If you’re into fantasy novels, chances are you’re more than just aware of Brandon Sanderson’s existence. With scores of critically acclaimed titles under his belt, Sanderson is one of the most celebrated authors in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Recently, he achieved a remarkable feat by setting a record on the popular crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.
Taking fans by surprise, Sanderson announced a mysterious set of four books that he called “SECRET PROJECT #1”. Unlike all his other works, these four novels are not going to be published through the usual publishing houses or other mainstream channels such as Amazon. Instead, Sanderson launched a campaign to fund his quartet of unreleased titles on Kickstarter to publish them himself. His goal was to raise a million dollars within a thirty-day time period.
Taking the world by storm, the Kickstarted campaign was fully funded within the initial 35 minutes, reports The New York Times. The crowdfunding page went on to raise a staggering $15.4 million in the first 24 hours alone. At the time of writing, the total figure raised stands at an impressive $25.9 million. If you visit Kickstarter online, you can actually see the numbers going up in front of your very eyes.
Taking to Twitter, a delighted Sanderson revealed to the world that his Kickstarter campaign has officially become the most funded Kickstarter in the platform’s history. Speaking with tears in his eyes, the wildly popular fantasy author also shared his immense feelings of gratitude on his blog, stating that he is “flabbergasted”.
Those who are interested to know more about the exciting new series from Sanderson can read chapters one through five of the first book in the series here. The title of book one has been revealed to be Tress of the Emerald Sea. If you’re looking to pre-order all four titles and want to score extra swag, there are still 23 days to go before Brandon Sanderson’s Kickstarter campaign closes, leaving fans plenty of time to throw their hats in the ring.
Namerah is a Technology Journalist with experience at leading online publications like Android Central. She has a passion for all things tech and gaming, and has been an honorary Goodreads librarian since 2011. When she isn't writing, she can be found chasing stray cats and dogs in the streets of Dhaka or slaying dragons in the land of Skyrim. Email her at namerah@goodereader.com