Are the harry potter books worth reading if i've already seen the movies?

Certainly! The movies pale in comparison to the books.

Yes, they are worth reading. There are many characters and plotlines left out of the movies for the sake of time. I’ve read all the books, and while I like the movies, they are a simpler, lighter version of the story. Many characters are more fleshed out, including some major ones like Dumbledore and Snape. Harry’s parents are also a bigger influence. Read the books for the “unabridged” version, basically.

The books offer so much more than the movies do. I think of them as separate entities. You really cannot compare one to the other. That, and they are really easy reads.

Yes, read them all! You will probably end up reading them ten times each!

thanks guys, i’m all excited now!

I prefer the books way over the movies! I’m so sad that there aren’t any more books, that the story has ended. I keep thinking that there will be another book coming out! :(

yes. Although the later ones could have benefitted from some editting.

I concur, especially the first book, which I still find the best.

The first one will fly by, but you might get bogged down in the Second. Keep reading, it winds up well, and number Three is the best! You’re officially in love. Four and you’ll see the descent into more adult themes, Five you will dislike Harry because he seems like a little jerk, and Six is awesome. When you get to book Seven, DO NOT read the epilogue. And, don’t talk about it with people. There are some that still haven’t read it. Morons.

you can’t even imagine how good they are! Also, if you ever listen to things in the car as you fall asleep the books on CD as read by Jim Dale are fantastic!!!!

Of course! They are soo much better than the movies. It’s impossible to explain how vivid and suspenseful the books are… great stories!

I concur with Bri_L. I found actually reading the books heavy going and was inclined to speed-read thru masses of text. Now, I too am listening to all the books on CD – read by Jim Dale, who has an incredible repertoire of voice changes, timber, tone, volume and pitch.

Hearing Hagred is better than reading about him; and the voices for Dobby and Winky have me laughing too hard to drive.

Currently about to get volume five from library.

an interesting story behind Dobby’s voice. He pulled it from an experiene where he got on to a crowded elevator. He suddenly heard “excuse me but could you remove your rear from my face?”. Mr. Dale looked around and down to see A short man. Mr. Dale appologized profusely to which the other man said “not to bother.” It was that man’s voice he used for Dobby’s.

I like the way he ages the voices as they grow. If you think of the number of characters times years, wow what a talent!!!

Good. I was ready for my evening laugh. Thanks, Brian.

Wow – I’ve read all of the books two or three times (I’m working my way through them again right now!), but I never considered listening to the CDs. After gail and Bri’s endorsements, though, I’ll have to check them out – I was so sad that there weren’t any more books coming out, but maybe listening to the CDs will give me a new Harry Potter experience! =)

And I agree with Les – the movies are a whole different entity from the books. If you liked the movies, you’ll definitely love the books – and they’re a very different experience (with more details and whole extra storylines) than what you get from the movies.

YESSSS Read the books! There is so much more there and they are truely magical in themselves!!!! :)

Yes. Yes. Yes. the first film was great. The rest are hackneyed in comparison. Read. Read them all. Read them again.

edit: I just realized how much this post sounded like Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Do it! Do it now! apologies

Defenitely read the Harry Potter books they ar so much better then the movies not putting the movies down though because I love them myself.

How could you ask such a question? The writing alone is worth the read. Rowling makes the combination of social comment and outright fantasy fiction believable. And there are passages, like the description of Aragog’s funeral, that deserve to be regarded as classics of comic writing.

There is another thing; I wonder how many American readers noticed. Ms. Rowling has a sharp eye for the inequities of the British social system: notice the rage of Harry’s uncle when the boy gets a place at Hogwarts, a (very thinly disguised) public school. Watch the development of the character, Voldemort, descended from middle class gentry on the father’s side and from an ancient, one time aristocratic family on his mother’s. I read those books with fascination. When she gets Harry out of her system, it is to be hoped that Ms. Rowling will continue to write.

Absolutely. The books are a whole lot more detailed than the movies and explain things a whole lot better. I saw a Harry Potter movie in its entirety before I read all the books, but I am definitely glad I ended up reading them. I wish I had read the books first before watching any of the movies. The movies leave so much out, including scenes that appear to be extremely important!

Yes, there is no reason to expand other than the fact that the books have so much background plot that the movies don’t incorporate.

And I have just realised that this question was from 2008… So i dearly hope that you have actually read the books by now