Editorial Review
** COMPLETELY UNAUTHORIZED **
This book has not been authorized by J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or anyone associated with the Harry Potter books or movies.
New and old fans of the Harry Potter series will welcome this collection of fresh essays on Potter lore, plotlines, and characters. With up-to-date information through book six in the series, this companion volume offers a comprehensive look at the world of Potter through the eyes of leading science fiction and fantasy writers such as David Gerrold, Joyce Millman, and Martha Wells, and religion, psychology, and science experts. Along with feminism, fascism, and moral life, topics include the Three Faces of Severus Snape, Harry Potter as Luke Skywalker, I Am a Hufflepuff: A Look at the Houses, and Harry Potter and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
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Customer Reviews
A Fabulous Buffet of Food for Thought 
2006-11-03
Loved it! I am an old lady who got hooked on Harry Potter so I would have something to converse about with a new step-nephew, and I tell you this book sparked huge discussions amongst everyone I know who read it. Great variety of essays.
Mapping the world of harry potter 
2006-08-17
I found the book to be fairly intersting. It is definitely intented for someone who has read most of the Harry Potter books and understands the plot and characters.
Enjoyable and satisfying on the whole 2006-01-29
This is probably the most enjoyable of the several different books of essays on the Harry Potter books that I have read. Perhaps it's because the contributors are, themselves, fantasy and sci-fi authors, which may give them a unique insight. Another possibility is that this is also the first collection to cover all of the books through Half-Blood Prince.
As with any compilation of work by several different authors, the quality of the essays is uneven at best. The contributors stretch to come up with original ways to look at the series and, inevitably, they sometimes fail. The ones that fell the flattest, in my view, were "The Proper Wizard's Guide to Good Manners" (Roxanne Longstreet Conrad) and "Harry Potter and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Counselor" (Mercedes Lackey).
At least, however, those two essays were near the end of the book. Throughout my reading, I never changed my view that the first essay, "Harry Potter and the Young Man's Mistake" (Daniel P. Moloney), was the one with the profoundest insight and most thoughtful probing of the pitfalls that Harry faces in his final struggle against Voldemort. Honorable mention also goes to "Harry Potter and the End of Religion" (Marguerite Krause) and "It's All About God" (Elisabeth DeVos), which should be mutually exclusive but, surprisingly, don't seem to be; "Hermione Granger and the Charge of Sexism" (Sarah Zettel), which should (but won't) dispose of that one once and for all; and "Why Killing Harry is the Worst Outcome for Voldemort" (Richard Garfinkle). All in all, a very enjoyable and satisfying read.
Fun Read for Fans! 2006-01-21
"Mapping the World of Harry Potter" is a great addition to any Harry Potter collection. The essays are diverse and hit many subjects, some obvious, like the problems of religion (or lack of) in the series. For instance, "Harry Potter and the End of Religion" targets what the author sees as a complete lack or need for religion in the books, while "It's All About God" defends the religion within, saying that the series is, indeed, spiritual in a natural sense. Another essay, "Hermione Granger and the Charge of Sexism," addresses the charges of sexism that have been leveled at the book and responds with how many of the female characters are actually strong in their own right, not dependent on men to make their decisions or succeed at their goals. In addition, "From Azkaban to Abu Ghraib" looks at the increasing amount of politics in the books, drawing parallels within Hogwarts and the wizarding world to fascism, the Third Reich and other oppressive political movements.
Of course, not all the essays have such serious subject matter. The most enjoyable essay is one that is certainly not intended for children: Joyce Millman's "To Sir, With Love." It's a hilarious and slightly disturbing essay about the proliferation of Snape fan-fiction on the Internet, in which Snape gets up to various S&M activities with several other Harry Potter regulars. The other humorous essays are more innocent, including Mercedes Lackey's description of her own "Harry Potter" drinking game and why Harry is going to need some serious therapy if he survives.
There are fourteen essays in all, touching on many characters and aspects of the wizarding world, and an introduction by Mercedes Lackey. There's something for all kinds of Harry Potter fans in this diverse compilation, and it definitely gives you more to think about when re-reading the series.
An Excellent HP Companion 2006-01-21
I have to admit, I'm generally not one to read companion books to my favorite series, be they literary or televised.
Mapping the World of Harry Potter, however, is quickly becoming one of my favorite books. The essays are smart, funny, and well-written and have prompted me to look at my Harry Potter books in a new light. The essay on fanfiction Snape alone is worth the price of the book! (Though I wouldn't recommend reading it while drinking anything, particularly if you aren't familiar with fanfic!Snape. I may never recover from that.)
I highly encourage any "grown up" HP fans to read this book.
Adults only, self important, disappointing. 
2007-06-03
My personal disappointments are these:
1. There are no warnings on the outside that this book is NOT suitable for underage readers.
2. Many of the authors seem smug.
3. I expect better commentary from this group of otherwise seemingly talented authors. What do I mean by "better"? How about something that is really about the Harry Potter series instead of what these authors wish it to have been?
4. How sad is it when the cover artwork far exceeds the book?
I've read a lot of Harry Potter "fan" books. This is the only one that brought less than ten minutes of enjoyment. If you want this book, you can have mine.
Excellent book for adults who think HP is not "just for kids" 2007-03-25
I am a college professor of english literature and composition, but I am also a huge Harry Potter fan. "Mapping the World of Harry Potter" appealed to both sides of my reading pleasure: it gave great insight into the HP books as well as providing really well-written and though-provoking literary analysis and criticism. I couldn't put the book down, and as I read each subsequent essay, I was more and more intrigued and it gave me so much to think about. Really fantastic!
Finally An Adult Take on This Series 2007-03-13
Finally I found it. A book worth reading, with views offered by real intellects on this series. This book has been a great read and well worth the money spent on it. I find it fun and enlightening. Some of the chapters seemed to drag on but overall they are very good. I found the chapter on Neville Longbottom great, since I completely share the sentiment felt for this character. A lot of thought provoking ideas in here. BE WARNED that there is a chapter on the sex symbol that has become of Severus Snape...this chapter and book are intended for adults. Overall really great!
Awesome! 2007-03-11
I was really thrilled to get this book, seeing as it is a more serious treatment of the Harry Potter stories. Glad to see that other authors are taking Rowling seriously!
Disappointed but probably my fault 
2007-01-10
I was disappointed in this book, but I think it was probably my fault. I actually thought it was by Mercedes Lackey, not edited by Mercedes Lackey. And it was actually a collection of essays by various people. Boring essays. By people I don't read.
