User blog comment:JoePlay/Wizarding World Giveaway/@comment-4166597-20110718225406

Harry Potter has come to mean a great deal to me. JK Rowling's world is complex and vivid, and none of her characters are perfect. While I don't agree with all the choices she made, very few other books have sparked my imagination to the point where I argue with other people over the internal psychology and motivations of the characters. Her characters are so realized that they draw you in and make you care about them. I also love the books and movies for the values they inspire in my children. They urge loyalty, friendship, bravery in the face of death, sacrifice for those you love... truly the values of the great.

Also, Harry Potter has caused me to become involved in a fandom--that is full of intelligent, inspired people who care very much for each other. It has given me solace on bad days and inspiration and friendship.

On top of the greatness of the books and the fact that the *got kids to read who had not read* --which is just a HUGE thing. The movies showed what could be done if the producers and directors worked with the author, stayed with the vision of the books and put money into a quality film with quality actors. Too many times I've seen studios buy rights to a favorite book and just ruin it out of sheer inattention to what made the book great.

So, that is what the Potter fandom has meant to me. I do hope that the fandom stays involved despite the final movie being released as it is a world that is so full of wonder there are infinite stories for people to write about it. I also am so happy that my children grew up during the "age of Potter" and got to experience it first hand. I think that the Harry Potter films will be their childhood memories, like the Star Wars films were mine.