DEL REY TO PUBLISH NOVEL HEROES: SAVING CHARLIE, BASED ON NBC'S EMMY� AND GOLDEN GLOBE� NOMINATED HIT SERIES HEROES AND ITS JAPANESE TIME TRAVELER "HIRO"

NEW YORK, -- September 18, 2007 -- Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced plans to publish a novel based on NBC's Emmy� and Golden Globe� nominated Heroes. HEROES: SAVING CHARLIE (Del Rey Hardcover; $23.95; on sale December 26, 2007) by Aury Wallington will be an original novel based on the characters Hiro Nakamura (Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated Masi Oka) and Charlie (Jayma Mays), created by executive producer/creator Tim Kring. It is developed through a licensing agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group.

"One of the more memorable relationships in Season One was Hiro's first love, the waitress Charlie. We were as smitten as Hiro by that story and seized the chance to tell the full adventure of Hiro's six months in the past. Aury Wallington was hand picked by the writers of the show for her brilliant voice for these characters. The novel is a welcome addition to the Heroes family," said Tim Kring, creator-executive producer, "Heroes."

The novel�written with the full cooperation and consultation of the show's creators�will tell the story of Japanese office worker Hiro, who, through the use of his ability to pierce the space-time continuum and manipulate time, bravely catapults himself into the past to save Charlie, a small-town Texas waitress with an extraordinary memory, from being brutally murdered by super-powered serial killer Sylar (Zachary Quinto). While fans of the television series were given only a brief glimpse into Hiro and Charlie's relationship as it grew into love over six time-changing months, but their history is told here with the depth and insight that only a novel will allow.

Del Rey celebrated the announcement of its Heroes book at the 2007 San Diego International Comic-Con by asking fans to help make 1,000 cranes at their booth by the end of the show. Interest was high and the goal of 1,000 was surpassed.

Season 2 of Heroes launches September 24, 2007 on NBC.

ABOUT THE SHOW

From creator/writer Tim Kring (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") comes the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated "Heroes," an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. In its first season, "Heroes" has been honored with a People's Choice Award, an AFI Award, a Multicultural Prism Award and this year's TV Land Future Classic Award, as well as nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, NAACP Image Awards, WGA Awards and Satellite Awards.

The cast includes a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, Blind Guy Driving) in India who is led by his father's disappearance to uncover a secret theory � that there are people with super powers living among us. Also featured are a young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, Gilmore Girls) who tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, Judging Amy) that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, Ice Princess) learns that she is totally indestructible while trying to relate to her father (Jack Coleman, Dynasty) who has a keen interest in people with special abilities. A Las Vegas single mother (Ali Larter, Final Destination) struggles to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, My Wife & Kids) and discovers that her mirror image has a secret. In addition, a fugitive from justice (Leonard Roberts, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) continues to baffle authorities. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, Empire), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, Third Watch), and whose paintings, done specifically for the show by comic book artist Tim Sale, open a visual gateway to a possible dark future. A down-on-his-luck Los Angeles beat cop (Greg Grunberg, Alias) can hear people's thoughts, which puts him on the trail of an elusive serial killer. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, NBC's Scrubs) develops a way to stop time through sheer will power.

Joining Kring as executive producer are Dennis Hammer (NBC's Crossing Jordan), Allan Arkush (NBC's Crossing Jordan) and Greg Beeman (Smallville). The drama is produced by Universal Media Studios in association with Tailwind Productions.

About the Author

Aury Wallington has written for the television shows Sex and the City and Veronica Mars. She is the author of the novel Pop!, which was named one of the New York Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age." Aury lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Tuesday. Visit her website at www.aurywallington.com.

About Del Rey

Del Rey (http://www.delreybooks.com), founded in 1977 under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn del Rey and her husband, Lester del Rey, is an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga, which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field.

About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group

Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.