Five years after J.K. Rowling published Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, concluding a series that broke all existing book sales records and spawned the most successful film franchise of all time, she's finally revealed the name and release date for her first adult novel.

The book will be available on September 27, and as for the title and description … well, if you were somehow expecting something steeped in fantasy that evoked the world of Harry Potter, you may be disappointed.

Then again, you SHOULDN'T be, because Rowling's always been up front about the fact that this book would be nothing like her previous novels:

Although I've enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the 'Harry Potter' series.

Yep, can't get much more clear than that. But I bet there are still going to be fans who are a little taken aback by the title of her new book: The Casual Vacancy.

It's just a little . . . it's sort of . . . hmm. A teeny, tiny bit boring sounding, maybe?

Well, never mind the title, let's take a look at the synopsis:

When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Seemingly an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Okay, so a story of small-town English life may be an adjustment for the her rabid fan base, but it's described as "blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising," so perhaps it will appeal to an entirely new audience while still engaging her existing fans. In fact, recalibrating expectations may be exactly why she chose to release so many details about the book in the first place.

However fans may feel about The Casual Vacancy now, something tells me the lack of wizards and witches in the story won't have an impact on Rowling's bookselling magic. With her name on the cover, it's likely to be a bestseller no matter what.

Here's a short video on Rowling's new book:


What do you think of the description for The Casual Vacancy?

Image via JK Rowling