Brandon Sanderson Officially Announces New Special Edition Cosmere Release For 2026

Published Aug 11, 2026, 5:22 PM EDT Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes. Dani is also part of ScreenRant's books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses. They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer. In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18. Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity. Cosmere fans, rejoice! Brandon Sanderson has announced a new special edition book in his fantasy universe, releasing later this year. When it comes to Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere, The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn have been getting the most attention lately because of the Apple TV adaptations and the 20th anniversary of Mistborn: The Final Empire. However, another major series in the fantasy world will expand this year, with another book focused on the anti-heroic Hoid on the way. The first Hoid’s Travails book, Tress of the Emerald Sea, came out in April 2023, and the second, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, in October 2023. Now, the third, The Fires of December, will reach Hoid’s Storybook Collection backers in Fall 2026; then, it will hit shelves December 8, 2026. In addition to those versions, there’s a special edition on the way. During his August 11 YouTube update, Brandon Sanderson shared that he has teamed up with Illumicrate to bring a special edition of the highly anticipated Cosmere novel to readers. The book box subscription service started in summer 2015, and it has gained a positive reputation for consistently putting out high-quality special editions. They include a newly illustrated dust jacket, full-color and/or foil designs printed directly onto the hardback, sprayed edges that match the story, and illustrated endpapers. Often, the dust jackets of Illumicrate also include an alternate book cover on the inside. The cover and book design haven't been revealed. To ensure all orders are fulfilled, Illumicrate only offers a limited number of subscriptions and has a waitlist. The two options are the full box, which includes the special edition book and related bookish products, or the book-only box. Right now, all the slots are full on both. As such, anyone interested in the special edition of The Fires of December by Brandon Sanderson may want to put their name down sooner rather than later. This gives them the best chance at getting a book box subscription by December. For those who don’t want to subscribe to Illumicrate, there is still a chance to get the special edition of the book, though it’s a major gamble. Three months after the box releases, leftover stock gets added to the Illumishop, but there’s no guarantee there will be extras, especially with a major author like Brandon Sanderson. Illumicrate also occasionally reprints books to prevent scalpers from buying up the books and reselling them at high prices. However, there is no way to know exactly when The Fires of December will be reprinted. The first two chapters of The Fires of December are available to read on Dragonsteel now. The upcoming Brandon Sanderson Illumicrate special edition is particularly exciting because it could lead to more down the line. Their only previous collaboration was a Skyward special edition in 2018 and a few small Skyward-related merch items as collectibles in their boxes. That said, Illumicrate’s reach is so much bigger now than it was in 2018. As such, this could be considered Brandon Sanderson and Illumicrate’s first major collaboration. If it goes well, there’s a chance we could see more Brandon Sanderson special editions from Illumicrate in the future. Either way, the upcoming Illumicrate version of The Fires of December will be a great option for fans of Brandon Sanderson who want a collectible edition. What's more, because it comes out at the same time as the original, readers will have the choice of which version to sign up for ahead of time, rather than automatically having to double up. The Cosmere Created by Brandon Sanderson Character(s) Kaladin Stormblessed, Vin, Kelsier, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Lift, Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian, Wayne, Jasnah Kholin