Scholastic and Bloomsbury (J.K. Rowling’s US and British publishers) have announced that the final volume in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released on 21 July. The anticipated cover price is $34.99, which is an increase over previous volumes, though Amazon.com is already discounting it, accepting pre-orders at $18.89. The publishers have announced that there will be four editions released on that day: the children’s hardcover, a deluxe or adult hardcover (with an announced cover price of $65.00, and which Amazon is offering at $39.00), a gift edition, and an audio version.
Rowling previously announced that at least one of the major characters will die in this book, though she hasn’t said anything more on that point.
And the fifth movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is scheduled to be released one week before the book. All in all, it should be a very Potter summer.