Lessons in life.
Rowling's Prisoner of Azbakan is a wonderfully written book. With the recent troubled world seeming to fall
apart around me, I took the opportunity of reading it as "light" fiction, and found myself engrossed in the
characters, the carefully woven plot and the imaginative setting. I had already read the first two Harry Potter
books and had found them charming enough, but this episode seems to be somewhat more developed than
the previous two. The various elements of the plot were almost as skillfully interwoven as those of a well
written murder mystery (the only other type of narrative prose I indulge in with regularity).

Although a little predictable in some respects, this did not detract from the story. Here as in the earlier books,
the author has taken up some very grown up motives. Among these are: the death of parents, the loss and/or
death of pets, the occasional falling out of friends, the unexpected goodness of individuals thought to be "evil,"
the fact that what "everyone" believes about an individual may not be true, that it's important to give the other
guy a chance to fully explain his point of view, the fact that fairness and justice are not always in the cards
even for the "good guys," the fact that some individuals can influence events according to their own agenda
because they have power and wealth, etc.

For children learning to live in a grown up world, the book certainly gives small doses of reality orientation
along with its fantasy. The hero, as usual, comes out on top of the central action, but he does not always
prove to be totally correct about his understanding of events, and everything doesn't work out entirely his way.
Above all the book underscores the notion that it is best to make value judgments with caution, and when
contrary data come ones way to be willing to change opinions accordingly--something even adults aren't
always good at doing.

Although many of the "lessons" in living could become platitudinous, in fact to a degree are so, on the whole
the parable is delivered without being saccharine enough to put off an adult reader or so condescending as to
put off a younger reader. Here as in the earlier books, Rowling has managed to capture a very broad audience
successfully because she has many things to say to each reader. I enjoyed it immensely and have
recommended it to a number of people, none of them children. I also plan on giving the book to a friend with
several children--but only after my husband reads it!

All the continuing characters from Harry's previous adventures return here, including his good friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, the Care-of-Magical-Creatures teacher Hagrid with yet another brood of wild and wooly creatures for the students to learn about, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professors McGonagall and Snape, the nasty Dursley family, and of course, Harry's annoying rival, Draco Malfoy. In addition, this book provides a healthy dose of Quidditch matches, as Gryffindor House once again attempts to win the yearly competition with the other houses. Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor house team, is in his last year at Hogwarts, so he is STRONGLY motivated to win this time.

There are also several new characters introduced, including the aforementioned Sirius Black, and Professor Lupin, who is the latest in an ongoing string of Defense-Against-The-Dark-Arts professors.

The book is a very enjoyable read, better than the first two (which were both still very good). Harry picks up some more magic skills, refines his Quidditch playing, and learns more about his parents and the manner of their death. I have a feeling that as this series progresses, we will continue to get more and more familiar with Harry's (supposedly?) dead family.

Of course, as with the other books, Harry goes through the year trying to get through classes, while also breaking the occasional rule with the help of Ron Weasley and his mischevious older twin brothers. The Hogwarts student body continues to be fleshed out in this book, as we get to know more and more of the other students there besides Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Overall, an excellent read. These books continue to improve. I look forward to reading The Goblet of Fire.

"The Order of the Phoenix" does take the reader deeper into the dark world which Voldemort, the nemesis of HP and all good witches/warlocks has tried to plunge them. This book finally sheds light on part of Harry's past that helps to explain the present. Along with Harry, we learn more about his parents and about how things were at the time Voldemort killed them.

We are also introduced to an integral character, Sirius Black. Is he a good witch or a bad witch? Read this "Prisoner of Azkaban" to find out.

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