The Fires of December

Hoid's Travails #3

by Brandon Sanderson

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson—creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy—comes a new standalone novel set in his Cosmere universe.

In the next Cosmere standalone novel, Hoid has an epic tale to In a forgotten land sustained by colorful rivers of demon blood, a young woman named December learns a devastating plague is on its way. But who will believe her? Against impossible odds, she sets sail up the River Violet to warn the king's court, determination—and wisdom beyond her years—burning in her eyes. With a chatty priestess and a fledgling fashion designer at her side, she must navigate incredulous royal officials, twisted court intrigue, and a roguish count who might hold the key to her quest—and her heart.

The novels of Hoid’s Travails are standalone tales narrated by the worldhopping storyteller Hoid, and can be read in any order.

A Macmillan Audio production from Dragonsteel Books

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Adult, Audiobook, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction

Audible Audio

First published September 15, 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

[Suzanne]

I was a beta reader for The Fires of December. I loved it and I’ll likely reread it many times.

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan]]

Fires of December does something different and not altogether risk-free: Hoid starts his story by simply telling us about December’s biography, very quietly pulling you into its world until you suddenly realize you’re already completely invested. It’s a surprisingly emotional story and has this perfect mix of adventure, humor, mystery, political intrigue, and romance that I found myself thinking about long after putting it down.

Hoid tells us right away about December, an orphan fostered by the town’s innkeeper and his wife. Beautiful as she is, she is still mostly an outsider, forced to marry an abusive man, whom she fortunately leaves. Now living in squalor, doing odd jobs, she is increasingly ostracized, driven by her husband‘s new status as the town’s mayor. She ultimately marries the town reeve and finds a measure of happiness educating his three sons. During the next decade, December discovers her passion for learning herself and becomes an asset. We learn all this (and more) in the initial pages.

Then disaster strikes: A mysterious plague begins spreading through the kingdom of Mountaincrest…

If you want more insight into what happens then, up until the end of chapter 1, go ahead and read the next paragraphs. If not, please skip this next section.



—————————-
SPOILERS ABOUT CHAPTER 1 BELOW!!!!

This arcane plague turns the demon-blood rivers poisonous, which in turn kill almost everyone, not just in Rivershore; December, now in her 50s, remains unaffected by the disease. She finally gains some acceptance by the remaining populace, but is devastated by her losses. In the following decades, she is again truly lonely because she is generally blamed for the town‘s misfortunes. She dies at the age of 80.

Now the real story starts.

After December dies, she wakes up fifty-nine years in the past. Now she gets the chance to live her life a second time, armed with foreknowledge and the opportunity to stop the plague.

END OF SPOILERS
—————————-



December herself is a fantastic protagonist. I immediately found myself rooting for her and I loved seeing how she dealt with everything life threw at her. She isn’t flawless, which made her feel relatable to me; she is also determined, kind, and occasionally vulnerable. All of that makes for a compelling character, who emotionally drives the story.

I also enjoyed the friendships December makes on the way. Most notably Amaal, the young priestess, and Tamantha, the young dressmaker. Amaal is a bit quirky, yet somewhat innocent, endearing and also charmingly enthusiastic about the Prophet’s teachings. Their friendship adds humor and warmth to the story. Tamantha brings a completely different energy to the group. Outgoing and socially confident, she serves as a source of information to help December navigate a foreign city and its society. There is also a love interest for December whose importance isn’t limited to romance – he becomes connected to December’s larger plans. Also, there is Beautiful, a talking demon cat, which just delighted me. (I just love animal companions, though this one didn’t didn‘t get nearly enough page time.)

As far as Sanderson’s world building is concerned, it is as creative as ever, and also as visually impressive. The town of Rivershore is situated beside one of three rivers fed by Demon‘s blood, which has magical properties and quite unique characteristics – like not leaving behind any type of residue when immersed in one of the rivers. Sanderson comes up with some wonderfully weird ideas here, and I had a lot of fun discovering how everything worked. There’s enough mystery surrounding the world to keep you curious without becoming overwhelming.

I also found Hoid‘s narrative voice very engaging, though his tone is not whimsical as in Tress of the Emerald Sea, for example; it’s more intimate and sometimes melancholic. We also get a bit more insight into the Cosmere implications that apply to the planet Miral.

All in all, I had a wonderful time with this book. It is naturally more intimate than Sanderson’s huge epics, and I found myself enjoying that a lot. It’s imaginative, heartfelt, occasionally funny, and ultimately a story about someone trying to make something better out of the life they’ve been given. A "Sanderson light“ experience I thoroughly enjoyed.

Side note: This is a standalone novel you can read as a Cosmere newbie. While there is some great pay-off for the Cosmere-aware reader, it’s still enjoyable for a new reader. Accept that some references and implications will undoubtedly go over your head, and you will still be able to enjoy the story itself. As for the setting, Fires of December takes place between Stormlight 5 and 6. That being said, I think I need to reread to catch more references.

[Chris McGrath]

I was fortunate enough to beta read this book a couple months before it was announced as Brandon's sixth Secret Project. Normally I don't rate books I've read in beta because the final book will be more polished, but in this case I feel quite confident with the 5-star rating as it is already an incredible read.

Of course I can't say anything about the story as it will not be out for many months, but the opening to the book is the best and most compelling of any Sanderson has written so far, and you can find a video of him reading chapters 1 & 2 at Nexus 2025 to see for yourself.

I am looking forward to being able to hold this book in my hands one day and discuss it with the world!

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

♡ received early via the kickstarter

♡ brandon is posting discussion videos, with the audiobook chapters, weekly on his youtube

blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | amazon

♡ Tress of the Emerald Sea ★★★★★
♡ Yumi and the Nightmare Painter ★★★★★
♡ The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England ★★
♡ The Sunlit Man ★★★★
♡ Isles of the Emberdark ★★★

[Ashley]

I loved this. Favorite Secret Project. And the kinkiest thing Brandy Sandy has ever written. Yes, I'm serious*. Will definitely be on my favorites of the year. I cried. And there is a cat. What are you waiting for.

*to be very very clear this is still a Brandon Sanderson book, so keep your expectations on the tame side

[Robin (Bridge Four)]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Hoid, master of storytelling has a doozey for us here in Fires of December.

First, let’s talk about if you need to have greater Cosmere knowledge. You Don’t. There will be Easter Eggs for those of you who have read other books in the Cosmere, but none are necessary to enjoy the story, much like Tress of the Emerald Sea or Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.

Second, you also do not need to have read the either of the above mentioned books to enjoy the story. This is a standalone story told by Hoid on one of the planets in the Cosmere as he is off searching for Valor. However if you are a student of the Cosmere I think you will notice who the 'Prophet' was to these people with gems like "Sometimes, things suck" as part of the dogma.

Third, well there really isn’t a third other than if you like Sanderson worldbuilding, you will get it. If you come for a good plot line and interesting story, we also get that. If you are here for the romance aspects, that is not his strong suit and this one will be controversial, but I enjoyed it.

The crux of the story is on a world where a Demon was killed/trapped in the capitol city and its body and blood mined and used as commodities (less gross than it sounds), something happens in December's first life (this will make more sense in the book) and in her second life she has a chance to try and save the world. Armed with some details of her first life in a small town she makes the brave decision to try and save her world, go to the capitol and stop whoever is going to release the demon that starts the chain reaction that will see everyone dead.

Simple right! The premise is simple enough, but the journey and this is where Sanderson excels, is not all that simple. Because, she lived in a small village a far way from the Capitol she only knows of hearsay and general timelines. She has no clue how to really save the world. Like most journeys to save the world there are people you meet along the way that join your crew for various reasons. December is able to gather her collection of misfits through various means and creates a group that might just have a chance.

“You must use,” Amaal said, hand to her chest and chin raised in a stately posture, “feminine wiles.”
“Great,” December said. “Anyone have any?”
“Honestly,” Amaal admitted, “I’m not even sure what the word means. Same root as ‘wily,’ I suppose? At any rate, don’t ask me what to do with a man. I’m a priestess.”
“Priestesses can marry,” Tamantha said. “But they’re not supposed to be wily about it,” Amaal said.

After a few co-authored releases Sanderson that were just okay for me, Fires of December was back in his wheelhouse and where I think he shines as a story teller. I liked the idea of the story, the characters especially December and I also liked the romance. Flint is a pretty morally grey character for the romantic lead, but for me it worked and enjoyed learning his history and the nuances to his character.

“I thought you said you weren’t a gentleman. You only wear the clothing.”
“Kill enough people, and you end up with quite the wardrobe. Every outfit the costume of a better man…”

Overall, if you are looking for a good fairytale adjacent story this could be a win for you. If like me you’ve read most of the books in the Cosmere, this is a fine side story with a few references to characters we have loved from other books.

Narration:
Performance: ★★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★★
Diction: ★★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★★
Sound Effects: None

Michael Kramer IS the narrator for the Cosmere and again he brings his fantastic voice to Sanderson's vision. I think only a few narrators can pull off a cast as large as the Cosmere but he does it flawlessly. All I can say is he is one of the best narrators ever and I love his performance style and the way he captures Hoid's telling of Fires of December. He always increases my enjoyment of a story. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.

Listen to a clip: HERE

[Matthew Lauderdale]

Sometimes, things suck. Yes, Sanderson, this is true. And unfortunately that seems to be the trend for his most recent books.

I've been a diehard Sanderson fan for about 10 years now. I've read every single thing he's written and enjoyed to loved almost everything, with only a tiny minority of books that I didn't like (looking at you Frugal Wizard). For a long time, I considered him to be my favorite author and I thought he could do (almost) do no wrong. But man, I have been really disappointed with his most recent offerings. Wind and Truth, while still decent, had more flaws than every other Stormlight book combined. I had a ton of issues with Isles of the Emberdark. And now The Fires of December joins the same ranks for, crazily enough, many of the same reasons that I griped about those other books.

Let's address the fundamental issue I have here before addressing the specific issues I have with this book: I hate that the Cosmere has been feeling more and more like the Marvel Cinematic Universe: I hate that what once felt like a realistic and sometimes gritty (but albeit hopeful) universe now feels like every person is a sarcastic and witty comedian, and they make comments that feel wildly out of place to the circumstances at hand. I hate that the stories are starting to feel like the stakes don't matter since the heroes have plot armor, or it's another end-of-the-world/kingdom/universe scenario. I hate that instead of the quality going up, the quality seems to just keep going down because things are oversaturated and it seems like it's more about quantity over quality now. I hate that it seems like things are being produced to appeal to the largest possible demographic, and things just generally feel more stupid, basic, and vanilla. I *really* hate that all of these things are in a shared universe, so while we wait for the next major release, there are a million other products to consume and the reader feels pressured to check them all out because they don't want to miss any Cosmere connections (sounds a lot like all of the crappy Marvel TV shows right?). I recognize that this is all a bit of a tangent, but I think it's important to address these things because it affects the lens through which I read these books.

I'll also preface my criticisms of this book by saying that when I read the plot blurb for this book, I was not interested in the slightest. I thought it sounded dumb and I'm only reading this for completionist's sake. So let's get going. Here are things that I didn't like in this book:

1. The extremely contemporary dialogue. This wasn't present all the time, but when it was it made me wince. Multiple characters saying "um" and "literally" doesn't work for me.

2. The romance. Gonna be honest here, it seems like Sanderson is using the same creepy framework that some anime weirdos use; "no no it's okay that the guy is attracted to the extremely young girl because she's *actually* a 500 year old demigod". Obviously this is an extreme example and the book isn't this egregious, but it's still pretty friggin weird. There is a 40 year age gap between the characters but it's justified because of plot reasons that I'll avoid due to spoilers. That being said, I didn't buy it and I thought it was very weird to see an old guy running his eyes over a 21 year old's scantily clad body.

3. The quirky girl trope. What is with Sanderson writing every single young woman the same way? They're always quirky, they talk to much, they say things at inappropriate times, make inappropriate jokes, blah blah blah this is one of my LEAST favorite things that Sanderson does and he does it not once, but twice here. Amaal and Tamantha have a lot of crossover behaviors here. It's very reminiscent of Syl, Shallan, Lift, and Starling. I didn't like it with any of them and I don't like it here.

4. The humor. Sanderson is not a funny person. VERY rarely does he write something that even gets a slight smile out of me. The humor here is absolutely wretched. When the Prophet's words are revealed to be "Sometimes, things suck" and "Don't be a dick" I was on the verge of setting myself on fire and jumping in front of a train. I was nearly paralyzed from my spine breaking because I cringed so hard. And I'm sorry, but that's the best way I can think of describing Sanderson's humor here: cringey. I don't think reading about the king dressing up as a table or an egg or whatever is funny. I don't think sexual innuendos here are funny. I don't think characters all of a sudden losing their clothes is funny. I don't think a ton of dick jokes are funny. When I read the Prophet's words I was ready to dock the book an entire star from the rating for each one.

5. December's stare. Did Sanderson just watch Jurassic World Dominion? Because everytime I read about December's ultra powerful stare and how it worked on people, I couldn't help but think of Chris Pratt always holding up his hand to stop dinosaurs from attacking for no reason.

6. December's age. Sanderson wants us to think that December is this very wise woman because of her lifetime of experience, and sometimes I totally bought that. But there were a ton of other moments where the things she said or the way she acted seemed to go completely against this. It just didn't feel consistent.

There are some things the book does well. The worldbuilding is interesting, which is not surprising since this is one of Sanderson's greatest strengths. The beginning of the book was particularly strong; I really enjoyed the initial parts of December's story when you go through her life, especially because it was something Sanderson hasn't explored before. But that also contributes to my disappointment when the story shifts. There were some well done plot twists and interesting visuals (the giant demon and the rivers).

I think the hardest part about this (and the reason I had so many issues with this book) is that it feels like Sanderson is no longer writing for people like me and is heavily catering to a YA audience. It's almost shocking that the same person who wrote The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance wrote this book and that they're in the same universe. And at the end of the day, I don't think The Fires of December is a genuinely bad book with no merit, but I certainly think that it is not for me.

[Joy Allen]

Fantastic story. I laughed. I cried. I felt seen, somehow. If you liked Tress and Yumi you’ll like this too. When it comes out at the end of the year.

[Drew McCaffrey]

Not my favorite from Brandon or the Cosmere, unfortunately. There is some very cool Cosmere lore here, and cool worldbuilding ideas, but I just can't get on board with the central romance of this story. It's...weird.

December herself is a pretty fun character, kind of reminds me of some stuff Diana Wynne Jones did in Howl's Moving Castle, but yeah. For a book that really centers a romance, the romance here didn't work for me at all.

[Karin (book_scent)]

I think I’ve found my new favorite Secret Project!! And a new favorite standalone, for sure!!!

Going in, I didn’t know anything about The Fires of December, so the opening chapter alone surprised me in the best way. It’s not often that I get invested in and emotionally attached to a character this quickly, but I was basically hooked from page 1.

There was something about December that made her very relatable and easy to root for. While being far from perfect, her open and kind nature really resonated with me and I admired her courage and tenacity. The old-soul quality of her character paired with a youthful zest for life made for a fascinating and captivating heroine. I also really liked the friendships she builds along the way that help anchor her and serve as a source of strength—the side characters in general that accompany her journey were all very intriguing. Most notably, an unexpected clingy demon in cat form that I would’ve loooved to see more from. Every encounter was a delightful little highlight. Give me any type of animal companion, and I’ll gobble it up!

Something else I didn’t anticipate: the elements of romance that Sanderson managed to bring an interesting twist to. I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, but I actually liked seeing it play out the way it does. There’s even a touch of murder mystery, making it all such a unique & interesting blend that works surprisingly well.

The Fires of December is moving, funny, adventurous, intimate yet grand, while also providing some food for thought. Sanderson has, once again, created an imaginative and compelling tale that, in some ways, feels quite different from his previous works, but at the same time, is brimming with the intricate world-building and creative storytelling we’re used to.

[Katherine]

this man doesn’t sleep what the fuck

[Grant Doolin]

I can't believe he (brando) is hornyposting on main (cosmere extended universe) again.

[Bruce Sharp]

I'm glad I read it. I'm glad I own it. However, I wouldn't recommend it. Perhaps unfairly, it felt like this story had so much more potential. If I allow myself to judge the book by what I wish it was, this book suffers extensively. I will leave my rant below. It's unfair to the book. I can't write. I'm not an author. I wish Sanderson could have written the book the first chapter gave me hope of.

There are some reasons I would call fair. Reasons I didn't enjoy the book it was. It felt rushed, like three books jammed onto one. I did not in any way feel like the romance was true to the character, flowed naturally, or important to the narrative.

In the afterword, Sanderson describes the first chapter as storybook quality. I agree. It was poetry. It was fascinating. It left the rest of the narrative feeling flat. December's "second full life" was a book I want to read. The "first full life" was done justice in the first chapter. The "second full life" could have been a masterwork of fantasy.

Here forward, I will complain about the book I wish this was.

The basic premise of the young individual filled with the knowledge and experience of a life lived is not exactly new, but I would call it fresh. The potential to tell the story of a hero shaped by a life any of us could have lived is, in short, captivating. Give me the December from parts 1 and 2. Give me the old soul who is special because of the normal life she lived. Let us read about an old woman who is strong because of the regular ways society has broken her down to something stronger. Don't make her fawn. Don't make her go doe eyed over the scoundrel either 15 years or junior or (somewhat more problematic) 3 decades older than her. December could have been a symbol. She could have been the heroine you read to your daughters who is stronger because of her story, not despite it.

All said, the book was fine. I did not enjoy the romance, but that I can accept as not for me. What disappointed me was how December's first life became nothing but a cliche. She had the opportunity to be the character that showed that the experiences of a normal life fully lived through its pains, sorrows, joys, blessing, and heartbreaks can make anyone a hero. She could have shown the wisdom and dignity of age. Instead, she became a girl with a gimmick and some mysterious gift bestowed by her mother that helped save the day. I wanted a story about everyday heroes. I read a fantasy novel.

Also, the cosmere implications of December's form of time travel are insane. Can Hoid do that for everyone, or was the dues ex machina of some mysterious form of investiture bestowed by her mother a limit? Because if not, timelines be damned. Hoid can now Dr Strange and Dormammu any villain into submission.

[Marcus]

2.5/5

Probably the most split I've ever been on a cosmere book. Parts of it is some of Sanderson's best writing to date, so why does it barely round up to a 3?

This shouldn't have been a Hoid book.

It started so strong, it had such weight and impact with that initial story. Absolutely incredible. Then the Hoid narration took over and completely changed the tone from something serious to YA. I'm not against that vibe, it worked wonderfully in Tress but that was like a whimsical fairy tale adventure. I liked it more in Yumi as well. But here? A woman living a tragic life to the age of 80, then getting a second chance to try and save the land from disaster? I think it would have worked better if it stayed more serious.

Now I did read Sanderson's postscript, in which he does talk about the biggest question being if the whole book should have maintained the same atmosphere as the first chapter. I admit his reasoning for going over to his usual style of narrating does make sense. However, did it have to be this particular Hoid voice which just clashed so much with the other parts?

Another thing relating to Hoid that annoyed me, there are so many instances where he speaks directly to YOU, not the in universe audience he's telling the story to. I don't remember it being this extreme with the other secret project books? Yes most of us are interested in the cosmere lore and we want to piece together the larger picture. We know Hoid is a narrative choice to simultaneously tell a fun story as well as explain the mechanics and interactions of various cosmere magic systems, but there is a more subtle way to do that than to literally have him go ''I know this bit about silver and hemalurgy interests some of you, so we'll get back to that later, wink wink''. The mainline cosmere books are filled with easter eggs and references but they are always rewarding to notice. I don't want Hoid to remark on things I want to realise on my own.

What about the setting then. Sanderson is known for his unique and detailed world building. So does it stand out? Not at all. By cosmere standards this was straight up bland and boring. I don't expect something on the shorter side to show me a world like Roshar, but this was disappointing.

It's a shame these things bothered me so much because I did like the story arc for December. I would have loved it if the tone was more even and some effort put into making the world stand out.

[Freevortex]

The last ~100 pages saved this from being a 2 star. I'm annoyed with this new tendency of Sanderson's to get cute with his story and make it too booktok-y. The first two chapters were a great hook, and then the next 2/3rds of the story were something I'd expect out of a meh romantasy author who'd spent too much time 1. On the internet and 2. With a sensitivity reader. Stormlight 5 was a slog of mental health overload and most of this book felt similarly pandering to the terminally online fandom. Alas.

Luckily, the last hundred pages were a return to the Mistborn-era Sanderson we all know and love. I really wish he'd stick with that voice, or at least get a better editor. Overall, the story itself was compelling, but the storyTELLING just wasn't up to par.

[Chloe Frizzle]

I would have liked this significantly more if there was less theme-dumping. Yes, we can understand subtext. No need to spell out every point.

Also, if Sanderson has just committed to the salaciousness of an age gap being The Entertainment Appeal of the romance, instead of trying to excuse and justify it so hard, which just made it stick out more.

That being said, I loved binging this one.

[kiwi-tastrophe]

This is a great example of the fact that a book with a lot of fem characters does not necessarily equal a feminist book. There were, admittedly, things I enjoyed. The possible futures mechanic introduced in other cosmere books being used in this way is really unique. December's character is incredibly strong, and she's a very interesting protagonist. And, the book at least has one good twist, even if it's around twenty pages away from the postscript.

Unfortunately, I have a lot of other issues. First, the book is, in my opinion, not well written. For example, the extended "putting _character_ in boxes" metaphor needed to go. By the end, it's been used way too much to carry any significant meaning, and even at the beginning it's too common of a phrase to feel anything other than cheap. Even the twists, aside from the last one, are extremely predictable; I certainly *hoped* the general and Geof-what's-his-name weren't as 2d as originally portrayed. And of course Beautiful was being set up to rescue December; he had literally no other purpose within the book (and honestly a really pathetic amount of character development, for someone literally on the cover.) It is painfully obvious from early on that December is one of the only complex characters in the entire 160+ (albeit largely imaginary) years it spans. Amaal is terribly flat, in my opinion; she exists purely for comic relief and to whip out the Prophet's holy words for dramatic effect every once in a while. Both Dmitrovik and Tamantha exist exclusively to make December appear a more moral person. The only other ones who could be considered three-dimensional are Flint and Hoid - which leads me to my biggest complaints.

The romance was completely unnecessary and mildly infuriating. First of all, Flint is at least the second example within the cosmere of the narrative justifying a middle-aged man getting involved with a younger woman. Brief Mistborn spoilers, but in Breeze's case, the woman is implied to be the mastermind; their relationship actually serves to empower Allrianne, rather than make her appear naive. So while on its own, her situation certainly raises eyebrows, it's a fairly unique twist on a problematic trope, and it works well. In this book, Flint is portrayed as an innocent man who accidentally took things too far, who claims to have left as soon as he realized where things were going with the first woman. And to that I ask, how the fuck do you accidentally flirt with a woman over thirty years younger than you? And this is ignoring his and December's relationship. (And by that I mean, by the end of the book, she's mentally at least seventy years older than him. Talk about a problematic age gap lollll) My point is, Sanderson has now established a pattern of justifying older men being with younger women. Which is weird enough even before you consider the fact that he's an older - Mormon! - man. Because now I just feel like I've spent a span of multiple days reading a creepy 480 page sexual fantasy. And in this case, the first woman Flint was with isn't even remotely empowered by the relationship.

But even moving past speculations on Sanderson's views on women, there are still issues. This should not have been one of Hoid's Travails. There are situations where his narration works, and incredibly well; Tress of the Emerald Sea is a brilliant example of this. In that case, the entire novel is a very unique twist on a common fairy tale; Hoid's very unique twist on narration only further immerses you in the story. By contrast, the vast majority of this book is nowhere near a fairy tale; it doesn't need a narrator in the first place. The first few chapters work amazingly well with Hoid, and it's honestly a beautifully written prologue. Yet the entire rest of the novel, Hoid's side plot serves to distract from December's, and his narration is yet another example of that.

So: to tie back to my original point. This book is, essentially, a checklist of how to not write a feminist book. It's clearly intended to have been something of the sort; Sanderson often faces criticism for his portrayal of fem characters in his larger series, thus he tries to fulfill the quota in his standalones and short stories (as in Tress, Shadows for Silence, and The Emperor's Soul.) And, while December is certainly powerful, the book consistently fails by focusing on other male characters, i.e. Flint and Hoid. (And I haven't even touched on the larger issue of Sanderson being unable to write fem characters who aren't portrayed as attractive or suitably feminine.) Even ignoring the fact that it occasionally only barely manages to pass the Bechdel test, the idea behind the novel is for the most part poorly executed. If not for the first few storybook-esque chapters, which are admittedly phenomenal, I would rate this one star.

[Curtis]

The Rouse by China Mieville is so long and boring that I had to stop and read Brandon freaking Sanderson of all people in order to not die of boredom. And this is the man behind what is maybe the most boring book ever written, the atrocious Wind & Truth. Thankfully, this one was a lot more entertaining and had all of what makes me enjoy his work: fun characters, exciting plots, and problematic romance arcs that leave the woke reviewers up in arms, "How dare that old man date an eighty year old woman in a 21 year old woman's body, someone think of the 21 year old children!!!"

[NeyNey]

Beautiful. I loved it.

[Kaden Love]

A fantastic Cosmere tale full of the fairytale-esque magic of Tress of the Emerald Sea and a great perspective on aging and the human experience. Fans of Sanderson's most epic books might not enjoy this as much as say the way of Kings, but there is definite value in this book. The world building and magic are there, but they are not as big of a center to the story as they are with most of his works.

[Hannah]

The romance definitely ruins this book. A very good premise and I loved the first half and the lore, but please never write romance again. So terrible and very very weird. I can’t look past it.

[Nadine]

It pains me to rate The Fires of December three stars, but December’s characterization led to the romance feeling super icky. Sanderson’s world building and Cosmere connections are excellent, but my issues with the novel overshadow its strengths.

The Fires of December opens with an absolute masterclass of a first chapter. Readers are introduced to December, a girl born to a foreigner who passed during childbirth, as she grows up in a small village disconnected from the kingdom to which it belongs. Sanderson eloquently paints a bleak picture of this village and the realities that a young woman like December would face. This chapter felt oppressive and depressing, but also felt robust and real.

As with all of Sanderson’s work, the world building of The Fires of December is excellent. It’s a world where the rivers run with the blood of an impaled demon who was felled by the mysterious Prophet. The demon’s blood and desiccating body still has magical properties, so the people of this world established their society around the body. At no point was I ever bored with the history and lore of the world. If anything, I was clamouring for more.

Like all the other books in Hoid’s Travails, Hoid narrates The Fires of December. I was a fan of Hoid’s voice in the previous novels, however I thought Hoid was annoying in The Fires of December. He interjected too much disrupting the flow of the pace. On the other hand, the Cosmere connections Hoid provided were interesting and engaging, but you can’t have the good without the bad.

The Fires of December suffers from the overuse of modern vernacular. Like Wind and Truth, Sanderson leaned into modern language by having the characters use slang-like words in the dialogue. The most egregious use is the juxtaposition of calling the Prophet’s messages mandata and the actual messages. Sometime things suck and don’t be a dick were immersion breaking. Sanderson’s postscript confirms he wrote The Fires of December before the criticisms of Wind and Truth were voiced.


Mild spoilers ahead:
The end of chapter one establishes December as an old woman thrown back into her twenty-year-old body while retaining her memories. Sanderson confirms that December sees herself as the eighty-year-old woman who experienced all the events of chapter one.

As December moves through the world, Sanderson does his best to remind readers that December is older than she appears but ultimately fails. December is naïve. I don’t attribute her naiveté to her upbringing and the life she lived. December lived an entire life that wasn’t just hard, it was brutal. There was no reason for her to act like a giddy girl with no real life experience.

Consequently, her romance with Flint was uncomfortable. Flint is a sixty-year-old man who was already accused of a romantic entanglement with a younger woman and as a result has a less than stellar reputation. Sanderson then doubles down on this narrative by making December and Flint fall in love over a handful of days. Sanderson even goes as far as addressing the instalove directly by having Hoid say it’s okay (insert eye roll).

Overall, The Fires of December contains all the ingredients of a great Sanderson novel, from its fascinating setting to its intriguing Cosmere connections. However, the disconnect between December’s stated age and her behaviour, coupled with an uncomfortable romance, ultimately undermined the story for me.

[Graham | The Wulvers Library]

Brandon Sanderson is one of those authors who has become an automatic read for me. But if I’m being honest, I’ve felt that some of his more recent books haven’t quite captured the magic of his best work. The Fires of December, though, felt like a return to form.

Set in the kingdom of Mountaincrest, on a world shaped by its strange, colourful rivers of demon blood, the story follows December, an orphaned girl from the small riverside town of Rivershore. After discovering that a devastating plague is coming, December sets out along the River Violet towards the king’s court, desperately trying to convince people that catastrophe is on its way.

And December is fantastic.

There’s something wonderfully different about having a protagonist who has lived such an extraordinarily long life while being forced to confront the world again through a much younger body. Sanderson gets a lot of mileage out of that contrast, but more importantly, December feels like a genuinely lived-in character. She’s compassionate without being naïve, stubborn without becoming tiresome, and carries decades of grief, experience and loneliness beneath the surface.

The supporting cast is equally memorable. Amaal and Tamatha bring a lot of warmth and humour to December’s journey, while Geoffrim Satin adds the kind of roguish complication you expect from a Sanderson adventure. And then there’s Beautiful, who is exactly the sort of strange, unsettling Cosmere creation that makes exploring one of Sanderson’s new worlds so much fun.

What really worked for me though was the scale of the story. This isn’t another enormous, multi-volume epic where you need a spreadsheet to remember every kingdom, faction and magical system. It feels much closer in spirit to Tress or Yumi - a relatively contained story that still manages to feel unmistakably Cosmere.

And Hoid’s narration is a huge part of that. There’s that familiar mixture of humour, absurdity and occasional fourth-wall awareness, but it never completely overwhelms the emotional core. The result is a book that can be genuinely funny one moment and surprisingly melancholy the next.

I also loved the worldbuilding. Rivershore, Mountaincrest and the River Violet feel distinctive without requiring pages and pages of exposition. The demons, blood rivers, witchcraft and strange rules surrounding the supernatural give the book a wonderfully fairy-tale quality, while the journey towards the royal court gradually opens the world up.

Most importantly, I had fun reading Sanderson again. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give it. I went into The Fires of December hoping it would remind me why Sanderson became one of my favourite authors in the first place, and it did. It has the creativity, heart, humour and sheer sense of imagination that I associate with his best Cosmere stories.

A strange little fantasy about demons, destiny, ageing, grief and friendship and, for me, a very welcome return to form.

[Dajana]

4.5 ⭐️

This was so whimsical and precious! It’s perfect for fans of Tress and Howl’s Moving Castle.

There are quite a few things that are very “on the nose,” but I could roll my eyes at them and still have a great time with this book. I even audibly gasped at some of the Cosmere connections (I am a very dramatic reader)

Overall, a very fun read!

[KG]

2,5 stars. Loved some of it, big no (weird) on some of it, and severely lacking an edit/polish. Felt a bit like Sanderson trying for something genre-wise that he did not succeed at (Romantasy??). Plus a lot of preachy-ness that felt unnecessary. Story would have been better with less Hoid-voice.

Did love worldbuilding, magic system and all things … beautiful!

[dani]

objectively the worst brandon sanderson book to date. his writing has gotten so much worse and the pacing was off but the real killer for me was the romance it was incredibly cringe!!!

[caro]

DECEMBER HOLIDAY??? HELLO??

[Dai Simwa]

GoddamnitSanderson! Dec 2026 is a year away! I need this now, pls!!!

[Kevin]

The Fires of December is the third standalone story in Hoid’s Travails, set in a Cosmere world where the land is sustained by the rivers of a dead demon’s lifeblood. After a quirk of fate, fosterling December, who has lived a life of loss and isolation, learns of impending disasters that will destroy the world including a succession war, the blood rivers drying up, and a cataclysmic plague. She sets out from her small town to warn the king, but who would trust the word of a young woman, even one with the spark of wisdom behind her eyes? Armed only with her knowledge and aided by a chatty priestess and a fledgling designer and seamstress, December decides to take matters into her own hands and avert disaster herself.

This book absolutely wowed me, and it may be my favourite Secret Project yet. I have said that nearly every time a new one comes out, though, so perhaps some recency bias is at play. Still, I was stunned by the storytelling and by how different this feels from Brandon Sanderson’s usual work. The world-building is pure Sanderson: intricate, imaginative, and thoughtfully constructed. Yet the magic system is not as typically hard, even while remaining very Cosmere-aware.

The book somehow feels distinctly Brandon Sanderson while also being something different, with what I can only describe as a more feminine touch. It shows just how broad a range he can write and how effectively he has used Hoid’s Travails to explore different styles and stories—from the whimsical fairy tale of Tress of the Emerald Sea, to the Asian-inspired body-swap romantasy of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and now to a female-led regression fantasy. I really should not still be surprised by the range and variety.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

The Fires of December book had me from the first chapter. I did not read the early teaser, so its opening “melancholic storybook” tale and the way it subsequently turns that story on its head came as a complete surprise. I had no idea this was a regression story. What follows is an intimate tale of resilience, persistence, and self-belief, anchored by December, a young woman who has already lived a whole life once before. December is magnetic and electric. Her old-soul spunk, surprising grit, and deep relatability drew me in immediately. The trauma of her past life colors her present, while also giving her the confidence and grace to keep moving forward.

Fortunately, December is not condemned to be alone in this new life. The talkative priestess Amaal is a fun and innocent presence, contrasting with the more worldly December while providing an entertaining conduit to the history and religion of their world. Meanwhile, designer Samantha brings city-girl know-how to December’s small-town sensibilities. Even Dmitrovik, despite his relatively small role, was memorable enough to deserve a mention. Their companionship gives December something to hold on to, as well as the friendships she has never been allowed to have.

There is also a surprising, and dare I say subversive, take on an age-gap romance that twists the brain a little. I loved Flint, though I would not consider this a romance-forward story despite how it may initially come across. I can see the romance being divisive for some readers. Lastly, there is the cat companion Beautiful, who had a small role that I do think could have been drawn out more given how significant a part she plays.

I predicted a few twists very early on, but that ending was incredible, and I did not see it coming at all. This was already a solid five-star read for me, but the final act launched it beyond the stratosphere. It was unexpected, powerful, and moving, and its sweet, sentimental conclusion felt fully earned. I loved it, and it very nearly brought me to tears.

The Fires of December is a powerful and intimate regression fantasy led by a fiery, unforgettable heroine.

[Viktor Takac]

I went in to this not expecting to like it very much since I haven't been a big fan of Sanderson's most recent books, but I was pleasantly surprised. It still had some of the same problems but it wasn't as noticeable since the story was so good.

The premise asks the question "what would you do if you went back in time to relive your life with all your memories in tact?". This is exactly what happens to December, the protagonist. After seeing her world get lost to the slumbering Demon in the centre of the capitol, she must figure out how best to warn everyone without seeming like a Witch.

On the surface, the magic system was interesting but not as deep as other Sanderson books like Mistborn or Stormlight. But as the story went on, if you're a Cosmere fan then there are some deep lore drops here about Investiture works. I can't really imagine the book working well as a standalone or a jumping on point because it relies on quite a bit of cosmere knowledge to fully appreciate. Not to mention the constant references and characters from a certain other book... I guess that's the biggest problems with the newest Sanderson books. You have to be completely up to date, and at this point there's so much lore and backstory that things are getting convoluted.

The writing was fun though. He still has that exaggerated Disney-like simplification of his characters and dialogue but it's not as overt this time. I actually found the characters to be interesting and likeable, especially December and her main entourage, as well as Flint. The characters were such a joy to read and get to know. The fact that the story was being told by Hoid from his POV let Sanderson experiment a bit with his writing and tone. The ol' unreliable narrator trope was in full use here.

But overall I just really liked the story. There was a bit of romance, mysterious characters, time travel, demons, magic, and so many little cosmere tidbits. These books are some of the few that make me jump online the second I'm finished to read up on theories and connections I might have missed.

I wouldn't recommend it as a standalone, but it's a must if you're a Cosmere fan!