Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has proposed a theory that the immense popularity of Rebecca Yarros's romantasy series, which began with "Fourth Wing" in 2023, can be attributed to a 20-year nostalgia cycle.
Sanderson, known for his "Mistborn Saga" and "Stormlight Archive" series, discussed industry trends during a recent conversation with author Joe Abercrombie. He pointed to the early 2000s as a period when "Eragon" and "How to Train Your Dragon" gained prominence. According to Sanderson, these properties resonated with millennials who were at an ideal age to appreciate dragon-focused fantasy narratives, creating a cultural memory that "Fourth Wing" has now tapped into.
"Fourth Wing with the 20-year dragon nostalgia cycle is another one I feel like we should have seen [coming]," Sanderson stated. "Because the early 2000s are when Eragon and How to Train Your Dragon came out right at that 20-year nostalgia cycle for those millennials who had grown up with those. Now, here’s a mature book about fantasy dragon riders for them."
"Fourth Wing," which follows a young woman forced into a brutal military academy for dragon riders, has spent months on bestseller lists since its 2023 debut. The series has also spurred significant interest in the romantasy genre and is currently being adapted into a live-action television series by Amazon's Prime Video.
Sanderson further elaborated on his theory of cyclical publishing trends, citing his own 2023 novel "Tress of the Emerald Sea" as potentially arriving ahead of a surge in cozy fantasy. He also noted the thematic overlap between his 2006 "Mistborn: The Final Empire," which blended fantasy with a heist plot, and Scott Lynch's "The Lies of Locke Lamora" from a similar period. He drew a parallel to the recent release of C.L. Polk's "The Feywild Job," an official "Dungeons & Dragons" novel featuring heist elements and romantasy themes, which arrived nearly 20 years after "Mistborn."
Sanderson also believes these cycles are evident in the resurgence of established franchises. He pointed to the recent "Hunger Games" revival, noting the original book's 2008 release and the upcoming film adaptation "Sunrise on the Reaping." Similarly, "How to Train Your Dragon" received a live-action film last year, and an "Eragon" live-action series is in development with Disney Plus.
Sanderson's observations suggest that the future of fantasy publishing may involve reimagining popular stories from the 2010s rather than solely relying on entirely new concepts.