With HBO preparing to launch a show based on Game of Thrones in April, author George R.R. Martin has revealed equally exciting news for fans of this franchise:

He'll release the fifth book in the series on July 12.

Titled "A Dance with Dragons," the book will be Martin's first in five years. It will reportedly be over 900 pages long, as the author teased to EW:

"I can say all the characters people have been waiting for are there: Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion. There’s also new characters, and viewpoints from characters who did not have viewpoints before."