Wild About Harry As Orders Flood In

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday May 8, 2003

Judy Adamson

The boy wizard rules. Copies of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are being ordered in record numbers, with 20,000 hardcover books reserved so far at Angus & Robertson for the novel's release on June 21.

Andrew Guy, a national product manager for A & R, says the company received half as many orders for J. K. Rowling's previous volume, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

It has been three years since fans have had any news from Hogwarts and it is clear readers cannot wait any longer.

While there might be a sense of reassurance and satisfaction in having the book on order, fans could save money by waiting until after June 21.

Gary Young, a national merchandise manager at Big W, says his stores will ``aim to be the lowest priced".

Andrew Guy says: ``The publishers have printed 600,000 copies for Australia, and that's a bucketload when you think about the size of the population."

He thought stores might sell 300,000 to 400,000 in the early weeks after June 21.