Dragonsteel Nexus preview readings
Sanderson read passages from his work at Dragonsteel Nexus 2026, and those public readings generated what the report called “massive excitement” among attendees in February. (artthreat.net)
Brandon Sanderson turned Dragonsteel Nexus into a live preview stage, reading unpublished material to fans and then posting one of those excerpts publicly on February 27, 2026. (brandonsanderson.com) The official post says the February excerpt came from *The Fires of December*, one of five books in the Hoid’s Storybook Collection, which launched on BackerKit on March 3. (brandonsanderson.com) Dragonsteel Nexus is Sanderson’s own convention in Salt Lake City, and the event has grown past a single book launch into a recurring fan gathering with keynotes, panels, and signings. Sanderson rebranded the convention as “Dragonsteel Nexus” in April 2024 and said badge sales for the 2024 show were expected to sell out. (brandonsanderson.com) The convention now has its own annual footprint at the Salt Palace area in downtown Salt Lake City. Dragonsteel’s event page lists Dragonsteel Nexus 2026 for December 3-5 and names multiple hotels attached to or across from the Salt Palace. (dragonsteelbooks.com) Preview readings matter in Sanderson’s fandom because his books are long, interconnected, and often announced years before publication. His December 19, 2024 “State of the Sanderson” post said he turned in *Wind and Truth* on June 4, 2024 after roughly half a year of revisions. (brandonsanderson.com) That same period showed how closely readers track his progress bars and release plans. In a late-2023 weekly update, Sanderson said *Stormlight 5*, later titled *Wind and Truth*, was at 97.1% and that Tor was ready to take preorders once the publication date was set. (brandonsanderson.com) By Dragonsteel Nexus 2024, the convention was already tied to a major release cycle. Dragonsteel’s December 5, 2024 event roundup called *Wind and Truth* “the first arc” finale of *The Stormlight Archive* and said the series had sold more than 10 million copies. (dragonsteelbooks.com) That scale helps explain the reaction to a live reading: a few minutes of new text can function like a trailer for a film franchise. Reactor’s 2024 coverage of *Wind and Truth* said the novel is a “defining pillar” of Sanderson’s shared Cosmere universe and serialized chapters ahead of publication. (reactormag.com) Dragonsteel has also leaned into making those convention moments travel beyond the room. The February 27 post did not just mention the keynote reading; it republished the excerpt online, turning an in-person tease into a wider promotional beat ahead of the March crowdfunding launch. (brandonsanderson.com) So the excitement around the Nexus readings was not only about fans hearing Sanderson perform new pages live. It was also about Dragonsteel using its convention as a first-look pipeline for the next wave of Cosmere and adjacent projects. (brandonsanderson.com, dragonsteelbooks.com)
