Thread: Twilight vs Harry Potter. Who Wins?

I haven't read any of the Twilight series, in fact I hadn't even heard of them before this thread, so I will have to reserve judgement.

I grew up with The Hobbit, Narnia, Wind in the Willows and such but I (through my children) have read all the Harry Potter stories and thoroughly enjoyed them. It helped that the films were so well done and IMO anything that gets youngsters reading is good, be it film or comic or the side of a cereal box.

If I were to plump for modern adolescent fantasy it would have to be Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Pullman is much more adult in his themes, while still appealing to younger readers. If you haven't read them, I definitely recommend giving them a go.

I think they are called 'The Golden Compass' in the US.

Originally Posted by Zootalaws

If I were to plump for modern adolescent fantasy it would have to be Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Pullman is much more adult in his themes, while still appealing to younger readers. If you haven't read them, I definitely recommend giving them a go.

I think they are called 'The Golden Compass' in the US.

That's the title of the first book, which I've read. I'm still to read books II and III as I've been a bit (<- A HUGE understatement) busy lately with my studies. But since we're on break, I plan on reading them in the next days.

And I agree, he's taken a much more adult theme, which I like. His writing style is fast, too, so much so that I feel like the pages are turning by themselves as I read.

Yeah, I've never understood why we always change the titles of books for marketability, it's kind of... annoying. But sometimes the fast writing style can be detrimental for the Dark Materials. Though it draws the reader in, it can occasionally make it hard to keep up.

I prefer harry potter myself.

Reason being:

Let's get the least important reasons out of the way first. The movies. Finally, they've finished all of them so I can give an overall verdict. Fantastic. Especially the dark sort of ones. I just want to be simple in my reasoning as I'm tired, so sorry for the short reasons. Secondly, the depth of the characters. There is more characters in Harry Potter than in Twilight from what I've seen. And in each character, JK Rowling tries to give them a background, something to do. And my god, it does work.

Now, the most important reasons. Firstly, there is a bit of everything in the books. Romance, Action, Mystery, Drama. Sure, you get this in Twilight but Harry Potter go's into more depth in each area. Twilight seems to always link to romance. Harry Potter has a wide audience range; young readers, teenage readers and adult readers. Twilight seem to be only for teenagers and adults. Hence, why it is more popular. Secondly, I've forgot my last reason. Nevermind. But the reasons I gave you are good enough to explain why in my eyes Harry Potter is better.

My verdict has been sorted.

Dear Lord, Jesus christ, will Aragorn, Frodo, and Gandalf PLEASE put these two books out of their misery?

I hate both series, but if I must vote, Harry Potter.

I read 3 chapters of twilight before putting it down in disgust, I think Stephen King got it right when he said 'Stephanie Meyer can't write worth a damn'. My vote goes to Harry Potter even though I never really enjoyed book 4 and didn't like how random the fiendfyre just happened to be able to destroy a horcrux in book seven. The other's I enjoyed though, JK Rowling is fantastic at weaving backstory and making it influence the current events.

I, In my bright-eyed, bushy tailed youth, would spend many hours reading Harry Potter. When I was supposed to be long abed I would instead have fashioned myself a small fortress of pillows and blankets, and a tiny flashlight. There has nary been a book hence that has enthralled me for nigh as long nor as well as a Harry Potter book. I can't speak for Twilight as I haven't read the books, but I must say I do enjoy the looks of the wolves in the movies.

I read both Twilight and Harry Potter. To be completely fair, I believe both books are successful in different ways.

Harry Potter- Creating a beautifully thought out world while also providing loads of entertainment by the different magical races and characters!

Twilight - Leans towards a romance between two different species and follows their oddities.

However, I feel that Harry Potter wins because when I read it, I get lost inside the world that J.K Rowling has painted for us to immerse ourselves in.

I will vote in 50 years time. If either is still around.

Harry Potter, there's just no competition here. Also, I'm finding it very creepy how grown men in my office are asking me if I've read the books and seen the movies. It just seems wrong, somehow. Leave the teens to have their fantasies in private.

I was going to come on and lambaste Twilight with my best basting brush, but thinking about that, it's not fair.

The series fulfilled a gap in the market, a gap left by previous franchises like Anne Rice's vampires (that's what I read as a vampire-loving teen), Sweet Valley High, etc. These are not rocket-science books, but they are books that young people will buy with their own money and read of their own volition, precisely because they are NOT classics and because they are NOT setwork books. It's a small chunk of their own private mythology that they get to share with other fans of the series. And like everyone else has said, as long as it gets people stretching their reading (and presumably fan fiction) muscles, the classics aren't going anywhere and will be ready and waiting when all of those girls have taken their Breaking Dawn posters off the walls.

By this time there will be another poorly penned series to suck up all that babysitting money- hopefully it will be mine

The Harry Potter series seems to have more longevity because of the themes of good, morality and the underdog ultimately rising up to conquer evil. I wouldn't be surprised if the books did become part of a school curriculum somewhere down the line, which will, of course, earn them the immediate disdain of all the children being forced to read them. A small part of me hopes these ungrateful bastiches will be my own children.

My thoughts are that both books are intended for much younger people than myself and fulfill their respective roles perfectly.

Now that I've successfully avoided passing judgement on the books, I can say without a doubt that the Twilight movies suck dried donkey sweat compared to Harry Potter.

This is my first proper post, and I am glad I found a topic I feel I can engage in with some knowledge!

Firstly, I must say, I am a massive Harry Potter fan. J K Rowling amazes me. So I will try my best not to gush like a fan girl.

Obviously I prefer Harry Potter. And here are my reasons:

1. J. K Rowling is, by far, a much better writer. Her use of language is, to me, beautiful. She knows the exact words to use to make you laugh, and cry. Her characters are so real, so well rounded.

2. Bells is a rubbish lead character. She is so dull. Her whole life is Edward Cullen. She had no friends in pheonix, then gets some in Forks, but is not bothered with them when she gets with Edward. Then uses a poor boy in an attempt to hallucinate?! I am just not that keen on girls who dump their friends for a boy. Harry Potter shows women are equal to men, and at times, better. It shows them as maternal figures, sycotoc, intellectuals. Twilight shows a self obssessed, suicidal girl. She has no interests. It winds me up...

3. The plot. The most important part of a story. Harry Potter is so well planned. And you can tell. Yes, there are so minor plot holes, I'm sure. But Twilight has some massive ones. How on earth can Edward father a child? These vampires are meant to has super deadly, corrosive venom coursing through... Well, everywhere! How on earth did he not dissolve her womb? Not to mention that nothing actually happens. Just when you think something is going to happen, ooh! Nothing happens.

I could go on all day about why twilight drives me insane, but the truth is, I've just not got the time. Anyway, I read the Twilight books like a lunatic. I don't know why, but they sucked me in. I knew they were bad, but I just had to read them... Maybe I was just willing them to be good. I did like the idea of it. Meyer just didn't execute it well.

So, in conclusion, Harry Potter is better. I just love the message. Love conquers all. I love how J K Rowling put her whole heart into creating such a wonderful, yet terrifying world. I love the friendships, the heart wrenching loss and the strength of the characters. I love how the villains are so deliciously villainous. But mostly I love Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Three outcasts who became the best of friends by chance. It's just so lovely how they are there, no matter what.

I'm going to stop now... I really could go on all day!

Harry Potter ftw! ^_^

Harry Potter all the way. The world is bigger and more amazing to me.

I never read Harry Potter but I'm sure if I did, I'd probably enjoy it. (I liked the movies) In fact, it was the Twilight series that started me reading again. Since then, I've been reading non-stop and now I'm going through and tweaking my first fantasy novel. (I just finished it a few days ago!!) Anyways, I really enjoyed Twilight because it was new and different and the 15 yr old in me ate it up. lol