Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Sometimes the only path forward is costly. We must travel it regardless.”

Isles of the Emberdark is a story I’ve been both excited and nervous to experience. Getting a new novel in Sanderson’s Cosmere is always an amazing feeling, but I always have this small sense of trepidation when approaching a new world, a fear that I might not love it as much as I’ve loved those onto which he’s already invited me. He’s never let me down so far, and Emberdark didn’t break that trend. I loved this new world, and I loved seeing how the technological development of these fantastical worlds is making the Cosmere smaller in a sense. The opening, in which a young Dragon is finally getting her draconian form, delighted me. It was a sweet, lovely, joyful way to start a story. From there, we shift to a place and people wholly different. It was interesting to see how the two disparate parts of the story interact. Starling, the young Dragon, and Sixth of the Dusk, an Eelakin trapper on the isle of Patji, on the world First of the Sun.

“On the Pantheon Islands, nothing is easy, nothing is simple.”

First of the Sun is the home of the Pantheon isles, islands that are viewed as gods by the people of this world. Patji, the father isle, is the focus of much of our time, past and present, as it is the isle where Dusk served as a trapper, a combination of explorer and priest. First of the Sun is also home to the aviars—birds that can lend special abilities to the human to whom they are bonded. The relationship between human and bird felt akin to that of man and daemon in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. They’re not the same. At all. There is no soul-shattering bond through which the death of one is the end of the other. And yet they are linked to their humans in interesting ways, and everyone on this world seems to have one.

“He was finished with this facsimile of a life he’d once lived.”

There are some profound themes here, ones that I found deeply resonant. Are heroes and gods made small and irrelevant by progress and technology? Or are there some things that no amount of tech can replicate? Sanderson explores mourning the loss of what was while understanding the need to adapt and grow. We see how hardship can train us to weather and survive what would consume those who have led an easier life. We see the importance of finding a new purpose when the former collapses. And we see how faith impacts reality.

“Dusk, we’re each a new person every day. The world changes, and is new each day, and we must change with it. That’s the blessing the gods give us. The blessing to be able to become someone new.”

Part 2, following Starling 50 years after the charming prologue, was interesting, and mysterious, and a little sad. I love Starling’s aggressive optimism, even in the face of a form of captivity. From the first chapter of this part, we have so many questions: what happened 12 years ago? Where is Hoid, and why is he gone? Also, I’m fascinated by the multiple worlds and peoples represented on this single starship. They’re such a fun, diverse crew. And I really love the fantasy/sci-fi dichotomy of having a dragon on a spaceship.

“Really, wasn’t it the darkness that reminded one how wonderful the light was?”

Both Starling and Dusk were absolutely delightful characters. They were multi-faceted and beautifully developed, and were both incredibly easy to root for. I fell in love with Dusk and his birds, with Starling and her entire crew. Character work and worldbuilding are where Sanderson most excels in my opinion, and both of those elements were on glorious display here.

“Sometimes,” Dusk said, “you can’t know the way. Sometimes, you have to strike out anyway.”

Isles of the Emberdark is a brilliant step into the future of the Cosmere. It’s a building block not to be missed by those who are already deeply Invested in the scope of this brilliant universe Sanderson has crafted. And it’s an exceptional story in its own right, one abounding in fantastic characters and fascinating worldbuilding, one with a propulsive plot that delivers surprising depth.

Audio and ebook available now. Hardcover available for pre-order, publishing February 3, 2026.

Find it here: Blackwell’s | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Audible | Libro.fm

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