Would you download the new Harry Potter book?

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Drmike says he found a site where you can download “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”.

Would you download a possibly incomplete copy of a new book? What if it’s not as polished as the finished item? Would the glaring grammatical mistakes, and unedited paragraphs ruin the experience for you?

What about the experience of lying in bed with a good book, engrossed in it and falling asleep with the light on? Is it the same with a set of printed sheets from your computer? I think not. That scene in The Devil Wears Prada does spring to mind where the kids are reading the manuscript on the train..

Meanwhile, Scott Adams has an excellent post on copyright violation which he later explained was an experiment in “cognitive dissonance”.

If you’ve read anything about experiments to produce cognitive dissonance, you know this was the perfect setup. You can produce dissonance by putting a person in a position of doing something that is clearly opposed to his self image. Then wait for his explanation. The explanation will seem absurd to anyone who doesn’t share the dissonance. In this case the model that produced it was…

1. Good people are not criminals.
2. Criminals break laws.
3. I break copyright laws.
4. But since I know I am a good person, my reason why it’s okay to violate copyright laws is (insert something absurd).

I don’t think it worked on me because I happen to agree with him that copyright violation is theft. Previous mind experiments have however worked on me so I’m as susceptable as anyone. His underpants story was particularly absurd however, even if in keeping with his sense of humour and not at all out of place on the Dilbert blog!

Reading Harry Potter at WordCamp

21st July – the book is out and I’ve seen it. I took a picture of the last page but I don’t think anyone really wants to see it, do you? There’s Michael reading his copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows!

166 thoughts on “Would you download the new Harry Potter book?”

  1. I really think it’s a fake. Rowling said that the last word in the novel was going to be ‘scar’ and she had had it written a long while back. I think this is someone’s fanfiction.

    I haven’t read it though yet.

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  3. I downloaded the last two and read them on my PSP, all tucked in under the covers. Also, carrying my PSP with me was way more convenient than having to lug those huge tomes around.

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  4. Don’t even bother to dl it. I did, and I can tell you that I nearly fell asleep just by reading the first few lines. The writing was bad, and the content, worse. Too many musings about Ginny and some shockingly adult stuff. Plus the back cover of one of the versions of DH strongly hints that the first time Harry is ever mentioned in DH, he is waiting for the arrival of his Advance Guard to escort him to the Burrow (i.e members of the Order) whereas in this fanfic, (as I think this document should be henceforth branded) Harry is shown returning to privet drive.

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  7. I am on page 64 and it is a completly different writing style, an interesting read none the less, definatly not for kids!

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  12. This ebook is a fake. I’ve read this in one of those Harry Potter fan fiction sites a year and a half ago.

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  16. foolish peoples!!!, hear my plea! Though your nose may be so greasily shaped like a hatchet and obstructing your eyesight, it would be necesary to agree with me on this.

    Dont you think that the picture depicting the front cover shows Harry and Voldy having a fun time playing sharades, or else high- fiving each other?

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  24. POPUŠITE VI SVI MENI KURAC!!!!!!!!!!!!DAŠTA JE NEGO LAŽNJAK!!!!!!!!! KAKO JE ČUVANO!KODA BI TEK TAKO PROCURILO U JAVNOST!!!!!!!!!!????????!jeste glupi!!!!!!

    translation from croatian:
    bloowyouallmydi**!!!!!ofcourse it’s a fake!!!!!!!!how could a secret keeped like that go out in public!!!!!!?????????? you’re so foolish!!!!!!!!!

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  29. where do you live phil? if your anywhere but australia your reaaly unlucky we get it here on the 7/07/2007 (apparently theres some significance on the number seven)

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  30. if u got limewire u can download 4/5 different fake harry potter book includin the deathly hollows.

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  32. awww man.. my friend gave it to me saying it was the real 7th book.. and i was so excited!.. i wanted to be a bitch and read it to ruin it for everyone! MWAHAHAHAHA!.. oh wells.. i guess i will have to settle for buying it at midnight the first day it comes out!

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  33. i live in nigeria got no money to come abroad and buy books 1-7 my birthday is 1st july.
    love to see books in my box
    P.M.B 1234 IKEJA LAGOS STATE NIGERIA
    thanx.

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  34. Yeah i would :)

    every thing for free

    give to me

    ————————————————–

    WHo gonna pay like 80 $ for a junk of papers

    WEll no “BODY”

    ————————————————–

    >>>>

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  35. That deathly hollows is 100% fake.

    Reasons:
    1. The writing is complete shit and nothing like J.K.Rowling at all. If you can get through the first 100 pages of shit writting it eventually evoles into a good story, but it won’t be like the real thing, nothing will beat that.
    2. There are loads and loads of scenes/facts mentioned in the fact book that contradict the previous books, like how the fidelus charm works (how to disappear a location so only the secret keeper can reveal it), that ron has never seen a garden gnome before but has actually has and so on, little things like that.
    3. If you read it, you will actually see now and then comments thanking people for writing a chapter which means it’s a group of fans writing the book.
    4. As stated in another comment, the last world in the official book will be scar.
    5. In this fake book dudley becomes the new voldemort at the end. I mean, come on?
    6. And last but not least, if you read it and still think it’s the real deal, your an idiot.

    Still, I think you guys should download it. Shit writing, but a good storyline and I give all the fans involved in creating it a 10 outta 10 for effort. (The originally fans who released it did not try to sell it, it was people later who found it who tried to make money out of it. The fans were doing it for fun.)

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  36. Comment from originaly fanfaction publisher on phoenixsong.net:

    “Disclaimer: I own nothing; it all belongs to J.K.Rowling. I’m just borrowing the characters to play with for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.”

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  37. I remember reading a fake version of the Half Blood Prince where the gang try to become Animagii and have some wierd new game and stuff and I remember that after I read the actual “JK ROwling” version of it, I felt that the fake version was much much better. No saything that will happen here, but then who knows. This version, though clearly a fake and very mushy has a very decent plot underlying. So give it a go…

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  38. hello i´m from argentina and here the book hasn´t been published, that´s why i ´d like to download it. do u know somewhere i can do this?

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  39. i enter that web page and it´s boolshit! i need that book right now, i hate being still waiting…at least now we´ll be able to see the 5th film….anyway, it´s not the same…
    good luck guys!

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  40. does anyone know where to get the harry potter book 7 the original not the crap someone published!!!!pleaseeeeeeeee

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  42. Well, i’ve spent three days reading it on my screen (my eyes just look like bart’s) -not to waste money on ink for that!!-
    It looks like written by many people. The romantic part very much unbearable.The action part actually fun. I enyoyed it while waiting for the real book, worked well as an anxiety suppresor, juass
    sorry for my English.

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  45. look you fucking morons, the 600+ page e-book is NOT Deathly Hollows. If you would read the fucking posts instead of just begging for a free copy, like pathetic fucking dogs, you would understand that.

    So, say it with me, you fucking retards: The eBook is NOT Deathly Hollows and if you think it is, YOU’RE FUCKING RETARDED!!!

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  46. hey

    why can’t you just w8. why take a chance! I haven’t downloaded it, so it could be real or fake. I mean it’s comin out real soon!!! So take a Chill Pill an calm down. Just put the real book on ‘layby’ so u kno u have got a copy w8in 4 u!

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  48. It,s a pure……………fake.JKR would never use such stupid titles for her book.(thought others should relize it)She is not a fool to bring such a end to SS whom she had made so intersting & mystrious.

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  49. hehehe..of course we all know its fake..i think most of us like to download it just for fun..hehehe..hopefully JK will not get offended..

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  52. Wikipedia also says that the entire book was leaked on the internet, so it’s a distinct possibility that this might actually be the the original book.

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  53. I know this is a total fake but the real pages are actually out there, this guy found pages 1 through 495 on the internet. they were photos from the book that some idiot put on the internet. but its still stupid to waste your time trying to read it only days before it comes out.why ruin it for everyone.

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  54. Actually the latest leak is also a fake. Very convincing fake too, given that a guy apparently took pictures of each one of the 784 pages of Deathly Hallows. But believe me, it’s a fake. There are many grammatical errors. I think Rowling herself ordered this fake version though. The Guardian released the supposed first paragraph of DH, and claimed that they read it off from a TV footage where Rowling was seen opening the book. The same paragraph can be found on this latest leak. This would not have been possible unless if Rowling herself is involved.

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  55. Dear god, its only a bloody book!

    It’ll get printed, sell millions and JK will get richer. Good for her.

    But why the urgency? I’ll happilly wait for the discount version in 3 months time!

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  57. the style of the fake(melindaleo version) is every different from any of the HP books, JK has never started off her books with something directly involving harry, its always a scene from his childhood or some other seemingly unimportant thing involving different people that becomes more and more relevant as the book goes on…stop trying people, the book comes out in a few days.

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  59. i have jst downloaded the book.. wow its great!!! i believe this is the real book anybody want me to send them a copy?

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  61. i think the downloaded file is a fake but at certain parts it really does look like JKs writing. Many things that i read in the book didnt seem like the kind of thing JK would put into her 7th book for example the adult thing between Ginny and Harry now people do grow up with the books but so far Jk has never mentioned the theme of sex in any of her books. if its real i think its bringing some new themes for shocks. if its fake then this is a very good author who did this and should write his/her own book series because you gotta admit this (fake) is a pretty good read anyway.

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  64. If this is a fake that wouldn’t mean that it isn’t worth reading in and of it’s own rights. The work may be artistically valid (and is practically impossible for it to be otherwise). Also anyone who needs a book to be bound to have their imagination active or enthralled needs to re-analyse their values and priorities.

    Sorry for grammar and spelling mistakes.

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  66. Pingback: Around Ireland in 80 links on July 18th 2007 at Holy Shmoly!

  67. Hi everyone, I have real copy of Harry Potter 7.
    But I’s really not good because it is captured by someone.
    Contact me if interested

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  68. Pingback: Harry Potter Mania In The Blogosphere

  70. Actually the last word in the lsat harry potter book has been changed it is no longer “scar”. J.K Rowling said so on an interview in Britian if u want to see the interview i think its on the website mugglenet.com there should be a link to click on to watch its!

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  71. If the copy on genmay.com is in fact created by Rowling’s publishing company..

    I will laugh when fans say that that version is better than the real one.

    After all, Rowling used to pick garbage out of trash cans..

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  76. yep definatly a fake….wonderful theories though, it takes some really dedicated fans to pull something like this together though. however, its pissing the world off which one is real….which one is fake……come on…just wait. I only dl’d out of curiosity I would so much rather read JK’s work, however, there’s a good chance that some parts could be true, like I’m really diggin the dudders being a wiz, theory, what else would dumbledore have had hanging over pet.and vern’s head? why else would they agree to raise harry?(ABOUT THE HOWLER…OTP). and there may be a good chance that this is the book….less chapters 1-3 and the last two chapters, newsweek speculated that this copy was leaked by an associate of rowling who no longer works for her
    it is 608 pages long.

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  78. If you have azurus you can torrent about 800 pictures of the actual book… some of them are blurry so you can’t read, but it’s pretty cool! (it is the actual book!)

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  79. The Book isA 100% fake I know because I just read it.The witeing all worng for J K. .But if you want A guss I world say they dont kill off harry or Ron Hermione.I world say in the end Harry marries.Ginny Ron marries Hermione of corse just a guss

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  81. The version Mini Me links to the screens of is definitely genuine. I’ve read the whole book and it’s the correct writing style, answers all the questions and ties up all the loose ends.
    I can fully understand why Scholastic are trying to tell people it’s fake and futhermore I’m sure there are fake copies flying around (like the one linked to at the top).
    This is definitely genuine though. If it isn’t the person who ‘faked’ it should be given a medal as they have produced a fantastic ending.
    Just to reiterate I’ve seen photos and a typed pdf of it.

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  84. I refuse to believe JK rowling has such bad spelling

    ZOMG WOW DOWNLOADING == STEALING RLY WOWZ !!! OMG DON’T DOWNLOAD, ITS THE SAME AS TAKING A COPY OUT OF THE SHOP AND THEN RUNNING LIKE HELL

    what a load of shit.

    in other news I found a completely fake copy of the book, written by an overzealous fan

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  86. Harry Potter downloadable? Well, why not? J.K. Rowling has gained over a BILLION dollars and really doesn’t need our coins. The publishing companies are in NO need of more money, since they are leeching off the artists as always…. so I have no problem with downloading a good reading if I get to it. That being said, I have given my children the paperback versions of HP in the past, and will do so again this time.

    But curiousity needs to be fed… where to download the real deal? Just watch the video on youtube and your questions shall be answered:

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  87. FUCK YOU DANKOOZY KISS MY FUCKING RICH ASS
    GO BUY MY FUCKING BOOK

    LOVE YOU FUCKING FRIEND
    JK SHITTY ROWLIN

    THIS IS NOT FAKE ITS ME

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  90. when u download a copy and r not sure if its the real one goto veritaserum.com and check the media stream of jk reading the first chapter

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  91. ok guys, i downloaded what i thought to be harry potter. there are more than one version going around. a few people wrote their own versions and put them on the internet. but the official edition is out there, if you know where to look…….

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  93. pLEASE! i BEG YOU TO SEND ME THE BOOK… TO SCAN IT OR WHATEVER! i’M FROM cHILE! AND THERE WAS JUST 10.000 COPIES! AND THEY ALL HAD GONE WHEN i WANTED TO BUY IT!

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  97. Andrea and others… you can check on the following link in order to get the book.

    Sometimes it is removed due to… some greedy corporations… which results in it being put up for free again.

    Just try to satisfy your own needs, until you are able to get the hardcover version.

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  99. i did download this fanfic ebook just to see the hype and i must say i thought it was fantastic! similar writing style although there were many grammatical errors which gave away that it wasnt the real thing. i loved the way it delved into the ginny harry relationship. however i did have the distinct feeling that i had read it or experianced the content previous however i couldnt find anything that resembled the content in the other books. it almost seems to make the real book a little boring as it takes a while for it to really get going. loved the fake! the writer should be proud.

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  100. well dont btw with making harry seem more like a normal 17 year old boy with feelings and needs rather than just a wizard. the way ron and hermione were written i think was also intune with how they should be. although this version certainly is a little more adult than what i would let my own child read since these books are supposed to be childrens books….perhaps the writer could write an adult version of the series for those of us who enjoy a little more tension and gore :) cheers

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  101. Wouldn’t download it even if it was real and I was a Harry Potter fan. Not that I give a damn about the law, but if I enjoyed the previous books I’d want the author to get compensated for her efforts (note that is not the same thing as saying I support copyright. Legality has nothing to do with it). Now, what I WOULD do is… if I had never heard of Harry Potter and never seen any of the movies… I might download the first book to see if it was any good, then buy the others if it was.

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  104. For all of you that discredit and trash the HP 7 fake version. I have to say that u haven’t read it.

    It not only is 100000% better than JK version but also it really makes justice to the earlier HP books and the tale itself. It will keep you hook from page 1. Yes it has more love related drama but it plays nicely with the action. The first 250 pages of the HP7 JK version are boring. Ok JK makes it up at the end with a strong Hollywood end. The fake version spends approx. 70 pages in the epilog to describe HP life after Voldemort defeat against the 15 pages of JK. It just justice after killing every family member a few friends and making HP life horrible and traumatic to spend sometime describing Harry final and well deserve happiness.
    Don’t believe me go and read it at http://www.phoenixsong.net/fanfiction/story/3517/

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  106. Since the fake version became so popular the webmaster of the site now has it chapter by chapter only so you would have to download one by one or send me your rmail and I will send you the entire book.

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  107. Please remember if you download a Harry Potter book you are putting yourself in danger of prosecution, because there are no legal copies on sale. The downloads are seldom free either. It’s a lot of work OCRing a very long book (even if the person doing so is too lazy to edit out all the mis-readings) and people selling pirated books are usually after something more substantial than the mere few dollars they are asking for the pirated book: your credit card details!

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  108. I fully agree with you Laraine, people should be very careful with their personal and credit card information on the net. As to proof read and correct errors in the documents which have been digitized… I have done that myself, and it turned out to be a whole lot of work… but it’s good to have a fully working edition. Unfortunately that is NOT the one I have provided to people FREE of charge and FREE in every sense of the word. The one found through a link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDz64wJTx0A is with a bunch of errors, but nothing seriously serious. People can easily get through the errors without losing out much.

    I don’t ask people for anything, nor do I bombard them with popup ads or other crappy spam. I decided to help people who are in a situation where they could not get a hardcopy due to their placement in the world (non-english speaking countries), and since “HELP” is just that, I would never try to get anything for helping others out. I have been bothered by lawyers from the publishing company, but they can eat their own crap for all that I care. Rowling sure as heck doesn’t need the pennies and cents for this latest book… already being a billionaire, she is safe from financial worries. But of course the publishers want more, and the lawyers want more and I am not about to give them what they want.

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  109. If I were interested in Harry Potter I’d rather buy it, if for no other reason than I hate reading things off the screen, so I’d want to print it out anyway. By the time I did that, I may as well have bought it.

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  110. I don’t know if anybody of you guys read a book on the screen. Thats not working – believe me. If you code, your eyes won’t stare at the screen concentrating on the words and the story.

    You look around, smoke a cigarette, make a phone call, look out of the window – thats not working reading a book – am i wrong?

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  111. I’m from Ukraine and i got here while trying to find a free downloading copy here:-)
    In my country we’ll have new books only in nowember so I’m desperate:(

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  118. yes please send me a copy ghost_jb_1@______.com, i´ve already read 3 fakes and have not like them at all but long time ago looking for the 5th book I found the hp trilogy (the times of good intenti the best one ) which are the best books I have read on my life,I really recomment it, just finding that diamond make worth all the trash fanfics I have read so far

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  119. Hi, I’m from Latvia and I would like read a new Harry Potter book. I like this story about that enchanter. Please, please send me that book copy, I will be happy for that.
    :)

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  120. As for me first I’ve found the book on the net and downloaded. (shame on me!:)
    Then bought nice paper one and have read it once more.
    I am 25 but I will read it once more be sure!)

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  126. heiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii every body, can you tell my how get “Harry Potter” story 0f part 7, or send a copy in my e-mail. Plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I’am very very very glad about it.thankss so muachhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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  128. hi…..i want to download any of the harry potter book series even just one coz honestly i havent read any but i know some of the contents.what im doing is always dropping in a bookstore to scan the book coz i really dont have enough money to buy but even if i have the money my mother wont allow me coz she always said that i better buy the money for my clothes.im really craving the book so pls give me a copy this is my email add june_cedric@yahoo.com.thanx

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  141. SEE HARRY POTTER IS THE BEST BOOK IM WOULD LIKE TO REED . SO JUST SEND ME A E COPY OF HARRY POTTER TO MY MAIL ADDRESS

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  142. IF ANYBODY GIVES ME THE SITE FOR DOWNLAODING HARRYPOTTER BOOKS…I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERYMUCH….ND THAT PERSON WOULD BE LIK AN ANGEL…..HE WOULD BE SOO GUD!! THAT I WILL PRAY FOOR HIM……MY ID IS .. ….

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  143. I have downloaded all Harry Potter books except for half blood prince.

    I do not feel like a criminal. Everything that is on the net is bound to be pirated at some point that the bargain people like JKR will take in order to sell her books.

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  147. I can’t for the life of me believe how anyone could want to read the derivative work of someone stealing someone else’s creativity and think its better? Give me a break. I don’t care of the Beatles cover band writes a song in the style of the Beatles, it’s still going to be, guess what? complete shit. Same of the fan fiction. Get a friggin life and go read someone’s original work, or write your own damn original work instead of shadow copies from someone’s original creativity. I’m sure JKR was proud originally, but this fan fiction crap is out of control.

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  154. Can anybody help me out? I want to download a word document of any of the Harry Potter books (preferably the 1st one)

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  155. Hallo

    Can you please tell me from where I can download the Hp serioes (all) including the last one. This is my e mail id rajeevvk20 at the rate gmail.com

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  158. I dont know why it is so hard too download harry potter books from the net. I am a harry potter fan and oh yes pleeeeeaaase. Send it to my mail, if possible all the series from 1-7.

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  159. Go and buy the book, simple as that.
    Order off amazon. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, and downloaded it ruins the experience of when you get the book in your hands and instantly are off too read it. I preordered mine, so it would come the morning it was released so I think the rest of you should go and buy it or order it rather than sitting with you eyes attached too a screen, when with a book you can carry it off and take anywere.

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    • Very true – but not if you want it for purposes other than reading – creating spin offs (for pleasure only, naturally) for example

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  160. hey listen people…i have here the e-book of the 4 sequels of twilight… i can send you this e-book of twilight if and only if u have this 7 books of harry potter….

    wanna trade with….

    want to have a deal? just email me to xxxxxxx
    (Ed. removed email address)

    Reply ↓

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