Long-awaited new Harry Potter book reaches eager readers

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opened on 12 July 2007.

The rebellion begins! Lord Voldemort is back, but the Ministry of Magic tries to keep a lid on the truth – including appointing a new, power-hungry Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione convince Harry to secretly train students for the wizarding war ahead. A terrifying showdown between good and evil awaits

At King's Cross, the line of 100 or so eager fans trailed from the store into the station's cavernous arrival hall and contained an equal smattering of children, parents and Potter-mad adults.

"She has made a hero of somebody who could have become a victim,'' said graying Gillian Hammerton.Like Harry, she was orphaned at an early age. "It's marvelous for someone to have empathy with how a child can feel when they are not in the bosom of a family.''
Long-awaited new Harry Potter book reaches eager readers
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix swooped into bookstores worldwide, including Malaysia, where eager fans waited in line at selected bookshops to be among the first to buy the boy wizard's fifth adventure in print.
wonderful, textured writing.'' The Associated Press said, "It was worth the wait. And then some.''

Harry was 11 in the first volume, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' -- released in the United States as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.'' Published in 1997, it was followed each year by another adventure -- "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,'' "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.''

Rowling's four Potter books have sold an estimated 192 million copies worldwide and have been published in at least 55 languages and distributed in more than 200 countries.