Dragonsteel Nexus (DSNX), an annual convention based on the works of Brandon Sanderson, was held December 5–7 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Previously known as Dragonsteel (the name of Sanderson’s rapidly expanding business), the newly rebranded DSNX24 was the fourth annual convention marking a Sanderson book release. This year’s book: Wind and Truth, the much-anticipated fifth and final book in Part I of Stormlight Archive. The first three conventions celebrated Cytonic (2021), The Lost Metal (2022), and Defiant (2023).

In a strange twist of fate for a convention usually held in late November, DSNX24 occurred on the same weekend as Brazil’s CCXP24 and the coinciding release of the Wheel of Time season 3 trailer. So you can imagine how Wheel of Time fans at DSNX24 might have felt trying to absorb two very big sources of excitement. (Tired. The answer is very tired).

I didn’t really know what to expect going into DSNX24. I’d only ever been to Wheel of Time conventions, which are quite humble in comparison to DSNX when it comes to numbers. I kept wondering what 7,000 attendees would actually look like and if I would be able to, as a more casual cosmere reader, understand the language being spoken around me. 

When I finally stepped foot into the Salt Palace, I felt silly for not making the connection before: it’s basically like attending a big sporting event or concert. You can’t actually see the thousands of people until you’re in your seats, so most of the time you only pay attention to the hundred or so that surround you at any given time. But you can feel the buzzing energy of the masses.

And while there were no “nosebleed seats” in the main convention hall (dubbed “Roshar,” after the planet setting of The Stormlight Archive), it had the look, sound, and feel of a professional concert venue. The lights, the sound, the music playing between panels, the giant projector screens—all of it created an ambiance of excitement, anticipation, and “yeah, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.” A lot of the credit for creating this atmosphere should go to the behind-the-scenes work of the DSNX staff aka “squires,” in particular the A/V team and crowd control, who kept things running smoothly all weekend.

Entering and exiting Roshar after a big event or trying to navigate the Exhibitor’s Hall during peak times had the same packed, cattle-herded feel as everyone leaving a concert venue at the same time. But there is one very important difference: I don’t really like any of the people pushing and shoving me and spilling drinks on me at a concert. At DSNX, I kind of wanted to be best friends with them all.

Far from stressful, it felt almost warm and fuzzy to be in a huge crowd of fellow nerds, many of them in costume, who are just super happy to be there and in no rush to go anywhere (unless it’s a book signing or limited seating event). Even among the long line of people camped outside in the cold for numbered copies of Wind and Truth, the vibe was friendly and joyful.

The most entertaining part of walking past lines and weaving through crowds was catching snippets of people deep into cosmere analysis. Soundbites like “...Soulcasting…” and “Who is Jaddeth?” and “Hoid wouldn’t…” It was like an inside joke that everyone was in on. And even though, as I had feared, I did not understand the language they were speaking, I recognized the characters they were cosplaying and the enthusiasm they were radiating.

If you’re not a hardcore cosmere nerd, DSNX still offers a lot to aspiring writers and fans of speculative fiction in general: panels run by industry professionals, crafts, tabletop games, photo ops, sword/spear workshops, and a HUGE Exhibitor’s Hall holding almost 150 fantasy-based businesses, authors, artists, vendors, sponsors, and content creators. 

If you’re a fantasy fan and you still don’t like any of those things, you could just spend the whole weekend sampling all the food and drinks from about ten different on-site vendors. My favorite snack was churros from the Mexican place.

You might be able to try all the food, but it would’ve been impossible to attend every event, meet-up, panel, and book-signing offered at DSNX24 over the course of its three-day schedule. So here are some highlights (in no particular order):

Wind and Truth Release Party

With Roshar packed full of thousands of DSNX attendees and members of the public, Brandon Sanderson and his wife Emily took the stage to celebrate the release of the fifth book of the Stormlight Archive and acknowledge all the people who contributed to its publication. 

They also shared what Sanderson had teased earlier that day as “just about the coolest thing you could imagine, short of a movie or TV series”: Dragonsteel will be publishing the Wheel of Time series in leatherbound editions, one per year, starting with The Eye of the World in winter 2025.

Sanderson then slipped into professor-mode to give a charming and heartfelt talk, urging the audience against gatekeeping fans within the fantasy community the same way other genres of literature have done with speculative fiction. He proposed welcoming all new fantasy fans, such as those who are finding fantasy through the sub-genre of “romantasy,” into a community brought together by stories—even if they don’t agree on what makes a “good” one.

The release party concluded with a Q&A session, during which fans stepped up to the mic to ask Sanderson questions about anything from his favorite dinosaur (Stegosaurus) to the mechanics of magic systems in the cosmere, or whether a concept like calculus could manifest as a spren in the Cognitive Realm. (Yes, I needed a translator for that last part). 

Worldhopper Ball (contains spoilers for Wind & Truth)
New to DSNX this year was the Worldhopper Ball, an evening event held exclusively for badgeholders who had previously purchased tickets—and who were willing to dress in extravagant formal attire and/or cosplay for the night.

The theme of this “experiential novella” was the marriage of Shallan and Adolin from The Stormlight Archive, an event that had only occurred off-page until Wind and Truth revealed the details of the scene in a flashback. 

But to call it a “theme” is an understatement. The ballroom was transformed into Roshar, with exquisitely detailed scenery and fantastical lighting. Food and drinks were Stormlight themed, and actors in full costume played the main characters of the series, treating guests to scenes (both from the book and improvised) throughout the evening. The actors stayed in character for the entirety of the two-and-a-half hour event, interacting with the crowd and even taking turns at the DJ table.

As with any first time event, there were a few kinks (long lines for drinks, technical difficulties), but most guests were content just to dress up and be transported into a fantastical world from the pages of a book. One Worldhopper Ball attendee was so impressed by the magical night he had, he said he would have attended DSNX only for the Ball. 

Author & Artist Spotlights
In front of thousands of people in a giant concert hall doesn’t seem like the best place to have an intimate conversation, but somehow the Spotlight sessions made it feel that way. Just the guest and their host in two armchairs at center stage, under a row of colorful lights and Radiant Order banners. The vibe was more like a conversation than an interview. Spotlights of note: authors Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga) hosted by Dragonsteel VP of Narrative, Dan Wells; and Robin Hobb (Realm of the Elderlings) hosted by Brandon Sanderson himself.

Exhibitor’s Hall
When I wasn’t attending a panel, my favorite thing to do was roam the Exhibitor’s Hall. Walking up and down the narrow aisles between the vendors and creators in their black-curtained booths was so crowded, lively, and full of costumes, I felt like I was in a bustling village marketplace from a fantasy novel. And with the multitude of exhibitors, there was always something new to look at or something I missed on my first walk-through. 

Story Deck
Among the many new things announced, teased, and launched at DSNX24, Dragonsteel’s Story Deck trading cards stood out because of the experiential way they were introduced. Armed with two starter packs and a “Worldhopper Passport” challenge to earn more, attendees found themselves interacting with people they would not otherwise have approached—which was, Sanderson revealed during the Story Deck panel, what the cards were intended to do.

The cards feature snippets that form coherent stories only after obtaining a full set for each "lost tale." Gold-trimmed, limited edition cards have official Stormlight artwork of the Heralds. Story Deck trading was, by far, the most popular activity outside of the main events and panels. Look in any direction and you’d be guaranteed to see at least one group of people holding cards, spreading them out on a table, or waiting in line at the “Silverlight Mercantile” card trading hub.

Cosplay

Imagine turning a corner and running into Vin from Mistborn in her black ball gown, arm-in-arm with Elend in his brilliant white uniform. You turn another corner, and there’s another pair of them, plus someone in full Shardplate that glows and emits puffs of smoke. 

If nothing else, that was DSNX: seeing fantasy characters come to life all day, every day. The dedication and creativity of the cosmere fandom is out of this world (I’m thinking of the person dressed as Urithuru), and it is such a treat to be immersed in it all for three days.

One of the ways the con supports and encourages cosplay—and socialization—is by scheduling meet-ups for certain categories of cosplay, like Bridge Four, Radiant/Spren, Side Characters, and even Brandon Sanderson.

And if you’re lucky enough to catch them (I wasn’t), Roshar hosted two Cosplay showcases, during which cosplayers can walk the stagelit runway and show off all the incredible detail they put into their costumes.

Wheel of Time Panel 
DSNX’s only Wheel of Time-themed panel was held on Friday evening in one of the smaller conference rooms. The panelists were Matt Hatch of Theoryland and The Dusty Wheel, Dragonmount founder and author Jason Denzel, Innkeeper Anas from The Dusty Wheel and The Light's Work, YouTube content creator and author Daniel Greene, BookTuber Jacky Ragnarova of Me, My Skirt and I, and Krishna Patel, a passionate Wheel of Time fan for the past decade.

The panel had a cozy, intimate feel as panelists shared candidly about their personal experiences reading Wheel of Time and what they believe to be Robert Jordan’s legacy. Naturally, the conversation led to a discussion of the community that has been built around the series, from its early days—when fans, according to Denzel, could only share information from Jordan’s Q&A’s either in person or by mail correspondence—to the community’s current form as a worldwide phenomenon, connected at all times via social media and content creation. 

Even the panel’s newest Wheel of Time fan, Krishna Patel, gets what Wheel of Time fandom is all about, concluding her thoughts by telling other new fans, “This community is waiting for you with open arms.” Another highlight of the panel: someone cosplaying as Rand running through the room, waving the Dragon banner, and bantering in-character with the panelists.

Mistborn Santa
One of the benefits of waiting until after Thanksgiving to hold DSNX24 is that the holiday spirit was in full swing. Not only could attendees shop for gifts among the vendors in the Exhibitor’s Hall, they also had the opportunity to have their photo taken with “Mistborn Santa.” 

I wasn’t really sure who or what Mistborn Santa was, but I became obsessed with finding out. When I did, it somehow made perfect sense: Santa in a festive, red velvet mistcloak, holding a giant Christmas-tree Shardblade. He even had his very own Honorguard who allowed me to snap this photo in the Exhibitor’s Hall.

Now that the real Santa has come and gone, I can look back and say for sure that DSNX24 was the highlight of my holiday season. I had a fantastic time, and I wish I could have spent a few more days basking in the glow of the exceptional community there. For anyone who considers themself a fan of speculative fiction, I strongly recommend adding a future DSNX to your bucket list of conventions.

Grace is a licensed mental health counselor who believes in the healing power of found family in fantasy novels and IRL. Also known as Bain & Chiad, Grace has been reading The Wheel of Time since 1998, when she and her high school sweetheart dressed up as Elayne and Rand for Halloween. She fell in love with present-day WoT fandom and was inducted into Far Dareis Mai in 2019. She is the writer of Maidens’ List and a cohost of The Light’s Work. 

Special thanks to April Pixie and Innkeeper Anas for Worldhopper Ball Coverage.