Synopsis
After attending the quidditch world cup with the entire Weasley family, Harry returns to Hogwarts for his forth year. Unfortunately, he discovers that there will be no quidditch at school that year. Instead, he finds himself wrapped up in an ancient contest that has not been performed in centuries: The Tri-Wizard Tournament. Here he must perform one deadly task after another to proove his skills as a wizard, but can he take on the most difficult mission of all: finding a date to the Yule Ball?
Review
Certainly one of the most action packed books in the series, we find Harry at his best. Once again forced to undertake challenges he wants nothing to do with, he still continues to amaze us all. This particular installment has its good and bad points. On the good side, the action and darkness are at thier peak. This book keeps you guessing from beginning to end and has some of the creepiest scenes ever written in children's literature (Move over R.L.Stien). On the bad side, the tried and true characters in the series sort of pale when compared with some of the new arrivals. This is not a permenant condition, but Herminone's obsessing over freeing house elves and Ron's pouting over being poor really puts them in a lack of interest category for the first half of the book or more. The incidents surrounding the Yule Ball bring them back to our attention, and we love them as much as ever, it's just too bad they had to be so annoying for those chapters. The addition of romantic elements to the stories is timed amazingly and adds so much to the books. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Rowling comes up with next.