Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

At this point in time (late 2009), what can one say about the first Harry Potter book? Almost everyone must know the story by now, so what is left to say? Well, I'll put my two cents in on why one might want to read it as an adult so late in the game by telling why I did it.

I went to see the movie corresponding to this book when it came out - that was late 2001 I guess - and really enjoyed it. Didn't think of reading the book, since it was a kid's book, and I was over 40. A co-worker soon after admitted to me that she was reading or had read the book and that it was very good.

Later, I saw the second movie and found it a little hard to follow and thought that the books might be worth reading before seeing the films. Since I had seen the first two movies and was short on time, I started reading with the third book. After that, I read all the later books as they were available and saw the movies as they came out in theaters. Recently, when I saw the 6th movie, I decided that maybe I would read the first two books and watch those movies again as the series was almost over and maybe I did miss something.

I finished the first book today. It was very good as most people know already. From what I can remember, the movie followed it pretty closely, but I think I did pick up some details that I had missed. I congratulate the author for her wonderful contribution to literature and movies - for children and otherwise.

One thing that I will say to an adult who is hesitating to read this or any book in the series is this. They aren't written all that simply, and there are some good vocabulary words thrown in now and then. As the series progresses, I think the author wrote aiming at an older audience as well - in subject matter, style and length.

One thing about this first book that an adult might notice that is a little off is that it was weak on continuity from one chapter to the next here and there. That is, it seemed more like several closely related short stories strung together than one coherent story at times. This was not the case in the later books from what I saw. This may be because the author had so much to introduce to get the series going and/or it was to keep a younger audience from getting bogged down otherwise.

The author did a great job in making the wizard world seem all so real. It was great fun - maybe as adults we could all use a little more of that in our lives, especially when times are tough otherwise.

I'm glad I read this one and look forward to reading the second book and re-watching the first two movies before seeing the final two movies due out in future. Well done, Ms. Rowling!

The Hermit of Eyton Forest

This is number 14 in the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. In this book, with the 12th century English civil war in the background, several unhappy events take place in and around Shrewsbury and beyond. Peters fits these seemingly unrelated events together for readers making for a good story.

As the book opens, the Lord of Eaton finally dies due to battle wounds; his son and heir named Richard is ten years old and in school at the abbey in Shrewsbury. The boy's grandmother is determined to take him home and marry him off right away to a neighbor who has only a daughter and very good lands. She is thwarted in her plans by the abbot, since the boy was put into his charge by the boy's father who wanted him educated.

At the Lord of Eaton's funeral, readers get the first glimpse of the hermit for whom the book is named. The grandmother installs this hermit in a small dwelling in a forest on Eaton land. Soon after, some disasters take place nearby on abbey land which are reported to the abbot. Not long after this, the hermit's servant appears at the abbey to announce that the hermit believes the disasters are God tying to tell the abbot to send Richard back to his grandmother. The abbot is not convinced.

Somewhere around this point in the book, news concerning some treasure of the Empress Maude's that has apparently been stolen comes to Shrewsbury. The messenger carrying this treasure is presumed dead given the condition of his horse when found. This turns out to be very important in the story.

A very unpleasant man named Bosiet shows up to lodge at the abbey. He is in search of a bondman of his who has run off - apparently for good reason. Bosiet shows up dead in the forest not long afterward. It looks like the hermit's servant is the missing bondsman.

The servant has made friends with the boy Richard. The boy finds out that Bosiet is heading off to find the servant, so he goes off to warn him, and does so, but disappears on the way back to the abbey. A massive search is started for the servant now suspected of the murder and for the boy.

As the story progresses, the boy is found, the hermit is killed and the mystery of the missing treasure is solved. The details are left out here so as not to spoil the plot.

I figured out what happened before it was actually revealed by the book, but only about a page or so beforehand. It is always exciting when that happens. I mean figuring it out ahead of time, but only at the last moment, so the book was indeed worth finishing.

Cadfael played a major part in this book, but he was not involved in several scenes. This may be why this book was not used for the TV series, which is a shame because it tells a very good story.

Anyway, if you like the Cadfael series, certainly give this one a try.