Great Authors is a fortnightly feature I have started to discuss my favourite authors.
JK Rowling (aka Joanne Rowling)
Today I thought that I would dedicate Great Authors to JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Though the Ages.
I have to admit that I like the rest (most) of the world have been sucked into this series. I don't know what it is exactly but the story, the characters and the magical world in which they live are so beautifully crafted that this series completely carries me away into the world it creates like not many other books have done before. Other series that I can think have had the same effect on me are Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien and the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M Auel (although a little less with each book in this series).
What didn't become apparent until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was just how detailed the entire plot actually was; seemingly inconsequential things in earlier books turned out to have significant meaning, and I enjoyed seeing everything tied off so well. I have reviewed the final book of the series, in fact, it was my very first ever review (so excuse me if it is not very good).
What the Harry Potter series has seen me do that the other series has not (although in all fairness this wasn't possible for LOTR), is to take a day off work each time the new book is released, queue outside the bookshop waiting to purchase the book, and then spend the day reading the book until it is finished. Yes, I know I am a super dag, but only Harry Potter would have me doing this.
I know that this isn't supposed to be a review of the series, it is supposed to be about JK Rowling. The reason I chose to discuss JK Rowling in 'Great Authors', however, is that she created this world for us. She has had an interesting life, which you can read about on the Internet. It includes achieving a classics degree and working as a researcher for Amnesty International, both of which I find rather impressive.
If anyone hasn't read this wonderful series, please try. I know that sometimes people have a tendency not to read something because of its popularity (I felt like that about Twilight for a long time), but I have never met anyone who has read Harry Potter and not enjoyed it. It is magical.
Originally posted 16 March 2010 Page Turners
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