I was really worried about the Goblet of Fire after the first few chapters. I saw the vast change in focus brought about by the total abandonment of the quidditch season and modification of the schoolyear due to the interschool competition being a sign that the author was running out of ideas. I still think this was probably the case, as I not only find the notion that any school would put its athletic programs on hold for any reason short of total budget deficit or government dictate to be highly implausible, and furthermore, I don't think it was even necessary to the plot.

Even so, however, the author puts together a compelling blend of competition that fits perfectly into the greater plot of Voldemort's attempt to ressurrect his coalition of evil and eventual return to power. In my opinion, the fourth Harry Potter novel is the strongest of the series by far, and it was a pleasure to read such a combination of likeable, familiar characters, an enchanting setting and a strong, compelling storyline.

Style: No different than before, not really any better than before.

Story: This is the first book in the series since the first that has a strong plot that is not wholly derived from the greater storyline. Although I did find that it started off on very shaky grounds - Harry is below the age limit, claims that he didn't enter his name, and we're supposed to believe that Dumbledore is still going to force him to put his life at risk simply because his name came out of the hat? - the competition is absorbing and the question of who is interfering with it, and why, deftly reminds the reader that there is far more at stake here than 1000 galleons and school pride. I particularly enjoyed how the evil plot shows the malefactors as intelligent and dangerous, instead of the constantly blundering fools they appear to have been in the past books. The author's increasing willingness to become ruthless also helps make it clear to the reader that the Ministry of Magic has a real war on its hands.

Characters: Ms. Rowlings does what is now routine for her with her usual excellent characterizations, although she does not introduce any memorable new characters, the maturing of the children and the onset of youthful romance shows her strength in this area. She is, however, a little off with regards to the short half-life of young relationships, as she almost completely ignores the concept of infatuation, instead making the common mistake of portraying the relationships as junior versions of adult relationships. The children's attitudes to their puppy loves are not serious enough, and are devoid of the overwhelming drama that characterizes nearly every junior-high relationship that I've ever witnessed. Compare these to Romeo and Juliet, for example, and you'll see that Shakespeare does a much better job of portraying over-the-top youthful love-angst. But this is a minor quibble. I very much enjoyed the Ministry's stubborn denial of the obvious which was detailed at the end.

Creativity: The World Cup is fun and captures the spirit of a huge, one-in-a-lifetime event, and the plot twists are superb. Even though I criticized its omission, the interschool competition is far more interesting than the ups and downs of the quidditch season, and the three events are marvelous, as is the cheating intrigue lurking around them.

Text Sample: Someone laughed behind Harry. Turning, he saw Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited. “Done it,” Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. “Just taken it.”

“What?” said Ron.

“The Aging Potion, dung brains,” said Fred.

“One drop each,” said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. “We only need to be a few months older.”

“We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins,” said Lee, grinning broadly.

“I'm not sure this is going to work, you know,” said Hermione warningly. “I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this.”

Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.

“Ready?” Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement. “C'mon, then-I'll go first-”

Harry watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley-Hogwarts. Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.

For a split second Harry thought it had worked-George certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred-but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.

The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards.

“I did warn you,” said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. “I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours.”