HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (October 27/21)

 Like the rest of the series, this is probably longer than it needs to be but I was hardly aware of it once the book's final third rolled around. It's very exciting and tense and full of terrific set-pieces that I'm sure will look great in the movie. And the murder of Dumbledore by Snape, even though I knew it was coming, still hit me like a ton of bricks. ***1/2 out of ****