Sanderson raises more than $18.5m on Kickstarter to publish four new novels

Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has raised more than $18.5m (£13.8m) on Kickstarter, for a campaign to publish four new novels through his company Dragonsteel Entertainment.  

The crowdfunding campaign launched on 2nd March and quickly amassed more than 73,000 backers. It is not far behind the most successful campaign in Kickstarter’s history, which made $20.3m (£15.2m) for Pebble smartwatches in 2015.  

The as-yet-untitled books will release quarterly, starting in January 2023. Each will be available in e-book, digital audio, or “premium hardcover”.

Sanderson, who is published by Gollancz in the UK, noted: “While regular hardcover and paperback editions with a traditional publisher are possible sometime in the future, after this campaign is fulfilled the premium version of this book might not be available again.” 

The author, who sets his tales in the fictional universe of Cosmere, said he wrote the books over the past two years after “a group of ideas wormed their way into my brain and I found I couldn’t let them go”.  

“Despite all of my other obligations, I had to write these stories. So I squeezed them in during moments of free time, crafting four brand new novels. I’m extremely proud of them, as each represents some new aspect of storytelling that has forced me to grow in an interesting way. Each also takes you to someplace new, original and vibrant. Three of these are Cosmere books taking place on new worlds, and the other one is something completely different.”  

The new books are currently untitled. Sanderson will be unveiling one each week throughout March on his YouTube channel, where he will also do a reading of the first chapters.