You probably remember where you were when the video dropped. It was March 2022. Brandon Sanderson, looking slightly guilty but mostly like a kid who just pulled off the greatest prank in history, sat in his chair and told us he’d been lying.
For two years.
While the rest of us were sourdough-prepping or doom-scrolling through the pandemic, he was writing. A lot. He didn't just write one extra book; he wrote four. Then he launched a Kickstarter that basically broke the internet, raking in over $41 million and proving that traditional publishing might be missing something huge about how fans want to buy stories.
But honestly? Now that the dust has settled and "The Year of Sanderson" is technically behind us, there’s a lot of confusion about what these books actually are. Are they essential? Can you read them if you've never touched a 1,200-page Stormlight book?
Let's get into what really happened with the Brandon Sanderson secret project books and which ones you actually need to care about.
The Kickstarter That Changed Everything
Most people focus on the money. Yeah, 41 million bucks is a lot of "folding cash," as Wayne might say. But the real story is why he did it. Sanderson felt like he was becoming a "books-per-year" machine. He wanted to write something just for his wife, Emily, or just for the sake of a weird idea that wouldn't fit a standard contract.
He called it "The Year of Sanderson." In 2023, backers got a book every quarter. It was like a literary subscription box from a mad scientist.
What’s wild is that three of these books are set in his massive "Cosmere" universe, while one is a complete outlier. If you’re a die-hard fan, they're like the "post-credits scenes" of the MCU—full of deep lore. If you’re a casual reader, they’re actually some of his best entry points. Sorta weird how that works, right?
The Big Four (And the Surprise Fifth)
I’ve seen people get really tangled up in the reading order. Don't stress it. These were designed to be standalone experiences, even if they have "Secret Project 1" or "Secret Project 2" stamped on the spine.
1. Tress of the Emerald Sea (Secret Project 1)
This is the one everyone talks about. It's basically The Princess Bride but if Buttercup got tired of waiting and went to save Westley herself.
The worldbuilding here is Peak Sanderson. Instead of water, the oceans are made of "spores" that fall from moons. If you get water on them, they explode into vines or crystals or worse. Tress is a "window washer" who ends up on a pirate ship, and the whole thing is narrated by Hoid—Sanderson's resident world-hopping wit. It’s whimsical, it’s funny, and it’s genuinely heart-wrenching in parts.
2. The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (Secret Project 2)
This is the "black sheep." It is the only book in the bunch that is not part of the Cosmere.
It’s a sci-fi comedy. A guy wakes up in what looks like medieval England with total amnesia. He has bits and pieces of a literal "instruction manual" for people who buy their own private dimensions to play wizard in. Honestly, it feels a bit like Douglas Adams meets Jason Bourne. Some fans didn't love it as much because it’s so "silly," but if you like portal fantasies and self-deprecating humor, it’s a blast.
3. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (Secret Project 3)
If you like anime—specifically Your Name—this is your book.
It’s a "body-swap" romance between a ritualistic stone-stacker (Yumi) and a guy whose job is to literally paint nightmares to keep them from eating people (Painter). The culture is heavily inspired by Korea and Japan. It’s probably the most "romantic" thing Brandon has ever written. It also has some of the best interior art in any of his books, hands down.
4. The Sunlit Man (Secret Project 4)
Okay, this is where the "Lore Nerds" eat well.
This book follows "Nomad" (fans will know him as Sigzil) on a planet where the sun is so hot it literally melts the ground. Everyone lives on floating cities that have to keep moving to stay in the shadow. This is "High Cosmere." You’ll see things from Mistborn, Stormlight, and even mentions of the future space-age of the universe. It’s fast, it’s crunchy, and it’s basically Mad Max with magic.
5. Isles of the Emberdark (Secret Project 5)
Surprise! In 2024, he announced another one.
This one is technically a sequel to his novella Sixth of the Dusk. It’s coming out in February 2026. It features dragons, space travel, and those creepy psychic birds from his earlier work. It’s basically bridging the gap between his "fantasy" eras and his "sci-fi" future.
Why These Books Still Matter in 2026
You might think the hype would've died down by now. It hasn't. These books changed how we talk about Brandon's work.
Before the Brandon Sanderson secret project books, everything felt like a massive commitment. You had to read ten books to understand one. But with Tress and Yumi, he proved he could write tight, emotional, standalone stories that don't require a PhD in Realmatic Theory to enjoy.
Also, the "Dragonsteel" editions—the ones from the Kickstarter—have become massive collector's items. They have foil-stamped covers, two-tone printing, and incredible illustrations. Even the trade paperbacks from Tor Books look great, but there’s something special about those original "secret" copies.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That you have to be a "Mega-Fan" to read these.
Kinda the opposite, actually.
If you’ve been intimidated by the 400,000-word count of The Way of Kings, start with Tress of the Emerald Sea. It’s a complete story. It has a beginning, a middle, and a very satisfying end. You don't need to know who Adonalsium is. You just need to like stories about clever girls and talking rats.
Another mistake is thinking they are "minor" works. Just because he wrote them in secret doesn't mean they're "B-sides." Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is arguably one of the most structurally sound books he’s ever put out. He used these projects to experiment with voice and style in a way he can’t always do with his main series.
How to Get Started (The Practical Stuff)
If you're looking to jump in right now, here is the move:
- Go for Tress first. It’s the most accessible and generally considered the "best" by the widest margin of readers.
- Skip Frugal Wizard unless you specifically want a non-Cosmere, humorous sci-fi story. It won't help you understand his other books, but it’s a fun weekend read.
- Save The Sunlit Man for last. It’s much more rewarding if you’ve at least read The Stormlight Archive. It’s not "required," but you’ll miss about 40% of the "cool factor" without that background.
- Check the art. If you can, try to find the illustrated versions. The art in Yumi and Tress isn't just decoration; it actually helps explain how the weird physics of those worlds work.
The Brandon Sanderson secret project books weren't just a marketing stunt. They were a reminder that even the most "prolific" writers need to play sometimes. And for us? We got four (soon to be five) of the most creative fantasy books of the decade because a guy got bored during lockdown and decided to tell some secrets.
If you’re ready to dive in, grab a copy of Tress of the Emerald Sea and look for the hidden connections—they’re there, even if you don't need them to enjoy the ride. Just watch out for the spores. Seriously. They're a nightmare.