Wandersail

Hoid's Storybook Collection

by Brandon Sanderson, Steve Argyle (Illustrator)

The first meeting between Hoid and Kaladin brought us this story about Derethil and the crew of the Wandersail. As the young bridgeman wrestles with his circumstances, he receives this advice: "The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon. Too often, we forget that."

Genres: Fantasy

Hardcover

Expected publication December 1, 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

[Enci]

I loved loved loved that this included the interaction between Hoid and Kaladin as a sort of framing device, it felt like just fully that scene getting an art version and I loved it.

This is probably the wildest, hardest and harshest story out of all four and it hit once again - this felt both in art style and the story itself the least like a children's book, too, and even knowing the story and knowing how it ends,its a slap on the face, really.

I will say, the humans in this, as an art style, wasn't my favorite, however the landscape, the water and the sky with the sunrise and all of its different coloration made up for it all the more, they were so freaking gorgeous,some of them I want on my wall as posters even.

Would recommend this as well, along with all four stories in the collection really.

[Chris]

I was so excited when my digital rewards came through from the latest Sanderson Secret Project. Although I was looking forward to the main book I think the thing I was really excited for was the four picture books as it was something so different.
This book tells the story of a hero who sails into a high storm and end up in a strange land. The art work is pretty good and well illustrates the story from The Way of Kings. The moral of the story is really interesting and makes you think. Unlike the other picture books in the series I don't think this would be a good one to read to young children but could work for older children.

#SeptemberShorts

[Happy Cake]

Oh, I was so exited to receive these email yesterday! I'm so glad we supported the Kickstarter. Although I've already read the story in The Stormlight archive, it's still such a good story and seeing it illustrated makes all the difference! I really can't wait to see it on paper when the physical copies arrive. The art style of Steve Argyle is very good.

[Debby Tiner]

I watched this on YouTube. The spren animation is amazing.