@Oscar Leigh I know I was just sharing something else, that I thought was note worthy.Changes the tone of the whole story knowing that there are in fact two chosen ones. I never made it past the first 100 pages of the fifth book in the series. Harry was a little whiny teenybopper, and I was not impressed so I decided to not continue the series. Not that I really care what happens in the books, that is not in the movies. It was a mediocre plot twist, even the twist at the end about the whole elder wand crap.
@peachalulu: I've been less and less comfortable with the "serial killer with DID" trope ever since I started posting on the same site as L.B. Lee, who has DID. It seems kind of exploitative, and it doesn't fit with most of the cases I've read about.
At first I thought it was sorta dumb, but as I got older, the more I found the plot twist in Fight Club to be brilliant.
Totally understand. I've read some bios of people with DID and fiction rarely seems to line up. But that's one of the ugly sides of horror. They can be exploitative. They can also be insulting, anti-religious, smug, non pc, stereotypical and truly anti-nice. With that list you'd think I'd avoid them but anything on that list is hard to avoid in any genre unless the writer is really trying hard not to offend anyone. I have to semi-tolerate it because I like the thrill and absurdness of a horror but sometimes I just toss a book aside in disgust.
Horror is so diverse, though. Just put the brilliant psychological horror of The Haunting of Hill House next to a modern, gory slasher and they two could be more different, yet they are both considered "horror," broadly speaking.
Hey @Cave Troll, for me Harry Potter is one of the best works of fiction I've ever read, and I've read A LOT. The way it gripped me from the opening line in the first book until the last word in the last book, the way I found myself immersed in the world that J.K Rowling created, no other book and no other author has ever made me feel like that. And that's why I personally consider Harry Potter to be a modern masterpiece. Of course that's just my opinion and you're welcome to disagree with it, I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, I just wanted to explain why I (and my fellow HP fans) enjoy the series so much. Oh and as for the Nevile Longbottom thing. There aren''t two chosen ones. Harry IS the only chosen one. Now, Nevile could have ended up becoming the chosen one instead if Voldemort had chosen to go to his house that night and murder his parents instead of Harry's. So Voldemort basically chose he's own nemesis. And the sword of Gryffindor can be pulled out of the hat by a real Gryffindor, that is a person who demonstrates true courage and bravery, which Nevile truly showed several times by the time he killed Nagini. Nowhere in the series was it ever said that only Harry could pull out the sword. The reason Harry is the chosen one, is that as the prophecy says, neither can live while the other survives which is because a part of Voldemort's soul lives on in harry, meaning harry had to sacrifice himself in order to kill Voldemort. This is what the whole chosen one thing was about and this was something that only Harry could do. Sorry this post got so long, but that's what you get by getting me to talk about Harry Potter .
I am glad that it is the best piece of fiction you have ever read. I cannot how ever say the same, as I am a huge fan of Bradbury, Zlazny, and Zahn. I grew up with a lot of Sci-Fi, as my parents had a large collection of books in both Sci-fi and Fantasy. Technically where I was going with the whole Potter v Longbottom thing, is that it all came down to the fact that despite having very similar backgrounds it was a luck of the draw when it came down to the Prophecy (will post a vid that explains the whole theory ). Considering I have read better in my own opinion. Not saying that it is a bad series, just that I did not find it to be all that good. That and I know that people have strong leanings one way or another when it comes to things they like/dislike, and love to defend their position a little to aggressively. As far a masterpiece, I am out of the loop on how that would be possible. There are 2 different versions of the series, the English and the American. I am pretty sure an artist only makes on work of art, and then does not go and make one slightly different and yet exactly the same. Of course this is comparing two different medium types entirely. At the least I can say is that there will be those that will stand to argue that Rowling stole her story from early works that predate her own. Not going to get too far into that one as people don't like it when this comes up in conversation about the series. Just putting it on the table for consideration as all, not going to make a claim one way or another as I have not read anything that has raised this question. Though I am sure someone might mention that series at some point. Anywho, enough rambling about all that nonsense that you probably don't give a damn about. Here is the vid explaining the theory I alluded to earlier.
My grandmother gave this book to me many years ago and told me I should read it: A patch of blue (Be ready with bells and drums) and it shocked me, because I didn't know anything about it. Haven't had another book that surprised me like this one.
Yes! In all the books I've read, that was the twist I expected the least. Snapes' past was a real shocker for me, especially after what happened in the previous book. Sure, when we got to know about it, it all fit into place, but I wouldn't have guessed that, even if I had an entire lifetime.
Yeah, exactly! thank you It was well thought-out and very well-written and as you said it fits perfectly with everything once you find out about it which is how a twist must be
The book which I can *remember* had me going "Whaaaaaat!?" the most was probably Cold Days, by Jim Butcher, from the Dresden Files series. Spoiler -learning the role of the Winter Court in the protection of reality -how Nemesis affects the Fae -Mab's past, before she became Winter Queen -Molly becoming Winter Lady
Mmh, you didn't specify only books so how about the recent Game of Thrones episode? Hodor and hold the door. Oh my god, I was working a GOT costumed event during that episode and geeked out so hard. Best episode ever.