Brandon Sanderson gave fans a pleasant shock — the series based on his cult saga has officially been ordered for 10 episodes, with the author himself handling the writing. The news came during his conversation with another fantasy master, Joe Abercrombie, so it's hardly a casual slip.

What we know:

– Apple TV has ordered a full season of 10 episodes based on The Stormlight Archive

– Sanderson will be the lead writer — according to him, he will 'write a big chunk' personally, though not alone

– At the same time, he is writing the screenplay for the film 'Mistborn', also for Apple, and that is his #1 priority right now

– After 'Mistborn', Sanderson will switch to the 'Stormlight' pilot and try to 'write the entire season'

Why is this even a big deal?

The Stormlight Archive is a massive work spanning thousands of pages with several parallel storylines and the world of Roshar, where the landscape literally survives thanks to magical storms. Many fans openly call the series 'unadaptable'.

The action unfolds on the Shattered Plains, where Kaladin — a former medical student turned slave — tries to save his people in a war where ten armies mindlessly fight against a single enemy. Add in the mystical Shardblades and Shardplate, for which entire kingdoms are traded, and you'll understand the scale of the challenge for showrunners.

A special bonus for fans of the Cosmere (Sanderson's shared universe): in the series, as in the books, unexpected cameos from characters of other series are possible — the writer himself confirms that the universes are connected by a single magical system. So if Apple doesn't mess up the budget and casting, we have on our hands — potentially the next big fantasy hit after 'Game of Thrones'.