Barry Trotter and the Philosopher's scone

[Mint]

They also have to work hard on making it a funny parody! cause otherwise people won't buy it.

Plus, if people are actually going there and buying it - that means that the book is in demand. You all know that its unlikely that JKR will release a parody of her own book.

Tanya Grotter is not a parody - its a story that is like a copy of a main idea of Harry Potter. Its different.

And Im sure this Berry whatever book is fine with JKR, since she didn't sue it or anything.

[Neo]

If it is a parody, it is okay; but if it is a copy then it is wrong.

[Paul]

But what is a parody? It's just a copy of someone's idea " for comic effect or ridicule". Maybe if Dmitry Yemets had just made his book funnier it would have been OK?

auther's permission should be sought though i think

Exactly - which it hasn't in the case of "Barry Trotter and the Unauthorized Parody" by Michael E. Gerber,

maybe it should be guaranteed that the author of the original story benefits of the profit of a parody

Not happening for this particular book as far as I know. Thus Michael E. Gerber makes huge amounts of money (and this book is apparently selling well) from JKR's original idea and nothing goes to JKR at all.

Just my own views, not a legal position.

[Mint]

how do you guys know that it doesnt have her permission?

why didnt she sue it?

[Neo]

Because parodies make the real product gain more money. Who would read a parody about a book they haven't read?

[Mint]

Yeah!!!! You are totally right Neo
Someone has to write a parody (cause people love them)!

[Mint]

Look at movies!

Take Shrek for example: they took that "Matrix thing" (stopping in the air) and made fun of it - I loved that part! Would you not go see it because of that? Noooo, people actually went to see the movie because they wanted to see a parody!

(hope that made sence)

[Broken Machine]

That Matrix deal in Shrek was so lame because by that time everyone and their mother had done it. Just think of it this way though. If the author isn't in it for money then why don't they focus on books no one has heard of? If Harry Potter had not been so successful no one would have written a parody about it. The whole reason behind it is so that the author can make some money off of someone elses idea knowing full well that it is so world known that there will be people who blindly ridecule the series and buy the parody out of spite, or are such huge fans of the series they'd buy it just for a laugh. Either way this guy knows he can't lose and all he had to do was twist the plot and add in some potty humor that quite frankly is such a cop out. No one makes a parody about unknown fads. In my book it's a cheap way to make some money. Ambition without a conscience will only lead to negativity towards the original idea.

[han lin]

naaa. a parody only works if the thing it is taking off has been amazingly succesfull. it is taking the mickey out of the obsession and of the following more than anything.

i agree that noone would write a story about a book they haven't read. noone would buy a parody of a book they haven't read either. I don't think JK would be annoyed with the book, it isn't trying to BE harry Potter. its just ripping it out of the following.

[Neo]

Parodies aren't only make to win money, I mean in that case if Jo knws that HP idea is so good, that everyone will read her books then it is cheap money because she knows everyone will buy them.
No parodies also need a part from the author, bad parodies do not sell.

[Mint]

Broken, I see Parody is like a genre. You are saying that parodies should not exist. Its the same as saying that Fantasy books should not exist.

People want to read parodys - thus they buy them. Parody is when you make fun of smth that people know - and HP just happen to be smth that many people are aware off. THey buy books cause they want to read them - noone is making them.

Is it just for the money? Do you think JKR wrote Harry Potter just cause she wated people to hear about this wonderful idea that she had?

And you can see that this doesn't bother her.

Hmmm....if its so easy to write a parody, why isn't everyone doing it? 8)

[han lin]

very true, bad parodys do not sell. its all just a bit of fun when it all boils down.

[Broken Machine]

Parodies are definitly a genre but I wouldn't put them anywhere close to fantasy. The Lord of the Rings series didn't exactly attach itself to an already existing idea. The author created names and places building a whole new world for readers to discover. The Harry Potter series takes some already existing idea's such as names from greek mythology but nine times out of ten it's never to build the character, only to give them a name. I think J.K. has done some remarkable things building the Harry Potter universe. Take The Neverending Story for example. A great fantasy realm that stands on its own. Maybe I'm just so irked that someone is basically poking a bit of fun at the HP series, or maby its just one of those instances where people such as religious folks who write books and books about Harry Potter being the devil and what not just because its what people want to hear yet do it only for he sole reason that it will sell.

I still find it tastless but then again if I shot down every parody I would have to throw away my copy of spaceballs and Robin Hood Men In Tights.

[han lin]

i am tiatlly obsessed with HP but at the same time i laugh at myself. that probbably makes me unstable or something
ahh well. it happens

[Mint]

So what it all boils down to is that Broken doesn't like parodies......just like I don't like tragedies and horror stories. Ok.