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In one of the most hotly anticipated sequels in memory, J.K. Rowling takes up where she left with Harry's second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Old friends and new torments abound, including a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom, an outrageously conceited professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, and a mysterious force that turns Hogwarts students to stone.
It's hard to fall in love with an earnest, appealing young hero like Harry Potter and then to watch helplessly as he steps into terrible danger! And in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the much anticipated sequel to the award-winning Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, he is in terrible danger indeed. As if it's not bad enough that after a long summer with the horrid Dursleys he is thwarted in his attempts to hop the train to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his second year. But when his only transportation option is a magical flying car, it is just his luck to crash into a valuable (but clearly vexed) Whomping Willow. Still, all this seems like a day in the park compared to what happens that fall within the haunted halls of Hogwarts.

Chilling, malevolent voices whisper from the walls only to Harry, and it seems certain that his classmate Draco Malfoy is out to get him. Soon it's not just Harry who is worried about survival, as dreadful things begin to happen at Hogwarts. The mysteriously gleaming, foot-high words on the wall proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." But what exactly does it mean? Harry, Hermione, and Ron do everything that is wizardly possible--including risking their own lives--to solve this 50-year-old, seemingly deadly mystery. This deliciously suspenseful novel is every bit as gripping, imaginative, and creepy as the first; familiar student concerns--fierce rivalry, blush-inducing crushes, pedantic professors--seamlessly intertwine with the bizarre, horrific, fantastical, or just plain funny. Once again, Rowling writes with a combination of wit, whimsy, and a touch of the macabre that will leave readers young and old desperate for the next installment. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
What makes the Harry Potter series so successful? Maybe it's the fact that J.K. Rowling doesn't write children's books, she writes children's stories, more in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm than Dr. Seuss. The exploits of Harry and his friends captivate even the shortest attention spans by engaging the imagination with vivid characters and fast-moving action, instead of trying to merely catch the eye with colorful pictures or pop-up effects. Not surprisingly, the Potter tales sound wonderful read aloud, and adapt to the audiobook format extremely well. Broadway actor Jim Dale's impressive vocal range gives each character in the book its own distinctive voice--a considerable task, given the pantheon of witches, warlocks, ghosts, ghouls, dwarves, and elves that Harry encounters in his second outing. And thankfully, since the book is read unabridged, no one's favorite character is omitted. Engaging for children without being childish, the audio version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is worthy addition to the deservedly popular series. (Running time: 9 hours, 6 cassettes) --Andrew Nieland

Customer Rating:
Summary: The weakest of the series.
Comment: While I will not deny that this book is as fun of a read as any of the Potter's series, its weaknesses are hard to not recognize next to the other six novels. The novel sticks pretty closely to the formula of the Sorcerer's Stone. While it has all of the workings of a Rowling novel it does have a tendency to fall a little flat. The character of Professor Lockhart, while cute, pales in comparison to the other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers (I'm excluding Quirrel from the Sorcerer's Stone because he is by far my least favorite). Also, this book seems less interested in furthering the story of Harry Potter unlike the remainder of the series. It is virtually a story within itself and could probably be skipped and the series would still be fully comprehensible. While I still give it four stars because it is an entertaining read, it does feel mainly to be a filler. It almost feels like Rowling was not quite sure where the series was going to go with this novel. The epic-ness of the story really begins with Prisoner of Azkaban and capitalizes in Goblet of Fire. Still worth reading but not nearly an signifcant as the remainder of the series.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on CD
Comment: I am quite pleased with this product. The quality of the sound and the packaging was wonderful. With this audio it has thrown me into the world of Harry Potter. It is as if I am there experiencing this every moment. I intend on purchasing each one of these so that I can escape the muggle world and leave my cares behind if only for a few moments

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A solid sequel
Comment: Harry continues his adventures as he learns more about his background. This is just as entertaining as the first novel, and was definitely able to keep my attention.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good fantasy book for children
Comment: Summary: 3.5 to 4 stars
Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts is chronicled in the book. The adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermeine are documents for everyone's enjoyment. The book is a quick-read, enjoyable and a good follow-up to the first Harry Potter book. You can tell J. K. Rowling has created an interesting world that you want to know more about.

Setting:
The strength of the Harry Potter series is in the new fantasty world created by J. K. Rowling -- a twist on the normal and fey world...magically with humans and beasties vs. non-magical people. The book does an ok job of describing the world; the scene designers and artists for the movies have done a tremendous job of filling in this world. If you would not have the context of the movies, the books descriptions seem lacking to me.

Characters:
The character development is interesting and decently done through the mixture of the characters actions in a wide range of moral dilemnas and dangerous situations. The use of consequences for the characters actions is lightly done but it is nice to see that being done still.

Plot:
The plot is tight and well-thought out. The story is linear but it makes sense for the target age range for the books. Clearly, J. K. Rowling has developed a complex story line with this just being an element on the storyline -- the develop of background comes through.

Action:
The action is quick and to the point -- a nice feature for a book where you want to find out more about the setting as well as have the characters advance along in school to get more developed, more interesting/multi-faceted and see how the dynamics of various characters evolve.

Prose:
The prose style is clean, simple and effective. The simplicity vs the effectiveness of the prose shows a good command of the English language and a distinctive enjoyable style. It is not a great literary work by any stretch of the imagination but one does not expect that from this type of book.

Summary:
Setting: 3.5 to 4 stars -- I would give it 5 stars but only because of the world created and desribed in the movies but the book descriptions are thin and not well developed.
Plot: 4 stars -- good for a child's book
Characters: 3.5 stars
Action: 3 stars
Prose: 3 to 3.5 stars

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Customer Rating:
Summary: An amazing novel
Comment: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the adventure known as Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts. On a side note, do you ever wonder what is happening in the lives of the other students? How is it that only Harry, Ron and Hermoine notice the subplots? I wonder what life is like at Hogwarts for people outside of Harry's circle. Enough of that though. During Harry's first year, he learns about his past, starts playing Quidditch and develops an arch-enemy, Darco. After Harry's room is hexed in a Quidditch match, Harry and his friends begin to think Professor Snape is trying to steal what is being guarded by the school and kill Harry. But Harry and his friends are in for a surprise when they discover it is another professor who is attempting to steal the Sorceror's stone for Voldemort.

The second book begins much as the first, with Harry having to escape his muggle family to attend school. But Harry can't even make it to school without "borrowing" a flying car from Ron's family which lands him into trouble before the year even starts. Harry and his friends encounter a force that hates muggles, and must stop what is in the chamber of secrets before it kills. These books are entertaining and a pleasure to read. I recommend them to everybody.

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