Updated: 7/5/04; 8:20:03 am.
Colin's Countdown
Counting down to SPL 2003
        

Saturday, June 21, 2003

Harry Potter 5

And so, here we are. I woke early and knew it would be a special day. Dudley was snoring loudly in the next room and Hedwig was gently twit-twooing in his cage...

In previous years we have purchased multiple copies of the new Harry Potter book. As you know, I wasn't reading the books but the rest of the family were all eager to be the first to find out about the next installment. So we had to buy multiple copies. However, this year I had calculated that in order to transport more than 1 copy home I would first need to install military specification suspension on the car. So we just went for the one copy this time. (Nothing to do with our current impecuniary situation you understand)

It seems that the world over people were queuing for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and it has instantly become the fastest-selling book ever, despite our reduced purchase quantity. But wait a wee minute - take a close look at that article from the New York Times. 870 pages!!! Now, as predicted on these very pages, we were expecting 768 pages - and I can confirm that our copy is indeed 768 pages (even if the last 2 sides are actually blank). So does the US copy have an additional 102 blank sides?? Or do they have a bonus Tanya Grotter short story?

And take a look at that US price! Nearly 30 dollars. I picked up our copy for under 9 pounds this morning. But then I suppose it may be worth it to find out whether Tanya can finally defeat Lord Wiener Wurst.

 A worthwhile challenge
And on to the final report from our sister publication Challenge Colin. I made it to Book 3 page 75, so I guess that you could call it failure. But I have read 2 and a bit books in under 2 weeks. And I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Readers who have stuck by me for more than a couple of sentences know that I am a serious cynic. But I am converted. The books are worth reading and I commend them to you. My plan is to finish books 3 and 4 and then move on to the new one, once it has been well-thumbed by the rest of the family. But read it I will.

 Footnote
Several stores are offering free Harry Potter elastoplast with every copy of the book as so many children have seriously injured their feet after dropping the book while reading. Footnote - geddit?


9:43:26 PM    comment []

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