(Bloomberg) -- Best-selling author Stephen King is slated to testify for the federal government in an antitrust suit aimed to block Penguin Random House LLC’s $2.18 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster Inc.

King is being called as a witness in federal court in Washington about his experiences as a popular author in selling anticipated top-selling books, according to court filings.

The author of horror classics including “Carrie” and “The Shining” is expected to testify specifically about publishers that successfully purchase rights to anticipated best-sellers and what effects he believes the proposed deal will have on the markets for those books, prosecutors said.

In the Justice Department’s original complaint, it argued that the acquisition would eliminate competition for authors’ publishing rights between No. 1 Penguin, owned by Bertelsmann SE, and No. 4 Simon & Schuster, owned by ViacomCBS Inc. Prosecutors claim the decreased competition will lead to lower advances for authors and fewer and a smaller variety of books for consumers.

Read more: US Sues to Block Penguin Deal for Simon & Schuster

Penguin Random House countered that the deal would result in higher incomes for authors and more choices for consumers.

The trial is set to begin Aug. 1 and last for three weeks. US District Judge Florence Pan, who was nominated to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, said she expects to issue her decision before assuming the new post.

The case is US v.  Bertelsmann SE, 21-cv-02886, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.