Harry Potter and the Cursed Child... an Eighth Book?

When I saw where The Rowling Library had posted that at least two publishers were trying to get the rights to publish the script play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I was ecstatic, to say the least. Being deathly afraid to fly, I'll never get the pleasure of enjoying this Harry Potter sequel. But a book, on the other hand, would be a true gift for all HP fans. I mean... an eighth Harry Potter book? Yes, please!

Well, once I remembered that this play was written by Jack Thorne, my heart sank just a bit. Even if this book does become a reality and gets published, will it be like the others? Will it capture us and pull us in like the other Harry Potter books did? If not, it would be a true disappointment to the Harry Potter literary legacy, especially if it is dubbed the eighth book in the series; a series that already seems so complete, in my unofficial potterhead opinion.

J.K. Rowling has a way of writing, telling a magical story with magical quotes and imagination, that is signature to her, so would The Cursed Child (as a novel) live up to the others, or would it end up feeling like a knockoff? So many authors have tried to profit from this series by making copycat versions that will never live up to the real thing. However, unlike Jack Thorne, they didn't have J.K. Rowling there to collaborate with them, either. 

If a publisher does get the rights to this story and we get a book version of the script, will her input, alone, be enough? I guess we'll all have to wait and find out when the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play comes out this May... or when the book hits the shelves, if it ever does.

Personally, I would be surprised if J.K. Rowling allowed an eighth book to be published, especially one she didn't completely write, herself. Not because she wouldn't get the royalties from it, but because that is her world. A play is one thing, but an entire novel is another. So, until we hear an announcement straight from J.K. Rowling's mouth, I'll continue to dream about what a book sequel to the best story I've ever read would be like.