reading

pretty, non?

so, i'm not much of a fan fiction person. in most cases, i prefer to just reread the real deal, and go on with my life. i generally tend to look down on fanfic with derision, and the attitude of "can't you just write a NEW story?! be creative!!" i was recently proven wrong with the James Potter series by G. Norman Lippert.

these stories are old news, i'm sure, in the fanfic world - they were released not long after the seventh Harry Potter book. i only found them a month or so ago, and i have to say, i'm delighted by them. Lippert takes a robust, fully developed universe that J.K. Rowling so eloquently set up, and works within that universe to create exciting, and ultimately plausible, plot lines. it's like visiting an old friend, reading these new stories, and where i think Lippert succeeds is that he's not re-writing the stories, he's creating brand new adventures with a brand new set of characters. Ron, Hermione, and Harry still pop up, and i have to say i cherish every moment that they do. he also stays very true to the tone of the original series, and the complexities of "good" versus "evil" in that good is not always good, and not everyone is completely evil. a moment in reading the second book of the series i was reminded of a quote from Sirius Black: "We have all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the power we choose to act on. That’s who we really are."

if you love Harry Potter as much as i do, i think you might really enjoy these books. other great part? all can be found free on the internet.

Book One:James Potter and the Hall of Elders Crossing

PS: i feel like i'm Levar Burton on Reading Rainbow. NERD ALERT. someday, i will tell you about my encyclopaedic knowledge of the Harry Potter series. books and films.

UPDATE: i didn't realize when i wrote this a few days ago that i had scheduled it in the queue for Harry Potter's 33 birthday. happy birthday, Harry! auspicious, no?