How did the Harry Potter series get so popular?

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Uzumaki_Naruto5

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#1 Uzumaki_Naruto5
Member since 2005 • 1058 Posts

Yeah, so how did the books get so popular. The first 3 didnt do too well and then the 4th was breaking records. How did it happen?

And I am a harry potter fan, just wondering how the series is now the most widely read series in the world.

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tomxizor

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#2 tomxizor
Member since 2004 • 11767 Posts
It got a cult following; it happens. :|
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JustPlainLucas

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#3 JustPlainLucas
Member since 2002 • 80441 Posts
I believe word of mouth had a lot to do with it. People at my old work and all my friends wouldn't shut up about it.
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ConManWithGun

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#4 ConManWithGun
Member since 2005 • 6272 Posts
Little kids started making fun of each other if they didn't read the harry potter books, so those kids told there parents to buy it, then those parents bragged about it and then BAM, superstardiness
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MattUD1

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#5 MattUD1
Member since 2004 • 20715 Posts
There are those who hype it, those who believe the hype, those who are curious, those who are curious and tell other people. That's basically how it came to be.
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MattUD1

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#6 MattUD1
Member since 2004 • 20715 Posts

Little kids started making fun of each other if they didn't read the harry potter books, so those kids told there parents to buy it, then those parents bragged about it and then BAM, superstardinessConManWithGun

Truthiness may have competition.

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Flow4U

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#7 Flow4U
Member since 2007 • 1529 Posts
Who doesn't like magic :)
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BraindeadRacr

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#8 BraindeadRacr
Member since 2006 • 2676 Posts
Because the dutch prime-minister is Harry Potters' uncredited daddy:  Meet Harry Potter.  Meet Jan Peter Balkenende, hes the dude to the left.
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mac906

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#9 mac906
Member since 2005 • 22536 Posts
Everyone likes magic, that's how. :)
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ConManWithGun

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#10 ConManWithGun
Member since 2005 • 6272 Posts

[QUOTE="ConManWithGun"]Little kids started making fun of each other if they didn't read the harry potter books, so those kids told there parents to buy it, then those parents bragged about it and then BAM, superstardinessMattUD1

Truthiness may have competition.

maybe it does :P

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SuperSaiyanLink

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#11 SuperSaiyanLink
Member since 2003 • 19542 Posts
It's evil magic brainwashed the minds of non-religious.
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prostar343

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#12 prostar343
Member since 2004 • 5258 Posts
Word of month, and the media loved the idea of Rowling being a poor woman with a child releasing a book.
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Roland1987

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#13 Roland1987
Member since 2004 • 3038 Posts
I don't really know, personally i never found the books that entertaining and the movies are ok at best.
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mmogoon

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#14 mmogoon
Member since 2006 • 7311 Posts
Word of mouth obviously is the biggest factor. But there's a reason it became popular in the first place before becoming very popular...i guess it's because they're fun, feel good books, easy to get into, well written, enjoyable by adults and children etc
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ayanami_rei

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#15 ayanami_rei
Member since 2005 • 17115 Posts
*Shrugs.* I'm not a fan of the books. I read the first two, then I got bored with the third.
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Uzumaki_Naruto5

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#16 Uzumaki_Naruto5
Member since 2005 • 1058 Posts

I don't really know, personally i never found the books that entertaining and the movies are ok at best. Roland1987

the movies are crap. The books are pretty good though. Maybe theyre not as entertaining if you read them as individual books but youll like them if you read them as a series or as one big book. Also, the first book is garbage imo so that might turn you off too.

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Uzumaki_Naruto5

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#17 Uzumaki_Naruto5
Member since 2005 • 1058 Posts

*Shrugs.* I'm not a fan of the books. I read the first two, then I got bored with the third. ayanami_rei

Really? I thought it was at the third book that they started becoming good. The first one was crap, second was meh, third was good, all the ones after that were really good imo.

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bobaban

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#18 bobaban
Member since 2005 • 10560 Posts

There are those who hype it, those who believe the hype, those who are curious, those who are curious and tell other people. That's basically how it came to be.MattUD1

I agree there was alot of hype about it. I thought it would crap but after actually reading them you can tell the writing is phenomal.

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bobaban

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#19 bobaban
Member since 2005 • 10560 Posts

There are those who hype it, those who believe the hype, those who are curious, those who are curious and tell other people. That's basically how it came to be.MattUD1

I agree there was alot of hype about it. I thought it would crap but after actually reading them you can tell the writing is phenomal.

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rishi44

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#20 rishi44
Member since 2005 • 482 Posts
IDK, but for a practice ELA state exam, there was a passage on harry potter, way back in like 3rd or 4th grade. ANyways, it got toooooons of people in myelementary school 2 read it. Plus it was given state wide i guess (new york)
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ayanami_rei

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#21 ayanami_rei
Member since 2005 • 17115 Posts

[QUOTE="ayanami_rei"]*Shrugs.* I'm not a fan of the books. I read the first two, then I got bored with the third. Uzumaki_Naruto5

Really? I thought it was at the third book that they started becoming good. The first one was crap, second was meh, third was good, all the ones after that were really good imo.

Yeah. Of course, it's not my type of book. I'm more into the darker type thing than the magical stuff. I like reading books that deal with vampires, werewolves, etc. I'll also read books that have nothing to do with it, such as Gathering Blue or Milkweed. Both are really good books, IMO.
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YoungGun13

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#22 YoungGun13
Member since 2006 • 2581 Posts
tha movies
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nintendo_fan675

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#23 nintendo_fan675
Member since 2007 • 14578 Posts

I own the 5th one and read that and the 4th I got bored after that but it seems to be the movies and how they get more and more darker

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Saruman1719

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#24 Saruman1719
Member since 2003 • 12466 Posts
Probably because it is a great series and has many themes and circumstances that both children and adults can relate to. Can't wait for July 21st...I can't believe it's already been 7 years since I've been a fan (started right before GoF came out). It's going to be both a glorious and sad day when I close The Deathly Hallows for the first time. I would say that I have two more movies to anticipate, but they're not as well done as they should be. If there are any films that need to remade, it is those. Actually having the series finished before starting the first film would have been ideal..but I understand the need to cash in now.
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Greatgone12

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#25 Greatgone12
Member since 2005 • 25469 Posts
It ripped GrimGrimoire off, that's how.
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Greatgone12

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#26 Greatgone12
Member since 2005 • 25469 Posts
[QUOTE="Uzumaki_Naruto5"]

[QUOTE="ayanami_rei"]*Shrugs.* I'm not a fan of the books. I read the first two, then I got bored with the third. ayanami_rei

Really? I thought it was at the third book that they started becoming good. The first one was crap, second was meh, third was good, all the ones after that were really good imo.

Yeah. Of course, it's not my type of book. I'm more into the darker type thing than the magical stuff. I like reading books that deal with vampires, werewolves, etc. I'll also read books that have nothing to do with it, such as Gathering Blue or Milkweed. Both are really good books, IMO.

I think it was at the third book that JK Rowling hired a ghost writer, though I could be wrong, so it could be that JK Rowling just didn't have a good writing style to begin with.

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Judza

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#27 Judza
Member since 2004 • 4637 Posts

Word of mouth.

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Saruman1719

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#28 Saruman1719
Member since 2003 • 12466 Posts
[QUOTE="ayanami_rei"][QUOTE="Uzumaki_Naruto5"]

[QUOTE="ayanami_rei"]*Shrugs.* I'm not a fan of the books. I read the first two, then I got bored with the third. Greatgone12

Really? I thought it was at the third book that they started becoming good. The first one was crap, second was meh, third was good, all the ones after that were really good imo.

Yeah. Of course, it's not my type of book. I'm more into the darker type thing than the magical stuff. I like reading books that deal with vampires, werewolves, etc. I'll also read books that have nothing to do with it, such as Gathering Blue or Milkweed. Both are really good books, IMO.

I think it was at the third book that JK Rowling hired a ghost writer, though I could be wrong, so it could be that JK Rowling just didn't have a good writing style to begin with.

Or she just improved. I can understand why people would be kind of turned off by the writing of the first book, but I find it kind of charming. It has that childish, wonder filled....and I think it fits well because we are being introduced to the Magical World, along with Harry through him.

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Elviathan

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#29 Elviathan
Member since 2006 • 5052 Posts
Because maybe people spreaded the words that it was a good movie, and the people who read the books wants to see the movie.
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jacintos09

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#30 jacintos09
Member since 2007 • 1466 Posts
dunno. i started hearing about it around the 4th book, so my mom bought me the first 4 for xmas
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MichaeltheCM

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#31 MichaeltheCM
Member since 2005 • 22765 Posts
b/c J.K. Rowling is a good writer. DUH
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#32 ice_radon
Member since 2002 • 70464 Posts
Yeah, I guess you are right, before the 4th book, there was not much other than some chatter between kids at school, then it just took off where adults, the media and everyone and their broth is reading itt...plus the movies prolly didnt help either.
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#33 serbsta69
Member since 2006 • 19209 Posts

Well the 5th and 6th books are a good read.

:)

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Armpitfarter

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#34 Armpitfarter
Member since 2003 • 2130 Posts
the first three didn't do well?? they were insanely popular!
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#35 Mercury_May2112
Member since 2007 • 2507 Posts
[QUOTE="MattUD1"]

[QUOTE="ConManWithGun"]Little kids started making fun of each other if they didn't read the harry potter books, so those kids told there parents to buy it, then those parents bragged about it and then BAM, superstardinessConManWithGun

Truthiness may have competition.

maybe it does :P

ConMan wins.

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Mercury_May2112

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#36 Mercury_May2112
Member since 2007 • 2507 Posts

dunno. i started hearing about it around the 4th book, so my mom bought me the first 4 for xmasjacintos09

Same Here.

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LostProphetFLCL

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#37 LostProphetFLCL
Member since 2006 • 18526 Posts

It definitely helps that the series has progressively gotten better as it has gotten darker.

Really, the books aren't just for kids anymore. There is enough good, dark plot to make them entertaining for people my age (18 BTW) and older.

The last book was incredible. Definitely one of my fav books, and I read more than the average person.

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firebubbles

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#38 firebubbles
Member since 2005 • 2607 Posts

[QUOTE="jacintos09"]dunno. i started hearing about it around the 4th book, so my mom bought me the first 4 for xmasMercury_May2112

Same Here.

really? i remember getting the first one when it came out... as a christmas gift from my godmother and i liked the idea of an abused kid actually finding this awesome world that totally owns the real world. then i continued reading them until the third one which i loved. by then people had heard about them with gof and it took off...it just happened over night. prolly for the themes and the readability of the books for all age and reading levels. *shrugs* i don't like them as much now that i have gotten older but i want to finish the seventh and then i can close that chapter in my life. been ten plus years, makes me feel old!

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southy787

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#39 southy787
Member since 2005 • 14571 Posts
I think they are written really well, that's the main thing.