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Will Harry Potter kill his nemesis, Lord Voldemort, and will he die in the process?
That is the question on the lips of millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide and is set to be answered today with the release of the last book in the Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
British author J.K. Rowling brought the boy wizard to life in 1997 with her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Ten years and six books later, Harry Potter has become one of the most recognised names in literature and has made Rowling one of the wealthiest authors in history.
The first six books in the series about the young wizard, his adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and his battles with Lord Voldemort, have sold 325 million copies and been translated into 64 languages.
The first five novels have been made into films, with the final two films yet to be made, and a theme park in Florida - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - is expected to open in Orlando in late 2009.
The ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been a closely guarded secret but Rowling has confirmed two characters will be killed off and fan websites hotly debate who they will be.
But the prospect of Harry being killed off has sparked such concern that British bookshop chain Waterstone's is planning a helpline for upset readers.
So how did a children's story become so popular among not just young readers but adults as well?
Victoria University English literature lecturer Anna Jackson said the books were just really good.
"As [New Zealand writer and reviewer] David Larson said: 'It doesn't work to see the phenomenon as purely driven by marketing - you can't market a child into sitting down and reading, engrossed, for hours on end."'
Ms Jackson said the characters in the book were well drawn and pointed to fan sites that showed how well the readers knew the main players.
The plots were "compelling and complex" and the magic was inventive. It helped to combine the school story genre with high fantasy.
Rowling had had luck in the timing of her books being released.
"Another book written at the same time, another move into fantasy would have been just as welcome," Ms Jackson said.
"The time seems right for this return to fantasy - it's what readers are looking for, it's what children are looking for and even adults.
"It's what the big literary writers are getting back to as well but they're good books as well. I really like them."
Every book had grown along with Rowling's writing skills. "It's as if she was feeling her way into something bigger than she initially thought she was taking on."
The story was not overwhelmed by complex literary writing but told in a straightforward, yet descriptive, way that pulled the reader into the story.
"I think she's a good storyteller," Ms Jackson said.
Readers seem to agree with her, with booksellers reporting thousands of copies of the Deathly Hallows already pre-ordered.
Anxious muggles (non-magic folk) will have to wait until 11.01am today before they can get their hands on the latest tale, which is in line with the worldwide release at midnight in Britain.
Borders New Zealand regional manager Justin Barratt said today was gearing up to be the "biggest day in bookseller history".
The Warehouse spokeswoman, Cynthia Church, said the retail chain expected to sell 200 copies every minute between 11.01am and noon today.
Dedicated Potter fan 12-year-old Nesta Jones, of Wellington, will be joining the long queues so she can buy her copy of the book.
In preparation for the magical finale, Nesta has reread all of the other books in the series, so her Potter knowledge is completely up to date.
She has also seen the latest Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, twice since it opened last Thursday.
Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the boy wizard, gets the thumbs up on his performance.
"He's cool. I don't think anybody else could play him now," she said.
Nesta has her theories on how the final book will end - and if she is right it will be the end of poor Harry - "which is sad because then there won't be another book".
- NZPA
