Beth Morrison
And with that, my YEARS of Sanderson have come to an end.
My only reading goal for 2025 was to finish the Cosmere, and The Sunlit Man was the perfect finale. I’m actually thrilled I saved this for last rather than ending with Wind and Truth. Knowing Nomad’s identity beforehand made the emotional beats hit so much harder.
This book was all gas, no brakes from start to finish! The world-building was fantastic and easily felt like the most "Stormlight-esque" of the Secret Projects. The planet was incredible—essentially Sci-Fantasy Mad Max. Cosmere connections are literally littered across every page, giving us a thrilling glimpse into the future of the universe. The character work is on point, as per usual for Brandon; I wanted to rip my heart out for every single one of them, but the heart of the book is Nomad’s struggle with redemption and the weight of his past. It asks deep questions about whether we can ever truly outrun our mistakes or if they eventually become part of our armor. This one had me tearing up multiple times, and the emotional payoff lasted until the very last page.
My Secret Projects Ranking: • Tress of the Emerald Sea • The Sunlit Man • Yumi and the Nightmare Painter • The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
Rating Breakdown: • Characters: 5⭐️ • Setting: 5⭐️ • Plot: 5 ⭐️ • Themes: 4⭐️ • Emotional Impact: 4⭐️ • Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️ Rounded Overall: 4.5⭐️
And with that, my YEARS of Sanderson have come to an end.
My only reading goal for 2025 was to finish the Cosmere, and The Sunlit Man was the perfect finale. I’m actually thrilled I saved this for last rather than ending with Wind and Truth. Knowing Nomad’s identity beforehand made the emotional beats hit so much harder.
This book was all gas, no brakes from start to finish! The world-building was fantastic and easily felt like the most "Stormlight-esque" of the Secret Projects. The planet was incredible—essentially Sci-Fantasy Mad Max. Cosmere connections are literally littered across every page, giving us a thrilling glimpse into the future of the universe. The character work is on point, as per usual for Brandon; I wanted to rip my heart out for every single one of them, but the heart of the book is Nomad’s struggle with redemption and the weight of his past. It asks deep questions about whether we can ever truly outrun our mistakes or if they eventually become part of our armor. This one had me tearing up multiple times, and the emotional payoff lasted until the very last page.
My Secret Projects Ranking: • Tress of the Emerald Sea • The Sunlit Man • Yumi and the Nightmare Painter • The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
Rating Breakdown: • Characters: 5⭐️ • Setting: 5⭐️ • Plot: 5 ⭐️ • Themes: 4⭐️ • Emotional Impact: 4⭐️ • Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️ Rounded Overall: 4.5⭐️