Wind And Truth Sets Up One Cosmere Book That’s Now Brandon Sanderson's Perfect Follow-Up

Includes MAJOR SPOILERS for The Stormlight Archive through Wind and Truth and minor spoilers for The Sunlit Man

The Stormlight Archive book 5's story directly sets up another Cosmere novel that was released before it, making it even more powerful in retrospect. Wind and Truth's ending is filled with emotional moments for a variety of characters whom audiences have followed since 2010's The Way of Kings, including Dalinar's death, Kaladin leaving to become a Herald, and Shallan being separated from Adolin. On top of that, Wind and Truth is packed with numerous Cosmere references and ties to other stories, including 2023's The Sunlit Man.

The Sunlit Man was released as one of Brandon Sanderson's Secret Project books, being delivered to readers who supported the author's record-breaking Kickstarter before hitting shelves. If the Kickstarter was indicative of anything, it's the immense growth of the Cosmere among contemporary fantasy readers. Sanderson's novels are some of the most widely beloved and popular for fans of the genre, and The Sunlit Man was truly one for those dedicated readers, offering more connections than ever to other books, particularly The Stormlight Archive series.

Wind And Truth Directly Connects To The Sunlit Man

Sigzil's Story Continues In The Sunlit Man

It's fairly obvious after just a few chapters of The Sunlit Man that the protagonist, Nomad, is Rosharan, and by chapter 6, a keen reader could recognize that he's Sigzil, the member of Bridge Four from The Stormlight Archive. In the story, Sigzil is shown in the Cosmere's space-age future, accompanied by a spren named Auxiliary, with Wind and Truth showing how the pair initially meet. Sigzil plays a crucial role in the recent volume, defending Narak from Odium's forces and eventually taking the Dawnshard from Hoid, causing him to depart Roshar.

Upon arriving in Shadesmar, Sigzil meets the spren who was previously bonded to Szeth, 12124, who would eventually become Auxiliary. The book's ending sets Sigzil on his path, which will eventually lead to The Sunlit Man. With everything that happens in mind, it's fascinating to reconsider the standalone with the added context of Wind and Truth. The knowledge of The Stormlight Archive's timeline, even with the dilation, likely confirms that The Sunlit Man happens after arc 2, allowing for speculation about what Sigzil knows.

The Sunlit Man Is Even Better After The Stormlight Archive Arc 1

Wind And Truth Adds Emotional Stakes To The Sunlit Man

Art by Randy Vargas

Sigzil's journey in The Sunlit Man is about his character constantly being in a state of peril while having to reckon with past events, constantly being discomforted by his environment while being so far from home. Now, readers know that Sigzil had to sacrifice Vienta, making her a deadeye in order to save her life, adding a sense of tragedy to his story. Not to mention, he might not know anything about what's happened on Roshar since, leaving him with a terrifying uncertaintyabout his friends and the events of The Stormlight Archive.

The Stormlight Archive

Created by

Brandon Sanderson

Character(s)

Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, Dalinar Kholin, Adolin Kholin, Jasnah Kholin, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Navani Kholin

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