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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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Harry Potter and the Chinese Knockoffs

Culture of piracy leads to illegal copying, unrelated spin-offs

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(Newser) – The titles are unintentionally hilarious—Harry Potter and the Big Funnel, Harry Potter and the Chinese Porcelain Doll—but China's thriving piracy industry is no laughing matter. The Times looks at the phenomenon of "Harry" knockoffs, a problem so widespread that one estimate puts the percentage of illegal books for sale at 40%.

Although the government tries to combat the rip-offs, its priority is books banned for political reasons—not to mention tainted food and drugs. And the counterfeits, written by Chinese authors and released by reputable publishers, have their own fans. "I wonder if Rowling would bother to continue to write" if she read one copycat's work, says an online reviewer.

New Installment Of Harry Potter Released In China
New Installment Of Harry Potter Released In China   (Getty Images)
Fans wait outside a bookstore for the final instalment of the...
Fans wait outside a bookstore for the final instalment of the...   (Getty Images)
Fans queue outside a bookstore for the final instalment of the...
Fans queue outside a bookstore for the final instalment of the...   (Getty Images)
Fans queue in a bookstore for the final
Fans queue in a bookstore for the final   (Getty Images)
Pedestrians walk on Beijing's Wangfujing shopping street past...
Pedestrians walk on Beijing's Wangfujing shopping street past...   (Getty Images)
Chinese Fans Flock To Bookstores For Harry Potter In Nanjing
Chinese Fans Flock To Bookstores For Harry Potter In Nanjing   (Getty Images)
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