Synopsis:
In the next Cosmere standalone novel, Hoid has an epic tale to share: In a forgotten land sustained by colorful rivers of demon blood, a young woman named December learns a devastating plague is on its way. But who will believe her? Against impossible odds, she sets sail up the River Violet to warn the king’s court, determination—and wisdom beyond her years—burning in her eyes. Along the way she’ll navigate incredulous royal officials, twisted court intrigue, and a roguish count with only her wits and her new friends: a talkative priestess and a fledgling fashion designer.
Review:
Ah…Brandon Sanderson…
After Wind and Truth was released almost two years ago, we were sorta promised a break. He said he would be taking years off before continuing his Stormlight books and also committed to writing the entirety of the next Mistborn-era trilogy before a single one would get published. But, while we’ve had a reprieve from major Sanderson releases, we’ve still been treated to Isles of the Emberdark (a view of the future of the Cosmere) as well as Tailored Realities (non-Cosmere short stories last year) as well as works with other authors during this last year — Songs of the Dead with Peter Orullian and Blightfall with Janci Patterson.
While The Fires of December isn’t an installment in Stormlight or Mistborn, in my opinion, this is a can’t miss Sanderson book. It’s charming and electric, all at the same time. While definitely a Cosmere book, it has its own style, pace, characters, and creatures setting it apart from the rest of Sanderson’s expanded universe. As soon as the second chapter started, I was hooked and found time to read at every chance I had, desperate to see where Sanderson was taking this story.
The Fires of December was initially a book that seemed almost an afterthought to Sanderson’s crowd-funding campaign centered around Hoid’s Storybook Collection earlier this year. The book was sent to backers last week and will be available to the public in ebook and audio format on October 6 and then in Tor hardback in early December.
Sanderson is reclassifying some of his “COVID” books — he formerly called them all his “Secret Projects” but now that there are six of these books, he’s split them into different categories. The Fires of December is the third in the Hoid’s Travails series (following Tress of the Emerald Sea and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter). And this book definitely feels at home here. All three books are narrated by Hoid, Sanderson’s world-hopping immortal, with his trademark wit and sarcasm. At this point when reviewing a Sanderson book, it’s almost impossible to do it without comparing them. For Fires of December, the closest comp is definitely Tress of the Emerald Sea. If you loved Tress, I have to imagine that you will fall in love with December.
OK…so let’s talk about the book itself.
If you could sum it up in one phrase, it’s this — Youth is wasted on the young.
In a standalone story in the corner of the Cosmere, Sanderson plays around with something that typically falls into the realm of sci-fi tropes. I hesitate to get too much into it because I’m sure for some Sanderson fans, even the concepts of the story might be spoilery. The first chapter starts in a somewhat familiar way — very similar vibes to Tress — but once the second chapter begins, the narrative takes a left turn and never stops. That change in direction is all thanks to one thing…one thing that makes it virtually impossible to talk about the novel beyond that first chapter…virtually impossible but I’ll try anyway.
Partly through The Fires of December, Hoid and December talk about her inciting incident, and while it might not have been true in the way it actually happened, to December the feelings and memories she experienced were true. It is, in a way, fully the foundation of the book and December’s backstory, and it creates interesting dynamics between her and other characters.
The Fires of December stands entirely on its own. If you want a Sanderson story but don’t want all the baggage, this is perfect for you. While Hoid is the narrator (and frankly a central character for a good chunk of the novel), I don’t feel prior knowledge of Hoid is necessary — probably helps but the story is about December. For me, it was a drop back into the Cosmere without having to take a college-level course on all the connections and Easter Eggs I’m supposed to catch while I worked through it.
I had a really great time with the book and would definitely put this towards the top end of Brandon’s “Secret Projects” that he’s crowd-funded since 2020.
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