Harry Potter is saved by The Order Of The Phoenix - a secret group opposed to the evil Lord Voldemort - after he is attacked by Dementors during the school holidays.

Back in his fifth year at school, Harry starts having terrible nightmares that he is Voldemort, who has returned. Meanwhile, he and best friends Ron and Hermione are working towards their OWL exams, and a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher is appointed by the Ministry Of Magic, whose presence threatens the future of Hogwarts.

Setting

As always, the main setting of the book is the mythical Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, with its Great Hall, secret passageways and Forbidden Forest; plus the Ministry Of Magic, containing many powerful secrets, and the HQ of the Order Of The Phoenix, home to Sirius Black.

Main characters

Harry Potter, the only person to have survived an attack by Voldemort; his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger; Sirius Black, Harry's godfather; Hagrid, Harry's half-giant friend; Dumbledore, head teacher of Hogwarts; Draco Malfoy, Harry's arch enemy; Lord Voldemort, Harry's nemesis.

Magical creatures

Thestrals, dragon-like flying horses; Dementors, which suck out people's souls and rob them of any happy feelings; Centaurs, half-men, half horse; giants; and many others who crop up.

Verdict

At 766 pages, The Order Of The Phoenix is the longest book in the Harry Potter series to date, yet the story is enthralling from first page to last. This book is the most sinister so far, centring on the authorities denying that the evil Voldemort is back, and the underground struggle by a band of rebels trying to prevent his return to power, while at the same time trying to protect Harry from falling into his evil clutches. This struggle results in the death of someone close to Harry (a bit of a shocker!) - a battle which reflects true-to-life conflicts in many ways.

JK Rowling, left, will have multiplied her multi-millions overnight from the sale of this book, the most anticipated novel this year. Yet she deserves the acclaim - the world she has created appeals to children and adults alike (I was glued to it from the start, only breaking to go to work), dark in some places, humorous in others and magical throughout.

Though Harry has turned into a bit of an angry teenager, you can't help feeling fond of some characters, such as Ron.

Like many avid fans of the series, I hope I won't have to wait too long for the next instalment - it's truly captivating stuff!

Updated: 09:15 Wednesday, June 25, 2003