OFFICIAL: HBP to be Released on July 16, 2005

It’s official! July 16, 2005, will bring the sixth book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The news comes from Bloomsbury, JKR’s British publishers, this morning:

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes up the story of Harry Potter’s sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at this point as Voldemort’s power and followers are increasing day by day, in the midst of this battle of good and evil.

The author has already said that the Half-Blood Prince is neither Harry nor Voldemort. Intriguingly, the opening chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been brewing in J.K. Rowling’s mind for 13 years.”

No word yet on book length (MuggleNet is reporting Bloomsbury says it will be “a bit shorter” than OotP), but the hardback editions will have a recommended retail of 16.99 GBP (about $32).

You can already pre-order the UK children’s version.