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James Potter #2.5
The Girl on the Dock: A Dark Fairy Tale
Returning to the home of her grandfather after her final school year, Petra Morganstern is a changed young witch. Confident in her recent choices, yet plagued by dreams of what they cost her, Petra is unsure what to do with the rest of her life. Petra's one ray of hope is her young step-sister, Izabella, whose simple-minded charm is only offset by the awful Phyllis, her hateful mother.
Desperate to protect Izabella from the increasing rages of Phyllis, Petra struggles to find balance between the forces that seek to rule her heart. Will she cling to the choices she has already made, upholding good over her own greatest desires, or will the ghost of power and revenge, always at work in the back room of her mind, be her final undoing? As things spiral out of control, Petra finds herself confronted with the unforgiving force of destiny, thrusting her into the ultimate choice one more time. Only this time, no one will be there to save the day. This time, the choice will be Petra's alone.
Desperate to protect Izabella from the increasing rages of Phyllis, Petra struggles to find balance between the forces that seek to rule her heart. Will she cling to the choices she has already made, upholding good over her own greatest desires, or will the ghost of power and revenge, always at work in the back room of her mind, be her final undoing? As things spiral out of control, Petra finds herself confronted with the unforgiving force of destiny, thrusting her into the ultimate choice one more time. Only this time, no one will be there to save the day. This time, the choice will be Petra's alone.
132 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2008
326 people are currently reading
5574 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
May 16, 2025
Meh, flojito. Casi casi podría leerse de forma independiente si no fuera porque es en sí mismo un spoiler de los anteriores.
Una historia corta sobre un personaje de los libros de James Potter que no aporta gran cosa.
Ojalá los siguientes vuelvan a estar a la altura porque este ha estado regular.
Una historia corta sobre un personaje de los libros de James Potter que no aporta gran cosa.
Ojalá los siguientes vuelvan a estar a la altura porque este ha estado regular.
November 11, 2008
Without giving away too much of the story line for those who have yet to finish, there are several things I'd like to say.
Mr. Lippert knows how to write evil.... Phyllis is a particularly nasty piece of business. We dislike her from the beginning....intensely. And we then start to hate her. We loathe what she has done to Warren; despise what she is doing to her daughter.....we pray that something really, really bad happens to her....soon. We are marginally annoyed that the outcome wasn't worse than we wanted. (I think there is a German word for the "disappointment one feels when things don't turn out as bad as we'd hoped").
Mr. Lippert knows how to evoke emotion with words and imagery. I actually felt Petra's despair. The piece of dried toast rather sums up life in the Morganstern household. That hopelessness seeps from the pages right into the reader. When Petra cried, I cried with her. I experienced the icy frost of her anger...and the control needed to keep it in check.
Mr. Lippert knows how to write an amazing ending. Need I say more?
Only it really doesn't end, does it? ....it is only the end of the beginning......
Come on, George. You've shown us that you can craft your own characters and build your own story.....we are waiting for MORE!!
BTW, not only is the author a good writer...he is a fabulous illustrator!
Mr. Lippert knows how to write evil.... Phyllis is a particularly nasty piece of business. We dislike her from the beginning....intensely. And we then start to hate her. We loathe what she has done to Warren; despise what she is doing to her daughter.....we pray that something really, really bad happens to her....soon. We are marginally annoyed that the outcome wasn't worse than we wanted. (I think there is a German word for the "disappointment one feels when things don't turn out as bad as we'd hoped").
Mr. Lippert knows how to evoke emotion with words and imagery. I actually felt Petra's despair. The piece of dried toast rather sums up life in the Morganstern household. That hopelessness seeps from the pages right into the reader. When Petra cried, I cried with her. I experienced the icy frost of her anger...and the control needed to keep it in check.
Mr. Lippert knows how to write an amazing ending. Need I say more?
Only it really doesn't end, does it? ....it is only the end of the beginning......
Come on, George. You've shown us that you can craft your own characters and build your own story.....we are waiting for MORE!!
BTW, not only is the author a good writer...he is a fabulous illustrator!
October 27, 2024
La historia no estuvo mal, con ese toque cenicientesco de las hermanas, esa madrastra malísima, recalcitrante como ella sola y más insistente que "la del pioyu", y ese final tan espectacular con ese toque agorero de maldición autocumplida por escapar de ella.
Pero no he logrado disfrutarlo del todo porque esperaba una Harrypotterez por alguna parte y nada de nada. Parece otro universo.
Sé que este relato es en sí mismo un Spin-Off de Jammes Potter, que a su vez es un Spin-Off-Secuela de Harry Potter, pero da igual. Es el mismo universo. O debería. Y eso aquí no se ve por ninguna parte, así que no terminas de disfrutarla, a pesar de que está bien, porque estás todo el rato esperando la aparición de algo reconocible.
Espero que la saga vuelva al redil o que cambie de nombre, porque de ese universo ya no le queda ni el sombrero. GL (Universo Harry Potter)
Pero no he logrado disfrutarlo del todo porque esperaba una Harrypotterez por alguna parte y nada de nada. Parece otro universo.
Sé que este relato es en sí mismo un Spin-Off de Jammes Potter, que a su vez es un Spin-Off-Secuela de Harry Potter, pero da igual. Es el mismo universo. O debería. Y eso aquí no se ve por ninguna parte, así que no terminas de disfrutarla, a pesar de que está bien, porque estás todo el rato esperando la aparición de algo reconocible.
Espero que la saga vuelva al redil o que cambie de nombre, porque de ese universo ya no le queda ni el sombrero. GL (Universo Harry Potter)
September 5, 2012
I had never intended to read this book, but as many consider it to be James Potter 2.5, I decided I'd give it a go before going into book three of that series. While I'm not entirely thrilled with the book, I am glad I read it. Centering on the character of Petra Morganstern, it follows Petra in the summer since book two of the James Potter series ended. Not "officially" part of the series - the author was able to charge for this book (a very meager cost of three dollars) that I was happy to pay for after all his work on the series as a whole.
While it does, in fact, have a lot to do with the Harry Potter universe, it is all very cleverly disguised. Magic, wands, and flying brooms are present - but specific spells are never mentioned. Hogwarts is always simply referred to as a school or magic school, canon characters are never listen with a last name, and no non-original characters make an appearance. Crafty. But effective.
As a whole I found the book to be a bit darker than the rest of the series - honestly a bit of a plus for me. But still there is something that, as good as he is, G. Norman Lippert lacks as an author. When you reach the end of a book, it makes it amazing and entirely worth while, but his plotting lacks a certain speed and intensity that many well written novels have. I noticed this in the first two James Potter books and it is apparent again here. For what is really a very good ending, the pacing leading up to that point is often stagnant and seemingly a bit pointless.
Still, once again, when I reached the end of the book I was glad I read it. While I do believe that one could easily skip this and go onto book three, I find this book important in the terms of character development for Petra. I'd recommend this book for that purpose, but also to donate a bit of money to the author for all his work. But outside of that - it's really not a necessary read.
While it does, in fact, have a lot to do with the Harry Potter universe, it is all very cleverly disguised. Magic, wands, and flying brooms are present - but specific spells are never mentioned. Hogwarts is always simply referred to as a school or magic school, canon characters are never listen with a last name, and no non-original characters make an appearance. Crafty. But effective.
As a whole I found the book to be a bit darker than the rest of the series - honestly a bit of a plus for me. But still there is something that, as good as he is, G. Norman Lippert lacks as an author. When you reach the end of a book, it makes it amazing and entirely worth while, but his plotting lacks a certain speed and intensity that many well written novels have. I noticed this in the first two James Potter books and it is apparent again here. For what is really a very good ending, the pacing leading up to that point is often stagnant and seemingly a bit pointless.
Still, once again, when I reached the end of the book I was glad I read it. While I do believe that one could easily skip this and go onto book three, I find this book important in the terms of character development for Petra. I'd recommend this book for that purpose, but also to donate a bit of money to the author for all his work. But outside of that - it's really not a necessary read.
April 7, 2012
A supplement to Lippert's "James Potter" series, this novel revolves solely around Petra Morganstern, a recent Hogwarts graduate and James' fellow Gryffindor housemate.
Firstly, this novel was actually published and is NOT of the free series. It does not include any of the official names or places that appeared in Rowling's works. They are alluded to, but not named (intellectual property laws and all that).
The story takes us to the Morganstern farm, where Petra lives with her Grandfather Warren, his wife Phyllis, and her daughter (Petra's stepsister) Izabella aka "Izzy" or "Iz". Petra returns to the farm and a life she despises without knowing why.
Her grandfather denounced his magical heritage when he married Phyllis, a rather brusque and irritating woman who disdains all things "unnatural". Phyllis treats her daughter Izzy with disdain as well, since Izzy is mentally disabled. Phyllis tends to see her daughter as a hobble, or some sort of punishment. She refuses to pay a special school to take Izzy and further her education, opting to send her to a nearby work-farm instead.
Petra senses that her returning to the farm may be because she feels the need to protect her little sister. Deep down inside, she knows she needs the time and space to evaluate her choices in the culminating event of her last year at Hogwarts.
The story is stemmed from a solid idea, and an imaginative glimpse into the world of a graduated and singularly gifted witch. However, the overall story fell a little flat to me. It takes place in one location, over the course of a few weeks. The main conflict takes place in Petra's head, a struggle wrought in the events at the end of the second James Potter novel (almost a prerequisite read if you hope to have any understanding of the plot of this story). The peripheral conflict is personified through Phyllis, although by the end of the story the two conflicts are tied up into one damning scene.
While this story was likable on it's own, it lacks some of the "magical" characteristics that made the James Potter series such an internet sensation: the story is too far removed from the Potterverse world that the fan-fiction is based on to really stand on it's own. Basically, it's a good supplemental work to the JP series, but not enough of a complete work to interest me on it's own.
Firstly, this novel was actually published and is NOT of the free series. It does not include any of the official names or places that appeared in Rowling's works. They are alluded to, but not named (intellectual property laws and all that).
The story takes us to the Morganstern farm, where Petra lives with her Grandfather Warren, his wife Phyllis, and her daughter (Petra's stepsister) Izabella aka "Izzy" or "Iz". Petra returns to the farm and a life she despises without knowing why.
Her grandfather denounced his magical heritage when he married Phyllis, a rather brusque and irritating woman who disdains all things "unnatural". Phyllis treats her daughter Izzy with disdain as well, since Izzy is mentally disabled. Phyllis tends to see her daughter as a hobble, or some sort of punishment. She refuses to pay a special school to take Izzy and further her education, opting to send her to a nearby work-farm instead.
Petra senses that her returning to the farm may be because she feels the need to protect her little sister. Deep down inside, she knows she needs the time and space to evaluate her choices in the culminating event of her last year at Hogwarts.
The story is stemmed from a solid idea, and an imaginative glimpse into the world of a graduated and singularly gifted witch. However, the overall story fell a little flat to me. It takes place in one location, over the course of a few weeks. The main conflict takes place in Petra's head, a struggle wrought in the events at the end of the second James Potter novel (almost a prerequisite read if you hope to have any understanding of the plot of this story). The peripheral conflict is personified through Phyllis, although by the end of the story the two conflicts are tied up into one damning scene.
While this story was likable on it's own, it lacks some of the "magical" characteristics that made the James Potter series such an internet sensation: the story is too far removed from the Potterverse world that the fan-fiction is based on to really stand on it's own. Basically, it's a good supplemental work to the JP series, but not enough of a complete work to interest me on it's own.
January 5, 2013
Often referred to as Book 2.5 in the James Potter series, The Girl on the Dock is the story of Petra Morganstern, a recent Hogwarts graduate still reeling from a terrible choice between good and evil. Petra returns to her grandfather's home to her sweet stepsister Izzy and her wicked stepgrandmother Phyllis. As Phyllis plans to send Izzy away, Petra struggles with the consequences of her choice, with everything coming to a head on the eve of Izzy's departure. Cleverly, Lippert manages to write the whole novel without a single reference to the original Harry Potter series but in a way that fits in very nicely with his own James Potter works.
I wanted to read this book partly to find out more about Petra's back story (mentioned briefly in James Potter and the Vault of Destinies and partly to support Lippert's work; since he doesn't make reference to the Harry Potter books, he can charge for this one, and I thought it would be fitting to purchase a paper copy. I think that reading this will probably add a lot to my experience of the subsequent James Potter novels, though many say that it's not essential for understanding the latter.
If I try to evaluate the work as a standalone book (a task which is admittedly fairly difficult), I don't think it really works. I suspect that if I hadn't read James Potter and the Curse of the Gate Keeper, I wouldn't have been as moved by Petra's internal struggle nor by the loss of her parents. I think the plot would have seemed rather thin. This book really works best as a sort of "add-on" to the existing series, in my opinion.
Consequently, I would primarily recommend this book to fans of the James Potter series. Read it in between books 2 and 3--it'll be quick and fun.
I wanted to read this book partly to find out more about Petra's back story (mentioned briefly in James Potter and the Vault of Destinies and partly to support Lippert's work; since he doesn't make reference to the Harry Potter books, he can charge for this one, and I thought it would be fitting to purchase a paper copy. I think that reading this will probably add a lot to my experience of the subsequent James Potter novels, though many say that it's not essential for understanding the latter.
If I try to evaluate the work as a standalone book (a task which is admittedly fairly difficult), I don't think it really works. I suspect that if I hadn't read James Potter and the Curse of the Gate Keeper, I wouldn't have been as moved by Petra's internal struggle nor by the loss of her parents. I think the plot would have seemed rather thin. This book really works best as a sort of "add-on" to the existing series, in my opinion.
Consequently, I would primarily recommend this book to fans of the James Potter series. Read it in between books 2 and 3--it'll be quick and fun.
February 14, 2013
This was a really quick and enthralling read. Lippert takes the character of Petra Morganson and delves deeper into who she is. I am excited to see how powerful she can become. The introduction of the little sister also provided the reader with a little more understanding of who Petra is.
I give the author many kudos for keeping me guessing throughout the book. I am almost NEVER surprised by the endings of movies or books, and while I knew what Petra would ultimately choose, I enjoyed the guess work a long the way. I had no problem paying the 4.99 for this iBook, as I have truly enjoyed everything in the series so far, and I truly believe he deserves recognition for his amazing work. I've read that this novel isn't a mandatory read before you get the the third James potter book, but I'm glad I did. I have a feeling it will definitely give me a one up.
I am looking forward to tomorrow morning; a nice cup of earl grey, a foggy morning here in England, and The next James potter book in the series.
I give the author many kudos for keeping me guessing throughout the book. I am almost NEVER surprised by the endings of movies or books, and while I knew what Petra would ultimately choose, I enjoyed the guess work a long the way. I had no problem paying the 4.99 for this iBook, as I have truly enjoyed everything in the series so far, and I truly believe he deserves recognition for his amazing work. I've read that this novel isn't a mandatory read before you get the the third James potter book, but I'm glad I did. I have a feeling it will definitely give me a one up.
I am looking forward to tomorrow morning; a nice cup of earl grey, a foggy morning here in England, and The next James potter book in the series.
September 4, 2017
Este señor, Norman G. Lippert, se hizo famoso por escribir dos libros “continuistas” con las historias de Harry Potter. Digo “continuistas” porque los personajes eran prácticamente los mismos, situados en Howgarts durante el curso y respetando los caracteres creados por J.K.Rowlings.
Hasta ahí todo muy bien (los he leído y comentado muy positivamente). Pero, ¡ay!, en esta novela corta se dedica a explorar e inventar por su cuenta sobre Petra y para mi gusto la fastidia. NO me ha guastado nada. La historia tétrica, el avance pesado y los personajes flojos.
Que mejor quedarse con los otros dos libros y pasar de este, vamos.
Hasta ahí todo muy bien (los he leído y comentado muy positivamente). Pero, ¡ay!, en esta novela corta se dedica a explorar e inventar por su cuenta sobre Petra y para mi gusto la fastidia. NO me ha guastado nada. La historia tétrica, el avance pesado y los personajes flojos.
Que mejor quedarse con los otros dos libros y pasar de este, vamos.
November 9, 2015
I enjoyed other books by this author more than this one. The motivation and actions of the main character were illogical and senseless.
October 27, 2024
Pues un cuentito súper cortito de petra después de no haber resucitado a sus padres , ahora sabemos que es súper poderosa porque es una hechicera.
Y al final ahogaron a su madrastra...o abuelastra? Y los amigos en plan casual como si no hubiera pasado nada 😂.
Y la hermana pobrecita ser tratada así por tu propia madre...pero lo peor es el abuelo que no intenta ayudarlos...
Estuvo bien pero...no sentí ni un segundo que estaba en el mundo de Harry Potter está evolucionando de tal manera que ya no le veo conexiones, pero aún así es disfrutable
Y al final ahogaron a su madrastra...o abuelastra? Y los amigos en plan casual como si no hubiera pasado nada 😂.
Y la hermana pobrecita ser tratada así por tu propia madre...pero lo peor es el abuelo que no intenta ayudarlos...
Estuvo bien pero...no sentí ni un segundo que estaba en el mundo de Harry Potter está evolucionando de tal manera que ya no le veo conexiones, pero aún así es disfrutable
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2012
Well, I wasn't charmed with this one unlike the other three books of James Potter Series by Norman Lippert.
The story revolves around Petra Morganstern. A witch and classmate of James Potters at Hogwarts. After finishing her schooling she has come back to her grand parents home.
Her parents have died long back(so is what Lippert portrays) and has had a rather rough childhood.
Staying with her step-grandmother, Petra has a tough life so to be called with not being permitted to use her magical skills and enduring her grandmother's cruel ill-tempered behavior toward her.
What I loved about the book is that it is a short story merely a hundred and thirty pages odd and finishes before you realize. Better that way as I wouldn't have been much enthralled to read a 500-hundred-page-no-good-tale book just like that.
What I didn't like is that the story seemed to be flowing with no mission. Petra is confused as hell about her intentions in life. More than once I found myself disconnected with the story. There is no concrete plot for one and supplementing it is vague descriptions of events happening around Petra not to forget her seemingly weird past rolling on the 'Blood-for-blood-theory' which Lippert describes as the way to bring her dead mother back into the mortal world.
It seemed a lot to take in for a short-read like that majorly because of the disconnects in the story.
Norman Lippert has tried to carry forward the Epic Harry Potter story from where Rowling ends it as the end of Voldemort and a presumably peaceful life ahead. Lippert has written a series of 3 books on James Potter(Harry's eldest son) and his schooling at Hogwarts and the following unprecedented events.
Though, I liked the James Potter series better, The Girl on the Dock was no-where close comparatively.
That so far was my take on the book. Read for yourself and write a review. I would love to read it and know how you like the book.
The story revolves around Petra Morganstern. A witch and classmate of James Potters at Hogwarts. After finishing her schooling she has come back to her grand parents home.
Her parents have died long back(so is what Lippert portrays) and has had a rather rough childhood.
Staying with her step-grandmother, Petra has a tough life so to be called with not being permitted to use her magical skills and enduring her grandmother's cruel ill-tempered behavior toward her.
What I loved about the book is that it is a short story merely a hundred and thirty pages odd and finishes before you realize. Better that way as I wouldn't have been much enthralled to read a 500-hundred-page-no-good-tale book just like that.
What I didn't like is that the story seemed to be flowing with no mission. Petra is confused as hell about her intentions in life. More than once I found myself disconnected with the story. There is no concrete plot for one and supplementing it is vague descriptions of events happening around Petra not to forget her seemingly weird past rolling on the 'Blood-for-blood-theory' which Lippert describes as the way to bring her dead mother back into the mortal world.
It seemed a lot to take in for a short-read like that majorly because of the disconnects in the story.
Norman Lippert has tried to carry forward the Epic Harry Potter story from where Rowling ends it as the end of Voldemort and a presumably peaceful life ahead. Lippert has written a series of 3 books on James Potter(Harry's eldest son) and his schooling at Hogwarts and the following unprecedented events.
Though, I liked the James Potter series better, The Girl on the Dock was no-where close comparatively.
That so far was my take on the book. Read for yourself and write a review. I would love to read it and know how you like the book.
October 20, 2014
First, I don't agree that this could be a stand-alone simply because there's so much information gap for a reader not to look for answers. Unlike other open-ended stories, this one depends too much on a past story and a different world that HP and JP fans already know of. On the other hand, I do understand why it is said to be a stand-alone. I believe it's because the story gives light to the other characters in the series. It is a good branch of the story. It goes to show there's always a story behind the story. Or rather, a story always have different sides. Since were dealing with fan fiction here why not go all out, eh?
People who haven't read the second JP book may not appreciate The Girl on the Dock entirely. I enjoyed the story (thus the four stars) because I have read JP2. As per the author this is a dark fairy tale and he's right (of course, he wrote it). It's sad, depressing, melancholic and all the other synonyms you can think of. I probably would've moved on without reading this but I'm glad I did.
People who haven't read the second JP book may not appreciate The Girl on the Dock entirely. I enjoyed the story (thus the four stars) because I have read JP2. As per the author this is a dark fairy tale and he's right (of course, he wrote it). It's sad, depressing, melancholic and all the other synonyms you can think of. I probably would've moved on without reading this but I'm glad I did.
July 15, 2009
This is a very good story. If you liked the authors James Potter stories (Harry Potter fanfic) than you'll like this. This is like James Potter 2 1/2. The story takes place after Petra graduates from Hogwarts, right after the second JP book ends, and before JP3 will start.
The story is on available right now from lulu.com or amazon.com. It's well worth the price to read the story. Lulu.com also offers an ebook version to download.
The story is on available right now from lulu.com or amazon.com. It's well worth the price to read the story. Lulu.com also offers an ebook version to download.
September 5, 2012
The Girl on the Dock is Petra Morganstern from Lippert's James Potter series. She is no doubt a troubled young girl, and this is her sad, dark story. I read this in preparation for the third James Potter installment, and I am glad I did. I wish now that J.K. Rowling had written side stories on each of the original Harry Potter characters!
This is a short side story, but definitely enchanting on its own or between the 2nd and 3rd books. Enjoy.
This is a short side story, but definitely enchanting on its own or between the 2nd and 3rd books. Enjoy.
August 1, 2011
After having read the first 2 books in the James Potter series, I was going to just continue on to the 3rd. Instead I decided to read Petra's story before going on to the 3rd. I am so very glad that I did. This 'dark fairy tale,' as its called, was great. Excellent writing. I am hoping that Petra's story will continue on, she is truely a complex character that deserves attention.
August 6, 2012
It seems appropriate to call this a dark fairy tale; I think I'm still reeling a bit from the ending.
January 26, 2011
I bought this book and read it before I started the third book in the James Potter series. This story was not as good as the first two James Potter books. I did not feel that Lippert successfully laid the groundwork for the ending he created. There wasn't enough character development or evidence for the main character to act the way she did in the end. I did not like the direction the author took with the main character Petra. I really hated what happened in the end. ***Spoiler Alert****I'm glad JK Rowling did not have Harry murder anyone in her books as Lippert did with Petra. I don't believe it added anything to the story for J and YA readers. I did not like Petra attempting to murder Lizi ether.
March 26, 2012
I rated this a 3 primarily for its role in advancing the plot of the James Potter series, and not for the book in and of itself...Not that I didn't like the story, I did...except for the end...
I had really hoped this book would be more of a stand-alone dark fairy-tale that only peripherally touched Lippert's James Potter series. However, I felt it was totally a vehicle for advancing the James Potter plot, and it did so in such a way to take it to a far darker place than I would have liked it to go. I would have much preferred a different ending.
I had really hoped this book would be more of a stand-alone dark fairy-tale that only peripherally touched Lippert's James Potter series. However, I felt it was totally a vehicle for advancing the James Potter plot, and it did so in such a way to take it to a far darker place than I would have liked it to go. I would have much preferred a different ending.
June 23, 2019
I Enjoyed this novella. Petra leaves Hogwarts and retuns "home" a world of meanness and apathy. Her one bright light is her step sister- Izzy. Kind, gentle and forgiving, if simple minded. Petra knows that something terrible lives inside her. in the last book she chose good, but questions if that was really her choice or was she being manipulated by good, as she was by dark. This time the choice will be hers.
August 10, 2015
What an amazing spin-off story. While there are connections to Lippert's other works, this is a stand alone that will make you grip the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next.
While it would mean so much more if you've read his other work, the characters are unique and well described all on their own.
A riveting piece of fiction, that I would recommend to anyone who believes in a little magic.
While it would mean so much more if you've read his other work, the characters are unique and well described all on their own.
A riveting piece of fiction, that I would recommend to anyone who believes in a little magic.
July 27, 2019
A very interesting side-story to the James Potter series, and definitely a must read for any fan.
Taking place between the second and third James Potter books, this significantly darker story creates a backdrop that promises excellent reading in the James Potter books to come. Too bad there's currently only one book left :(
Taking place between the second and third James Potter books, this significantly darker story creates a backdrop that promises excellent reading in the James Potter books to come. Too bad there's currently only one book left :(
October 21, 2012
Another book in the collection of James Potters adventures, this time focusing on a character not created by JK Rowling. Petra Morganstern gets thus story all to herself.
I loved reading this short novella that tells the story of a powerful girl coming to terms with her life and unusual powers.
I look forward to the next story! These books are just as great at the original Harry Potters!
I loved reading this short novella that tells the story of a powerful girl coming to terms with her life and unusual powers.
I look forward to the next story! These books are just as great at the original Harry Potters!
February 20, 2023
This short book falls between the second and third books in Lippert's James Potter series. It focuses on a short period in the life of Petra, one of the students who just graduated from Hogwarts at the end of the second book. This book also shows that Lippert does know how to write a very good story. If you liked the Harry Potter books, you will enjoy this one.
January 19, 2012
Dark fairy tale, yes. Story of Petra &explanation of what she returned home to. The story is short, but now that I am a few pages into the 3rd James Potter, I'd say to be sure to read it between books 2 & 3.
December 9, 2015
Great standalone story - love the way he has taken the Harry Potter story and added some great ideas and new story lines for the next generation and made it his own, especially with Petra and Merlin's stories.
October 23, 2012
Great story. I loved the further background and story on Petra. I was glad to see them Gremlins come to her aide and I appreciated her internal struggle.
November 11, 2014
The unabridged audiobook of The Girl on the Dock by G Norman Lippert will be available December 2014 from Living Audio. Follow @LivingAudio247 on Twitter for the latest news.
January 20, 2019
It was good
This was a good book. The author does a good job, but I felt like I needed a bit more action or more of an ending in order to give it a higher rating.
This was a good book. The author does a good job, but I felt like I needed a bit more action or more of an ending in order to give it a higher rating.
December 14, 2015
THIS REVIEW HAS SOME MAJOR SPOILERS IN IT! NOT just for this book, but for the entire James Potter series.
Yes, this was a dark little fairy tale...I don't think it was darker than the darkest bits of the Harry Potter series, though. Or, for that matter, the James Potter series. For me, I love the James Potter series so much that they are the same world. Maybe in 10 years J.K. Rowling will insist on a slight edit and then let them into official canon. Those things matter to nerds like myself.
I'm curious as to why Petra became the main character and love interest in the series. There really was absolutely NO indication that she was anything more than Teddy's girlfriend and a Gremlin in the first book. A background character. Not that I mind her development, though I wish she had been made just a little bit younger. I suppose it is interesting for 12 year old James to fall in love with a 17 year old in some ways. But, I know when I was that age, I knew such girls were practically in the category of "grownups" and thus about the same as Kathy Ireland from Sports Illustrated in terms of actually paying any attention to me. But, I guess it fit the play, which was the whole point. The bait and switch of Tabitha for Petra was typical "Potter", much like Sirius Black, actually. In a lot of ways, the second James Potter book was, like the third Harry Potter book. First, I think it has been the best in the series thus far. Sure, I missed Zane (though not his voice on the audiobook!) His name escapes me, but the guy from Living Audio is as good as Dale and better than Fry when it comes to the voices, but he still makes all his American characters sound like they are from the furthest reaches of Nova Scotia. American accents are very hard for British people to make, though.
Anyway, about the story: it's a pretty typical little fairy tale in the spirit of "dark" fairy tales that are out there (and that I love) these days. And, they really are "out there" these days, with Disney scoring huge hits with Frozen, Maleficent, Into the Woods, and such. It really is a very "typical" story line. That it takes place in the Potter universe really doesn't matter. You do probably need to have read "Curse of the Gatekeeper" for it to make sense in some places, but I think the creative reader can get past that. But, it does explain why Merlin turns up and the Gremlins (carefully avoiding, when possible, "Potter" universe characters). I like the idea of Petra being a sorceress. I wasn't that keen on the idea of a different kind of wizard when Merlin was introduced, but I've grown to like the idea. After all, the sky is the limit in the Potter universe. Sorcerers are so much more powerful than the most powerful wizards that it kind of makes them like near demigods. Which isn't a bad thing, because they are so very rare. And, the idea of a sorceress who has part of Voldermort's soul in her sets her up to be a perfect wild card in the books to come, doesn't it?
That she kills rats and bats by thinking them dead is perfectly terrifying. And, we find out that her wand is a crutch and get a good explanation about how normal wizards get their magic and why they need wands while Merlin and Petra do not, even though perhaps they prefer to use one. The spider killing at the beginning is terrifying, of course. And, it perfectly foreshadows Petra's appalling acts at the end of the book when, driven mad with grief and pain, she almost kills her own sister. This is a girl, a woman, really, who almost killed James's sister and then violently killed her stepmother without much thought, and we still feel nothing but pity for her. That is why Izzy is such a wonderful character in this book. I love that she is perfectly intelligent when her awful mother is not around. It shows how horribly parents can destroy a child's self-esteem. It plays into a theme in the Potter books about what loving parents can do for a person, even if they are dead like Harry's. It also plays into what unloving parents, cruel parents, even, can do to a child. It is so sad that her grandfather is a wizard who has been so completely demoralized by life that he has given up on magic. But, it shows the power of misguided love for someone who does not love you in return. Ouch, is all I can say.
Lippert is one of those rare male authors that really can write for female characters quite well. It's why I love his books so much. And, the introduction of Petra as a main character with books of her own makes it quite possible that his version of the Potter universe CAN live on after his plans to end the series at five books. I can honestly say that after reading Morrigan's Web, it makes sense that a climatic fifth book would work out rather than dragging it out for seven books. I won't spoil things beyond that, except that so much is really resolved with the auxiliary antagonists at the end of book four that I think his story can be told in five books. But, Petra's story can continue, I think. Oh, it was such a wonderful idea to write this book and add to the world that Lippert has created.
Has anyone noticed a tendency to make female villains in the James Potter series? Phyllis truly takes the cake in terms of "evil", however. She is a mere Muggle, but she makes Tabitha Corsica look like a positive kitten. It shows the power of abusive behavior by parents and guardians. The Dursley's never did much more than be neglectful and only sometimes outright cruel. Phyllis is outright cruel and evil, capable of driving her husband to an ambiguous suicide and sending her poor disabled daughter away to a "work farm" while having a sexual relationship with the caretaker of the work farm all the while. Was Petra's murder of her abusive, hateful, disgusting, adulteress of a stepmother really THAT shocking, given how she treats Izzy? Well, yes and no. Yes, in that a basically good person did a very bad thing. But, she was much more powerful than Harry Potter was when he lost control of HIS magic and blew up his aunt (something that would have resulted in her death, most likely, if not for the Ministry intervention, right?)
Magic has always had a evil and terrifying side in the world of Harry Potter. But, it was not really until Snape killed Dumbledore in Book 6 that a basically good man(with many flaws, of course) used it to kill in a direct manner. What does it do to a soul when someone kills like that, exactly? Snape died soon after he killed his friend Albus Dumbledore. (By the way, I LOVED that it was Snape who simply would NOT poison the dagger back in Book 2, which would have killed Petra's mother, but instead capitalizes on Voldermort's inherent sexism, while Dumbledore is all too ready to poison it and kill her "for the greater good"). This begs more questions, of course. It seems to state that the feminine nature is more gentle and kind than the male one, something Snape probably knows better than Dumbledore did for a variety of reasons. So, why are all the worst villains in Lippert's world female? In Rowling, all but a few exceptions like Bellatrix were male, very male villains. It is just an interesting question. Could a male child have resisted Voldermort's soul and painting like Petra did during her encounter with the Gatekeeper?
Lippert seems to want to draw certain parallels between Petra and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He even goes so far as to explain that wizards came into existence by the breeding of angels with human women in Genesis. I'm a Eastern Orthodox Christian, so such concepts intrigue me and certainly do not offend me. Rowling had plenty of Christian ideas, though usually not as blatant in her books. Do wizards believe in a Christian God? Is their Bible different somehow? In both worlds, really for me the same, we have wizards going to churches for weddings and funerals. I know that Rowling is a pretty devout Anglican. I don't know what Lippert is. My guess is some kind of Protestant. It's an Orthodox thing; we are good at guessing those kinds of things.
I guess I ultimately gave this book four stars instead of five because the story was simply not THAT original. At the end of the day, it was a "Potterish" retelling of the original Cinderella and other "dark" fairy tales. Not a bad thing at all, of course. I love most dark fairy tales. Hell, my favorite "world" is Doctor Who. Doctor Who was actually created under the idea of "a dark fairy tale, told in space" and it has been being told on TV, books, and audio plays for the last 50 years. I really did love "The Girl on the Dock" and I cannot wait to listen to the audio book version of it.
I listened to James Potter audio books 1 - 3 while I was in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery at the young age of 38. I decided to listen to the entire series again when I got out, as I missed some important points. I read "Girl on the Dock" the first time on my cell phone when I was still on morphine. So, I think I need to re-read it. I also read Morrigan's Web under similar circumstances on my little phone while my Samsung Tablet is being repaired. I intend to review all the books. But, this books had the biggest emotional impact on me in the entire series thus far.
It leaves a lot of questions! I assume that Petra is some kind of Morgan La Fae reborn. Why else the name "Morgan"? How much power does Izzy have on her own? Any? Or, does she simply emotionally enhance Petra's amazing powers? Morgan was Merlin's nemesis in some version of the Arthur myths, while in other they were reluctant allies. I, of course, love most the Morgan in the retelling from the "female" perspective in the Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Despite her problems with Christianity (something she reconciled herself to at the end of her life), they are the best Arthurian books that have ever really been written.
Hell, even in Stargate Morgan La Fae turns out to be "good" in the end and even though she was Merlin's enemy for much of the time, in the end she sacrifices herself to fight the evil Adria for all eternity. Of course, maybe it was just an excuse to SPEND eternity with a woman as beautiful as Morena Baccarin! :-) I sure as hell wouldn't mind spending eternity with her. Have you seen her in Gotham? My God, she looks better at 37 than she did at 30!
Speaking of which, who would be a good Petra in a movie adaption of "The Girl on the Dock"? It would be a perfect PG-rated Pixar flick, though I'm not sure if live action or animation would be better. I can think of a lot of British actresses to be the evil Phyllis. The thing is that, if you removed the "Potter" elements from this book, it really would be a very good story all the same, and a very good movie as well. Hell, it would makes a good Doctor Who episode even. When you can transplant a story to so many different mediums and it would probably be very good still, then you have a truly good story on your hands. Disney has been going through a "dark fairy tale" phase since the success of Frozen. And, if you don't think Frozen is dark, really watch it again and pay attention to how appallingly they treat their daughter due to her gift, especially after the trolls say she needs love and kindness. If you took all the silly comedy away from Frozen, it would be PG-13 and one of the darkest movies for kids since, well...since The Deathly Hallows.
I've gotten a bit off topic, except to say that "The Girl on the Dock" is magical. But, magical is not always happy, and it sure as hell isn't happy. I can't wait to read the sequel to it "Girl in the Graveyard" which Lippert is currently writing. Why does Petra have a wand on the cover, by the way? Book five of the James Potter series is supposed to be when James is 17 and done with school. Could this be so that James and Petra can have a brief doomed relationship with implied sexuality? I think maybe so. I think that Petra will be "the only one that I can ever really love" for James. That would be so cruel, and yet so true to life.
It is pretty obvious that The Triumvirate was a glimpse into the future for James and Petra. Petra mentions James at the end of this book as "a friend", but what friend do we mention first but the one that we love as more than a mere friend? I don't see a happy future for Petra, whatever the case. She probably will destroy Judith in the end, and then maybe turn on Merlin as she loses her grasp on reality. Perhaps James will realize that sending her to another dimension is the only truly loving thing he can do for her anymore.
It would be Lyra and Will all over again, wouldn't it? One thing the author has said is that Petra probably will have to leave this dimension, so I cannot see happily ever after for the two star-crossed lovers. Anyway. GREAT book! Sorry for the spoilers, but such is life. Life can be cruel, and so can I! I personally think Phyllis got what she deserved. It was the only way to save her sister's life, really. Even Batman kills when he needs to save another life. Even the Doctor has been known to use the sword instead of the screwdriver to stop appalling cruelty. By the way, did anyone see parallels between the Doctor and Petra? Both are basically immortal, incredibly powerful, and both have such darkness lurking in their hearts and minds.
And, they both almost always end up very unhappy as they watch their friends die around them. Power very has had much to do with wisdom, has it? The Doctor can be so cruel and Machiavellian. He is a demigod, but destined to be so unhappy. I think Izzy is Petra's true and only soulmate. Not James, no matter if they end up together, which I think they will for a couple of chapters at least. I already feel really badly for James. People who love demigods almost always end up very unhappy in the end. I just don't think loving Morgan La Fae will end up good for James. Yet, we love who we love. We can't help it.
Poor James Sirius Potter. I know J.K. Rowling made Ginny into a love interest for Harry because she was afraid of him ending up like Luke Skywalker and so many other heroes with big destinies at the end. That is to say very much alone. Elsa ends up alone at the end of Frozen. They were kind enough to give Maleficent a daughter in that little dark fairy tale. I actually feel much worse for James than I do for Petra, because at least she seems to have her little sister. But Lippert is just a bit darker and crueler than Rowling, despite the fact that the amount of actual deaths are far less in his series thus far after four books.
My predictions are thus. I'd love to hear other opinions!
Yes, this was a dark little fairy tale...I don't think it was darker than the darkest bits of the Harry Potter series, though. Or, for that matter, the James Potter series. For me, I love the James Potter series so much that they are the same world. Maybe in 10 years J.K. Rowling will insist on a slight edit and then let them into official canon. Those things matter to nerds like myself.
I'm curious as to why Petra became the main character and love interest in the series. There really was absolutely NO indication that she was anything more than Teddy's girlfriend and a Gremlin in the first book. A background character. Not that I mind her development, though I wish she had been made just a little bit younger. I suppose it is interesting for 12 year old James to fall in love with a 17 year old in some ways. But, I know when I was that age, I knew such girls were practically in the category of "grownups" and thus about the same as Kathy Ireland from Sports Illustrated in terms of actually paying any attention to me. But, I guess it fit the play, which was the whole point. The bait and switch of Tabitha for Petra was typical "Potter", much like Sirius Black, actually. In a lot of ways, the second James Potter book was, like the third Harry Potter book. First, I think it has been the best in the series thus far. Sure, I missed Zane (though not his voice on the audiobook!) His name escapes me, but the guy from Living Audio is as good as Dale and better than Fry when it comes to the voices, but he still makes all his American characters sound like they are from the furthest reaches of Nova Scotia. American accents are very hard for British people to make, though.
Anyway, about the story: it's a pretty typical little fairy tale in the spirit of "dark" fairy tales that are out there (and that I love) these days. And, they really are "out there" these days, with Disney scoring huge hits with Frozen, Maleficent, Into the Woods, and such. It really is a very "typical" story line. That it takes place in the Potter universe really doesn't matter. You do probably need to have read "Curse of the Gatekeeper" for it to make sense in some places, but I think the creative reader can get past that. But, it does explain why Merlin turns up and the Gremlins (carefully avoiding, when possible, "Potter" universe characters). I like the idea of Petra being a sorceress. I wasn't that keen on the idea of a different kind of wizard when Merlin was introduced, but I've grown to like the idea. After all, the sky is the limit in the Potter universe. Sorcerers are so much more powerful than the most powerful wizards that it kind of makes them like near demigods. Which isn't a bad thing, because they are so very rare. And, the idea of a sorceress who has part of Voldermort's soul in her sets her up to be a perfect wild card in the books to come, doesn't it?
That she kills rats and bats by thinking them dead is perfectly terrifying. And, we find out that her wand is a crutch and get a good explanation about how normal wizards get their magic and why they need wands while Merlin and Petra do not, even though perhaps they prefer to use one. The spider killing at the beginning is terrifying, of course. And, it perfectly foreshadows Petra's appalling acts at the end of the book when, driven mad with grief and pain, she almost kills her own sister. This is a girl, a woman, really, who almost killed James's sister and then violently killed her stepmother without much thought, and we still feel nothing but pity for her. That is why Izzy is such a wonderful character in this book. I love that she is perfectly intelligent when her awful mother is not around. It shows how horribly parents can destroy a child's self-esteem. It plays into a theme in the Potter books about what loving parents can do for a person, even if they are dead like Harry's. It also plays into what unloving parents, cruel parents, even, can do to a child. It is so sad that her grandfather is a wizard who has been so completely demoralized by life that he has given up on magic. But, it shows the power of misguided love for someone who does not love you in return. Ouch, is all I can say.
Lippert is one of those rare male authors that really can write for female characters quite well. It's why I love his books so much. And, the introduction of Petra as a main character with books of her own makes it quite possible that his version of the Potter universe CAN live on after his plans to end the series at five books. I can honestly say that after reading Morrigan's Web, it makes sense that a climatic fifth book would work out rather than dragging it out for seven books. I won't spoil things beyond that, except that so much is really resolved with the auxiliary antagonists at the end of book four that I think his story can be told in five books. But, Petra's story can continue, I think. Oh, it was such a wonderful idea to write this book and add to the world that Lippert has created.
Has anyone noticed a tendency to make female villains in the James Potter series? Phyllis truly takes the cake in terms of "evil", however. She is a mere Muggle, but she makes Tabitha Corsica look like a positive kitten. It shows the power of abusive behavior by parents and guardians. The Dursley's never did much more than be neglectful and only sometimes outright cruel. Phyllis is outright cruel and evil, capable of driving her husband to an ambiguous suicide and sending her poor disabled daughter away to a "work farm" while having a sexual relationship with the caretaker of the work farm all the while. Was Petra's murder of her abusive, hateful, disgusting, adulteress of a stepmother really THAT shocking, given how she treats Izzy? Well, yes and no. Yes, in that a basically good person did a very bad thing. But, she was much more powerful than Harry Potter was when he lost control of HIS magic and blew up his aunt (something that would have resulted in her death, most likely, if not for the Ministry intervention, right?)
Magic has always had a evil and terrifying side in the world of Harry Potter. But, it was not really until Snape killed Dumbledore in Book 6 that a basically good man(with many flaws, of course) used it to kill in a direct manner. What does it do to a soul when someone kills like that, exactly? Snape died soon after he killed his friend Albus Dumbledore. (By the way, I LOVED that it was Snape who simply would NOT poison the dagger back in Book 2, which would have killed Petra's mother, but instead capitalizes on Voldermort's inherent sexism, while Dumbledore is all too ready to poison it and kill her "for the greater good"). This begs more questions, of course. It seems to state that the feminine nature is more gentle and kind than the male one, something Snape probably knows better than Dumbledore did for a variety of reasons. So, why are all the worst villains in Lippert's world female? In Rowling, all but a few exceptions like Bellatrix were male, very male villains. It is just an interesting question. Could a male child have resisted Voldermort's soul and painting like Petra did during her encounter with the Gatekeeper?
Lippert seems to want to draw certain parallels between Petra and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He even goes so far as to explain that wizards came into existence by the breeding of angels with human women in Genesis. I'm a Eastern Orthodox Christian, so such concepts intrigue me and certainly do not offend me. Rowling had plenty of Christian ideas, though usually not as blatant in her books. Do wizards believe in a Christian God? Is their Bible different somehow? In both worlds, really for me the same, we have wizards going to churches for weddings and funerals. I know that Rowling is a pretty devout Anglican. I don't know what Lippert is. My guess is some kind of Protestant. It's an Orthodox thing; we are good at guessing those kinds of things.
I guess I ultimately gave this book four stars instead of five because the story was simply not THAT original. At the end of the day, it was a "Potterish" retelling of the original Cinderella and other "dark" fairy tales. Not a bad thing at all, of course. I love most dark fairy tales. Hell, my favorite "world" is Doctor Who. Doctor Who was actually created under the idea of "a dark fairy tale, told in space" and it has been being told on TV, books, and audio plays for the last 50 years. I really did love "The Girl on the Dock" and I cannot wait to listen to the audio book version of it.
I listened to James Potter audio books 1 - 3 while I was in the hospital recovering from open heart surgery at the young age of 38. I decided to listen to the entire series again when I got out, as I missed some important points. I read "Girl on the Dock" the first time on my cell phone when I was still on morphine. So, I think I need to re-read it. I also read Morrigan's Web under similar circumstances on my little phone while my Samsung Tablet is being repaired. I intend to review all the books. But, this books had the biggest emotional impact on me in the entire series thus far.
It leaves a lot of questions! I assume that Petra is some kind of Morgan La Fae reborn. Why else the name "Morgan"? How much power does Izzy have on her own? Any? Or, does she simply emotionally enhance Petra's amazing powers? Morgan was Merlin's nemesis in some version of the Arthur myths, while in other they were reluctant allies. I, of course, love most the Morgan in the retelling from the "female" perspective in the Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Despite her problems with Christianity (something she reconciled herself to at the end of her life), they are the best Arthurian books that have ever really been written.
Hell, even in Stargate Morgan La Fae turns out to be "good" in the end and even though she was Merlin's enemy for much of the time, in the end she sacrifices herself to fight the evil Adria for all eternity. Of course, maybe it was just an excuse to SPEND eternity with a woman as beautiful as Morena Baccarin! :-) I sure as hell wouldn't mind spending eternity with her. Have you seen her in Gotham? My God, she looks better at 37 than she did at 30!
Speaking of which, who would be a good Petra in a movie adaption of "The Girl on the Dock"? It would be a perfect PG-rated Pixar flick, though I'm not sure if live action or animation would be better. I can think of a lot of British actresses to be the evil Phyllis. The thing is that, if you removed the "Potter" elements from this book, it really would be a very good story all the same, and a very good movie as well. Hell, it would makes a good Doctor Who episode even. When you can transplant a story to so many different mediums and it would probably be very good still, then you have a truly good story on your hands. Disney has been going through a "dark fairy tale" phase since the success of Frozen. And, if you don't think Frozen is dark, really watch it again and pay attention to how appallingly they treat their daughter due to her gift, especially after the trolls say she needs love and kindness. If you took all the silly comedy away from Frozen, it would be PG-13 and one of the darkest movies for kids since, well...since The Deathly Hallows.
I've gotten a bit off topic, except to say that "The Girl on the Dock" is magical. But, magical is not always happy, and it sure as hell isn't happy. I can't wait to read the sequel to it "Girl in the Graveyard" which Lippert is currently writing. Why does Petra have a wand on the cover, by the way? Book five of the James Potter series is supposed to be when James is 17 and done with school. Could this be so that James and Petra can have a brief doomed relationship with implied sexuality? I think maybe so. I think that Petra will be "the only one that I can ever really love" for James. That would be so cruel, and yet so true to life.
It is pretty obvious that The Triumvirate was a glimpse into the future for James and Petra. Petra mentions James at the end of this book as "a friend", but what friend do we mention first but the one that we love as more than a mere friend? I don't see a happy future for Petra, whatever the case. She probably will destroy Judith in the end, and then maybe turn on Merlin as she loses her grasp on reality. Perhaps James will realize that sending her to another dimension is the only truly loving thing he can do for her anymore.
It would be Lyra and Will all over again, wouldn't it? One thing the author has said is that Petra probably will have to leave this dimension, so I cannot see happily ever after for the two star-crossed lovers. Anyway. GREAT book! Sorry for the spoilers, but such is life. Life can be cruel, and so can I! I personally think Phyllis got what she deserved. It was the only way to save her sister's life, really. Even Batman kills when he needs to save another life. Even the Doctor has been known to use the sword instead of the screwdriver to stop appalling cruelty. By the way, did anyone see parallels between the Doctor and Petra? Both are basically immortal, incredibly powerful, and both have such darkness lurking in their hearts and minds.
And, they both almost always end up very unhappy as they watch their friends die around them. Power very has had much to do with wisdom, has it? The Doctor can be so cruel and Machiavellian. He is a demigod, but destined to be so unhappy. I think Izzy is Petra's true and only soulmate. Not James, no matter if they end up together, which I think they will for a couple of chapters at least. I already feel really badly for James. People who love demigods almost always end up very unhappy in the end. I just don't think loving Morgan La Fae will end up good for James. Yet, we love who we love. We can't help it.
Poor James Sirius Potter. I know J.K. Rowling made Ginny into a love interest for Harry because she was afraid of him ending up like Luke Skywalker and so many other heroes with big destinies at the end. That is to say very much alone. Elsa ends up alone at the end of Frozen. They were kind enough to give Maleficent a daughter in that little dark fairy tale. I actually feel much worse for James than I do for Petra, because at least she seems to have her little sister. But Lippert is just a bit darker and crueler than Rowling, despite the fact that the amount of actual deaths are far less in his series thus far after four books.
My predictions are thus. I'd love to hear other opinions!
July 27, 2018
I really took pleasure from this stand-alone Petra Morganstern book. Not only is the story captivating and entertaining, it was also nice to have the opportunity to give a little back to an author who's fan fiction (and therefore free) books I'm enjoying so much.
The quality of the writing is what I've come to expect from G. Norman Lippert. Petra's tale ties in well with the Harry/James Potter universe, while nonetheless remaining its own story.
My only (extremely slight) niggle is the occasional stray reference that makes it feel like Petra lives in North America, as opposed to the UK, (where I assume she lives, since she attended a certain well-known magical school). For example, I've never seen a screen door on a house in the UK, and very few British people would refer to the southern English county of Devon by its old name of Devonshire.
That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Petra's solo exploits and hope there are more in the future. In the meantime, its time to carry on with James Potter's adventures... I hope Petra makes an appearance!
The quality of the writing is what I've come to expect from G. Norman Lippert. Petra's tale ties in well with the Harry/James Potter universe, while nonetheless remaining its own story.
My only (extremely slight) niggle is the occasional stray reference that makes it feel like Petra lives in North America, as opposed to the UK, (where I assume she lives, since she attended a certain well-known magical school). For example, I've never seen a screen door on a house in the UK, and very few British people would refer to the southern English county of Devon by its old name of Devonshire.
That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed Petra's solo exploits and hope there are more in the future. In the meantime, its time to carry on with James Potter's adventures... I hope Petra makes an appearance!
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