Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling

     The grand finale, the ending to end all endings, the seventh book of the Harry Potter series is finally here for its loyal fans.  Weighing in at a whopping 759 pages, this last installment is sure to give its voracious readers plenty of answers, not to mention a showering of details of Rowlings' wizarding world from past volumes.  In other words, it'll help you considerably to have read the previous six books.

     That said, this last one (sob!) brings closure to all things Hogwartsian in often disturbing ways.  Of course, over time the series has gotten darker in tone; Harry's latest bouts with the baddies won't disappoint in this respect.  Voldemort and his goons become much more menacing as they take over the Ministry of Magic and make Harry a wanted criminal.  OK, no more - I won't give away any more of the plot.  Read the book when you can - whether it's a checked out copy from your public library or one you've lucked up on from a Potter-reading friend.

(William Hicks, Information Services)