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Reader Comments: (Page 17)

I don't know if it's just that I'm American but the American cover always looks so much more sophisticated and ominous. The UK editions are either TOO childish or TOO bland. The US version has that great shadowy look and every book is unique in its cover. The UK just looks jumbled and made for kids with ADD.

That said, Harry does appear to be in a position of power but that certainly does not mean he is going to come out of this alive as people here think. I imagine this to be the most poignant scene in the book as it is the climax of the entire series and so Harry have to look like he is in control and that if he s then it is because he wants to, not because he simply has to.

Overall an excellent revealing. I actually predicted that the final color scheme would be a bright color such as yellow or orange so that is cool to see. Unfortunately I don't think Harry makes it out of this one. In the end good conquer, but a price be paid.

Also interesting to note is the beautiful orange sky visible in both the UK and US editions. That circular object they seem to be jumping out from in the UK version looks like it has the same sky as the backdrop in the US edition.

Posted by Mark from Detroit, MI on April 3, 2007 11:55 AM

Someone said in the US cover they may be fighting through the veil. In that case Harry and Voldemort have both d. So, 2 main characters have d, but perhaps after the struggle between Harry & Voldemort (which Voldemort of course loose, i don't think anyone expects the book to end "And Lord Voldemort ruled the earth for ever more... that would be great though...) which would lead me to believe Harry prevails and perhaps finds a way back through the arch. And thus making Rowling right in saying two main characters , with the main one coming back to life.
This make Old Dumby wrong with his whole "no spell can bring back the " thing... It does wound like the kind of thing J.K. might do. I think we can Expect the unexpected.

Posted by Leslie from Shetland on April 3, 2007 12:42 PM

Maybe Harry and Voldemort fell through the veil and those spectators are the .

Posted by Deena Summers from Reedsport Oregon on April 3, 2007 2:01 PM

Actually, on the Us version you can see a scar if you zoom in. It just looks like hair, because of the coloring.

Posted by coolness on April 3, 2007 2:30 PM

It seems as though in the cover that shows Harry and Voldemort reaching for something, that they are almost siding with each other. They seem to be wearing the same colored robe, their is no expression on Harry's face that depicts any anxiety, and their hands dont seem to be competing, rather the opposite, helping each other.

I really hope that this theory is wrong, because id hate to see Harry join Voldemort as much as anybody else would.

And by the way, I do see the face on Voldemorts robe. It is formed in the shadow on the robe, to the right of the veil, and a little way down from the sleeve. I have no idea why the shape would be there, it may just be a coincidence, but there would be a pretty slim chance of that happening. I mean, shading a face into the robe?

Posted by Joel from Fort Scott, Kansas, US on April 3, 2007 9:46 PM

Sounds like all of the previous comments are for the most part pretty convincing.
I really liked the british cover of the Half-Blood Prince (Dumbledore casting a fire spell around himself and Harry), thought it was one of the coolest pictures ever! This one does seem a bit childish, but I could care less what it looks like: it gives away ONE of the scenes of the book! The US one is great, as always.
However the plot unfolds, I look forward to a convincing, beautiful ending, as J.K. Rowling is sure to deliver. I've got my fingers crossed for Harry! There's been enough bloodshed already... SOMETHING'S gotta give!

Posted by Teddy from Portland, OR on April 3, 2007 10:22 PM

Since there is no scar on harry in the us cover could it be that hallows or purification was performed on harry to remove the voldemort part of him from harry?

And since Harry come of age, he can apparate now so he venture of on more independent adventures

And in the us cover that ampitheatre could it placed around say Godric's Hollow as it is in not that good of a shape

Posted by Santulan from Ahmedabad, Gujarat,India on April 4, 2007 01:06 AM

if you look closely at US cover, harry's scar is absent. also that circular area seems to be some where in the ministry or beyond the veil. i personally think that harry come out from the veil with the help of fawaks and as vodemort not be able to come back, harry's scar disappear.

Posted by hassan from pakistan on April 4, 2007 02:17 AM

If voldemort and harry have gone beyond the veil and the surrounding figures are the deceased i bet voldemort has a lot of enemies there where harry only has those who love him. Perhaps that is why harry has a hand reaching out for something or someone. His parents? whereas voldy looks like he is trying to hold something or someone away and backing into a corner defending himself.

Posted by glorfindel from aberdeen uk on April 4, 2007 08:31 AM

I think the reason they don't have wands is that magic doesn't require one. It's been a major thread throughout the books that with focus, a hand-wave or word or even a thought is enough--sometimes too much, actually, because it give your next move away to your opponent. Snape's lessons in HPB, especially as he races to the gate at the the end, all insist on the importance not giving one's next move away. I think the scene in the American cover IS a magical showdown, but real magic which goes beyond wand-waving, esp. since Prior Incantatum would make a wand-to-wand duel between Voldemort and Harry very difficult.

Posted by Erin from Baltimore on April 4, 2007 08:43 AM

I find it interesting that the colors through the arch in the UK version are similar to the sky in the US version. I wonder what the relationship if any might be. I agree with earlier posts that the UK version is possibly a vault at Gringott’s. The US version appears to be the amphitheater from OotP with the curtains to the veil in front (ceiling bewitched to look like the sky?).

I’ve not been able to see any of the faces in LV’s robes.

Posted by Bart from Denver, Colorado on April 4, 2007 08:51 AM

these images are all very interesting.

the curtains on the US cover are quite interesting, and my guess would be they are the curtains over the arch in the room in the department of mysteries

the UK cover most likely features the contents of a vault at gringotts, but who's? possibly hary's, perhaps dumbledore's

i also thought that it might be the horde of a dragon, thinking of Bilbo Baggins in Smaug's lair in the hobbit, and a dragon would be rather useful for gaurding a horcrux i would think

the armour on the UK cover looks to be fairly important, and it seems to be the helmet at which harry is looking. my guess would be that it is a horcrux, and was probably gryffindor's or ravenclaw's

as for the book starting at privet drive, i can't imagine any reason it would not, the book clearly carry on right from where the last left off, which was with harry saying that he would first return to privet drive, because dumbledore would have wantd him to, because of the protective spell

he then go to the burow for bill and fleur's wedding

i imagine he not stay there long and i epect he probably argue against ron and hermione coming with him, but that they insist, o come against his , perhaps following him

i am guessing that the reason they are in such smart robes on the UK cover is becuase they lef tthe burrow very quickly after the wedding and did not have time to change or take any of their belonging with them, perhaps following harry after they see him leaving

also given that finding the last horcrux required 2 wizards,(harry and dumbledore) it seems unlikely that harry would believe he would be capable of completing his quest enirely without help

i think it is likely that he visit godrics hollow, perhaps finding items his parrents may have left behind for him, he also likely visit the gaunt's cottage, hoping he might find something that dumbledore may have missed, he may even visit the riddles' house

i think that dumbledore probably is , but i don't believe this means we won't hear anything from him, perhaps harry might talk to his portrait in McGonagles office

Posted by John from Hertfordshire, UK on April 4, 2007 08:54 AM

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