The most Cosmere of the Cosmere novels I’ve ever read. Very early on, you learn that the protagonist of the Sunlit Man is from a Cosmere world you’re already familiar with on a new planet. A couple of chapters later, you learn that the character might be familiar to you. Of course, Hoyd has to do a cameo in this book. I can’t tell you much more about the protagonist without revealing their identity, but it’s found out so early in the book, that I don’t think it would be that much of a spoiler if I did. Right off, you receive hints at where the protagonist hails from and his connection to other stories. The reveal of their identity happens around chapter three.
The Sunlit Man is on the run. An army of necromantic space travelers is after him because he knows where a powerful artifact resides. His life is about obtaining enough investiture to get him through his next jump to a new world. When he arrives on his current planet, he doesn’t have enough investiture to make another jump. In fact, his abilities are somewhat limited by how little investiture he currently holds. What makes matters worse is that this world is constantly on the move because the sun burns so hot it melts the very landscape as it progresses around the globe. The Sunlit Man realizes this very quickly as he is left in the sun and must quickly catch up with the antagonists so he doesn’t burn to death.
The Sunlit Man is not a hero, he already tried that, and it ended disastrously. He’s given up on the hero business, but when he arrives in a world ruled by a tyrant, will he stand up against tyranny or just secure enough investiture to make his next jump? If you’re a fan of Sanderson’s work, you probably know the choice he’ll make, but maybe this is a different type of story. You’ll have to read it to find out if it is. Spoiler alert, Sanderson is Sanderson in all the books I’ve read of his, for better or better.