LONDON — Harry Potter battled the forces of evil and now is set to conquer the Web — coming to e-books in a groundbreaking deal that has delighted fans but alarmed the book industry that helped make creator J.K. Rowling a billionaire.
Rowling announced Thursday that her seven novels about the boy wizard will be sold for the first time as e-books, beginning in October, exclusively through a new online portal to her wizarding world called “Pottermore.”
“You can’t hold back progress,” Rowling said. “E-books are here, and they are here to stay.”
The Potter novels will be available as audiobooks and e-books in multiple languages. Prices have yet to be set.
By selling directly to fans, Rowling is bypassing established online retailers such as Amazon, although the creators of “Pottermore” say the books will be compatible with popular e-readers, including Amazon’s Kindle, Sony’s Reader and Apple’s iPad.
The “Pottermore” website is an immersive online environment that combines elements of a role-playing game and a digital encyclopedia with social networking and an online store.
