'Harry Potter' book to hit the streets on Sunday

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Die-hard Harry Potter fans are preparing to take to the streets to grab a copy of Harry Potter dan Orde Phoenix (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) -- if they can stay up until the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Publisher Gramedia Pustaka Utama will send out a convoy of vans at the stroke of midnight on Sunday, offering 300 limited edition first-print translations of JK Rowling's fifth novel telling of the young wizard and his Hogwort cohorts.

The lucky few will also receive a special cloth bag along with their purchase. The book goes on sale nationwide on Sunday.

The route for "Harry Potter -- Catch the Car" winds its way from Gramedia Pustaka Utama's main office in Palmerah, Central Jakarta, to Jl. Gatot Subroto (S. Parman), the Semanggi cloverleaf, Jl. Sudirman (Wisma Dharmala), Jl. Gajah Mada - Hayam Wuruk - Kwitang - Jl. Thamrin (around Sarinah and Jl. Sabang), Al Azhar school in Blok M, Radio Dalam, Pondok Indah and Jl. TB Simatupang, before ending at Cilandak Town Square.

Prospective buyers are asked to be on the lookout for a large- size print of the book cover on each of the vans.

The book is available in hardback (Rp 140,000) and paperback versions (Rp 95,000) for cash payment only.

Although local Potter devotees snapped up English-language copies when the much-anticipated fifth novel in the series went on sale in June 2003, many are looking forward to the opportunity to read and compare the merits of the translation.

"I'll be waiting over at the Gramedia office as soon as the convoy starts," said Miko, a photojournalist.