I have finally finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Yeah, it took me forever to get the book, but I don't really mind.
The good thing about reading it so late is that I have forgotten all the brouhaha about the book. In fact, I was surprised that Sirius Black died even though the death has been discussed in so many websites before.
So, what do I think of the book? I think it could do with a bit more pace. It started out so slowly, I was tempted to skip some parts and just go straight to the ending. The pace only picked up in the final third, but even then it wasn't that exciting.
My verdict? It's the worst book in the Harry Potter series.
Maybe Rowling was just trying too hard to impress the readers, but she ended up not impressing anyone.
I reckon if Voldemort was that desperate to get his hands on the prophecy, then he might as well just go there and get it himself. It's not as if the Aurors can stop him. Heck, they can't even stop Dumbledore, and even Dumbledore admitted that Voldemort might be too strong for him.
After all, it was so easy for his Death Eaters to infiltrate the Ministry and set up the trap for Harry and his friends. So, why can't they smuggle him inside, get the prophecy and just leave without anyone being the wiser?
Hmm.. Perhaps there are traps set especially for Voldemort? No, there weren't. Why should there be? The Ministry refuses to believe that he is still alive, so of course they won't set up traps for him. Harry came in and picked up the prophecy without any problems, so there are apparently no traps set there after all.
Even Cornelius Fudge only believed in Voldemort's existence when he saw Voldemort battling Dumbledore. It was obvious that there were no magical means employed by the Ministry to detect Voldemort's existence, so he could have just waltzed in, pick up the prophecy and slink away like a shadow in the wall.
To cover Voldemort's theft of the prophecy, the Death Eaters can just destroy the other prophecies to spread confusion as to which prophecy was taken. Easy, no? Apparently it's too hard for Rowling to even think it through.
The good thing is, the next book can only get better. Once you reach rock bottom, the only way to go is up. Right? Unless you choose to lie down there in the bottom, that is.
So, up you go, Rowling!!!