This post may or may not have spoilers so if you don’t like that sort of thing . . . stop reading.

Okay . . . picked up the book on Friday and finished reading it Sunday night . . . Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . . . enjoyed it . . . even though I already knew the big secret of who was going to be killed going in . . . every major newspaper here in Taiwan carried the news as if it were a major world event on par with the assassination of a president . . . more than a couple major papers actually ran front page banner headlines along the lines of telling who was killed, who killed him, and how.

Talk about spoilers . . . talk about dumbass editors.

In any case, even though I knew who was to be killed, I enjoyed the book. Really. I did manage to avoid the stories that told who was killed an how so I could at least enjoy that much. Although . . . between you, me, and the planet, I pretty much figured out the who would do it and how by about chapter four or so . . . and I was not wrong . . . am waiting for Lorraine to finish reading it so I can discuss it with her . . . did find it to be a kind of Obi Wan sort of death and I’ve no doubts that the obvious is not going to be the complete case . . . honestly, I don’t think he wanted to do it (remember, he was begging Dumbledore to let him stop the whole double agent thing . . . either Dumbledore was channelling Snape’s earlier words when he drank the potion from the birdbath or Snape was channeling Dumbledore’s future when Hagrid found them arguing in the forest.

The whole scene . . . the big bang . . . reminded me of Obi Wan’s final moments as he holds off Darth Vader allowing Luke and company to escape . . . he kind of just stops fighting and allows himself to be axed. I’ve no doubts that that’s what the pleading was about . . . albeit, I do suspect he’s dead but not dead dead, more like a “noble sacrifice and moved on in order to save others” sort of dead. The whole Love conquers Death sort of deal.

That “for my enemies” spell Harry found in the textbook is nasty. Obviously, can’t show that quite so vividly in the movie . . . blood and water spurting everywhere.

A lot of critics say it’s the most mature of the books . . . I disagree . . . the previous one was more mature . . . this one just had a lot more snogging and hormones.

Still . . . enjoyed it . . . and am looking forward to the fourth film . . . and the seventh book (which I am certain will indeed have Hogwarts stuff . . . as a mother, I don’t think Rowling’s going to let some kid throw his education away . . . he’ll get the Big Bad V and his education somehow).

Enjoyable read . . . although, like my buddy, you might want to refresh yourself on who some of the characters are . . . the world is so rich that we’ve met quite a number of folks who might slip one’s mind.

Oh, speaking of characters . . . the identify of the Half-Blood Prince was nicely done . . . makes me think Snape’s regret toward the death of Harry’s parents is genuine and Dumbledore’s no dope. Everyone says there’s no way that could be the reason for his repentance or that it could in any way be genuine . . . but they’re wrong . . . my theory is that Snape was deeply in love with Lilly . . . remember, it’s his book with all the cool potions stuff and Sluggy praises Harry and says he has not seen anyone that gifted since Harry’s mother was a student but Snape was Lilly’s classmate so if he was the gifted one why doesn’t Sluggy think of him instead of Lilly . . . because Snape and Lilly shared notes and probably sat at the same table and Snape was in love with her and all that.