'm not really sure it sat well with me. I mean, she was saying all that, but when she said "I'm good-looking enough for the both of us," I thought that was pretty rediculous. :p But I'm a guy, so.. maybe I don't see it.[/spoiler]

[quote][spoiler]I disliked both of them and felt that both were rather unnecessary--even though Sluggie did have a clear purpose in the story. I wouldn't have minded as much if one or both had at least been mentioned in passing or had cameos in previous books. In fairness, I loved the opening chapter with the Prime Minister--I thought it made for a nice change of pace and set things up well for how the war would impact the Muggle world. However, I was disappointed that she never really followed up on it.[/spoiler][/quote][spoiler]As you say, Slughorn did have a purpose in the story, and Scrimgeour was there for, if nothing else, to show that the Ministry was taking further precaution, but still had that irk of getting a guy with faulty aims. And as I mentioned before.. who knows what appearances will become important in the final book. I too liked the first chapter, which introduced the new minister, but I don't think Rowling wanted to put too much emphasis on the muggle world; the wizards had enough to deal with on their own. Was Scrimgeour mentioned before, though? You'd think she might have mentioned his name in a scene with aurors in a previous book.[/spoiler]

[quote][spoiler]HBP has made me go from "I want to be a Malfoy fangirl, but I can't in good conscience support the canon version of the character" to "OMG DRACO 4-EVA!!!111!!!" With Sirius permanently gone and Lupin relegated to a pathetically tiny and almost insulting supporting role, Malfoy is by far my new favorite character in the series. I also love Narcissa.[/spoiler][/quote]This reminds me of something that I read from an interview with Rowling about Malfoy's character, haha, not to be saying anything about your reasoning. But anyway, she was saying how dissapointed she was about how many girls liked/loved Malfoy, because she was trying so hard to make him an evil character that people will hate. She went on to explain how sad it was that girls tended to do this, in spending their whole lives thinking that they could change a guy into who they wanted them to be. XD But again, not saying anything about you. <.<

[DeadSeraphim]

[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial][spoiler]I quite enjoyed the book, and liked the non-linear nature of it. I liked the darker feel, and the fact Rowling wasn't obsessing over every class and event that happened throughout the year. Considering those events were generally of an upbeat nature, and the overall theme of the book was of a slowly descending darkness and oppression, I don't think it would've worked at all.

Also, after 5 books it was becoming old. I can only read about the 'fantastic Christmas feast' and the Easter dance so many times.

I was relieved to here that Harry has decided not to attend for a 7th year. I don't think the story would've worked at all if he'd stayed for his final year as well as gone after Voldemort. And those people saying 'But he's too weak, he needs another year!!!', you have to remember he successfully mastered his Patronus at [b]14[/b] and apparated from wherever the fake horcrux was all the way to Hogsmeade without ever having apparated further than a few feet before (among other things, he's got a whole bag of tricks at this point).

He may be under-skilled, he's by no means under-powered. Besides, if he went for a final year (assuming Hogwartz even stayed open), how the hell would he find the horcruxes? It's not like whoever replaces Dumbledore will be hunkydory with him just popping out for weeks at a time to find them. He's better off alone.

Finally: Harry can't be a horcrux. The prophecy said 'neither can live while the other survives'. For Harry to beat Voldemort if he were a horcrux, he'd need to kill himself - thus fulfilling the prophecy in Voldemort's favour and making the whole thing pointless.[/spoiler]

In conclusion, I liked the book.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[sakurasuka]

[CENTER][SIZE=1]Though people have put some these things in partially un-spoilered, I'd better be safe.

[spoiler]Though everyone seems convinced that RAB is Regulus Black, I don't think so (Somehow, I don't know why.) I do, though, think that it is someone we've met before. Does anyone remember Mr. Borgin's first name? From Borgin & Burkes? He has to play some part, doesn't he? I mean, they keep bringing him up. A possible RAB, unless JKR has put his first name in one of the books and I've just missed it. Not beyond the realm of possibility.

Also, did they not mention Nagini possibly being the sixth of the horcruxes? Certainly it's not Harry. JKR HAS hinted at the presence of another party at the house of Potter the night of the murders, and it could be Pettigrew. I think it would make more sence if it were Nagini, though. (Or did they come to the conclusion that it wasn't? I don't remeber. Could someone refresh my memory?)[/spoiler][/SIZE][/CENTER]