Harry Potter

I haven't read the prequel.
I read 2 of the extras books between 4 and 5 (fantastic beasts and quidditch) because I was reading them as they were released.
Tales I read after all of them.

 

They are more like supplements? Like, they are both schoolbooks that the kids have to use in one of the years. (I don't think that's a spoiler).
They are little, so super quick reads - like an hourish.

 

As far as reading the prequel, I'm no help because I haven't read it.
Usually, I go ahead and read in the order the books were written unless there's a compelling reason not too.

 

I appreciate your question because I had only heard of Fantastic Beasts. Now I've got more reading to do!

 

We watched Fantastic Beasts tonite (with Eddy Redmaine) - it was fantastic (in a 5 stars sense) but i read/audio'd the Fantastic Beasts book and it was him reading it (with some sound effects so that was cool) but it was just like an encyclopaedia or A-Z of anmal descriptions, not the plot shown in the movie so if you read it and or have seen the movie i'd be interested to hear another opinion (and no, i havent read any of HP itself - except the first page to DD many yrs ago and then she decided she could read it faster herself so that was the end of that)

 

I went and found it. Meh. It's not really a prequel, more like if you randomly found 2 pages of a book, and recognized the book, but that's all you had of it. I'd skip it.

Yes, the book is supposed to be the school text book. So, while interesting to read about the creatures, the fun in it is the actual book. There are notes in it - for example, the word brief circled and then written - You liar! I don't know how that would translate to audiobook.
The movie(s) are about the author. So, his adventures while he's writing the book. That's why they end up being totally different. The book itself is not very many pages.

 

@bbymks5 Timmi @bestcee Courtney @bellbird Justine - I read all of the books 1-7 ... then I saw the movies as they came out.. the Original Fantastic Beasts & Where to find them was as Justine said, an encyclopedia to explain all of the exotic animals for example all the ones Hagrid explores throughout the books and is also the book in the Hogwarts curriculm for the class he and Prof. Grubby Plank teach. "The Tales of the Beedles & the Bard" they basically explain and tell the tale in the last book Deathly Hallows. I have not read either of those nor "History of Magic" or "Quiddich Through The Ages". So re prequel etc, nope didn't do it.

Now, when they decided to make the play Cursed Child based on after the HP books and the future of HP Harry, (Ginny) Hermoine, And Ron and their families, they came out with a book written in the screen play version. That book/script needs to be read after Deathly Hallows. I have read it. (meh as Courtney would say! I only liked it as it was more info for me on my beloved characters!)

Again when JKR decided to sell the "book" film rights to WB for Fantastic Beasts, she then had to write a play for it. She wrote a play about the background of Newt Schmander (author as Courtney mentioned) while he was writing Fantastic Beasts. That is when they produced the play/script book version of the "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." I bought the screen play book at the same time the movie came out. I watched the movie and then read the screen play. Some things made more sense to me after reading the play/script as I was so engrossed with the movie I missed things that I picked up later on when I read it upon returning home from the movies. I am with Justine @bellbird that I really liked Fantastic Beasts movie with Eddy Redmaine. I re-watch the movie too [Again, as Courtney said the original book would be fun to read and the original FBWTFT was a school text book]

Timmi, to answer your question, I would read the regular books as you are doing, in sequence, and then after the books are read, if you want to read the others have fun with them.

I am looking forward to the next Fantastic Beasts movie.. I hope that JKR will produce the script/play in book form for the next one too

 

I love his adventures Eddy Redmaine and the girls along with the guy who play Jacob, love them. I am looking forward to #2

 

I love the niffler!

 

Yes I saw the illustrated one ... not going to get it though. I know there are things missing in the movies but you get a good idea. I suggesst reading all the books then watch the movies.

 

I can't do audio books.. I fall asleep

 

I agree with Christa & Courtney. It's a play and most definitely has to be read after the end of the entire HP series. However, it's really only for die-hard Harry Potter fans (yep...that's us). If you're not a Harry Potter devotee, I'd skip it, Fantastic Beasts, and all of the other supplemental books.

 

I'm the opposite. In my old age, I've gotten to the point where reading books makes me sleepy, so I'm an Audible junkie; plus, I can multi-task, which is always a huge plus for me!