I'm anticipating at least another two decades before we see the end of Wind and Truth's ending was mind-blowing, and while I had some issues with the book, it largely provided a satisfying resolution to many of the story elements I'd cared about for years. I spent the entirety of 2024 anxiously anticipating the conclusion of Arc 1, and the book was even more emotionally charged than I could have expected. Yet, still, I'm finding myself craving more.

Brandon Sanderson has revealed information about his books, and though I'm excited for more Mistborn and Elantris, it's The Stormlight Archive ​​​​​​that's always going to matter most to me. It's one of the few titles I'll be at a bookstore waiting for on the morning of its release, and I was bummed to hear book 6 wouldn't be hitting shelves until late 2031. That means, between Wind and Truth and the next volume, there's going to be a seven-year wait. Of course, it's always subject to change, but Sanderson is known for being organized with his writing schedule.

Brandon Sanderson Likely Won't Finish The Stormlight Archive For Another 20 Years

Book 6 Won't Be Out Until 2031

While it's a depressing thought to consider two more decades until book 10 of The Stormlight Archive, it feels fairly accurate, if not generous. These are massive books, and Sanderson mentioned in his annual State of Sanderson blog post that they're draining for him to write. That's why he's taking a multi-year break before returning to the series. With that in mind, Brandon Sanderson released the previous five volumes with roughly three years in between them. That means roughly fifteen years for another five-book stretch to be finished.

If The Stormlight Archive book 6 doesn't come out until 2031, the series might not be finished until 2046. It's a daunting but realistic prospect. He could hypothetically speed up his process, but that would mean holding off on Mistborn Era 4 or whatever else he wants to write until afterward. That will mean The Stormlight Archive being released over the span of 36 years, longer than it took for The Wheel of Time to conclude and longer than it's been since George R.R. Martin released the first A Song of Ice & Fire book.

Brandon Sanderson's Release Plan Gives Hollywood 20 Years To Improve Fantasy TV Adaptations

Recent Fantasy TV Shows Have Received Mixed Reviews From Fans & Critics

The long wait for The Stormlight Archive and the events on Roshar to finally come to a close is saddening, in a way, but there are some silver linings to consider. One of which is that by the time the book is done, Hollywood will be in a vastly different position and will hopefully have figured out a more surefire way to develop fantasy television shows that satisfy the original book readers. Following Game of Thrones, Hollywood has seen a fantasy boom with titles like The Wheel of Time, The Witcher, and more, which have been met with split reactions.

Adaptation is hard, and not every show can transition to TV as cleanly as Game of Thrones did when they were able to adapt George R.R. Martin's novels.

Whether one is a fan of these shows or not, one thing is clear: they're divisive. Some enjoy them for what they are, while others wish they resembled the books more closely. These shows are based on beloved source material, and it's fair to say that they take some liberties in adapting it, which is often due to the struggles of shifting long-form narrative from multi-book series into television. Adaptation is hard, and not every show can transition to TV as cleanly as Game of Thrones did when they were able to adapt George R.R. Martin's novels.

The Stormlight Archive Would Be A Disaster If It Was Adapted Now

Studios Wouldn't Give Sanderson's Books The Budget & Respect They Need On Television

It's easy to look at Game of Thrones and say, "Well, that's fantasy... let's try this other fantasy book on TV too!" That seems to have been the strategy behind bringing fantasy TV shows to life in recent years, but not every book series is A Song of Ice & Fire. Consider one of the main differences between A Game of Thrones and The Way of Kings, for example. The former has some major battles toward the end, but it's far less focused on action and places more attention on the characters, politics, and scenes of clever dialogue.

Now, consider The Way of Kings. Not only are there several major battles, but those battles involve Shardbearers, Parshendi, terrain that doesn't exist in the real world, powers that require CGI, and more. Of course, the story is character-driven, but it would require a significantly higher budget for action and magic than what Game of Thrones had at its best. Another thing to consider is that the books have long stretches where characters aren't around, which would require the narrative to shift around for actors to be present in each episode.

There are so many details to consider in adapting a 1,000-page book, and it just doesn't seem like streaming shows have figured out a consistent way to differentiate what's essential, what can be changed, and how to balance industry norms with the need to remain faithful to a story. As much as I'd love to see The Stormlight Archive out on streaming as soon as possible, I'd rather wait until it can be done right. I've watched all of these modern fantasy shows and given them a fair chance, but I don't see the streaming climate being right for them just yet.

What Hollywood Needs To Do To Fix Its Fantasy Problem

Hollywood Needs The Kevin Feige Of The Fantasy Genre

In a conversation from Brandon Sanderson's podcast, which can be seen below, he described an issue with The Wheel of Time show. He explains that he's argued with the showrunners, who come from a background of developing television shows, about how to organize a season based on a complete script that focuses on the long-term narrative of the series. It seems like the fantasy genre needs someone who isn't just a TV producer who happens to like a book series, but a fan of the books with a method to pioneer a new way of telling stories on television.

The Marvel films aren't one-to-one adaptations of comics, but the shared universe factor, long-term planning, and general ingenuity drastically changed the game in a way superhero fans couldn't even imagine beforehand.

Consider Kevin Feige with Marvel movies, for example, and how he redefined the superhero genre in film to make those movies more closely resemble comics. The Marvel films aren't one-to-one adaptations of comics, but the shared universe factor, long-term planning, and general ingenuity drastically changed the game in a way superhero fans couldn't even imagine beforehand. The fantasy genre needs something similar, with creatives looking to push the television medium forward as a way to acclimate for book series like The Stormlight Archive.