What would a year be without new books from Brandon Sanderson, the writing machine of an author behind such series as Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, Skyward, The Reckoners and more? Sanderson has carved out a space for himself as one of the most well-regarded fantasy authors of our time, and a big part of how he's done that is by releasing books with such speed and consistency that his fans are never left wanting for long.
Last year was big for Sanderson, as he released Wind and Truth, the fifth novel in The Stormlight Archive and climax of its first major arc. Other creators may have wanted to take a vacation after shipping out such a massive novel (and at over 1,300 pages, it was massive), but I can only assume Sanderson vacations by writing more books, because this year we'll have not one, but two new releases from him. And now we finally have an idea of when they'll both be out.
Sanderson's fifth Secret Project novel has a release window
You may recall that a few years back, Sanderson launched the highest-funded Kickstarter of all time in order to publish four novels which he had written in secret, dubbed his Secret Project books. That record-shattering Kickstarter may be over, but Sanderson is still getting up to his old tricks. He has another Secret Project novel on the way, titled Isles of the Emberdark. This one was originally announced in early 2024 as part of the Words of Radiance leatherbound crowdfunding campaign on Backerkit.
In a recent YouTube update, Sanderson revealed the cover and release details for Isles of the Emberdark, including when it will be available for general purchase in case you missed out on the crowdfunding campaign. Preorders for the Dragonsteel edition are now live.
"We are going to ship [preorders] as soon as we finish shipping to backers," Sanderson said, adding that he expected preorders to ship out by November, "but it could be sooner."
Copies of Isles of the Emberdark are expected to ship out to backers sometime later this year. Sanderson clarified in the comments for the video that once the crowdfunding backers have received their copies, his company Dragonsteel Books will begin shipping out regular preorders for their premium edition of the novel. He also addressed the timeline, saying, "We'll have the preorders to you by the first of November at the latest, which will be after Backers receive their copies, but we're hoping to get them to you all sooner than later."
The Dragonsteel edition cover art was created by Rebecca Sorge Jensen, with interior illustrations by Esther Hiʻilani Candari.
What is Isles of the Emberdark about?
Isles of the Emberdark is a standalone novel set in a far-future era of the Cosmere, the fictional universe in which all of Sanderson's adult fantasy stories are set, and serves as an expansion of his 2014 novella Sixth of the Dusk. Here's the official description:
"All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar—the supernatural birds his people bond with—on the deadly island of Patji. Then one fateful night he propels his people into a race to modernize before they can be conquered by the Ones Above, invaders from the stars who want to exploit the Aviar.
But it’s a race they’re losing, and Dusk fears his people will lose themselves in the effort. When a chance comes to sail into the expanse of the emberdark beyond a mystical portal, Dusk sets off to find his people’s salvation with only a canoe, his birds, and all the grit and canniness of a Patji trapper.
Elsewhere in the emberdark is a young dragon chained in human form: Starling of the starship Dynamic. She and her ragtag crew of exiles are deep in debt and on the brink of losing their freedom. So when she finds an ancient map to a hidden portal between the emberdark and the physical realm, she seizes the chance at a lucrative discovery.
These unlikely allies might just be the solution to each other’s crisis. In their search for independence, Dusk and Starling face perilous bargains, poisonous politics, and the destructive echo of a dead god."
As with all of Sanderson's other Secret Projects, Tor Books will also be publishing an edition of the novel with wider distribution into bookstores following the release of the premium Dragonsteel edition. The Tor edition of Isles of the Emberdark is currently slated for release on February 3, 2026.
Tailored Realities is Sanderson's second short fiction collection
The other book that Sanderson has coming out in 2025 is an interesting one. Titled Tailored Realities, it's a short fiction collection which consists exclusively of his non-Cosmere works, such as "Snapshot," "Perfect State," and "Defending Elysium." It also contains a brand new novella titled "Moment Zero" which is expected to serve as the centerpiece for the collection.
These stories span both the fantasy and science fiction genres, and each one will be accompanied by a black-and-white illustration. Sanderson first announced Tailored Realities at his Dragonsteel Nexus convention in 2024. The convention usually revolves around the release of a specific new Sanderson book, and this year that book will be Tailored Realities.
Tailored Realities is slated for release from Tor Books on December 9, 2025.
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