From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a legendary standalone novel that navigates the seas and the stars of a far-future Cosmere. Illustrated by Esther Hi‘ilani Candari.
All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar―the supernatural birds his people bond with―on the deadly island of Patji. Then one fateful night he propels his people into a race to modernize before they can be conquered by the Ones Above, invaders from the stars who want to exploit the Aviar.
But it’s a race they’re losing, and Dusk fears his people will lose themselves in the effort. When a chance comes to sail into the expanse of the emberdark beyond a mystical portal, Dusk sets off to find his people’s salvation with only a canoe, his birds, and all the grit and canniness of a Patji trapper.
Elsewhere in the emberdark is a young dragon chained in human form: Starling of the starship Dynamic. She and her ragtag crew of exiles are deep in debt and on the brink of losing their freedom. So when she finds an ancient map to a hidden portal between the emberdark and the physical realm, she seizes the chance at a lucrative discovery.
These unlikely allies might just be the solution to each other’s crises. In their search for independence, Dusk and Starling face perilous bargains, poisonous politics, and the destructive echo of a dead god.
Sanderson expands his thrilling novella “Sixth of the Dusk” into a mythic novel of legends, lore, and warring galactic superpowers.
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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