Revision as of 02:52, 10 January 2007 editJohn Reaves (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users22,487 edits →Possible Release Dates (Not Concrete): clean up← Previous edit | Revision as of 02:52, 10 January 2007 edit undoJohn Reaves (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users22,487 editsm →Release Date: fixed dateNext edit → | ||
Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
==Release Date== | ==Release Date== | ||
As of January 9, 2007 ] reported a release date of ] | As of January 9, 2007 ] reported a release date of ] | ||
==Writing progress== | ==Writing progress== |
Revision as of 02:52, 10 January 2007
Template:Future book Template:Endbookneighbor Template:HPBooks Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be the seventh book in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. It will feature the final adventures of Harry Potter as he attempts to bring an end to his nemesis, Lord Voldemort. The title for the seventh book was announced on 2006-12-21 via the publisher and a special Christmas-themed hangman puzzle on the author's website. Rowling has stated that the final volume relates so closely to the sixth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, that "I feel almost as though they are two halves of the same novel." She has also stated that she has no intention of writing any further stories about the Harry Potter characters, meaning that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be the last book in the Harry Potter series. However, she has said that an encyclopedia of the Wizarding world based on her copious notes may be published in the future, possibly for charity similar to her two other Harry Potter charity books. As of 2007, she has been working on the Harry Potter stories for over 17 years.
Release Date
As of January 9, 2007 Amazon.com reported a release date of 2007-03-31
Writing progress
The release date for Deathly Hallows has not been set by the publisher. However, Liz Calder, a publishing director at Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. said in May 2006 that she hopes the seventh book will be released in 2007, even going so far as to say it is "likely."
In an interview following the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005, Rowling stated:
- "Realistically, I don't think I'm going to be able to do real work on it until next year . I see next year as the time that I’m really going to write seven. But I've started and I am doing little bits and pieces here and there when I can. But you’ve seen how young Mackenzie still is, and you can bear actual witness to the fact that I do have a very small, real baby, so I'm going to try and give Mackenzie what I gave David, which is pretty much a year of uninterrupted 'me time', and then I'll start writing seriously again."
In a Christmas 2005 letter on her official website, Rowling stated:
- "I have been fine-tuning the fine-tuned plan of seven during the past few weeks so that I can really set to work in January ."
In September 2006, Rowling was nearly barred by US Transportation Security Administration officials from carrying a working manuscript for the seventh Harry Potter novel onto an airplane, due to security restrictions, but eventually she prevailed. She said at the time she would rather have sailed home in a boat than be separated from the manuscript.
Rowling has stated in the diary on her website that she has been writing scenes that she has had in her mind for more than 12 years, and that she is 'alternately elated and overwrought' at the prospect of completing the book.
Background to the series
Further information: Harry PotterThe Harry Potter series was originally published as a children's book by British publisher Bloomsbury, and American publisher Scholastic Press. However, it rapidly became a phenomenal success amongst children and adults alike. The books each chronicle one year at school for the characters concerned and follows a long tradition of children's series about life in schools. Perhaps unlike some of the traditional series of this format, each book has matured and expanded in complexity and scope compared to the last, approximately developing with the age of the principal characters (later books are also significantly darker in tone than earlier ones). Although the author has said that she comprehensively plotted the entire series of books before the first was published, and that this plot remains unchanged, she has also stated that it has undergone a number of revisions as it has progressed. The books started as relatively slim volumes (223 pages Philosopher's Stone UK ed.), but have grown as the series progressed (766 pages Order of the Phoenix UK ed.).
The books contain a significant element of fantasy and magic, but this is combined with a detective-novel approach to the story. Each volume contains a complete problem and task for the heroes to complete, but each has also added to the background information about the wizarding world in general and contains many pieces of information whose importance only becomes apparent in later volumes (known as foreshadowing). Thus a considerable fan following has developed of people wanting to discover how the many loose ends and unfinished adventures in the book will finally be completed. The author has stated that, more than with any other book in the series, the final volume continues the unfinished story in book six. She has also stated that she doesn't have plans for any other novels concerning Harry Potter.
Known plot details
Continuing storylines from previous books
Harry Potter
- Harry must return to the home of his non-magical (Muggle) relatives, the Dursleys, during the summer. The magical protection which Albus Dumbledore arranged, which requires Harry to have a home with his surviving family, is set to expire on Harry's 17th birthday, July 31.Template:HBP
- Harry comes of age (for wizards) when he turns 17, and is therefore entitled to perform magic outside of school and to obtain a licence to Apparate. His friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and many of his classmates, already turned 17 during the sixth year, and Neville Longbottom turns 17 on July 30—The day before Harry does.
- Harry plans to visit Godric's Hollow, his birthplace and the place of his parents' deaths. Ron and Hermione plan on accompanying him on this trip, providing the starting point for their search to destroy the remaining Horcruxes.Template:HBP
Hogwarts
- With the departure of Severus Snape,Template:HBP a new teacher is needed in the Defence Against the Dark Arts postTemplate:HBP and Head of Slytherin House.Error: {{PS}} missing name (help) With the death of Albus Dumbledore,Template:HBP a new Head is needed. When Dumbledore passed away in Half-Blood Prince, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, took over this position.Template:HBP If she succeeds Dumbledore, the positions of Deputy Head,Error: {{PS}} missing name (help) Transfiguration teacher, and Head of Gryffindor HouseError: {{PS}} missing name (help) are vacant.
- If Harry returns to Hogwarts, it will be his seventh and final year. However, at the end of Half-Blood Prince, Harry stated that he might not return even if Hogwarts were to re-open. Ron and Hermione said that they would leave Hogwarts if Harry left, to help Harry fight Voldemort.Template:HBP Should Hogwarts reopen, Harry and his classmates would be expected to complete their final N.E.W.T. exams.
An email containing details of the permission for this text has been sent in accordance with WP:VRT. Note to uploaders: Please copy the URL of this image or article in the email to assist the Volunteer Response Team to find it. If an email cannot be found in the VRTS system, the content may be deleted for lack of valid licensing information.
Note to the Volunteer Response Team: If the email contains sufficient confirmation of the validity of the license, please replace this template with {{Permission ticket|id=Ticket number}}. Otherwise, remove the copyrighted content, deleting the page if necessary.
Other
- There is no explanation at the end of Half-Blood Prince as to the true identity of the mysterious "R.A.B.", who claimed to have stolen one of Voldemort's Horcruxes with the intent to destroy it, while replacing it with a fake that was recovered by Harry and Dumbledore.Template:HBP The most likely candidate is Regulus Black, whom Rowling said was "a fine guess" for R.A.B.'s identity in an interview.
- Kreacher, the former Black family house-elf who passed into Harry's ownership with the death of Sirius Black, may make an appearance; Rowling told the filmmakers of Order of the Phoenix to include the character in the movie, because he is "very important".
- Rowling stated on her web site that there is something "significant—even crucial" about why Dumbledore had James Potter's invisibility cloak in his possession.
- Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour plan on marrying.Template:HBP
Information from J. K. Rowling
- J. K. Rowling said in 2001 that Harry might get another pet at some point. Although Buckbeak may have filled this role (Harry obtained possession of the Hippogriff after the death of Sirius Black), she also hinted that Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, might have another role.
- Rowling wrote the last chapter of the book some time ago, to give her an ending to work up to. The last word of the seventh book, according to Rowling, is currently "scar" , but she has also said it may change, along with the whole last chapter she has previously written. This last chapter contains details of what happens to each surviving character:
- "This is the thing that I was very dubious about showing you... This is the final chapter of book seven. This is really where I wrap everything up, it's the epilogue. And I basically say what happens to everyone after they leave school - those who survive - because there are deaths - more deaths coming. It was a way of saying to myself, 'Well, you will get it, you will get to book seven one day. And then you'll need this!' So I'd just like to remind all the children I know who come around my house and start sneaking into cupboards that it's not there anymore - I don't keep it at home anymore for very, very, very obvious reasons. So there it is." – J. K. Rowling
- Rowling has stated that there will be no Quidditch matches in Deathly Hallows.
- We will learn something very important about Lily in Deathly Hallows:
- Now, the important thing about Harry's mother - the really, really significant thing - you're going to find out in two parts. You'll find out a lot more about her in book five, or you'll find out something very significant about her in book five, and you'll find out something incredibly important about her in book seven." – J. K. Rowling
- Rowling has long said that Harry's eyes resembling his mother's is important.
- Severus Snape has been an important and enigmatic character throughout the books, as his true loyalty has always remained unclear. It is to be anticipated that as a surviving major character, his loyalty will be settled in the final confrontation of the book.
- She has stated we will learn more about Peter Pettigrew, Dumbledore, and his family.
- At the Edinburgh book festival, Rowling mentioned that something more would be revealed about Petunia Dursley. Nothing of note occurred in book 6, so this remains to be discovered.
"..there is a little bit more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye...She is not a squib, although that is a very good guess. Oh, I am giving a lot away here. I am being shockingly indiscreet."
- Rowling repeated this comment at the Radio City charity reading in August 2006. Rowling has clarified by stating that Aunt Petunia will not perform magic.
- Rowling has said that some non-magical character will perform magic late in life in desperate circumstances. However, Petunia will not be the one to perform magic (see above).
- Also at Edinburgh, Rita Skeeter was mentioned: "She is loathsome . . . but I can't help admiring her toughness. . . . There is more to come on Rita"
- On Dolores Umbridge, "It's too much fun to torture her not to have another little bit more before I finish"
- Viktor Krum is set for a reappearance.
- The two-way mirror given to Harry by Sirius Black and his flying motorbike will return. Rowling refused to comment whether Sirius himself might in some way reappear, but she has also said that there was a reason why he had to die.
- Dumbledore was said to have a "gleam of triumph" in his eyes when told that Voldemort had restored his body using Harry's blood, at the end of Goblet of Fire (Ch. 36). Rowling has confirmed that this is "still enormously significant".
- Someone from Harry's class, not Harry, Ron, or Hermione, and not who most readers would expect, will become a Hogwarts teacher. This seems to indicate that Hogwarts will indeed re-open, though possibly not until after the main events of Deathly Hallows have occurred.
- In an interview after the completion of the Prisoner of Azkaban film, she commented that director Alfonso Cuarón had "put things in the film that, without knowing it, foreshadow things that are going to happen in the final two books. So I really got goosebumps when I saw a couple of those things, and I thought people are going to look back on the film and think those were put in deliberately as clues."
- There are indications that at least two of the main characters will die. In a June 2006 interview about the previously-written ending, Rowling stated that:
- "One character got a reprieve, but I have to say two die that I didn't intend to die...A price has to be paid. We are dealing with pure evil...They go for the main characters... well, I do".
- When further questioned in June 2006 about authors who kill off their main characters, Rowling said "I can completely understand, however, the mentality of an author who thinks, well, I'm going to kill them off because that means there can be no non-author-written sequels'".
- Rowling clarified that "Dumbledore is definitely dead", when asked by Salman Rushdie and others at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Rowling answered the same question three times, each time with increasing conviction..
- When asked what questions she should have been asked, she admitted that "the final book contains a couple of pieces of information that I don't think you could guess at", and declined to explain further. On 2006-09-13 she updated her website saying that when she was asked that question, her mind went blank. Since she couldn't make amends, she created a NAQ section of her website, in tribute to the girl who asked the question. In her NAQ section, she states:
- "Why did Dumbledore have James' invisibility cloak at the time of James' death, given that Dumbledore could make himself invisible without a cloak?"
- 2006-09-29, she reveals that Severus Snape was not under the cloak the night of the Potters' death in the Rumors Section.
- Asked which five of her characters she would like to invite to dinner, she chose Harry, Hermione and Ron, but then hesitated before choosing her last characters, saying "See... I know who's actually dead", unsure whether she was permitted to invite those who are 'dead'.
- Lord Voldemort was voted best villain at the Big Bad Read poll. Responding to the news Rowling commented:
- "I hope those of you who voted for him in the big bad read enjoy reading about him in book seven, where he finally gets the leg room for which he has been aching all those years in exile."
- At their appearance in New York City on August 1, 2006, authors John Irving and Stephen King joined Rowling at a charity benefit. While there the two famous authors came together to ask Rowling NOT to kill off Harry Potter in her final book, with Irving saying, "I'll keep my fingers crossed for Harry."
Beyond Deathly Hallows
- Rowling confirmed that there isn't a university after Hogwarts and further Harry Potter books.
- Q: Do you think that you will write about Harry after he graduates from Hogwarts? Isn't there a University of Wizardry?
- A: There's no University for Wizards. At the moment I'm only planning to write seven Harry Potter books. I won't say "never," but I have no plans to write an eighth book.
- When asked about other books similar to Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Rowling has said that she would consider writing them at some point and that they would also be written for charity. She also mentions writing an encyclopedia-style tome on all the major characters, also for charitable purposes.
- Shortly before the release of book 5, in an interview for the BBC, she was asked about Harry's future by Jeremy Paxman:
- Jeremy Paxman: So you know what is going to become of all the major characters over the span of the series?
- J.K. Rowling: Yeah..yeah.
- Jeremy Paxman: Why stop when they grow up? Might be interesting to know what becomes of Harry as an adult.
- J.K. Rowling: How do you know he'll still be alive?
- Jeremy Paxman: Oh. At the end of book seven?
- J.K. Rowling: It would be one way to kill off the merchandising.
- When questioned about possible future books, she jokingly suggested Harry Potter and the Mid-Life Crisis.
References
- ^ "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". Bloomsbury Publishing. 2006-12-21. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
- "Progress on Book Six". J. K. Rowling Official Site. 2004-03-15. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Publisher: Book 7 'likely' in 2007". HPANA. 2006-05-25. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Anelli, Melissa and Emerson Spartz. "The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part Two," The Leaky Cauldron, 16 July 2005". Accio Quote!. 2005-07-16. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Guide to jkrowling.com: The Diary". Harry Potter Lexicon. 2005-12-25. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "J.K. Rowling Smuggles Harry Potter on the Plane". Toronto Daily News. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Section: Diary". J. K. Rowling Official Site. 2006-12-19. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Section: F.A.Q." J. K.Rowling Official Site. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Anelli, Melissa and Emerson Spartz. "The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part Two," The Leaky Cauldron, 16 July 2005". Accio Quote!. 2005-07-16. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Elf's Absence From Next 'Harry Potter' Flick Opens Up Plot Questions". MTV. 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "NAQ (never asked question)". J. K. Rowling Official Site. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Raincoast Books interview transcript, Raincoast Books (Canada), March 2001". Quick Quotes Quill. Retrieved July 3.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - "Edinburgh "cub reporter" press conference, ITV, 16 July 2005". Quick Quotes Quill. Retrieved July 3.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - "J.K. ROWLING: The 25 Most Intriguing People Of '99,". People. 1999-12-31. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
and|date=
(help) - "Harry Potter and me, BBC Stephen Fry interview, 28 Dec 2001". quick-quote-quill. Retrieved 2006-07-03.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling (part 2)". Mugglenet. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ J.K. Rowling interview transcript, The Connection (WBUR Radio), 12 October 1999
- Loer, Stephanie (October 18, 1999). "All about Harry Potter from quidditch to the future of the Sorting Hat". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - "MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling (part 1)". Mugglenet. Retrieved 2006-07-02.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "J K Rowling at the Edinburgh Book Festival". J.K.Rowling Official Site. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "Radio City August 2006 Charity Reading". HPANA transcript. Retrieved August 20.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) - "Aunt Petunia will start exhibiting magical tendencies". JK Rowling Website: Rumors. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - "Barnes and Noble interview, March 19, 1999". Quick Quotes Quill. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "World Book Day 2004". Quick Quotes Quill. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - "JK Rowling Book Day Transcript".
- "MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling, Part 3". MuggleNet. 2005-07-16. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Interview with David Heyman, Steve Kloves, Mark Radcliffe, Alfonso Cuaron, and Jo Rowling, Prisoner of Azkaban DVD "Extra," November 23, 2004". Accio Quote!. 2004-11-23. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ "Transcript of JKR Interview on Richard & Judy". TLC interviews. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - "[He Who Was Killed in Book Six] is Really Dead, JKR Rethinks Title of Book Seven, More from Radio City". news report. The Leaky Cauldron. 2006-08-02.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - "Rowling responds to Voldemort voted top villain". news report. The Leaky Cauldron. Retrieved 2006-09-12.
- "Stephen King Wants Rowling To Keep Harry Potter Alive".
- "JK Rowling on Newsnight".
External links
- Speculation on Deathly Hallows from Dark Mark
- Speculation on Deathly Hallows from Harry Potter Fan Zone
- Speculation on Deathly Hallows from Mugglenet
- Speculation on Deathly Hallows from The Leaky Cauldron
- Speculation on Deathly Hallows from Veritaserum
- Continuing storylines from previous books from Harry Potter Lexicon
- Issues unresolved at this point in the story from the Harry Potter Lexicon
- Possible plot twists in Deathly Hallows from Red Hen Publications
- Quick Quote Quill, collected statements by J K Rowling