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James Potter And The Vault Of Destinies (2000)

by G. Norman Lippert(Favorite Author)

4.27 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

Paranormal Fantasy

series

James Potter

review 1: This is my least favorite of the series. The beginning felt like it dragged on for freakin' ever and the ending felt so insanely rushed. However, my real problem with the book was how the author chose to depict Alma Aleron. Much of the details of the school included very stereotypical American things (sororities, frats, beer, etc.) that it almost seemed like the school was a joke. Including the stereotypes would have been fine, but he did it in such a demeaning way that it wasn't enjoyable. It ended up feeling like lazy writing and I found myself rolling my eyes a lot and wanting to skip ahead. All in all, I wasn't impressed this time.
review 2: A crazy ride. Lippert has turned the world of Harry Potter on its head.This is the first of the James Potter books to... more truly diverge from the formula and style of Rowlings Harry Potter series. Unlike the previous two, this one doesn't link back to or remind one of any of the prior books. In fact, if I had to say what it reminded me of the most, I would say Monsters University, the movie. I'm pretty sure this came out before that, but the story is set in America on a campus where the houses are run like fraternities.The story kicks off with an illusion gone horribly wrong. Harry Potter and his aurors are called to America to assist with the investigation, and they bring their families along to keep them close while they are there. James and Ralph find themselves joining Zane at Alma Aleron, the American counterpart to Hogwarts. The three, plus their cousin Lucy (Percy's adopted daughter) soon find themselves caught up in a mystery surrounding a mysterious artifact called the loom of destiny. This story is somewhat darker than the previous two, but it still features plenty of heart and humor. I had no trouble connecting to and caring about the characters, new and old, and it was interesting to see the distinctly American magical world. The quirky houses at Alma Aleron provide the source of much of the humor. The sports rivalry between houses also adds a bit of excitement and entertainment value. All of this plays counterpoint to the underlying struggle of good vs. evil, which is well-executed in this story. I won't go into any more details, because I don't want to spoil the story. One of the things I like most about book three is the surprise factor. Everything is new. The mystery is revealed gradually with very subtle hints, not predictable ones. I was able to put a few things together as the plot progressed, but I was still shocked by the outcome (though everything fits in hindsight). Overall, this one is definitely worth reading, but the story is starting to become more Lippert's than Rowlings'. Is that a good thing? Maybe. I can say that I liked it, but things got dark really fast. As I said up front, this one turns the world of Harry Potter on its head. This book is available for free on Goodreads.com. less

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Reviews (see all)

PrettyLittleLiar

Two stars is probably one star more than this fanfic deserves. It succeeds in simultaneously featuring a plot that is almost non-existing, yet at the same time confusing. Some evildoer from another dimension steals a thread of reality from our own. It is not exactly certain why they do that or what the consequences are,or what that even means, but there you go. To top it all off, we're again witnessing an overuse of time travelling to solve a problem. Yet, when an important character suffers, it does not occur to anyone to go back in time and prevent it. Oh sure we can go back in time to steal an artifact to alter the course of history, but not to save someone.The character of Petra Morganstern, or is it Morgan Morganstern now, has totally jumped the shark, probably in the previous book already, but here she's even more ridiculous with her unmatched power and connection to James Potter and so forth.Even the Merlin-centric thread that was the staple of the previous two books is apparently gone now. So in the end, the only thing that maybe makes this worth one and a half star is the author's decent worldbuilding centered on the American magic academy Alma Aleron (you see, James and some of his friends and family now return the favor and go study abroad for a year). Although there is too much of such exposition and not enough of the plot. It feels like half the book is a treatise on an American Quidditch-like game called Clutchcudgel, which apparently features even more ridiculous rules and is, despite the fact that so much time is devoted to it, never properly explained.Looks like a good time for me to stop reading fan fiction for a while.

hayden

Best of the series so far. Some pars a bit overdone, and completely unneeded (such as the time when the students went to visit the Shackamaxon. The chapter reaching their was a long read, and in the end we learned nothing of it, because next thing they all were back at the school. I still hope that the author of this will rethink the fact that all grades of the school have lessons together. It would be rather intelligent first years or daft seventh years students if they all take classes together.It was a good read however, and it could almost be a book written by J. K. Rowling herself.

Winifred

excellent book, it was interesting during all pages, but I didn't liked end.

jaketlover11

Interesting plot twists.

thetpiesoe008

Good

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