After the successful release of the second and final installment of Harry Potter, the worldwide phenomenon has concluded its more-than-a-decade-long rule of both the bestsellers list and the box office. As the Potter-mania reached its natural end, readers may indulge themselves in some sentimental reading reboot of the most loved fantasy fiction character of the decade. For certified fanatics and first-time HP-readers alike, this is the chance to meet and relive the adventures of "the boy who lived"!
Revisiting Hogwarts
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series and its accompanying books, first conceived the story of a magical world situated within modern-day United Kingdom way back 1997. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first in the long series of Hogwarts-centered books about a young wizard named Harry Potter, saw its first publication in 1997. Like the successive books in the series, the Philosopher's Stone opened to critical and commercial success that eventually led to its movie adaptation in 2001. The same actors who played the much-beloved characters in the first book - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, and Ralph Fiennes - all reprised their roles throughout the next seven Harry Potter movies (with the exception of Richard Harris, who was replaced by actor Michael Gambon after the former's untimely demise) within the ten years following that first movie.
J.K. Rowling's Books
The following is a list of J.K. Rowling's books with the year of its publication. The other year identified is the year of the worldwide release of that particular book's movie adaptation.
1. the Sorcerer's Stone (1997; 2001)
2. the Chamber of Secrets (1998; 2002)
3. the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999; 2004)
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000; 2005)
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003; 2007)
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005; 2009)
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007; Part 1: 2010, Part 2: 2011)
8. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2011)
9. Quidditch Through the Ages (2001)
10. The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008)
11. Harry Potter Prequel (short story written for charity, 2008)
First edition copies, the ones originally published by Bloomsbury, are considered to be collectors' items. The other books' first edition release are expensive, although you can now find pre-owned copies being sold online.
The Appeal of Potter-mania
If you enjoy reading about fantastical worlds, magic, and adventures that thrill and exhilarate, you will find that J.K. Rowling's books are indisputably well-written, mixing the fantastical with the ordinary while sharing to her readers the common themes of friendship and the power of will in the battle versus good and evil.
J.K. Rowling's books have been categorized under the Fantasy genre, with elements of adventure, mystery, thriller, and romance. Other classifications include Children's Fantasy and Coming-of-Age Story. Her stories are loved by children and adults alike as it resonates with realities that readers can relate with (this, despite the magical trope within the novels).
At present, author J.K. Rowling is busy with her charity works. In June 2011, she announced the launching of a website where she continued to expand on the world she has created through a website dubbed "Pottermore". Pottermore.com is still in its Beta Version but will be available for everyone by October 2011.
Today, her series remain a strong influence in both film and literature. With the success of J.K. Rowling's books, the Fantasy Genre saw an upsurge of popularity and following as evidenced by the number of published volumes and the rise of first-time authors writing fantasy stories with characters as brave and charming as Harry Potter.
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