Stormlight Archive Book 5 — published December 2024, completing the first arc of Brandon Sanderson's ten-book epic. What it resolves, what comes next, and how to read the full series.
✓ Published — December 6, 2024Wind and Truth was published on December 6, 2024 — so if you've been waiting to start The Stormlight Archive until the first arc was complete, your moment has arrived. Books 1–5 now form a complete story. You can read them knowing there is no cliffhanger awaiting an indefinite delay.
Brandon Sanderson planned the series as two groups of five books. Wind and Truth closes the first group. Each half is designed to function as a largely self-contained story, so the end of Book 5 is a genuine conclusion — not a pause.
Stormlight Archive exists within Sanderson's "Cosmere" — a shared universe spanning roughly 20+ novels including Mistborn, Elantris, Warbreaker, and many others. You do not need to read any other Cosmere book to enjoy Stormlight. The series is fully self-contained for new readers.
However, longtime Cosmere readers will find threads connecting these books to others. If you've already read Warbreaker or the Mistborn series, you'll spot connections that reward deeper fans. If you haven't, don't worry — nothing essential is lost.
Sanderson has confirmed that the second group of five Stormlight books exists as a planned continuation, set several years after the events of Wind and Truth. He has not announced a release date for Book 6.
Given Sanderson's extraordinary pace — he releases multiple full novels per year, often across different series — the wait for Book 6 is unlikely to resemble the George R.R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss situations. Sanderson is one of the most prolific and productive authors in genre fiction.
Between now and Stormlight Book 6, Sanderson will likely publish novels in other Cosmere series. Elantris Book 2, Mistborn Era 3, and other projects are planned or in progress.
If you're new to the series, start with The Way of Kings — it's long (1,000+ pages) but designed to be a complete entry point. The first 200 pages are deliberately slow; this is by design. Push through to the Kaladin sequences and the book will have you.
If you've read Books 1–4 and are debating picking up Wind and Truth — yes, read it. The arc completes satisfyingly.