Fantasy novelist Brandon Sanderson released the first chapter of his next book, a graphic novel titled “Dark One.”

What’s the news:

  • Sanderson released the first chapter of the new graphic novel “Dark One,” which comes from Vault Comics.
  • The comic was supposed to be released on Free Comic Book Day on May 2. The coronavirus pandemic postponed the release until now.
  • The idea of the story came from Sanderson. Writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing penned the story.
  • Sanderson said in an author’s letter that he thought of the idea for the story years ago but it never felt like a traditional novel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
  • He wrote: “One of the most frustrating experiences of a writer’s life is having a story that doesn’t work. But there is a delightful experience that goes with that one, hand-in-hand. That’s the day where you finally get it right — when you finally get to see completed something that has required years of labor and worry. It is with this sense of delight and long-awaited satisfaction that I finally get to present to you ‘Dark One.’”
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The synopsis of the story reads:

“Paul is a young man who sees visions of strange and fantastic worlds — visions he initially believes are hallucinations. But these visions turn out to be prophecies, dark projections of a world in which Paul is a tyrant who destroys the world and the craters that reside there. ‘Dark One’ examines the dual roles we often take on in life — the ability to be a survivor as well as a destroyer.”

How to read it:

  • The Hollywood Reporter has the entire first chapter available for reading.
  • “Dark One” is available for pre-order on Sanderson’s website and Vault Comics.
  • The first 500 preorders receive a Sanderson-signed bookplate and an exclusive Q&A live steam with the author. Preorders come with a bonus pack of behind-the-scenes content and a discount for Vault Comics, too.
  • Preorders ship at the end of August.
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