Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? | 
| Author: Nancy Solon Villaluz
Publisher: Ramance Press
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $22.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 200966
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 338
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.4
ISBN: 0979422981
EAN: 9780979422980
ASIN: 0979422981
Publication Date: November 8, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
You've never delved into Harry Potter like this!
In summer 2007, the collective tension was palpable. One by one, legions of breathless fans reached the bittersweet end of the Harry Potter series: rewarded for years of patience, yet experiencing odd combinations of understanding and bewilderment, relief and grief, satisfaction with ravenous pining, and often wondering, 'Is that really all there is?' Well.... That just depends on how you look at it. While J.K. Rowling confirmed that her Harry Potter series has concluded, she also expressed her intent that the Harry Potter books not be fully understood at first reading: not at all. Considering Rowling's cleverness, it would be sad - and also wrong - to think that now knowing the crescendo of events in Deathly Hallows' Chapters 32-36 also means we've fully deciphered absolutely everything in the preceding 4000 pages. Far from it! Beyond the humor, adventure, snogging, red herrings, and even the deaths, Rowling's many-layered series still contains veiled intricacies and misunderstood themes eagerly waiting to be savored with fresh insight. Many of Harry's greatest accomplishments and secrets remain virtually unnoticed by multitudes... even some of Rowling's brightest fans. Of course, that isn't an insult to the fans, but a compliment to the genius of Harry's author. J.K. Rowling has scattered a myriad of clues that, bit by bit, illuminate the complex mosaic of Harry's secrets and fly in the face of various criticisms. The problem is that this growing plethora of hints could take years of research and study. Not to worry. A Harry Potter fan herself since 1999, author Nancy Solon Villaluz spent five years doing exactly that: fervently researching and writing her compelling new commentary on Rowling's Harry Potter series, 'Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons?' Inside you will plunge into a challenging, in-depth analysis of all seven (7) of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels, her companion books, and her influences. Dull? Never! Bring your imagination along as the unique narrative of Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? leaves the typical model of dry study and insightfully takes readers on a thought-provoking metaphorical journey of literary exploration. Travel paths, dodge dragons, and have tea in this witty nonfiction commentary as you daringly tackle the deeper mysteries of Hogwarts 'Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus' (Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon) school motto, examine oodles of compelling evidence, and are guided beyond the warm shallows of J.K. Rowling's world into the hidden depths of Harry's richness. Many will be stunned by the scholarly discoveries within, others might even be offended; but how many could possibly suspect the veritable banquet quietly lingering right in Harry's own pages...just waiting for anyone brave enough to approach the Sleeping Dragons' lair. Do you dare come along? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EXCERPT FROM THE HARD COVER DUST JACKET:
'...Always true to Ms. Rowling's texts and interviews, this adventurous expert-level commentary takes readers on a compelling, witty, and intensely challenging exploration of the Harry Potter series. Rather than rushed conjectures and opinions, you will instead feast on the fruit of 5 years of passionate research and accurately honed insights wrought by a patient author who first let J.K. Rowling finish telling her tale. Inside, a journey awaits in which you will discover how a school motto, clandestine faith, and a bunch of books for kids have accomplished the unimaginable. So surprising is the evidence within these pages, that even Harry's most devoted fans may find the need to go back afresh and delight in reading Rowling's Harry Potter epic again...for the first time.'
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Write to your audience . . . January 1, 2009
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
There is a lot of good information in this book. It really is a "deep" study of the Christian meaning in the Harry Potter septology. However, it seemed like she thought she was writing to kids. "Now follow me through this door, and let's see what's hiding in here for us to discover." It got annoying.
 This book is a uniquely crafted, insightfully rich and entertaining journey for the age-diverse Harry Potter fans January 1, 2009
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Nancy Solon Villaluz has crafted a very enjoyable, insightful and uniquely written book that is well worth reading. Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? not only provides hidden secrets and insights about the Potter Septology (Nancy's reference to the seven books in Harry Potter series), plus biographical information and influences of J.K. Rowling, but employs a narrative style that should have broad appeal for Harry Potter fans.
Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? is entertaining and fun whilst being educational all at the same time. Having read aloud all the Harry Potter books (to my children), re-read to myself, listened to all the audio tapes and seen all 5 movies, I thoroughly enjoyed this insightful book full of new discoveries, revealing clues, and showing J.K.Rowling's influences and intentions that I had not picked-up on or known about before. In addition to being an avid Tolkien and C.S. Lewis fan, which is an extra bonus in reading this book, I really gained a new level of appreciation for J.K. Rowling herself and what she has accomplished with the Harry Potter books. However, as is mentioned in the books opening "Warning" it would be advisable to have at least read all of the Harry Potter Septology but not completely necessary (That is if you don't mind spoilers). Whatever your Harry Potter level, I believe, Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? offers something extra for the very `age-diverse' Harry Potter fan base. This broad-base appeal doesn't just work because of all the meticulous research on Harry Potter and its author but is driven forward by Nancy's appealing, sometimes humorous and highly witty narrative.
The narrative style that drives the book begins at `a small stone bridge over the babbling creek' ....to several points in between, finally ending up in a `cavern with hidden doors.' We as readers are asked to be part of the journey, occasionally asking questions, and given some freedom to decipher meaning before given each and every secret. Because of this narrative style this book can offer more appeal for much more of Harry Potter fan-base. After all, what made the series so universally appealing (One reviewer has apparently forgotten this pretty basic fact about the Harry Potter books) is that it's so fun to read for kids of all ages. Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? is not just another dry and boring Harry Potter reference manual or author thesis that was written for intellectually elite adults. Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? is much more than that and gives a wider base of Harry Potter fans the option to appreciate deeper layers and textures of the Harry Potter series.
Nancy Solon Villaluz quite effectively balances her well researched Harry Potter facts and data, never bogging us down with them, and provides us with the clear Christian influence that JK Rowling textured Harry Potter with, all this while keeping it fun and whimsical. Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? is a journey well worth going on. I very much look forward to getting a ticket for the next part of the journey: Does Harry Potter Tickle Waking Dragons? Jeff Riley (Parent/Teacher)-
 Harry Couldn't get through the treacle to tickle dragons... December 31, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I am an avid Harry Potter fan with multiple sets of the texts and multiple audio versions and a great consumer of HP criticism. In particular, I have read with great enjoyment and enlarging discernment the works of Mr. John Granger to which this book is compared. I wish to state categorically that there is absolutely no comparison between this DOES HARRY POTTER TICKLE SLEEPING DRAGONS and John Granger's works. Granger's works are well written, a valuable source of ideas and references to further delve into understanding the influences behind HP, and an explanation of the workings of a symbolist writer by someone who understands symbolist authors.
Villaluz has obviously done research and lots of it. This much manages to get through the poor conceit of the text and the poorer execution of the conceit. I did learn some valuable pointers from Villaluz. However, it was literally wading through treacle in its first and second meanings to get those pointers. Further, the allegorist aka Villaluz runs amok through the HP series text and forces a cardboard meaning onto multivalent symbols to yield often plausible, but just as often forced, interpretations which she attributes as JKR's intention blatantly executed. I doubt that JKR intended to be so ham-handed and I have never read her texts that way. I do in general agree with Villaluz that there is a profound Christian foundation in the series with beautifully expressed and visualized Christian truths and specifically Christian truths driving the story line and giving it its remarkable appeal. However, I do think that JKR, should she read DHPTSD, would react to Villaluz's charges of allegory as did Lewis and Tolkien; e.g., disavowal of the works as allegory.
Many folk have great difficulty in distinguishing between symbolist literary techniques and allegory proper. The author of DHPTSD is one of those folk. "STOP" is not the answer to "What is an octahedron?" - though it is the answer to "What does a red octahedral traffic signal mean?"
This text would be remarkably improved by the loss of the conceit of the journey and its resultant verbiage. Straightforward chapters of sequential ideas would do nicely, as these actually do exist in DHPTSD, but are currently difficult to isolate. The style is abhominable ("and do remember to spell it with an 'h', Doctor Cornelius") and thoroughly off-putting. Only a very determined HP fan looking for insight wherever it might be would wade through all of this as it is.
I regret that this review is largely negative. I think the authoress' intent and insights are worthwhile but that they are poorly executed. The book does not rise to the level of, much less go further or deeper than, Mr. Granger's. This claim by the unnamed Chesterton Society reviewer reflects most poorly on the American Chesterton Society (see above). (I have been reading Chesterton for decades and just received Orthodoxy on audio CD to re-read that classic by ear, as it were.) Villaluz certainly does allegorize beyond the claims Mr. Granger made for allegorical interpretation, but she does it in such a manner as miss the multiple-layers of symbolist meaning (notably illustrated by Dante in the Letter to Can Grande on the COMEDY - see [...].
She, in fact, reduces the medieval levels of literal, moral, allegorical, and anagogical levels all to her own limited 'allegorical' interpretation as the sole intent of the author of HP. As a reader of Dante and one who sees much of him in JKR, I find DHPTSD to be forced into a one-mold-as-authorial-intent which, while plausible, is not the ultimate guide it claims to be. Ms Villaluz regards it as a Summa Potterica (Volume I, for she promises another two volumes). I cannot.
If you are a true Harry fan and you have a strong stomach for saccharine, cloying, sweetness and can concede opinion as fact while trudging through text - and have an extra 25.00 plus shipping to spend - consider this book. Better, borrow it from a library, or absent a copy there, wait for the used version at amazon seller sites to drop at least one-half before purchasing.
 Excellent Scholarship, Extremely Poor Writing December 30, 2008
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
I don't enjoy writing negative reviews, particularly of a book that I am sure the author put her best into and a book that will still appeal to many fans. But the fact of the matter is that this book's prose can only be described as purple, maybe even ultra-violet. I do not think that in my entire life I have read a book that is as cloying, as self-referentially "cute" and as deferential to an author (to the point of pure bathos) as is this volume. If you can possibly get by the way this author has chosen to write this book (I only got to page 50 or so) then, yes, she sure does know a lot about Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling. But unless you enjoy being addressed by an author as if you were a cross between a retarded Victorian nine year-old and a doddering Oxford don you need to avoid this book. I believe there are excerpts available -- read them first and decide if this type of writing style appeals to you. It sure does not to me. At all.
Outstanding! November 28, 2008
12 out of 14 found this review helpful
Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? by Nancy Solon Villaluz is a thoroughly researched in-depth analysis of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels. In this book the works of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien are compared favorably with the novels of Rowling. The author hails Jo Rowling as a modern-day "Inkling" writer, and I wholeheartedly agree, having done a mountain of research on that particular subject myself. This book is the first I have read that examines the influence of Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse on Rowling's Harry Potter Septology. It also contains a very detailed list of Rowling quotes pertaining to her religious beliefs, and what her intentions were in writing the Potter series. A surprisingly long listing of references to Christianity in the Potter novels is also of interest in this first volume of an intended three-part series by Villaluz. This book was written in a very creative style, almost like an adventure novel, although it is a scholarly work. The illustrations by the author's husband, Ramir P. M. Villaluz, are a delight, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the deeper meaning and hidden symbolism of the Harry Potter novels, especially if you are familiar with the excellent books and lectures on Harry Potter by John Granger.
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