Okay, folks, listen up! With Apple gearing up to bring both Mistborn to the big screen and Stormlight Archive to your TVs, now’s the perfect time to dive into the incredible world of Brandon Sanderson. He’s built what I like to call a ‘world of worlds’ – the Cosmere – and each book, whether it’s part of a series or a standalone novel, explores a totally unique planet with its own magic and characters. So, where should you start? Honestly, the best advice I can give you is this: read whatever grabs your attention! Everything is written to be enjoyed on its own, so just pick a book that sounds good and jump in. Don’t overthink it!
There are many ways to start reading Brandon Sanderson’s books, and it’s a common question! Sanderson himself has even created a 3-book set to help new readers get started with different options. While that’s a good solution, it doesn’t work for everyone. Having read everything in the Cosmere universe, I’ve put together a guide to help beginners become dedicated fans.
What Even Is The Cosmere?
At its heart, the Cosmere is the overarching universe created by Brandon Sanderson. It blends fantasy and science fiction, telling stories about gods and humans across multiple planets. Each planet has its own unique magic system, all connected by a larger mythology. Books like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive aren’t isolated stories; events in one can affect others, and characters sometimes travel between worlds. Think of it like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for fantasy novels. You can enjoy each book on its own, but the real thrill comes from seeing how everything connects.
A Simple, Definitive Starting Point
Brandon Sanderson suggests several ways to start exploring his Cosmere universe, but if you want the best place to begin, he recommends his 2006 novel, Mistborn: The Final Empire. I started my Cosmere journey with this book, and it’s not just because I enjoyed it! It’s the book Sanderson has focused on developing into a Hollywood project, and it will be the first major series on Apple TV. Even twenty years after its release, The Final Empire remains one of Sanderson’s most popular and well-regarded novels. It showcases his strengths as a writer, is a good place to start in terms of the Cosmere timeline, features compelling characters, and offers a great balance between drawing you into the world and being easy to understand.
In a world ruled by a cruel, enigmatic dark lord for a thousand years, an orphaned girl with hidden magical abilities teams up with a skilled thief and his crew to overthrow the empire. (Genre: Action, Adventure, and Dark Epic Fantasy)
Choose Your Starting Point Based on Your Interests
Want to get a better feel for Brandon Sanderson’s work before you dive in? This section is here to help. He’s often asked where to begin, and even has a guide on his website. He usually suggests Mistborn as a good starting point, and Tress of the Emerald Sea for readers looking for something newer, more relaxed, and lighter in tone. He also says The Stormlight Archive is best enjoyed after you’ve become familiar with his writing style – once you ‘trust him,’ so to speak. Let’s look at that idea more closely.
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The Final Empire (Mistborn Book 1): As mentioned in the previous section, The Final Empire is essentially the quintessential Brandon Sanderson book with many of his most recognizable attributes: strong characters with relatable arcs, an extensive world, and a measurable magic system.
- Great if you love Harry Potter, Red Rising, Gentleman Bastard,or Six of Crows.
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Tress of the Emerald Sea: This is the most accessible option Brandon Sanderson has available. If you’re a fan of whimsical fantasy, this standalone novel offers light-hearted adventure and humor while maintaining mature character arcs, compelling world-building, and soulful storytelling.
- Great if you love The Hobbit, Howl’s Moving Castle, or The Princess Bride.
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The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive Book 1): This is Brandon Sanderson’s most advanced and arguably the strongest book series. For those who love vast, sophisticated epic fantasy, this is a totally reasonable starting point. Anyone who’s read any of the following books should not have much difficulty, as The Stormlight Archive is advanced in scale and world depth, but is relatively easy-going in terms of linguistic accessibility and character nuance.
- Great if you love The Wheel of Time, The Lord of the Rings, or A Song of Ice & Fire.
Full Cosmere Reading Order
You’ve finished a Brandon Sanderson book – congratulations! But if you’re confused about the Cosmere – the shared universe his books take place in – and aren’t sure what to read next, that’s perfectly normal. There are several options, though you might need to revisit an earlier work to get the full picture and move forward.
No matter where you began, I’ve created a reading plan for the Cosmere that’s pretty relaxed and well-rounded. It mixes the order things were published with what happens chronologically, and it’s flexible enough to suit your preferences. Don’t feel like you need to read everything – short stories, novellas, and standalone books aren’t all essential, and that’s perfectly okay.
Titles marked with a tilde (~) are meant to help you pace your reading, dividing longer, detailed series into smaller sections. You can skip these if you like, but doing so might make some later references unclear. Always check the explanation to decide if you should read them.
Titles with * are included in the book Arcanum Unbounded.
| # | Title | Format | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Explained above. This is the most balanced starting point. |
| 2 | Mistborn: The Eleventh Metal (2011)* | Short Story (Mistborn Series) | Works as a brief epilogue/prequel to The Final Empire. |
| 3 | Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Continue the Mistborn trilogy. |
| ~3 | Elantris (2005) | Novel (Elantris Series) | If you need a break from Mistborn. Elantris is currently the only novel in its series, but Sanderson intends to expand this world with more. This was his first book, and while not his best, it has its charms and is vital to the bigger picture of the Cosmere. |
| ~3 | The Hope of Elantris (2006)* | Short Story (Elantris Series) | |
| 4 | Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Conclude the Mistborn trilogy. Congrats, this is your first major milestone! |
| 5 | The Way of Kings (2010) | Novel (The Stormlight Archive Series) | Trust Brandon Sanderson yet? You’ve knocked out the Mistborn trilogy, so now’s the perfect time to dive into his most acclaimed world: The Stormlight Archive |
| ~5 | Warbreaker (2009) | Novel (Standalone) | As much as continuing The Stormlight Archive will tempt you, the next novel is when the Cosmere’s crossovers truly start to shine. I recommend catching up on Warbreaker to get the bulk of these references. |
| ~5 | White Sand (2016) | Graphic Novel | White Sand is a graphic novel that Sanderson intends to novelize, and it’s placed here for the same reason as Warbreaker. |
| 6 | Words of Radiance (2014) | Novel (The Stormlight Archive Series) | Continue The Stormlight Archive series. |
| ~6 | Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell (2013) | Novella (Standalone) | A fun, low-stakes break point. |
| 7 | The Alloy of Law (2011) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Dive into the next era of Mistborn, following a 300-year time jump. |
| ~7 | Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023) | Novel (Standalone) | Still haven’t read this one? Need a break? There you go. |
| ~7 | Edgedancer (2016)* | Novella (The Stormlight Archive Series) | A novella breaking point for The Stormlight Archive that dives into a supporting character. |
| 8 | Oathbringer (2017) | Novel (The Stormlight Archive Series) | Continue The Stormlight Archive series. |
| 9 | Shadows of Self (2015) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Continue Mistborn: Era 2. |
| ~9 | The Emperor’s Soul (2012)* | Novella (Elantris Series) | A lovely return to the world of Elantris that explores different characters. This is arguably the best that this world has to offer. |
| ~9 | Dawnshard (2020) | Novella (The Stormlight Archive Series) | A novella breaking point for The Stormlight Archive that dives into a supporting character. |
| 10 | The Bands of Mourning (2016) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Continue Mistborn: Era 2. |
| 11 | Mistborn: Secret History (2016)* | Novella (Mistborn Series) | A revelatory, necessary short story before diving into Rhythm of War and The Lost Metal. |
| 12 | Rhythm of War (2020) | Novel (The Stormlight Archive Series) | Continue The Stormlight Archive series. |
| ~12 | Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023) | Novel (Standalone) | Explore a new corner of the Cosmere, with a similarly unique tone and aesthetic to Tress of the Emerald Sea. |
| 13 | The Lost Metal (2022) | Novel (Mistborn Series) | Concludes Mistborn: Era 2. |
| ~13 | The Sunlit Man (2023) | Novel (Standalone) | Chronologically set in a futuristic, intergalactic era, but it is advisable to read before Wind and Truth, as its standalone story ties into The Stormlight Archive. |
| 14 | Wind and Truth (2024) | Novel (The Stormlight Archive Series) | Conclude the first arc of The Stormlight Archive. Congrats, you’re up to date with Sanderson’s biggest and most challenging series. |
| ~14 | Isles of the Emberdark (2025) | Novel (Standalone) | Brandon Sanderson’s most recent is the latest on the current chronological and publication order, making it a good ending point for what’s out right now. |
Cosmere Chronological Order
Here’s a timeline of events, moving from earliest to latest. It’s important to note that the exact order of things in Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe can be unclear, as he doesn’t always specify precise dates. However, this is the most widely accepted order based on clues from the books.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | White Sand (2016) |
| 2 | Elantris (2005) |
| 3 | The Hope of Elantris (2006) |
| 4 | The Emperor’s Soul (2012) |
| 5 | Mistborn: The Eleventh Metal (2011) |
| 6 | Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006) |
| 7 | Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007) |
| 8 | Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008) |
| Mistborn: Secret History (2016)* This novella is set at multiple points in time. | |
| 9 | Warbreaker (2009) |
| 10 | Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell (2013) |
| 11 | The Way of Kings (2010) |
| 12 | Words of Radiance (2014) |
| 13 | Edgedancer (2016) |
| 14 | Oathbringer (2017) |
| 15 | Dawnshard (2020) |
| 16 | Rhythm of War (2020) |
| 17 | Wind and Truth (2024) |
| 18 | The Alloy of Law (2011) |
| 19 | Shadows of Self (2015) |
| 20 | The Bands of Mourning (2016) |
| 21 | The Lost Metal (2022) |
| 22 | Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023) |
| 23 | The Sunlit Man (2023) |
| 24 | Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023) |
| 25 | Isles of the Emberdark (2025) |
Upcoming Cosmere Books
Enjoyed reading all the Cosmere books and eager for more? Curious about which world Brandon Sanderson will revisit next, or looking for even deeper immersion in these stories? You’re in luck! Brandon Sanderson is currently working on several new projects at different stages of development.
- The Fires of December: Similar to Tress and Yumi, this standalone novel will take place on a minor planet and be told from Hoid’s perspective.
- Mistborn Era 3:Brandon Sanderson’s most popular series will return with a new trilogy, expected to be released later in the 2020s. The first novel is complete, but Sanderson’s intention is to write all three before publishing. The trilogy is planned to be released annually between December 2028 and 2030.
- The Stormlight Archive Arc 2: After Wind and Truth concluded the first arc, readers will likely be waiting until the early 2030s to dive back into the world of Roshar.
- Horneater novella: Before Arc 2, the Rock-focused novella will take readers back to Roshar for a lighter story set after Oathbringer.
- Elantris sequels: After two decades, Sanderson intends to return to Sel with novel sequels, expanding his first published book into a trilogy. These may have been delayed slightly from their late-2020s anticipated release date, but Sanderson claimed they’re still coming up.
- Warbreaker sequel: A sequel to Warbreaker is planned but may not happen in the near future.
- White Sand novelization: A novel adapted from the story of Sanderson’s White Sand graphic novel is in the plans, but not an immediate priority. White Sand was actually the first novel Brandon Sanderson wrote, but was later developed as a graphic novel instead.
- Dragonsteel: A story set far earlier in the Cosmere’s timeline than what we’ve seen so far, showing the origin of Hoid and the events that set the Cosmere in motion. This will not be written until after The Stormlight Archive, meaning it’s presumably over a decade away.
What’s NOT In Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere Universe?
Brandon Sanderson is best known for his expansive Cosmere universe, but he’s also written many books that stand alone. These include his work on The Wheel of Time, the Alcatraz series, the Skyward series, Legion, and The Reckoners. He’s also published individual novels like The Rithmatist, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, and Tailored Realities.
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2026-04-06 22:31