Will Brandon Sanderson write more 'Stormlight Archive' books? What's next for fantasy author

The wait is finally over: For fans of "The Stormlight Archive" who have invested years and untold hours reading thousands of pages, the climax of the popular fantasy series is here.

Well, the first half of it, anyways.

"Wind and Truth," the fifth book in Brandon Sanderson's ambitious fantasy epic, dropped Friday. Surpassing 1,000 pages, the tome should be long enough to keep Sanderson's legion of loyal fans sated at least for awhile.

But once they finish the final pages and add the book to the collection on their shelf, Sanderson acolytes are likely to have only one question on their mind: When do we get more?

Unfortunately, don't expect any more dense "Stormlight Archive" books anytime soon. If you thought waiting four long years since 2020's "Rhythm of War" was tough, that's nothing compared to the years and years you'll likely have to wait for the sixth book.

There is good news, though. As any Sanderson fan is well aware, the fantasy author maintains a prolific output – meaning readers have plenty to look forward to from him in the years ahead.

Here's everything we know about what Sanderson has in the works and what could be next whenever he does return to "The Stormlight Archive."

The Stormlight Archive: What to know about Brandon Sanderson's popular fantasy series

What to know about 'The Stormlight Archive'

"The Stormlight Archive," a sweeping epic set on the planet Roshar, is full of political machinations, ancient mythical entities and Sanderson's signature intricate magic systems.

Beginning with 2010's "The Way of Kings," the series follows the exploits of warriors, scholars, kings and assassins in a world seemingly abandoned centuries prior by a renowned order of protectors known as the Knights Radiant.

While told from multiple characters' viewpoints, "The Way of Kings" is largely focused on a young surgeon named Kaladin, who becomes embroiled in a protracted war against a group of strange warriors believed to be behind a regicide. As the plot develops, subsequent books in "The Stormlight Archive" explore the backstories of other prominent characters who inhabit the kingdoms of Roshar, a planet regularly under assault by violent storms.

The "Stormlight Archive" contains five published books, each exceeding 1,000 pages, and two smaller novellas. If that doesn't seem like enough reading material on its own, the series is also set in the same overarching universe that many of Sanderson's books share, dubbed the Cosmere.

'Wind and Truth' release: First arc of series concludes

"Wind and Truth" serves as the climax to the first arc – or half – of the "Stormlight Archive."

While all five books in "The Stormlight Archive" exceed 1,000 pages – excluding the two smaller novellas – "Wind and Truth" is the longest so far, at 1,344 pages.

In audio book time, that's equivalent to 62 hours and 48 minutes.

The book's cover, which was unveiled Aug. 29, will be the last one from Michael Whelan, a well-known artist specializing in cover art for science fiction and fantasy books. The cover is the first to feature Dalinar Kholin, one of the series' main protagonists, who is depicted standing atop a mystical tower as a devastating storm approaches.

"I hope that it evokes what the book is trying to get across," Sanderson said of the cover in an interview with Dragonsteel, his publishing company. "I hope (fans) see it and realize where we're at in the story, and that they feel excited for where we're going."

A synopsis for "Wind and Truth," published by Tor Publishing Group, is available on Macmillan's website, which fans can read themselves if they're caught up on the series or unconcerned about spoilers.

'Wind and Truth': Release date, where to get Brandon Sanderson's new 'Stormlight Archive' book

How many books will 'The Stormlight Archive' have?

Sanderson has long said he envisions the "Stormlight Archive" as a series of 10 novels split into two arcs, not unlike how his other popular "Mistborn" series – the first book of which just hit the USA TODAY Best-selling Booklist – so far has two separate eras of its own.

And in addition to the two already-published "Stormlight" novellas – "Edgedancer" and "Dawnshard" – Sanderson is also planning at least one other Roshar-set novella.

Is Brandon Sanderson writing more 'Stormlight Archive' books?

Sanderson said in an update at the end of 2023 that, following the release of "Wind and Truth," the series will be on hiatus as he turns his attention to other projects.

However, the fantasy author has teased a future standalone novella, titled "Horneater," about a fan-favorite background character from "The Stormlight Archive" named Rock.

"I would like to be able to write that sometime in the next couple of years when I’m missing Roshar, and want to jump back to tell a story there," Sanderson said in the update. "I don't know when this will be, though."

What do we know about the second arc of 'The Stormlight Archive?'

We don't yet know much about the next half of "The Stormlight Archive."

However, based on what Sanderson has so far revealed, it seems unlikely that it will take place decades in the future, like "Mistborn's" second arc, when most of the characters from the original trilogy are dead.

In a FAQ section on his website, Sanderson hints that when he gets around to writing the second half, it will likely turn its focus to secondary characters who readers may already recognize but haven't been able to share the spotlight.

Sanderson has also hinted that the second arc will take readers to new places – both geographically and thematically.

"The world of Roshar is vast, and there are still many corners of it left to explore," according to Dragonsteel. "The second arc promises to dive deeper into the mysteries of the Cosmere, offering readers a fresh perspective on the saga."

What is Brandon Sanderson working on next?

The second era of the "Mistborn" saga recently came to an end with the publication in 2022 of "The Lost Metal."

For Sanderson, that means his next Cosmere project after "Wind and Truth's" publication is era three of "Mistborn," about powerful metal-wielding allomancers. Sanderson said he expects to start working Jan. 1 on the series, which he is calling "Ghostbloods" – named for a secret society in the Cosmere (the group is prevalent in "The Stormlight Archive," as well.)

At the end of 2023, the fantasy author also teased upcoming work on sequels to "Elantris," his debut novel in 2005 about a man afflicted with a magical curse who is exiled to the title city.

However, based on his initial estimates, both projects are likely years from seeing the light of day.

Sanderson has also been working on a written version of his "White Sand" series of graphic novels set in the Cosmere. In his most recent video update to fans, he said he's completed the pre-writing phase of the book and is already an estimated 5% of the way through writing it.

In his yearly update to fans, Sanderson estimated that the book could be released by the end of 2025.

So, Sanderson fans eager to unravel the mysteries of the Cosmere may just have to be patient.

As the Knights Radiant say, "Journey before destination."

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sanderson's 'Wind and Truth' is here: What's next for 'Stormlight'?