On Sun, 24 Nov 2002 01:26:23 -0600, "Gametech" <voltronalpha at hotmail.com> wrote: >I don't see why but almost everyone I know has the "Harry Potter series >really isn't all that bad." attitude and is usually translates into I love >the series I can't get enough of it gimmie gimmie gimmie but are too ashamed >to just say, I think somehow that's the case in relation to lots of fantasy, >at least trying to convince virgin-fantasy readers to give some a try. I think there is too much schoolboy bias to amuse some adults for long, although the inventiveness and liveliness make up for a lot. I have read some and get tired of the same-old of his exaggerated relationships with his family and the stringent rules which always get broken and the exaggerated penalties which always get abated. (And why don't I get tired of Eddings who is arguably worse? Don't know. I reserve my choice of cliche to wallow in :<) ) I think when I was in school I would have loved it. I know my ten-year-old granddaughter has been vacuuming up anything Potter-related she can get to. Richard P.S. re Analog subscription - I was given a subscription to Astounding (as it was named then) at age 14 - it opened up new areas of thought and reading, although I had read all Burroughs and Swifties I could obtain. I haven't kept up with them as well - Asimov's is good, perhaps others could weigh Asimov's vs Analog vs F&SF for an 11 yr old. I'm not sure I would have been as interested at age 11, and editorial aims have changed a lot in 50 years. PPS Someone mentioned Kipling - particularly Kim and the Jungle Books.