Harry Potter Book 7 covers unveiled

Wow! Have just read that the book covers for the seventh Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, have been released. And boy, are they intriguing. The locket on the cover of the UK adult version (love the sleek black cover, by the way) is definitely the Slytherin heirloom that Dumbledore tells Harry about in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It must reflect the fact the last book will be about Harry's search for the rest of Volde- --oops! sorry--You Know Who's horcruxes. Nothing new revealed there though. But Harry along with Hermione and Ron among what looks like treasure (and is that Dobby on Harry's back holding a sword/dagger?) as depicted on the UK children's version will surely evoke a lot of debate. As for the cover of the US edition, that sure looks like a coliseum or ampitheatre where Harry and Voldemort are having a duel of sorts, perhaps with the Death Eaters looking on? Even more fodder for heated discussions no doubt.

I expect a slew of slew of essays/editorials discussing the meaning of what is depicted on those covers as well as to speculate anew what will happen in long-awaited book seven to appear on MuggleNet during the next few months leading up to the book's release.

I can only hope that it won't be as depressing as Book 6 which left me dazed and stunned for several days in July 2005. (At least I was not as unfortunate as a friend of mine who made the mistake of reading it during the Christmas break. Of course, it completely dampened his holiday mood.) I do know though that I'll be crying when I read Book 7, not because of what's happening in the book, but more from the realization that it will be the last Harry Potter book.