Nine days until the last book in the Harry Potter series is released and I'm panting. Larry calls it 'Harry Potter Blueballs' and I can neither argue with it nor find a better phrase to describe it. I've had it since I read the last sentence on the last page of the 6th book.
Harry Potter; more addictive than crack. And unlike my video game and anime addictions, infinitely less expensive.
Apparently as the release date draws closer a lot of other...um, enthusiasts (yeah, that works) are experiencing it too, which seems to bring out the inner asshole in some folks. Judging by their behavior I'd be willing to bet there's a lot of 'outer asshole' going on too. More overt than covert, as it were. Star Wars fans love spoilers. Harry Potter fans don't. But in case we change our minds, there's a thoughtful group of humanitarians who have dedicated themselves to making sure we get them.
Currently there are several sites with supposed plot-ruining details polluting the internet, one of which was put up by a catholic boy who claims to have gotten the book months ago from a friend within the publishing company. What does he have to gain by ruining the enjoyment of the book for others? According to his page, he's doing it to bring people to god. Magic is eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil, and by posting the spoilers he figures there will be no point in reading the book because we won't be able to enjoy it now that we know the plot details.
Nice try. He underestimateth the collective memory and intelligence of we, the Potterites.
Remember when it was announced that the first major character in the series to die was going to be dispatched in Harry Potter & the Order Of the Phoenix? Spoiler sites popped up by the dozens with 'reliable information' that the (soon to be) ex-character was practically every member of the cast *Dobby included*, and that death was dealt by accident, knife wounds, magic fight and murder. The killer was said to be everyone from Hermione to Voldemort himself.
The truth?
Belletrix LaStrange zapped Sirius Black. Next to the veil. With an unnamed curse. Most likely either Stupefy (which would have stunned him, in which case passing through the veil would have finished him off), or Avada Kedavara, in which case he was long gone before his body went through the veil. J.K. Rowling never specified the color of the bolt of light that accompanied the spell so we really don't know for sure. Either way, he's dead and all of the so-called 'spoilers' turned out to be a load of owl droppings.
It's absolutely ridiculous that there is even a concern about attending the release parties because of people doing drive by plot revelations. Yet it shows just how enduringly loved the series is that people would rather stay home and read the book than chance the possibility that the experience might be ruined for them. It also shows just how threatened certain others are by the success of the series and the misinformation surrounding it. There are no real witchcraft spells in the books, yet *at the risk of sounding trite* they do contain plenty of magic - they've gotten kids reading like nothing else. Regardless of the stupid protests, the lies about the books and the overall smear campaign by the christian right, this most positive part of the whole experience remains. Kids are reading and truly enjoying it. This is an amazing and beautiful thing. They drop to a sitting position in every available corner of the stores on release night (and for several days thereafter) and just read.
Lots of us, it seems, will be going into blackout mode that weekend. I have the babies so I can't attend the release parties anyway, but I'd stay home even if I could, to get an early start and avoid the spoilers. I've already told Larry I need him to be with the children that weekend because I'm not going to be mobile very much. I pre-ordered mine in February and got word in May that the nice folks at Amazon gave me a free shipping upgrade so the book will be delivered to me on the day of it's release. I really can't wait to get my hands on it!
The spoilers issue is pretty stupid. It isn't really going to ruin the book for anyone or stop anyone from reading it because we know 99.999&#xof; the advance 'information' about the books turns out to be bogus anyway. Besides, if some idiot has nothing better to do than try to ruin the experience for someone else let him or her wallow in their own little personal puddle of assholia and pass it off as an example of behavior that betrays one's lack of attentive parenting during the formative years.
And enjoy the blackout. I know I will.
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I do applaud the series for the fact that it gets kids to actually read and fires their imaginations. I hope the book exceeds your expectations when it comes out and you enjoy yourself immensely.
A pox on the spoilers and all who spread them!