OT: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

[douglas]

Renegade 13 said:
I've read the first book, and while I can understand the appeal to those of a...younger age group, it isn't exactly what I'd call a literary masterpiece. Nowhere near as good as Lord of the Rings, etc. Then again, that's just the impression I got from the first book.

The first book is not enough to judge the entire series. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer/Philosopher's Stone is definitely a kids book. As the series goes on, it gets both darker and more mature with each book. I don't recall where I read it so I can't provide a reference, but ISTR that Rowling planned from the beginning to target each book for an audience the same age as Harry in that book, so the readership could grow up with the series as it was released. With each book set a year apart and there being seven of them, that's quite a difference from start to finish.