Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

A Cosmere Novel

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

From the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time—#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson adds to his Cosmere universe shared by Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive with a new standalone novel especially for fans of fantasy romances. Narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer.

There is a world. One of endless night, surrounded by an even deeper darkness. Filled with nightmares come to life, twisted shapes that slink to windows and ease open doors, sliding across floors to look down on helpless faces.

There is another world. A bright world, so bright it burns. Filled with stacked stones that call forth miracles, raised by callused hands that tremble in their work, drained with each stone lifted, settled, lifted again.

Between these worlds two souls connect. Collide. Entwine.

A bridge. A path.

A road to both worlds changing forever.

Yumi has spent her entire life in strict obedience, granting her the power to summon the spirits that bestow vital aid upon her society—but she longs for even a single day as a normal person. Painter patrols the dark streets dreaming of being a hero—a goal that has led to nothing but heartache and isolation, leaving him always on the outside looking in. In their own ways, both of them face the world alone.

Suddenly flung together, Yumi and Painter must strive to right the wrongs in both their lives, reconciling their past and present while maintaining the precarious balance of each of their worlds. If they cannot unravel the mystery of what brought them together before it’s too late, they risk forever losing not only the bond growing between them, but the very worlds they’ve always struggled to protect.

Note from Brandon:

Even for a compulsive planner like me, sometimes a story emerges like magic. Unexpected, unprompted. You build an outline in days, craft worlds during a compulsive daydream, and develop characters with a burst of imagination like the brief flash of a firework.

That was Yumi and the Nightmare Painter for me. The unanticipated story of two people who find one another.

May your dreams live as mine sometimes do.

©2023 Dragonsteel, LLC (P)2023 Dragonsteel, LLC

Favorite of the Secret Projects

I loved this book the best so far in the "Secret Project Series." I have been missing Pattern since the last Stormlight Archive book. When listening to Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, for some reason, I missed them even more. In case you read this, Pattern...you are still my favorite character of all time.

A magnificent performance of a majestic story

Brandon, Kate, and Michael can seemingly do no wrong. This is another installment in the Dragonsteel collection that is entertaining, hilarious, scary, romantic, philosophical, and enriching in all the best ways.

What a ride!

I love how Sanderson paints stories, the emotions captured that we ourselves may have never delved into. New perspectives with fresh new worlds to explore yet they keep us guessing! Thank you Brandon for yet another wonderful book!

unexpected delight

while this isn't normally the type of book I like to read, this did an excellent job at making me want more of these types of books

Took a second but it all comes together.

In true BranSan fashion, once the story reaches a kind of familiarity with the reader the oddities become common leaving the reader in lavishly built world. Only to have that same world slowly built up like a stack of rocks that eventually all come crashing down in what is be called a Sanderlanche.

Love the story! Hated one of the narrators

Such a beautiful story! I have read three of the four cosmere novels & this one is my new favorite. The woman narrator in this reeeeally took away from the story in such a huge way that I will recommend friends to read the book instead. Her woman voice was fine but her man voice for Painter was just absolutely brutal. Was a combination of Shaggy from Scooby Doo & a “cowabunga dude” accent. It’s like when your mom is trying to do an impression of one of your friends in high school & overacts it in such a way that it is physically painful & is embarrassing. I just wish it would go back to the other narrator the whole time. But love the story!!! Glad to see some romance in the cosmere!

Excellent Experience

One of his best! A journey worthy to make. Loved all the different cosmere references.

my favorite comfort book.

if you like any of Brandon's books then just go in blind. starts off a little slow but the buildup is worth it as you need a little world info it explains. I also recommend to look up the art and art so when they explain it you can look at it as it is so beautiful.

Took a minute but worth it

Don’t listen for the love story. Listen for the conflict. Why are Yumi and Painter connected?

Great story

I’ve read (listened) to all of Sanderson books so this review is a little biased. I loved the story, the characters and the narrators. It’s a little different than Sanderson’s other books but similar to the other secret project books. It’s a great listen I recommend it!