KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The price war surrounding the last installment of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has taken another twist when pirated copies surfaced in the Malaysian market, local press reported on Friday.

    Cashing in on the popularity of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pirates have mass-produced paperback editions which are retailed at 48 ringgit (14 U.S. dollars) each, the New Straits Times reported.

    They are available at selected newsvendors and bookstores, some of whom are selling the books at 60 ringgit (18 U.S. dollars) but with a 20 percent discount.

    Checks at several newsvendors and bookstores showed that the pirated book copied the original version wholesale, from its front and back covers and publisher's logo to even the barcode.

    The pirated copy also has 607 pages and uses similar fonts like the original but the paper is thinner.

    Inquiries revealed that the pirated copies were printed locally but sellers refused to reveal who were their suppliers.

    "For the good quality at this price, it is a good buy," said a bookstore supervisor at a shopping center in Johor Baru, southern state of Johor.

    Another book seller in the city center said the pirated copies were selling like hot cakes, especially among students.

    Hypermarkets Tesco and Carrefour triggered a price war with several major bookstores when they offered the book at 69.90 ringgit (21 U.S. dollars).

    It prompted MPH Bookstores, Times the Bookshop, Popular Bookstores and Harris Bookstores to stop selling the book on its launch date.