How old is too old to start reading the Harry Potter series of books?

[rasczak]

http://www.methodshop.com/gadgets/reviews/potters-stick/index.shtml

D:

Oh? Think I found a Valentine's Day gift. :awe:

 

[Arcadio]

Like everyone said, books are books. Read what you want. A few weeks ago I read "The Tale of Despereaux" and found it to be incredibly entertaining and well written. I loved it.

 

[Kaido]

The only thing you can't do is read Twilight books.

I listened to the audiobooks. They're actually pretty good. The problem is they butchered the movies. I could see the movies going more along the lines of Olivia and Peter Bishop from Fringe for the relationship part, and Blade for the vampire aspect. But instead it turned out to be really, horrible lame. Also the way the story is written makes it difficult to film, because the story is told from the POV of the female lead character and is mostly what she's thinking - her thoughts - so I'd imagine translating that into a movie with dialog would be hard. I thought it was an interesting writing style because it's not just character dialog, it's getting inside the character's head.

They did a really good job on the Harry Potter movies though. Those dementors give me the willies D:

 

[ravana]

No age is too old. I wanted to know what they hype was about when I was 19 & started reading them.

I've only watched the latest movie though.

 

[Murloc]

the first books can be read at any age, but if you're over 15 don't tell anyone.
The later ones just suck, or maybe I grew up in the meanwhile and found them stupidier.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

the first books can be read at any age, but if you're over 15 don't tell anyone.
The later ones just suck, or maybe I grew up in the meanwhile and found them stupidier.

I somewhat feel the same way. The later books just started kinda grinding on me. The writing style just seemed to get dumber and dumber and a bit too much relationship stuff.

The first books are pretty good though, at least through nostalsia goggles.

 

[Lonyo]

If you're old enough to read, you're too old to read the Harry Potter books.

 

[HAL9000]

No age, but everyone should have read them by age 9 at the moment, (assuming you were young enough to do that)

 

[MrChad]

I somewhat feel the same way. The later books just started kinda grinding on me. The writing style just seemed to get dumber and dumber and a bit too much relationship stuff.

The first books are pretty good though, at least through nostalsia goggles.

The series improved for me in the later books. The only exception is the 5th book, which I think could have been edited down a bit.

 

[airdata]

HP is great. My sister and dad were both reading them, then I read them. It's good for all ages.

 

[thebestMAX]

Read anything you want to at any time.

I caught a lot of gruff for reading "The Hobbit" in 1966 while I was in the Air Force. Everyone thought I was reading a kids book/Fairy tale. Harry Potter books now are sort of the modern day Lord of the Rings IMHO.

 

[HeXen]

heck i still love to read the old "choose your own adventure" books. They were written from a first person point of view and at the end of each page your given options of choice. like "if you open door go to page 38" "if you run away go to page 24"

i think their alot of fun, i grew up with reading them maybe thats why. wish they still made them though.

 

[zebano]

HP is a great series though I found the ending a bit corny. Read them at any age

Spoiler

(yes some of the latter books do get a bit teen-angst/emo-ish but it's not way off base of most teenagers I know

 

[Kaido]

I somewhat feel the same way. The later books just started kinda grinding on me. The writing style just seemed to get dumber and dumber and a bit too much relationship stuff.

I wonder why writers feel the need to do this. I really enjoyed the first couple seasons of Lost and Heros, but overtime the episodes lost the focus of the story and chose to focus more on the relationships. They turned into soap operas instead of continuing the adventures.

Movie sequels also seem to share a similar fate - good first movie, botched second movie

 

[thraashman]

I picked up the first book to read on a flight coming back from my 30th birthday in Vegas. I ended up enjoying it enough that 4 weeks later I'd read all 7. You'd be surprised at how many people love those books that are older.

 

[olds]

Q. How old is too old to start reading the Harry Potter series of books?
A. 14

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Thats what I keep hearing from HP fanatics. (mainly my wife)

I watched the first movie, and it kept me entertained, but she insists that I should read the books before watching any more of the movies.

I prefer reading books before watching movies anyway, but HP was not something I thought I would ever like. Guess I will give it a shot.

I find that everyone that likes hte movie likes the book. Also, most people that have seen the movie only tink it is not that great. The movie itself does not stand on it's own two feet.

 

[CRXican]

read something worthwhile

 

[yllus]

They're pretty crappy at any age - I only read them because my girlfriend at the time had the set and I knew I could speed through them. It's the Twilight phenomenon before Twilight came along - poor writing that with a massive ad campaign and some luck manage to make it big completely without merit.

 

[gorcorps]

I wonder why writers feel the need to do this. I really enjoyed the first couple seasons of Lost and Heros, but overtime the episodes lost the focus of the story and chose to focus more on the relationships. They turned into soap operas instead of continuing the adventures.

Movie sequels also seem to share a similar fate - good first movie, botched second movie

Almost all of my favorite shows die this way. It's why I can't watch House anymore.

 

[Krynj]

Just pick em up and read em. They're excellent books.

 

[zinfamous]

16, tbfh

 

[zinfamous]

HP is a great series though I found the ending a bit corny. Read them at any age

Spoiler

(yes some of the latter books do get a bit teen-angst/emo-ish but it's not way off base of most teenagers I know

calling them emo and angsty is a spoiler?

:hmm:

 

[Homerboy]

I'm 36 and just wrapped up the series a few months ago. I loved LOVED every book and freely discuss it with other people that enjoy the books/movies too. My sister is near 50 and loves them too.

They aren't "hard novels" by any stretch, but they are entirely entertaining to read.

 

[zebano]

calling them emo and angsty is a spoiler?

:hmm:

yeah probably not, but I rather though that was a very large part of books 5 & 6 with the main plot almost taking a backseat.