Songs of the Dead

The Strata Wars #1

by Brandon Sanderson, Peter Orullian

A London rocker is faced with a life-or-death choice when he realizes that a powerful society of magic wielders are the only ones keeping London safe in this deft contemporary fantasy cowritten by #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson with author and musician Peter Orullian.

When Jack Solomon, a struggling musician who works in London’s West End, is killed, he awakens to a new reality in which light and music are used to create magic and where living eras of the past sprawl beneath modern London, layer upon layer, all the way back to recorded history.

Jack also soon discovers that many of those who reside in the stratums of London’s past have grown angry with the present world, and that their anger is being channeled by a powerful society of light-and-music-based magic wielders who can cross the realms between life and death, between the present and the past. A past where the dead are sowing revolution against the living, and all of history is at stake.

Welcome to the Strata Wars.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction, Magic, Music

464 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 16, 2026

About the author

I’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.

The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.

During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.

Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.

November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.

Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.

I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.

Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!

Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.

I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.

Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.

Reviews

[ଘRory (Hiatus )]

➤​Seriously, a musician co-writing a fantasy book with BRANDON SANDERSON ? That's just beyond cool💃.

_P.S.I've never added a book to my TBR that fast, and never managed to set up a buddy read that quickly, lol! (I am so excited, guys!) I'm reading that book with my pookie 💖 Grace when it comes out.

[DianaRose]

full rtc closer to pub day!!✨💀🎶

——

beyond excited to finally dive in!😩

——

i'm ready for this insanely amazing project full of rockstars and dark magic 🙂‍↕️

[Grace Btrs]

UPDATE:
DID I JUST SCREAM CZ I GOT THE ARC? FUCK YEAH I DID!!!

--
Update:
So um... I applied for the ARC.... I know I am reaching, and if I don't read other Brandon books before, it would be my first... but... just... the premise and conditions are so compelling!!!

--
Anticipated because:
I am freaking SAT for whatever the outcome here will be.
I was planning to start my Brandon Sanderson journey in 2026.
But then knowing he's co-writing this with a musician specialised in music and storytelling?
I'll be here, waiting....

Thank you to the gorgeous ଘRory for bringing this to my attention.

[Benghis Kahn]

Orullian's writing voice here just completely turned me off -- couldn't stick with it for more than a half hour before I pulled the plug

[Gabby]

Pardon my French but wtf was this

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never felt the urge to say this before but it is pretty cool to have the first review on here.

This was so good, but not in the typical Sanderson way. The magic system, thanaturgy, is very much classic Brando Sando, yet not at the same time. It feels less defined than his other magic systems, yet pulls at the familiar love I have for his systems and from the more familiar necromancy and thaumaturgy. There is a mix of music and light that makes the magic of this world work, and I love that Peter Orullian is the co-writer he brought in on the project as he is also a musician.

Orullian’s voice shines through this story in the characters and lived experiences in music, but also in the grittiness and the urban fantasy setting, versus Sanderson’s typical epic new worlds. Jack, our MC, has a lot of relatable characteristics - especially with a lot of childhood traumas that lead to many of his flaws that he has to overcome to save the wards protecting the Iron Horse and ultimately the Abyssal Steps and a song that could end the normal world as we know it.

The concept of the strata, which contain living past eras of the world, is fascinating and is an interesting way to look at a version of the afterlife for the world and its magic. I think another read through may help with understanding the magic and the strata better as I was more focused on the characters and the intriguing plot on this read through!

~I'll update if I get the time to do this before release~

4.5 stars

Thank you to @sagapressbooks for the eARC. All thoughts are my own!

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley & Saga Press for this ARC.

Songs of the Dead is an urban fantasy based in London with a unique magic system based around music. If you love music, history and fantasy you will love how they collide in this book. However, if you do not have much musical knowledge (as I do not) it is not necessary to enjoy it.

The main character - Jack - is a metal singer with a huge heart. The action begins right away with this book and keeps going. However, you jump from task to task so quickly that the pace and change of scenery had me feeling a bit disjointed at times. It has a super unique view of the afterlife and a very creative way of world building using the strata - which contains different levels and eras of the past that the main character is able to walk through. The world building at the beginning is a bit heavy but the dump of information fits with what Jack is also going through along with you and I felt it made sense for the story.

The book felt more YA than Adult Fantasy to me during moments when the main character seemed to miss some things that seem obvious or when certain things were suddenly revealed to the reader though dialogue instead of showing it happening through the scene. That being said, I appreciated the underlying heart of this book and the message it sends about love, forgiveness, music, censorship and authoritarianism.

Includes:
Found Family
Mental Health Rep
TW: self harm

[kylie’s been jinxed ౨ৎ]

{🎶} preread:
i got the arccc! i’m so excited to start this one, it doesn’t matter that this is exam season - im jumping in no matter what! 😁

[Melissa Givens · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from Netgalley & Saga Press.

This book was a blend of music, light & magic. It follows a metal rocker in London who was shot while trying to help his mentor and came back to life with magical abilities. I appreciated how quickly I was able to dive into the world, even if I may not have understood the new terminology at times. It's explained in a way that you can continue to read without missing any pertinent information. It was a new, interesting concept - MC was fighting to protect his mentor's business and the Strata; the layers of ages of the dead underneath London. I liked the MC, Jack's, fighting spirit, and that he wanted to do things his way and not cower and take the easy route. Ultimately, the story was about being brave, fighting for what you believe is good, forgiveness, and life of your family and friends.

[Tree]

The audacity to be writing another book when we've been waiting more than a decade for The
Aztlanian to have even a release date.

[Jules Vandemberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

The EARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I've followed this project since I discovered its existence as "death by pizza". Brandon Sanderson had the original idea and created the general outline of the worldbulding then, after different revisions by Peter Orullian, he handled the project completely. I understand why Sanderson's name is on the cover, but this is not a Sanderson book. You can find him only in the complexity of the worldbuilding, but I don't think Orullian style fits it. In fact, to describe it, he doesn't show but tells us with not very clear info dumps. Plus, I don't like how many references to music he adds in a single page. Unfortunately, it was hard to read and I DNF it.

[Aaron McKinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

As a Sanderson Stan, a Metal fan, and a lover of History this book checked so many boxes for me. I really liked all the mental health representation throughout as well as the emphasis on the different roles music can play both in peoples individual lives and in societies as a whole. I also thoroughly enjoyed all the name dropping of different musicians, their songs, and their lyrics throughout (mostly Metal artists, but not all). The overall plot of the book was also interesting and definitely kept me entertained, even if it wasn't as all consuming as some of Sanderson's Cosmere works you can see where some of his influence comes in, but you can definitely tell this is namely Peter Orullian's story and that makes for a change of pace that while not necessary (because I love Sanderson's work) is still nice to have since it brings in a fresh perspective. There were some things that went a little over my head since I am not a musician myself, but nothing that took away from the overall experience.

I would definitely recommend this book for any hardcore music fans who are looking for a fantasy book that also scratches some of the music itch.

[Katie May]

DNF at 15%

Was very intrigued by this and wanted to see how a team up with Brandon Sanderson would do. Unfortunately I didn’t really see any of him shine through. What I did make it through was dull and linear and really wasn’t for me.

The opening scene really had me grumbling; it’s just 2 people talking and I could just picture the dialogue being “Yeah man that sucks.” “Yeah it totally sucks.” And this goes on for a few pages. Where is the hook, where is the magic, what is happening??

All-telling world building just makes my eyes cross a bit. I tried to push through but I wasn’t invested in the characters at this point and can’t imagine that changing significantly. The world is very cool and imaginative but it wasn’t substantial enough to keep me reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[John Luke Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - Songs of the Dead has an interesting magic system with unique world-building that almost didn’t stick the landing. Let me explain. A musician, Jack Solomon, is killed, but comes back to life, finding out he has unique abilities and there is more to the world than he once knew. Light and music come together to make magic, while there’s also a new world to explore as the past lives beneath the present. He learns that he needs to help protect the present from the past. The meat of the plot starts almost immediately, but then it slows down. You think you’re going to learn how the magic system works, but instead the MC learns and you just join him along the ride of first using his new found abilities throughout the rest of the novel. It takes way too long to understand the bits of the magic system that are hard, while there’s just so much of it that’s still soft or unknown. Every situation he finds himself in has solutions you can expect him to know, but the reader doesn’t get that incite until that moment. The format reads like a Sanderson novel, but unfortunately the magic is too soft in places where it should be hard. The ending comes at you like a mild Sanderlanche, still keeping you in invested, but only grabbing your attention fully at the last 100 pages.

I think if you go into the book reading it as a Peter Orullian book, you’ll find this novel very enjoyable. However, if you expect it to pack a punch like Sanderson you’ll miss out. The themes of forgiveness and loyalty are prevalent throughout and help this book stick the landing. It has more of a slow-burn that crescendos to the finale.

Thanks Saga Press Books for the eArc in return for an honest review.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE a music x fantasy mashup. Brando Sando + a genuine musician writing duo? Yes please!!

This reminded me so much of Brandon’s incredibly fun YA series Steelheart. Not because it felt YA, it just had that constant flow of action, threaded with so much heart and a likeable hero. The world building is WORLD BUILDING, but it pieces itself together in very neat ways (so long as you don’t try too hard to keep track of it all at first—it’s a lot!)

The whole magic system built on shadows and light and music was very Brandon, very complex, very cool. Maybe a lil silly at times, but there’s so much heart worked in that you can wave that off quick. I loved the idea of scars on your soul or the story of your life and its most pivotal moments manifesting as music note patterns in your shadow.

The Strata world itself is also fascinating, layers of historical eras accessed by certain warded Steps, and the past warring with the present. All this mixed with the idea of music as the beating heart of revolution turns it into an ambitious combo and unlike anything I’ve read in ages. (Aka this author pairing really delivers on its promise. I don’t know much about Peter, but the music expertise is present!)

There’s a deep personal thread as well—I’m wondering if some might feel it dips a toe too deeply in religious waters, even if our MC digs his heels in about that. (The authors don’t push anything, don’t get me wrong!) Forgiveness is a major theme (that and found family, plus mental health rep, all of which is lovely), and you can tell it’s very heartfelt, lending the book a hopeful note that resonates as learning to treat yourself & others with kindness, scars and all.

It’s ambitious, it’s complex! But the pace is fast, and the music themes are rich (and no, I am not a metal fan. This is not required to still appreciate, I promise) 😂

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read this new book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you!

This book had all the elements needed to make it thrilling, with unexpected twists and turns, and elements that make a fantasy book great! There is time travel, but done in a different way. There is another world just below us!

The writing ~
This was a bit different for Brandon Sanderson, so the elements brought in from Peter Orullian added to the already known talent of Sanderson. Some artists use words, some use notes, and some use color. This book used all of the above. The connection of notes and color is real for many ~ it was hinted several times throughout this book. (A part that could be developed as the series unfolds.) Using music as a way to soothe or to remember was used extensively throughout. (Most would remember learning their ABC's to a song.) Music is one of the pieces that can connect people to the past ~ as was done in this story. Reading about these songs of the past did take me down memory lane!

The story ~
The story was good vs evil, how some wanted power and control over others. Yet, it was also about how the past can impact the future, and the respect that should be given to the evolution of (in this case) music. Music became the piece of fantasy that helped during the battles, the growth of the characters, and how relationships grew because of it. This story is also about forgiveness ~ a key part.

The future ~
The future of this series, The Strata Wars, looks bright. I look forward to see how the story is developed, getting to know the different characters a little better, (I would love to get the backstory of several of them!) and see how, through fantasy, the past and present are connected. Look forward to June 2026!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Saga Press for letting me read this ARC.

I picked up Songs of the Dead because of its author, Brandon Sanderson, and because I've been slowly getting familiar with his work (tbh I'm daunted to jump straight into Sanderson's epic worlds, so I've been reading more of his standalone works when I come across them.)

Songs of the Dead was well written and a good book, but I could tell it just wasn't for me. There were times I was really out of it, but the last 25% of the book had me locked in. This book follows Jack Solomon, a musician who can't seem to finish the song he is working on, and his good friend, Henry. What Jack doesn't know (but quickly learns in the opening chapters) is that there is a Strata, an underground (figuratively) shadow world that houses a collection of souls of dead musicians who haven't been able to move on yet. (tbh, felt a little like Shadowhunters and their NY institute).
In a nerdy sense, this book is educational because there are so many facts about music and deceased musicians that get tied into the magic system Sanderson creates.)

If you're a die-hard Sanderson reader, you can't miss this book. If you love the music and sci-fi combination, this book is for you. If you're expecting a stereotypical sci-fi read, this isn't that.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an interesting premise, and you could clearly see the influences of both authors in how the magic system, the musical motif, and general attitude of the main character were structured.

To someone who loves metal, it is a godsend to see someone who finally gets it; who doesn’t treat it like a tongue in cheek joke or a cheap laugh. The hoi polloi’s understanding of metal in general is appalling and it’s so obvious that the author understands the motivations of listeners and how meaningful and moving it can be, which is very refreshing.

Overall, This just left me wanting more, as it was lacked that special sauce which usually leaves me with that need to find out what comes next.

Perhaps it was the characters I found a bit unbelievable, or the women who were written obviously by men (something Sanderson normally does fairly well), but it was a miss for me.

[Will Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess people do win these Goodreads giveaways because I won this ARC through one!

3.5 stars. Definitely a Sanderson magic system but not a Sanderson story or description of the system. Orullian’s hand is much more obvious here, and I believe he did most of the actual writing. The story is an interesting take on historicity and necromancy. It’s fun and the side characters shine, but the plot is somewhat predictable and the music theme is very heavy-handed. Enjoyed it overall, but not likely to reread.

[Angie]

Cállate Sanderson, todavía no acabo el Cosmere y ya andas sacando otras sagas -.-

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Fans of Percy Jackson will enjoy this book!

This story was extremely fast paced and really kept the plot moving. The authors did a good job of making the characters lovable so you could really care about what was happening to them. It also had powerful messaging about censorship and authoritarianism. For that alone, I think this is worth a read.

I was excited to receive this ARC because I loved the Mistborn trilogy so much. Unfortunately, I don’t believe I’m the intended audience for this book. After finishing the novel, I’m confused as to why this book was classified as adult fantasy. The main character makes decisions and has thought patterns that mimic those of a younger age, so his age being 37 doesn’t make sense to me. He should have been aged down to his teens because his behavior, thought processes, and journey he undertook matched a YA/middle grade classification. Additionally, there were parts of the story that felt very young.
There was an instance in which the MMC used loud music to disperse a crowd of the undead. Those types of situations really felt odd. I read Percy Jackson for the first time as an adult because so many people recommended it to me and felt similar to how I felt reading this book. I could easily see how a young teen would enjoy it but as an adult I just don’t prefer this type of story.

A surprise for me was the magic system. I was looking forward to the unique light and music based magic system and I loved the hard magic system Sanderson created in Mistborn. I’m not sure if this is a result of two authors or why this occurred but the magic system had this dissonance to it where part of it was hard magic - clearly defined and we know everything about it - and part of it was soft magic - very loosely defined and we basically know nothing. I was especially frustrated in the last 20% of the book as more and more liberties were taken with the magic as a means to solve problems when there was no precedent or explanation for why the magic would work that way, the MMC just guessed and hoped it would work and it did.

Overall, this book has very important messaging and if you enjoy reading books like Percy Jackson then you will love this book!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

[Peregine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a combination of various ideas in one book. It is told in first person by the protagonist, Jack, a heavy metal singer from LA who has moved to London. Growing up with father and brother who were gangsters, music and especially metal became his means of coping and escape. Having found a sort of new family with the regulars of the Iron Horse, a bar and music venue, he is suddenly pulled into a hidden world of magic and figures from the past. This secret world has its own rules, the aristocrats are people who are able to come back from the dead. They not only have special powers, but special legal privileges according to their own law. They wield magical lamps that they play with a violin bow. Serving them are vestiges, basically ghosts who are bond by their masters to bodies to give them the ability to interact with the mortal world. The vestiges agree to this, mainly because they believe it will help them move on and find peace. It is pretty clear that they are just being used. The rest of the dead that can't move on live in a multilevel underworld. The highest level being the Modern Stratum and beneath it the Victorian Stratum etc. These levels resemble London the time periods in which their residents lived, but are also affected by the memory the living world has of them.

This world building establishes the two main themes, overcoming trauma and the conflict between the past and the present. The resentment of being forgotten or misremembered is a main grievance that the dead have towards the living, but the main goal of the dead is moving on. The magic system is uses lanterns, different types of threads and innate abilities of those persons able to rise from the dead. Although dead spirits are also a source of magical power, often using power involves sacrificing memory. This works as an emotionally effective way to have a personal cost to the protagonist, but also raises fridge logic questions about the people who have been using the magic for thousands of years.

The story starts out like a murder mystery, but is slow to start because the protagonist has to learn the magic system and the law. This is pretty slow and I wish is was shorter, even though some action scenes are mixed in. Some of the exposition should be cut. For example, a goth woman nicked named simply the Lady, is given the back story that she was a barber-surgeon and learned to fight and her full nickname is the clunky and improbable, Lady of the Valley of Death. Really it should have just said she was a barber-surgeon, which in that time period was rare enough, not only because adding that she learned to fight by being a surgeon is an additional improbability, it never really comes up. The combination magic system and laws also seems like it was contrived to create a situation where historical warriors run around London and fight like RPG companions. The character with the lantern gives orders and buffs his companions, who mostly are supposed to fight each other. Anyway, the mystery is the pretty straight forward. The first suspect is the only suspect, and while there are some twists towards the end, they are minor, and the more an explanation of something that didn't make sense.

Another part of the magic system is seeing into people's shadows, this allows one to see someone's trauma. Trauma is the main theme here, and I while is it is a lot better than the non-advice of "its okay to cry" often given to men. I feel like the book could have been shorter but also maybe communicated the emotion better. There are a lot of references to Jack's trauma, over and over again, so that his progress on that front is expected and feels slow. In contrast other characters resolve their traumas pretty fast. The book contains a lot of references to Christianity, but ignores its doctrine of forgiveness when it makes sense. This feels like holding back. Also, the theme of found family seems over done, especially compared to the theme of biological family. The story also tries to present the villains grievances as reasonable, but especially towards the end, this is weak and this is basically the protagonist saying that it sounds almost reasonable after the villain gives a speech. Also, the extent to which crowds are manipulated seems unrealistic. It reminds me of Mistborn where magic is used to incite a mob.

Music plays a big role in the book, and especially the first half contains a lot of references that are fun. I do wish that the prose was more lyrical and that we could hear more of Jack's voice through the narration. The characters sound very similar despite being from very different backgrounds, Each chapter has a quote, mostly fictional from both historical and fictional characters.. Some are informative and some are funny. One from James II refers to Queen Mary, although he would have never called her Queen as he viewed his daughter as an usurper and didn't recognize her title.

[Joshua Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Book Review of Songs of the Dead By Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian: book one of the Strata wars. The book was provided by NetGalley for an honest Review

Songs of the Dead is a new Novel in a New series called The Strata Wars by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian where the novel still carries the unmistakable storytelling and weaving of Sanderson with his tight pacing, inventive world building, and a focus on characters wrestling with moral and emotional tension. It does not have the epic scale of The Stormlight Archive or the intricate magic systems of Mistborn, it gives a more inside, haunting narrative that pulls you into the story and the characters in a different way. I believe that may be the influence of Peter Orullian. I definitely believe they are a match made in ‘Cosmere’ Pun intended ( though it is not a Cosmere novel just to be clear ) because the edgy more urban fiction style of writing gives us a different taste and story from Sanderson while enjoying the style Peter Orullian as well.
‘The Main Character is funny, witty, down right cool and lovable. Honestly a good hearted guy that has to protect those around him after losing someone close to him. While learning what the Strata is and how he is involved with it.
I read this in the Hospital with my Father during his diagnosis with Acute Myeloid Leukemia which ultimately lead to his passing within a moth of entering the hospital due to the severity of the ‘Blast Cells that cause Acute Myeloid Leukemia, after an infection that would not go away Chemotherapy was taken away as an option. It hit home a lot closer than I thought, it was the perfect book to read at the time to pull me through what was going on. Because of that I do not want to give any story spoilers. I want you to enjoy the story for yourself and I challenge you to read it. It is in my opinion a masterpiece.’
The main story focuses on a grim, almost post-apocalyptic setting where death isn’t the end and voices of the dead linger, influencing and seducing the living in subtle and unsettling ways. Sanderson and Orullian use this premise not just as a fantasy hook, but as a way to explore the theme of memory, grief and the burden of unresolved pasts. The “songs” themselves being literal echoes of the dead become symbolic, representing and the emotional weight carried by the protagonist.
What stands out most is Sanderson’s restraint or how he changed his perspective on storytelling for this novel by keeping the focus squarely on the character’s internal struggle; he focused more on character building and delivers just enough world building to make the setting feel real. The prose is clean and efficient. There is an emotional undercurrent that gives the story depth. It is less about spectacle and more about atmosphere.
With all of that said, readers of Songs of the Dead expecting the complexity of Sanderson’s larger works could find this story straightforward or brief however also find it fun and refreshing. The magic system of the Strata is a little vague, I believe by intention and the plot resolves quickly. However that simplicity is also part of the strength of the story; the story reads almost like a dark tale rather than an epic adventure


Songs of the Dead is a compelling, short work that shows Sanderson’s versatility and ability to demonstrate his range as an author. As a reader rather than seeking a grand adventure go in knowing you will appreciate it as a reflective and slightly eerie tale that is fun and intriguing. For fans of Sanderson it gives us a quieter part of his mind and storytelling range; for newcoming readers it’s a perfect opportunity to jump on the Sanderson bandwagon as an overall thought-provoking entry point.

A Special Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reading Copy and the opportunity to give my review and opinion on this fascinating tale by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian.

A special thank you to both Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian as well for the opportunity to help grieve through reading this book. Great work! I cannot wait for book Two to see how the story continues!

[Mindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally begin my reviews with a quote that I think represents what I loved about a book, but I’m sorry to say that… there wasn’t really anything I loved about this one.

On paper, Songs of the Dead should be right up my alley. Set in London with a music-based magic system involving spirits, necromancy, and themes of art being used both as a weapon and a way of healing from trauma? And co-authored by Brandon Sanderson? Sign me up!

Sadly, this book showcased all of Sanderson’s faults as a writer and few of his strengths. Complex characterization has never been his strong suit, but the fun of his worldbuilding has always made up for it, and I usually find at least one character in each of his books to latch on to. But when he writes in first person with a narrator lacking a strong voice like here, there is an immediate disconnect for me.

There is a lot that I could say, but I think most of my complaints boil down to everything being a bit shallow, haphazard, and underdeveloped.

Jack is shockingly bland for a metal singer with a traumatic past, and all of the supporting characters blur together. Besides Chuey being a stock Latino character who calls the protagonist “Esse” unironically (yes, spelled and capitalized that way, and he’s supposed to be, like, 30) and throws around some random Spanish phrases every now and then, I honestly couldn’t tell you anything about anyone else in his found family. It doesn’t help that Jack so often just refers to them as a group–it’s “my friends” this and “my friends” that. During one particular scene, I counted “my friends” being used FIVE TIMES instead of any specifics about any of them as individuals being described. Considering how much this story relies on Jack’s family-based trauma and how he found his true family in London, the complete lack of personality is disappointing. I don’t even want to get into the attempted romance(?) in this book, because it was hilarious how poorly written the tension was.

Music-themed magic systems should be cool, and I normally love when real-world music is featured in a book. It can be so immersive! I was so ready to plug all of the songs in a playlist and had my headphones at the ready. But I actually found that this storytelling device was overused here, and listening to the music did nothing for me. Now, I am a very audio-focused reader. Character voices are extremely clear in my head, and I usually don’t have too much trouble imagining music when it’s described in a book. But something about how the fictional music in this is written just did not connect for me… which is interesting, because Peter Orullian is a musician himself. I also found the lyrics to the song that is central to the emotional core of this story to be trite. It did not move me.

As I said above, worldbuilding is usually my favorite part of a Sanderson novel, and I’m sad to report that I also wasn’t impressed with that part of the book. So much of the introduction to the magic system was Jack… reading textbooks. I don’t mind a few passages of that sort of exposition, and there were other scenes that put things to practical use, but Jack spent way too much time sitting in his shitty apartment reading. The epigraphs in a Sanderson novel are also hit-or-miss for me, and they were definitely a miss here. Surely there was a better way to give us the information present in those epigraphs. There were many moments that just seemed like excuses for the characters to say random historical facts, and none of the spirits (or whatever they were called) that we met stood out.

There was so much fertile ground for this book to evolve into something with very hard-hitting themes of propaganda and historical revisionism, but it just got so muddled. So much about this book should have worked! But, ultimately, nearly everything fell flat for me. I usually give a series a couple of books to grab me, but I just can’t see myself caring about anything enough to stick around for book 2.

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

Songs of the Dead is a madcap fantasy love letter to music and I had a really good time reading it. We follow Jack Solomon, a musician and member of the Hounds of Winter, an up-and-coming rock band. But the one song he truly cares about is the one he can’t quite seem to finish. When a sudden ambush leaves him dead, he reawakens as a Thanatist: a magic weilder using thread, light and music to bind and manipulate souls. Beneath London are the strata: layered memories of the past with their own societies. But, not all in the strata are happy with the ‘topside’ world and Jack finds himself wrapped up in a deadly plot all the while attempting to get to grips with his new life and powers.
I did struggle to get into Songs of the Dead at first. The beginning was very exposition heavy, which was necessary to set up the super complex (and interesting) world building but I feel could have been distributed a little better throughout. But, once the plot got going, I found myself having a lot of fun. A love for song and music just bled through the pages, and I was really pleasantly surprised at the variety of it. I thought that the book would just have metal/rock music (which would’ve been fine because I love it) but there was also a great appreciation for classical music and the history of music which was really nice and made the strata feel really alive.
The world building and magic felt very Sanderson. The strata is a really cool concept and there were so many facets to it, like the darkness and the wraiths that just made the world feel so alive and lived in. It felt like we only really caught a glimpse of the actual strata though and I would have loved to have seen more. The magic was also really interesting and I loved how it was so interconnected to the emotions of the characters. The rules did feel a bit murky at times, however, particularly towards the end which made me feel a bit disconnected from it because I didn’t quite understand how the magic was making something happen.
The characters were the strongest point of the book for me. I really liked Jack’s journey throughout and the fact that there were no easy fixes to his problems- even if he realised he had to do some self reflection and development, that didn’t mean it was easy! He was also just really likeable, his constant attempts to do good and help people were really endearing. The side characters were similarly really likeable and also really colourful which is always fun. The villain was solid- sinister and effective, though I did find the overall conflict to be quite black and white with Jack being pretty much morally perfect and Brach completely morally awful . which isn’t my personal favourite, I think I would’ve like more complexity there and I can see people not getting on with this book for that reason. The wraiths were definitely my favourite part of the plot, I loved how otherworldly and alien they felt as well as the complexity they introduced.
The writing style also felt pretty Sanderson-esque in that it was relatively straightforward and focussed on action and character rather than description, though I did like Peter Orullian’s voice quite a lot. His clear passion for music really elevated the book (I’d love to see his writing playlist) and I’m excited to see what he’ll do next! Though it wasn’t quite a five star for me for various reasons I’ve mentioned throughout, I had fun so I’ll have to keep an eye out for future entries! Though it’s perhaps a little more straightforward plot wise than most Cosmere novels, fans of Sanderson are definitely going to like this book and I’d recommend checking it out if you’re looking for a very unique world and magic, strong character development and don’t mind an exposition heavily beginning.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I almost DNF'd this book several times, which I would never have expected of a book bearing Sanderson's name. I've read all his other works and usually rate them at five stars which really is the only reason I slugged through to the end on this one. Admittedly I have no idea how much involvement he had in this but it still feels like a huge miss for quality standards. Honestly I felt I was reading an Alpha version at best, rather than an ARC, given the amateur editing.

The simplest way I can describe the book is that it's just messy. The main premise—a world where the dead from different historical eras interact with the living—is interesting enough. However, with the generous inclusion of actual historical figures, it feels like a rejected Alan Moore comic with Sandman vibes.

The supposed magic system, which Sanderson usually handles well, is music. But it really isn't here, it's just vanilla magic. There's no particular rhyme or reason to it and even though we get 10-20 pages of "tell, don't show" exposition very early in the book, I never felt I could have used that knowledge for anything. The author(s) seem desperate to tie the music parts, some of which are interesting, into the overall world but you could swap the music for poetry and the story would not need to change.

Our main character, a rock singer from the streets of LA is a bit of a weird Marty Stu. Despite a hard childhood and living the rocker life, he happens to be a history buff with extensive knowledge and the ability to absorb information rapidly because he likes to hum while he reads. I'm not kidding; By around chapter five, he's already clued in a surprising amount of the complexities of the world of the dead he finds himself in. The hard street life in LA naturally gives him the required skills for fighting.

But, the main reason I almost DNF'd is the disjointed story itself. We're rushed from scene to scene in the style of a linear video game where the story doesn't make sense but you move on anyway. You meet the bad guy(s) several times but only discuss matters with them. It's almost never a case of "let's go to X to get Y," but rather "let's go to X, and oh, Y, which we had never heard of, just randomly appeared and it's exactly what we need."

Beyond our main character everyone else is paper thin and forgettable. There are too many of them. The main antagonist could literally be twirling his mustache. We get so many scenes that try too hard to be epic conclusions for an entire book saga. I could go on, but suffice it to say the whole book is a mess. It feels like an author writing his first novel and trying to cram all the good ideas he's ever had into one book.

There are a few good moments when the protagonist deals with his own past and 'real world' music and band troubles. These feel grounded and give the character much needed depth. Without these, I would have given this just one star.

Unless you're a Sanderson completionist, I'd skip this one. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[LongSunMalrubius · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc!

2/5 stars.

This book starts so bad, it put me Through the Fire and the Flames. It felt like I Wasted Years. The first 50% was like some Old Times Cruelty (ok I’ll stop now, maybe). You see, our main character is a heavy metal singer and relates everything, and I mean everything, to a heavy metal song. He also acts like a teenager, and not a smart one. The first chapter alone has three of the cringiest lines I have ever read, and I recently picked up Shadow of the Conqueror.

A lot of this book felt amateurish, like a novice writer’s first attempt. Now, Sanderson is a very experienced writer and Orullian less so, but both have won awards for writing so I assumed a level of quality that just isn’t present. The end is fine and does prevent it from being a one star book, but even that seems rushed and a little fuzzy on the details.

Between this book and Rhythm of War, it has become eminently clear that Sanderson cannot write legal systems. Because, you see, this book about a heavy metal singer becoming a necromancer is also about said necromancer accidentally violating obscure necromantic law and having to prepare for trial. That’s not a spoiler, you can find this mentioned in the descriptions, I just didn’t think it would be as big a plot element as it was. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to give this group of necromancers a strict legal code, anyway? Necromancers are notoriously poor rule followers, hence the whole “raise spirits from the dead that are better off left alone” thing.

I found the magic system here very poor, and felt it reuses many concepts from the Cosmere. There is some originality, specifically with the music elements that are clearly Ourillian’s influence, but the system itself is also very convoluted. In fact, large chunks of this book are just people explaining things to our main character to catch him up to speed. I wish I was joking, but a good 40% of this book or more is exposition, and heavy handed exposition at that.

So, we have a book with bad prose, constant exposition that goes on for chapters at a time, a rough plot, and an insufferable main character. I’m not trying to be overly harsh here, but I can’t help but think of all the wasted potential of having a setting where multiple historical figures are still around, then barely using any of them. Even the epigraphs are unexciting, never capitalizing on emulating the writing style of the very people they are professed to be from.

I wish I liked it more, but I will not be reading any more in this world unless I hear very good things about the following books. And with this added to Brandon’s recent output, I’m very concerned about the quality of the upcoming Mistborn Ghostbloods books, novels I have been waiting for since 2010.

I don’t know Brandon, sometimes it feels like there’s An Ocean Between Us.

[The Belladonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We have a plan to keep our world the way it is. But before it's over, we may have to defend this place. I think that I may not make it through."

The dead and the living revolt as the present clashes with the past. Welcome to the Strata Wars.

Songs of the Dead is due for release on June 16, 2026.

Sanderson teamed up with writer and musician Peter Orullian to create an enchanting fantasy novel filled with music and magic. It is the first book of a trilogy in the making. The next two installments will be written exclusively by Orullian. "Strata" are seven magical, physical layers of past eras that exist directly beneath modern London. These layers represent major historical turning points, stacked beneath the city, populated by spirits, and accessible by thanaturgists (necromancers).

Jack Solomon and his friend Henry are murdered, but Jack is far from dead. He awakens to a new, strange world where he is now a thanaturgist and being hunted. He seeks refuge at Henry's bar, Iron Horse, which is like his second home. Not only is he an employee, but his band played shows there. He considers Henry and the rest of the Iron Horse patrons his family. But the bar was holding secrets, and when Jack sets out to find who killed him and Henry, these secrets are revealed. Jack is plunged into a hidden world of spirits, magic, and a sinister society. To survive, he must master the power of music and light before time runs out.

I thought this was a super creative concept for a novel. The book operates as both a narrative and an informative text, striking a balance between an educational manual and a story with a heavy, reference-packed musical atmosphere. At times, it was even reminiscent of a musical play. The characters could be doing pretty much anything and then suddenly break out into song. lol So true. This tale also features a unique combat system. The characters battle it out using a lantern and a bow, manipulating light with music. This is a solid read for fantasy fans, even better if you're a music lover!

“Songs of the Dead is a long-time passion project of mine that I’m eager to finally see emerge from the shadows. Peter is the ideal steward of the series. I’m pleased to have found someone to give the story to, and am excited to see what he does with it in the coming years.” -Sanderson

A big Thank You to NetGalley and Saga Press for gifting me this advanced copy. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review this book.

[Megan Tromposch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was beyond thrilled to receive this as an ARC from the publisher. I assumed once you hit god-tier status as an author, ARCs were a thing of the past. How happy I was to be proven wrong.

Jack Solomon is having a rough day. He has been let go by the band he dedicated his life to mere days before they are set to play Wembley. To top it all off, he was just murdered alongside one of his best friends. All in all, it hasn't been the best 24 hours.

To Jack's utter surprise, he comes back from the dead as a thanatist-someone who has been to the Asphodel Meadows and clawed their way back to life, inheriting some unusual magic along the way. As a result of his unexpected demise and return, Jack finds himself suddenly embroiled in a war he never knew existed. Beneath London lie layers of the past, and in those layers live the echoes and souls of people who once were. As the modern world forgets them, they begin to fade.

Angry with the topside for the demise of their strata, the semblances are mounting a war on the living world. Using magic powered by music and light, these revolutionaries will settle for nothing less than complete control of the world above. Jack must face his own demons if he wants to protect those he loves from a threat they didn't know was coming. This is the Strata Wars.

In typical Sanderson fashion, the world building and magic systems was thought-out but accessible. I had to refresh myself on terminology a few times, but this is one of his easier to understand magical systems (no giant tables of allomantic metals mapped against feruchemical uses needed here). I loved the originality behind the story. In a world full of repetitive narratives and stale tropes, Sanderson never fails to find something new. Peter's musical expertise and influence was very clear in the well-researched details of the story (and helpful, for the non musical like myself). I suspect some areas will be more impactful for anyone in the metal scene or who is more musically inclined than I. If you love your fantasy with a touch of musical revolution, dont miss this one when it is published on June 19th.

4.5/5

[Nadine · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 341/451

It pained me to DNF Songs of the Dead. Brandon Sanderson is one of my favourite authors, so when I got my hands on the ARC I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, Songs of the Dead was a confusing mess despite all the info dumps.

My understanding is that Songs of the Dead (formerly known as Death by Pizza) was originally developed by Sanderson, but taken over by Peter Orullian because of Sanderson’s writing obligations.

Conceptually Songs of the Dead reads like Sanderson’s world building and magic system, however the execution does not. I could be wrong, but it reads like Orullian filled in an outline. The world building and magic system remain confusing and difficult to grasp, despite frequent info dumps intended to explain their intricacies. It wasn’t until almost 200 pages where I felt like I had a solid grasp of the world and magic, but by that point I lost interest in the characters.

Despite the criticisms, the world and its magic system are interesting. Songs of the Dead features a world in which the past is accessible to those who can walk the Strata and mixed with some necromancy. The past is actively being erased by the present through memory loss and misinformation causing resentment and the beginnings of war.

Songs of the Dead is fast paced as the story jumps from task to task quickly, which makes for a quick read but also compounds the confusing world building and magic system. I never felt like I had a second to catch my breath or digest any new information because the characters were off to the next task.

There is a heavy emphasis on heavy metal music. Every page is trying to out do itself with musical references. Often times, a song was referenced to tell readers the character’s mood rather than showing readers.

Overall, Songs of the Dead has intriguing ideas at its core, but uneven execution, overwhelming info dumps, and relentless pacing ultimately undermined my ability to stay engaged. While fans of Sanderson’s concepts may find something to appreciate here, this one sadly didn’t come together enough for me to continue.


*** I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.