Barry Trotter and the Inevitable Attempt to Cash-in - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

Dave · 17th December 2002, 08:54 PM

First there was Harry Potter and the Walk up the Dragon.

Then there was Tanya Grotter and the Magical Double Bass.

Now we have Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody.

Apparently, J K Rowling and Bloomsbury have given up trying to take legal action any more...

Quote:

SCIFI WIRE -- New Potter Parody Is OK

A spokesman for Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling told the Reuters news service that the author doesn't consider a best-selling parody to be in the same category as an unauthorized Russian series of books. Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody by American humorist Michael Gerber is selling out in Britain, the United States and countries from Estonia to Japan, Reuters reported.

Rowling's agent is contemplating legal action against Russian author Dmitry Yemets for his unauthorized Tanya Grotter books, about a wizard orphan who wields magical powers and battles an enemy too terrible to be named, the wire service reported. But asked to comment on Gerber's book, a spokesman for the Christopher Little literary agency said, "This is a genuine parody and a completely different kettle of fish from Tanya Grotter."

In Gerber's parody, a young wizard named Barry Trotter attends Hogwash School and fights to stop filming of Barry Trotter and the Inevitable Attempt to Cash-in. The parody has shipped more than 50,000 copies in the United States, with editions in Japanese, Estonian and Chinese.

I find it all highly amusing. I wish I had written one of them.

nic · 11th January 2003, 07:29 PM

I got "Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody" at xmas and found it pretty funny read.
It's certainly a book with an adult audience in mind and who enjoy a cheeky joke.
It's by no means an attack on Harry Potter (nor J.K.Rowling), more a homage

Dave · 26th January 2003, 09:10 PM

I've just started reading this too. It is much more along the lines of the 'Bored of the Rings' parody, not a rip-off.

"The Hogwash School for Wizards is the most famous school in the wizarding world and Barry Trotter is its most famous pupil. It's been that way ever since J.G.Rollins' released Barry Trotter and the Philosopher's Scone (released in the USA as Barry Trotter and the Magic Buscuit) broke publishing records worldwide.

So important has Barry become to the school's reputation -- not to say finances -- that it has been agreed that he can stay at Hogwash for as long as he likes. Barry Trotter is 22."

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11th January 2003, 07:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
nic Stomping Turnips Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Just outside Newcastle, England Posts: 2,630	I got "Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody" at xmas and found it pretty funny read. It's certainly a book with an adult audience in mind and who enjoy a cheeky joke. It's by no means an attack on Harry Potter (nor J.K.Rowling), more a homage

26th January 2003, 09:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 11,602	I've just started reading this too. It is much more along the lines of the 'Bored of the Rings' parody, not a rip-off. "The Hogwash School for Wizards is the most famous school in the wizarding world and Barry Trotter is its most famous pupil. It's been that way ever since J.G.Rollins' released Barry Trotter and the Philosopher's Scone (released in the USA as Barry Trotter and the Magic Buscuit) broke publishing records worldwide. So important has Barry become to the school's reputation -- not to say finances -- that it has been agreed that he can stay at Hogwash for as long as he likes. Barry Trotter is 22."