#1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson shows us a future in the Cosmere universe where a perpetual planetary wanderer must decide whether to keep running, or stay and make a difference on a struggling planet.
Years ago he had comrades in arms and a cause to believe in, but now the man who calls himself Nomad knows only a life on the run. Forced to hop from world to world in the Cosmere whenever the relentless Night Brigade gets too close, Nomad lands on a new planet and is instantly caught up in the struggle between a tyrant and the rebels who want only to escape being turned into mindless slaves―all under the constant threat of a sunrise whose heat will melt the very stones. Unable to understand the language, can he navigate the conflict and gain enough power to leap offworld before his mind or body pay the ultimate price?
The series
What happens when an author lets imagination off the leash—and invites readers to do the same? The Secret Project series is Brandon Sanderson at his most unbound, a collection of five standalone novels that each open the door to an entirely different kind of world, voice, and emotional weight. These books aren’t sequels or spinoffs—they’re experiments in storytelling, atmosphere, and magic, each one a self-contained journey that challenges the boundaries of epic fantasy.
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One tale casts its heroine onto a spore-choked sea where pirates fear the rain, and kindness is a form of quiet defiance. Another throws a memory-wiped traveler into a version of medieval England that’s actually a privatized alternate dimension. Then there’s the dreamlike connection between a spirit painter and a priestess who shapes the world through ritual and art—a story equal parts haunting and heartfelt. We’re also taken to a brutal planet where motion is survival, light is lethal, and the story pulses with both adrenaline and existential weight.
Now, with Isles of the Emberdark, the series delves even deeper. This latest entry weaves mystery, exploration, and high-stakes emotion into a world cloaked in volcanic fog and forgotten truths. It’s a story of discovery—of buried pasts, flickering hope, and what it means to rebuild something sacred in the ruins of what was.
What unites these five vastly different tales? A commitment to rich worldbuilding, emotional storytelling, and that signature sense of layered magic that rewards both first-time readers and longtime fans of the Cosmere. While connections exist for those who seek them, each book stands entirely on its own—no required reading, just a willingness to step into the unknown.
For readers hungry for inventive fantasy, atmospheric settings, and character-driven narratives that linger long after the final page, the Secret Project series offers five immersive worlds. Each one asks something different of you—and gives back something unforgettable.
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