Tor has officially set the release date for the final Wheel of Time novel, A Memory of Light. It’s a bit later than was initially expected, at January 8, 2013. But don’t worry, it’s still going to come out in the Year of the Dragon! (The Chinese calendar is a lunar calendar, so the Dragon year doesn’t end until February 9, 2013.)

The cover art will be created by Michael Whelan (you may be familiar with his excellent cover for The Way of Kings), since Darrell K. Sweet, who did the previous books, passed away recently.

“I’m flattered to no end to have been asked to work on such a prestigious and popular project. My only regret is that it had to come under such unfortunate circumstances; I never would have accepted had Darrell been here to see the Wheel of Time saga to it’s completion. It will always remain a testament to his career, and I’m humbled to stand in his shadow for the work on the final volume.” — Michael Whelan