Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)

What a wonderful book! If you've only seen the movies you are really missing out! The books are wonderful!

My personal experience with this seller was top-notch. I don't think I have ever had a better buying experience with another seller here in Amazon! I will try and purchase another audio book from this seller again, absolutely. Thank you...

The book is in great condition considering it is used. This was a much cheaper route than buying it from a store. I got it for half of the retail price (that is including S&H). Thanks!

The first two novels in the Harry Potter series were fun and entertaining, but they hardly indicated just how very good the series was going to become. THE SORCERER'S STONE and THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS both had more in common with older kid's adventure stories like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew than anything. I cannot possibly communicate my admiration and respect for J. K. Rowling for not being content with producing merely a superior adventure story, just another yarn. In a review I recently wrote about the Harry Potter movies, I said that the first two movies, like the first two novels, were rather simple in their structure, pretty much of the "Gee! Let's have a neat adventure!" variety. But beginning with THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN Rowling began to transform her series into something difference. The series shifted from being a series of "Neat Adventures" to being a grand epic reflecting the struggle between good and evil. While THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN doesn't reach the heights of THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX and THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, it definitely marks a dramatic step forward both in quality and in ambitions.

There are very few series in the history of literature where you see a similar improvement in quality. The first two books were good, but THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN was very good, THE GOBLET OF FIRE even better, and THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX and subsequent books truly great. But this is the key novel. It introduced a seriousness and depth lacking in the first two books.

In case there are any human beings who have read only the first two novels but not this one and are wondering whether or not to push forward, be sure to keep reading. The books in the series truly do get better with each subsequent book.

Jim Dale's inspired reading of the entire Harry Potter series is a treat. He manages to convey the different voices for all the characters convincingly and with great feeling, and fans of all ages of the novels will not be disappointed. They are perfect for long car trips. The packaging is very attractive with Mary GrandPre's illustrations on the boxes and fold-out covers.