Product Description

Harry Potter is in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, this new book opens with a difference with a very sinister encounter and a death in a darkened and empty house. In the meantime term goes on and there are spells to be learnt, potions to be brewed and (unluckily)Divination and Potions lessons to be attended. However, the atmosphere is darkening as, without Harry's knowledge, his worst enemy is preparing a fate for him that it seems is inescapable A dramatic, riveting and powerful latest read from JK Rowling, the master story-teller. 'Spectacularly action-packed plot Rowling's story exerts a relentless pull.' Heat 'Somewhere in this enchanting mixture is a formula so brilliant it eludes analysis . Rich and demanding stuff .' The 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.' The Times

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47494 in Books
• Published on: 2001-07-05
• Released on: 2001-07-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 636 pages

Customer Reviews

a must for long car journeys
We took this on holiday with us. We travelled from Aberdeen to Norfolk with hardly any complaints from either children or adults. Stephen fry kept us all rapt by his superb story telling. It is wonderful hearing the voices he has for all the different characters. We now have all four of these books on audio and they have been worth every penny.

A change from the previous three
When I saw how long this book was compared to the previous three I was a bit doubtful. How could JK Rowling possibly fill all those pages with one school year at Hogwarts? But she did. We're thrown into Harry's life in the middle of the summer holidays when he goes to stay with the Weasleys to go to the Quidditch World Cup and then we're in for an extremely eventful year at Hogwarts.

It seemed to me (before reading the book) that this fourth one in the series is more "adult" than the previous ones. I based that opinion purely on the length of the book. Having read it I feel that this has been confirmed. Harry, Ron and Hermione are growing up. They're no longer kids, but proper teenagers, which might be why I enjoyed this book more than the previous ones. I don't think this will affect children's enjoyment of this book though as the main ingredients (learning magic, coping with school and schoolfriends, and the dark powers that seem to follow Harry wherever he goes) are still present.

I also enjoyed the fact that we're getting to know the other Weasleys better as they're gradually taking on more importance as Harry's substitute family. Getting closer acquainted with Dobby, the house-elf is thoroughly enjoyable since he adds a lot of the comedy value to this story.

I think it's important to read these books in the right order as there are a lot of references to Harry's past. If you have not enjoyed the first three as much as you thought you would I'd still stick with it as this book really does mark a bit of a change from children's book to book for all ages.

Harry returns in a story much darker than its predecessors
Having been told many times of J K Rowling's fourth installment of the Harry Potter series being considerably darker than the first three, I was simultaneously skeptical as to whether or not the effect would be successful, and at the same time eager to experience the change in her storytelling technique. I wasn't disappointed. Yes, it's a long book, and although that seems to put some people off, let me assure you that the effect has the author drawing the reader in to an enchanting and many-layered plot like never before. The level of detail is far more enhanced than the previous books containing Harry's adventures: The author seems aware that the original Harry Potter fans have now matured along with the young wizard, and are now capable not only of understanding the changes Harry is experiencing, but also able to take on board a more complex storyline than is usual within the set of books.

The first hundred or so pages see Harry suffering at the hands of his wretched relatives - the Dursleys - before finally being released for long enough to enjoy the exciting atmosphere of the Quidditch World Cup. Upon returning to Hogwarts, Harry and his fellow witched and wizards learn of a once-annual tradition known as the Triwizard Tournament. It is at this point that J K Rowling unleashes information about magic schools in other countries: Durmstrang and Beaxbatons are the names of the other two schools that compete against Hogwarts for the Triwizard Cup. Times are stressful for Harry during the competition, and it is then that we glimpse changes in his personality and angry outbursts caused by his awkward adolescant phase.

There are, of course, plenty of new characters introduced to the reader: The new Defence Agsinst the Dark Arts teacher - the eccentric and - some believe - dangerous 'Mad-Eye' Moody. We also come across some familiar faces, such as the amusing house-elf Dobby, formerly seen in book two - The Chamber of Secrets. Not only this, but surprising facts are uncovered about characters such as Neville Longbottom, and sinister pasts of thoses working for the Ministry of Magic. There is plenty of excitement within the Goblet of Fire, and suspense during difficulties Harry must overcome during tests of friendship between himself, Ron and Hermione. There are lots of surprises in store, plenty of twists and several weepy moments. It is my personal favourite in the series, and I urge you to give it a read.