{"id":91922,"date":"2026-10-11T00:29:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T16:29:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=91922"},"modified":"2026-10-11T00:29:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T16:29:59","slug":"hands-on-impressions-of-hoids-storybook-collection-by-brandon-sanderson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=91922","title":{"rendered":"Hands-on Impressions of Hoid&#8217;s Storybook Collection by Brandon Sanderson"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Cosmere fans rejoice! The latest Brandon Sanderson Cosmere book, as a part of Hoid\u2019s Storybook Collection, has started arriving for BackerKit backers. I had backed at the Storyteller tier when the campaign first launched and received my ebooks, PDFs, and audiobook all at once on Sept. 15. Then on Oct. 5 I received my physical books, stickers, pins, and more. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Here are my initial impressions on the latest <u>BackerKit campaign<\/u> from Dragonsteel.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\"><strong>The Fires of December Premium Book, eBook, and Audiobook <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The Fires of December is the third book in what Sanderson is calling Hoid\u2019s Travails. Fans of Tress of the Emerald Sea and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (the other two stories in Hoid\u2019s Travails) will want to get their hands on December right away. It is a standalone Cosmere book in a sense. December, the protagonist, is on a new planet in the Cosmere with her own plot and storyline. Where it connects to the Tress and Yumi is the narrator of the book is everyone\u2019s favorite Worldhopper, Hoid.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\" data-cy=\"article-slideshow\"><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The Fires of December Premium Hardcover<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The presentation of the premium hardcover book is stunning. The cover features custom art with gold trim that is much prettier in person than it was in pictures. Backers will remember that there were two options for the cover art for December. I went with the close-up one, and am really happy with how it turned out. The book also contains colored text and beautiful illustrations throughout. Artist Tran Nguyen did an excellent job of bringing the story to life. The way the golds, reds, blues, and purples work together to make this world leap off the page is very well done, making this book a worthy addition to any Sandershelf collection. <\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">I have only read the first handful of chapters so far, but my initial impression has me hooked. The first chapter of the book reminded me of one of my favorite PS5 games, Returnal. I won\u2019t say more to avoid spoilers, but you can listen to the first few chapters on <u>Sanderson\u2019s YouTube<\/u> channel if you want to see for yourself. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">If you didn\u2019t get a chance to join the BackerKit, you can still get the standard edition ebook, audiobook, and physical book (though not the premium hardcovers). The digital versions became available on October 6 and the physical edition will be released on December 8, 2026. <\/p>\n<div id=\"243552\">\n<div class=\"jsx-3980863763 catalog-wrapper\"><span data-cy=\"productcard-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"243552\" data-cy=\"solo-product-card\" class=\"solo-product SoloProduct_solo-product__r2_WP\">\n<div class=\"card jsx-303513100 jsx-3341285356 product-card SoloProduct_product-card__JSk8u\">\n<div class=\"product-thumbnail jsx-2285132617 SoloProduct_image__vqG4e\"><img alt=\"The Fires of December: A Cosmere Novel (Hoid's Travails)\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387 expand\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/2026\/10\/09\/81po6rv8ddl-sl1500-1791587334961.jpg?width=220&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=80 1x, https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/2026\/10\/09\/81po6rv8ddl-sl1500-1791587334961.jpg?width=220&amp;dpr=2&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=80 2x\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2827240024 name balanced\">The Fires of December: A Cosmere Novel (Hoid&#8217;s Travails)<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button jsx-3027214138 jsx-3347269829 icon-button catalog-upvote SoloProduct_catalog-upvote__FWsVx centered disabled\" type=\"button\" title=\"Vote\" aria-label=\"Vote\" data-cy=\"catalog-upvote\" disabled=\"\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-rating-like jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"icon-rating-like\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RatingLike.ea885513.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"\/><\/p>\n<p>0<\/p>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\"><strong>Hoid\u2019s Storybook Collection Picture Books<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">For fans of the Stormlight Archive, it has long been clear that the chapters where Hoid tells stories to teach Kaladin and Shallan were a perfect fit for their own storybooks. To see these stories illustrated and published is a dream come true for me.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-title jsx-684634384 jsx-2659527929 quote-container\" data-cy=\"quoteBox\">&#8220;It&#8217;s amazing to have a fully illustrated version I can share with my family and friends without making them read through thousands of pages of Stormlight.<span class=\"stack jsx-2959124702 jsx-326843967\"><span>\u201c<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The Dog and the Dragon, The Girl Who Looked Up, and Wandersail are the three stories brought to our world from the pages of the Stormilight Archive. The fourth illustrated book in the collection, The ChasmFriends Get a Pet, is an original story written by Sanderson\u2019s friend and podcast co-host Dan Wells. <\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\" data-cy=\"article-slideshow\"><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">Hoid&#8217;s Storybook Collection Preview<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2277167929 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The books themselves are illustrated by a few different talented artists. Howard Lyon did The Dog and the Dragon, Alexis and Justin Hernandez did The Girl Who Looked Up, Steve Argyle did Wandersail, and Anna Early on The Chasm Friends Get a Pet. Each book has its own unique style that feels like it fits the story that it is attached to. The art in The Dog and the Dragon and Chasm Friends is whimsical and playful, while the Wandersail and the Girl Who Looked Up are both epic fantasy illustrations worthy of the world of Roshar.<\/p>\n<p><output class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-313219616\"><span><img alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" decoding=\"async\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image article-image article-image-full-size jsx-1809694635 jsx-2338608387\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"\/><\/span><\/figure>\n<p><\/output><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The story of The Dog and the Dragon in Rhythm of War is one of my favorite chapters I\u2019ve read in any book. It&#8217;s amazing to have a fully illustrated version I can share with my family and friends without making them read through thousands of pages of Stormlight first. <\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\">\n<aside class=\"card jsx-2310533475 jsx-1178573261 box\" data-cy=\"aside\">\n<h3 data-cy=\"title3\" class=\"title3 jsx-12333944 jsx-3517023867\"><strong>Bonuses<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The BackerKit campaign also included a few other goodies like a December pin and bookmark, stickers for each storybook, and a digital copy of a community-written story called Hoid&#8217;s Worldsinger Symposium.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Overall, I\u2019m happy with what I received in the Hoid\u2019s Storybook Collection campaign. The premium hardcover of The Fires of December is truly a work of art worthy of any shelf. I can\u2019t wait to dive into the full story, see all of the illustrations, and go on a journey with December to wherever her destination may lead to. The four picture books are exactly what Stormlight Archive fans have imagined them to be as well, and I am looking forward to sharing these stories with my children in the coming days. The artwork is amazing and the stories are each meaningful to me in their own ways.\n<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"poll-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\"\/><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/hands-on-impressions-of-hoids-storybook-cosmere-collection-by-brandon-sanderson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><br \/>\n<center\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cosmere fans rejoice! The latest Brandon Sanderson Cosmere book, as a part of Hoid\u2019s Storybook Collection, has started arriving for BackerKit backers. I had backed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[19219,5718,1266,31433,256,19505,31434],"class_list":["post-91922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-brandon","tag-collection","tag-handson","tag-hoids","tag-impressions","tag-sanderson","tag-storybook","wpcat-32-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=91922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91922\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/91923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=91922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=91922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=91922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}