Harry ! What’s in store for him... hope he doesn't die....like Dumbledore did in Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince ... "
Don't fret !!! Hold your breath till July 21, when your favourite book 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Sweepstakes' will be launched across the world. You can then rush to your favourite book shop at 5.30 am (if possible) to catch up with the global launch at 12.01 am when your favourite author JK Rowling will be present at the launch in London. Bloomsbury, British publishers "are delighted as this launch marks the tenth anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. "
"We estimate about 23 to 25 thousand copies will be sold in Bangalore and on the first day the book will be priced at Rs 975," Mr Thomas Abraham, Penguin country head CEO & President, told Deccan Herald."
The country's sole distributor added that they would estimate the precise number by June end. Bloomsbury has priced the hard edition book at 17.99 pounds. The audio book, read by Stephen Fry, will be released simultaneously for the first time.
"No other book has had such anticipation or hype in the history of publishing. A new Harry Potter is always an aberration in that sense," prides the Penguin chief and adds “we'll have a final figure around June end, but we'll definitely be topping 2,25,000 copies this time round."
Bookshops in the City have already started booking the copies. Blossom on Church Street has a huge banner screaming:Harry Potter book priced at Rs 685.  They have already started booking the copies from April. "We have booked 500 copies and have already got a wonderful response", says Mai Gowda the owner and adds, “people also book online on www.blossombookhouse.com. Several other websites are also available for the fans.”
"I just can't wait for the book. I have read all the six books and had queued all night for the launch of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," says Seema, an avid Harry Potter reader. “The book has enhanced her reading habits, or else she is glued to the TV or on to video games," says her mother. Several other kids who had queued up resonated the same. Some parents also can't contain their suspense.
Bookworm in Shrungar shopping Complex on MG Road has priced the book at Rs 685. Gangaram has priced the book at Rs 795 and expects a lot of bookings. "We have not given any pre-publishing order as yet, but shall get the feel only in June. We shall certainly sell anywhere between 10 to 15,000 copies on the book launch day," says Prakash Gangaram confidently.
Larger bookshops like Landmark have not brought down the price. They will start the booking in June.
Harry Potter has been a boon for the bookstores as purchasing and reading books has almost become a redundant habit. Since this book is the last in the series of seven books written by JK Rowling, the curiosity is much more, hence the bookings have started in advance. Harry Potter has really set the trend for reading.
Harry Potter copies are sold like hot cakes across the world. In India too the book went on to smash all records with over 1,60,000 copies sold in hardback.
However counsellor and psychologist Dr Ali Khwaja is not very optimistic about the reversal of the trend of book reading. “It was merely a vacuum waiting to be filled. The books have come at the right time when the need to reverse the trend of modernism has been felt and need to go back to the roots. The suspense will be sustained. But I don't think this will change the reading trends.”
Whatever be the trend  the pavement book shops are doing roaring business in  meanwhile, as pirated editions of all the Harry Potter books are selling "like hot cakes". Revanna like many others have been selling the volume of six books at Rs  800.  He will sell hardbound copies in the range of Rs 600 in August even while  the hype is on.
"I had sold  hardbound copies of "The Half blood Prince" at around Rs 600 last time. There are several others waiting for the pirated editions to come.