Sanderson Announces New Cosmere Novel

- The narrator, Hoid, is a mysterious and ancient character who has appeared in nearly every Cosmere story, often in disguise, observing and occasionally influencing events. *The Fires of December* is the first book in a planned series called "Hoid's Travails" and follows other Hoid-narrated tales like *Tress of the Emerald Sea* and *Yumi and the Nightmare Painter*. - This novel continues a trend of Sanderson writing books in secret, in addition to his publicly announced schedule. In 2022, he revealed four secretly written novels, which were released throughout 2023 after a Kickstarter campaign that broke records by raising over $41.7 million. - The story's protagonist, a woman named December, lives in a land sustained by rivers of demon blood and is joined by a priestess and a fashion designer on her quest. Sanderson has stated that he believes the opening he wrote for the book is one of the strongest of his career. - The announcement came during Sanderson's own convention, Dragonsteel Nexus, a practice consistent with his high level of engagement with his fanbase through events, social media, and regular updates. - *The Fires of December* will be released during a planned break from his main epic series, *The Stormlight Archive*. The final book of that series' first arc was released in December 2024, with the next installment not expected until at least 2031. - This book joins a packed future release schedule that includes planned sequels to his debut novel *Elantris* and the beginning of the third era of *Mistborn* novels, which are tentatively scheduled for 2028 through 2030.