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Editorial Review:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the long-awaited, heavily hyped fourth instalment of a phenomenally successful series that has captured the imagination of millions of readers, young and old, across the globe. For J K Rowling the pressure is certainly on to continue to come up with thrilling, pacey storylines that allow her hero to mature into a young man without detracting from the magical secret that has made Harry into a superstar. In this book, the teenage Harry has a certain gawky charm that fits well with his advancing adolescence. As the story moves on, Harry too moves on to a new level of maturity that leaves the reader wondering how he will learn from his experiences, and liking him all the more as a character.
Once returned to Hogwarts after his summer holiday with the dreadful Dursleys and an extraordinary outing to the Quidditch World Cup, the 14-year-old Harry and his fellow pupils are enraptured by the promise of the Triwizard Tournament: an ancient, ritualistic tournament that brings Hogwarts together with two other schools of wizardry--Durmstrang and Beauxbatons--in heated competition. But when Harry's name is pulled from the Goblet of Fire, and he is chosen to champion Hogwarts in the tournament, the trouble really begins. Still reeling from the effects of a terrifying nightmare that has left him shaken, and with the lightning-shaped scar on his head throbbing with pain (a sure sign that the evil Voldemort, Harry's sworn enemy, is close), Harry becomes at once the most popular boy in school. Yet, despite his fame, he is totally unprepared for the furore that follows.
This is a hefty volume: 636 pages, of which probably at least 200 could have been cut without detracting from the story. The weight and complexity of the book is perhaps a hint that Rowling now has her eye sharply focused on her adult audience, and the average child-reader (particularly one who is coming to Harry Potter for the first time) may well find its girth daunting. Rowling's ironic and pointed observations on tabloid journalism and the nature of media hype is just one of the references littered through the book that will tickle the grown-ups but may well fly over the heads of her young fans.
However, after a slow start, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire really starts to sparkle halfway through with Rowling's familiar magic (and yes, there is a death--sudden and tragic--and yes, Harry does start to notice girls). The crux of this story, however, is Harry's gradual coming-of-age and his handling of the increasingly determined threats to his own life.
This book is pivotal, not just for the author for whom the heat is well and truly on, but for Harry and his readers who, by the last chapter, are left in little doubt that there is much more to come. (Ages 10 to adult) --Susan Harrison
It is Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and Divination lessons to be attended. Harry is expecting these: however, other quite unexpected events are already on the march.
18 CDs. Complete & Unabridged.
Running Time: 21 hours
Read by Stephen Fry.
The summer holidays are dragging on and Harry Potter can't wait for the start of the school year. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and there are spells to be learnt and (unluckily) Potions and Divination lessons to be attended. But Harry can't know that the atmosphere is darkening around him, and his worst enemy is preparing a fate that it seems will be inescapable. With characteristic wit, fast-paced humour and marvellous emotional depth, JK Rowling has proved herself yet again to be a master story-teller. "Somewhere in this enchanting mixture is a formula so brilliant it eludes analysis. Rich and demanding stuff." - "Mail on Sunday". ""Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" has finally been unleashed. And is it good? You bet it is. Harry's - and our - fourth year at Hogwarts is funny, full of delicious parodies of our own world, and wildly action-packed." - "Times".
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
BRILLIANT ! Another brilliant installment from the Great JK Rowling !
Gets better with each book as we are led further into the wonderful world of magic ! Great to find out about the other Wizarding Schools of Beaubatons & Durmstrang and loved Viktor Krum !
a bit darker than the rest but it has to move on a bit now they are all getting older !
Brilliant !
Of epic proportion, of epic quality. 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' is no short read, taking the reader through over 600 pages of wit, humour, misery and excitement. For some, this book may indeed seem over-written, striding down corridors that are hundreds of yards from where the real plot is taking place. However, Rowling is to be commended for her ability to yet again shape the character of Harry Potter into a greater form, but at a pace relevant to mass market fiction. The growing animosity between Potter and Voldemort is considered... more info
Drink this goblet dry... Rowling is on top form here. Ten pages in, I was hoping that it would never finish. The old caretaker, the 'One who cannot be named' and the eerie setting of an old house. It's great to see Harry maturing throughout the book, although I felt uneasy. But then I realised that was exactly what J K wanted. Great action, great character development, dark, and my favourite H Potter book yet.
Fantastic book magical I have only been in to Harry Potter for about 10 months, 2months before the final book was released.I heard they were great but never bothered to read then.BUT am I glad I did they are BRILL I read them all in a few months and would recommend them to anyone of all ages.This book was one of my favourites.I was gripped from the start to the very end.
