Editorial Review
The publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final Harry Potter novel, is probably the most eagerly anticipated event in the history of publishing. Even the smallest hints from author J. K. Rowling about what may happen to Harry and his friends have been major news stories.
In The End of Harry Potter?, David Langford—Potter fan and award-winning writer—delves into the many mysteries which remain unsolved. Is Albus Dumbledore really dead? Whose side is Severus Snape really on? What are the remaining horcruxes, where He Who Shall Not Be Named has stashed his soul? Does Harry bear a part of the Dark Lord’s soul in his scar, and is this why he understands Parseltongue?
J. K. Rowling is the only person who knows the answers to these questions. But in this highly entertaining book, Langford uses his deep knowledge of the six published Harry Potter novels to explore these and other mysteries, and to present a selection of possible outcomes.
Only the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will lay these questions to rest, but in the meantime, fans of the series will find David Langford’s book entertaining and thought-provoking, and a perfect way to refresh their memory of the first six books in readiness for the last.
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Customer Reviews
Not what I expected, but still highly reccomended 
2007-06-07
I've been reading quite of few Harry Potter Guides in anticipation of the upcoming 7th and final book in the Harry Potter Series. I wanted to share my thoughts in order to assist those that might also be looking for books to read. I have mixed feelings on reviewing this book. It is not what I expected. With a title like "The End of Harry Potter? An Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries that Remain", I expected the book to, well, speculate on the mysteries that remained. Oddly enough, it didn't really postulate a lot of theories on how the book/series was going to end. Since this was the primary purpose for buying the book I was, at first, a little dismayed. But as I continued to read the book, I came to like it more and more.
The absence of unbrideded speculaiton was actually a bit of a mercy. Some of these books create massive theories that are nothing but a house of cards. Remove one card and the entire structure tumbles. It annoys me when these several authors go off on these flights of fancy. While these various theories could occur, the chances of them actually occuring are miniscule. I want to see facts and logical inferences - not wild guesswork.
I think author David Langford didn't project as much as I had anticipated because, in truth, almost anything is possible in book 7. Despite writing six preceeding books, Rowlling has done an amazing job of keeping her options open. There is simply a lot of stuff we don't know and that we can't reasonably anticipate until we read the 7th book. Langford follows the clues down their varios paths, then moves on without feeling the need to add unsubstantiated guesswork. The nice thing about this is that it primes us for the upcoming book - gives us the threads to pick up when we identify them in book 7.
As I've said. I bought the book primarily to help me solve some of the upcoming mysteries. I don't think the book did that, yet I still highly reccomend it. It was well written. It flowed and was a good read. It was intelligent and thoughtful. I think the nicest thing I can say about the book is that it will make the reading of book 7 more enjoyable.
I don't want to give the book a 5 star rating because it wasnt' "super de duperdy" great. But it earned a very, very solid 4 stars. I can't imagine anyone who is pondering the mysteries that the 7th Harry Potter Book may contain not enjoying this book.
Fun, light preparatory reading 2007-04-24
My goodness, this is certainly embarrassing! I'm the first one to review this book, and I'm a spry young lad of 40. Isn't this supposed to be for fanboys and fangirls? (Whatever those are...)
It should be obvious that I'm getting my geek on. With Book 7 coming out in less than three months, and having reread all the books, I found myself craving something "Potter". I don't care much for discussion forums because an awful lot of ridiculous theories get mixed in with intelligent discussion, so I thought this would be fun.
It was.
The author, David Langford, is a 27-time Hugo Award winner. Those are impressive credentials. He's a very bright, funny guy, and knows the Potterverse well enough to be a more than able guide. Some theories I'd seen, others I'd thought of, but he did manage, more than once, to slip something in that took me by surprise. For example, when discussing Dumbledore's trust of Snape, he opined that perhaps Dumbledore does NOT trust Snape in the way we think he does. He discusses Rowling's ability to fool us in depth, like a magician waving a rabbit in front of our faces but convincing us that we can't see it. She's a master at that. What other kind of trust might Dumbledore have? He might trust that Severus Snape will do exactly as he expects him to, play the part Dumbledore wants for him, and go back to Voldemort's side. So, when he says that he trusts Severus completely, he's saying that he trusts him to be untrustworthy.
I'm not sure that I believe that, but it was a new thought, a very valid one, and made me sit up and pay more attention.
If you're tired of discussion forums, this is a terrific place to turn.
The End of Harry Potter? 
2007-08-04
I enjoyed the book as a refresher and discussion during the run up to the release of book 7. Now that I've read book 7, this will be very dated, unless you want to see what some speculations were for the end of the series.
Cliff Notes for Harry Potter? 2007-07-17
While I was in high school, I used Cliff Notes and Monarch Notes as a substitute for reading unsavory literature (i.e. Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in particular). I never understood the purpose of these literary products until I enrolled in college literature classes. The coerced reader can understand symbols and see aspects of literature that would be missed. In fact, Cliff and Monarch Notes enable the coerced reader to be transformed into an engaged reader. THE END OF HARRY POTTER? accomplishes the identical tasks as Cliff and Monarch Notes. One BIG difference; no one is coerced to read Harry Potter. After reading Langford's work, I see important aspects of the series that I missed or didn't get. After I read DEATHLY HOLLOWS, I probably will reread the series. Langford will be responsible for that.
One aspect of THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX I missed was the linkage of Rowling's life and the symbolism of Umbridge's actions. As a single parent living in poverty, Rowling was confronted with well-meaning but overly bureaucratic social workers. Umbridge's character emerged from Rowling's experience with social workers. An extremely important and eye-opening article that Langford cites is Benjamin Barton's article entitled 'Harry Potter and the Half-Crazed Bureaucracy' in THE MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW volume 104, May 2006. I teach a course in community organization and will require my students read Barton's work. The contents will help social work students understand the impact of their actions on clients' capacity to succeed.
I can make two points that will help a person decide whether to read THE END OF HARRY POTTER?. First, if you read this review after the publication of THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS, you're too late. The central theme within Langford's book is connections within the first six novels that lead to the last. Thus, THE END OF HARRY POTTER? will not be enjoyable if THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS is read first. Second, the Rowling's purpose is reminiscent of Roddenberry's. The original STAR TREK was intended to be a morality play made palpable to the general public. The Harry Potter series achieves the identical objective. The easier route in life is succumbing to evil. Harry (or Rowling) shows that the long term consequences of taking the moral path is a self actualizing experience that is more satisfying than any short term pleasure.
Langford is a master of the written word and THE END OF HARRY POTTER? is worthy to read.
Nothing new or exciting 
2007-06-20
I got this book because I am so bored waiting for the last book to come. I had hoped for some new idea, but basically it is the same ole same old. There are several questions listed on the back, which by page 100 the author still hadn't gotten to. It was written before the name of the 7th book was announced, and you can already see that he is wrong about his guesses. Which is basically what this book is ... a lot of suggestions of what will be "cool" to see in book 7. I hope JK didn't read it. LOL.
This is not Lord of the Rings 
2007-06-18
I usually don't review books but this one irritates me, and I admit I have not read every word in the book. I have read several chapters here and there. I am not sure I will be able to read it all. This is Harry Potter and not Lord of the Rings. I know many people love Lord of the Rings but I didn't and I don't like having to read over and over again about how this part of Harry Potter was like Lord of the Rings in this or that part. David Landford makes it sound like she stole parts of other books, not just Lord of the Rings but other books as well. To me this book was a waste of money and I will end up giving it to Goodwill instead of passing it off to a friend to read.
Nothing you can't find on a good fansite 2007-06-13
There was nothing in this that you couldn't find in a well made Harry Potter fansite. Moreover, there were some nitpicky details wrong. (It's not a huge deal, but Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs never referred to themselves as "the Marauders," which this book does. The name of the map is singular. It is a map for a marauder, for example. Plus, there was some incorrect information about Tolkien/Lord of the Rings canon and some oversimplifications of His Dark Materials.)
So why am I complaining, if such small mistakes were made? I paid money for this, and those are just the inconsistencies I found on my first read through. The title lead me to believe that there would be more in depth review of popular theories about the end of the series. Instead, it was a primer. As I've previously stated, there was nothing that isn't easily available on any well made fansite.
I'd recommend reading it, but not buying it.
