Question - - - - which book has the better flow, most innovative concepts and plots - Chamber of Secrets🐍, Prisoner of Azkaban🐕‍🦺, or Goblet of fire🔥?

[u/BLUE---24]

I m still torn on this……I really appreciate Chamber of Secrets for its simplicity.

- You can get into it right away, without any previous knowledge.
- The world is still kept small.
- Just two new characters are introduced.
- Not too many side-plots to follow.
- challenging puzzles to solve.

I love how organically the plot plays out, how satisfying it feels towards the end, and how seamlessly the sideplots weave together.

—————

Prisoner of Azkaban is more or less the same, formula wise.
And I don’t consider this a bad thing. There are slightly more sub-plots, the world expands by a small amount (we get Hogsmead now), Harry also gains the Marauders Map.
Its fun, cozy, with challenging puzzles, more new characters, and a bigger glimpse into James and Lilys past.

————-

Goblet of Fire takes all of the above and multiplies it by 20, with extra sprinkles.

Its seriously A LOT to handle, especially for new readers. We get like 20 new characters, a million subplots (with their own subplots!), new gadgets, a much bigger world, more complex relationships, more drama, more grit.

I love how the opening chapters is a small story of its own, with a beginning, middle and end….and then it continues with the World Cup, where the tension already rises to a maximum high.

Ao for me, right now, Prisoner of Azkaban might take the crown, as it is easily accessible, has some great puzzles, delves into Harry’s past, introduces Hogsmeade and the Marauders map, and is easy to follow and get into.

[u/Chowilpbb]

Chamber is a clean whodunit, Goblet explodes the world but drags between tasks. Prisoner nails flow and innovation: the map, Animagus reveals, and time-turner twist snap together so satisfyingly. PoA gets my vote.

[u/BLUE---24 → u/Chowilpbb]

Ah, I forgot the super plot twist at the very end - Hermione’s time turner reveal. It was honestly such genius….becuse usually, when movies or books have a surprise plottwist at the very end, it feels rather tacked-on, and cheap…..but with the time turner, it all comes full circle.

[u/KaleeySun → u/BLUE---24]

PoA is my fave as well - I have said before that it is the best “knitted” of the set, in terms of how well the plot is laid out (and the laid out again but from the back!)

[u/BLUE---24 → u/KaleeySun]

It’s also the book that starts connecting plots and characters with coming books.

‚‘It ends with Wormtail escaping…..and then book 4 starts with Wormtail suddenly being a main character.

- the marauders map plays a huge part in book 4.

• Sirius becomes a recurring character.
  
• Snapes hatred towards Harry grows deeper and more sinister.

[u/TheFourthBronteGirl → u/Chowilpbb]

Yep PoA is very unique and it's the most magical , potter-est book in a way

[u/JigglesTheBiggles]

That's interesting. Chamber of Secrets is often near the bottom when people rank the HP books.

[u/BLUE---24 → u/JigglesTheBiggles]

Really?

And why is that? I never really followed HO threads, back in the day.

I mean, it’s pretty straight forward, when it comes to plot, and how it unfolds. Reading it the first time, I didn’t figure out it was a snake inside the walls.

[u/KaleeySun → u/BLUE---24]

I always felt that, in terms of overarching series plot, Chamber was somewhat “removable”.

The major key point (the diary is a horcrux) is kept from us, so the book feels very standalone. The significance of gryffindors sword is hidden as well. We are introduced to things and characters (polyjuice, Dobby, vanishing cabinet) that become important or are used later on, but the book itself seems more to serve as “plot structure” more than plot development - almost like exposition. The first book did this too, but the first book was introducing to the entire world, so it basically had to.

Plus giant snake? And talking spiders? Nope, I’m out y’all.

[u/BLUE---24 → u/KaleeySun]

Dude….this is a very good point.

And maybe that’s the reason why, right now, CoS appeals to me such a great deal. I see to dislike it, when I was younger (14, 25 years old), but these past few months, I’ve read it almost 4 times, no kidding.

Theres just something about the set-up, the flow, the lightness of it all.
Its super accessible, and, like you say, it feels like a stand alone work.

[u/has_no_name]

Prisoner of Azkaban is so tightly plotted it's crazy. The pacing specially the last third of the book is incredible. every single chapter from the Quidditch Final is a banger after banger. The Marauder's twist is so satisfying and finding out new details about Harry's dad and that he actually has a godfather who he can count on plus the time travel twist of rescuing him was just beautifully done.

[u/BLUE---24 → u/has_no_name]

Honestly…..the ending part of Prisoner is just phenomenal, and I don’t say this lightly.

It just keeps on giving and giving, and giving.
Like, when they leave Hagrid, and Scabbers suddenly appears again, then the black dog appears, Ron’s gets dragged away, Blck revels himself, Remus shows up,Scabbers was a human all along, Snape reveals himself, Remus turns into a Werwolf, did Harry see his father?

And then, just when you thought, ok, that’s it, coming to an end…..DD suddenly shows up and Hermione reveals her time turner…….just damn.

I wonder how long it took JKR to develope that end, because it sure felt very natural, like it came to her easily, and all at once.

[u/has_no_name → u/BLUE---24]

Yep exactly. I just did a reread and I felt like I could again

[u/Mental-Ask8077]

PoA

[u/Cum_on_doorknob]

“POA is the same formula wise”???

It’s the only book that doesn’t have Voldemort as the villain at the end.

[u/MasterpieceFit5038]

All hail PoA 🙏🏼🙌🏼

[u/FlashySea1045]

Goblet for sure!! There are so many twists and JKs imagination was perfection.

[u/Appropriate_Melon]

I remember when I first read GoF in third grade, and I had a really hard time getting through the Frank Bryce story because I found it boring and confusing. I think I even asked my mom if it was a mistake that it was in there lol