brandon sanderson is undoubtedly a king of fantasy fiction. it’s rare to find a consistently prolific author who can churn out great stories over and over again.
Known for his elaborate plots and unique magic systems (which are often based on science), most of his works take place in the cosmere, a shared universe where sixteen conspirators kill a mysterious being called adonalsium and his powers they break into pieces. sixteen fragments.
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Taking these shards, the sixteen conspirators travel to new worlds and populate them with different forms of magic. these worlds are mostly unknown to each other, effectively keeping the stories separate while still exhibiting common elements.
11 best brandon sanderson books
Newbies may find Sanderson’s works overwhelming at first, due to the shared universe element, but each works excellently on its own. If you’re having trouble choosing which book to start with, my personal favorites list can help. check it out below!
1. elantris
for lovers of traditional fantasy.
Sanderson’s debut novel was, at the time, a stand-alone fantasy epic that centered on the titular city populated by immortals who can create and heal with a simple gesture. the best part? anyone can be an elantrian through a magical transformation called a shaod.
But tragedy strikes ten years before history, destroying Elantrian magic, cursing the inhabitants, and sealing the city from the rest of society. now anyone affected by the shaod is cast into the city, cursed with eternal hunger and pain.
This is the first story in Sanderson’s cosmere, laying the foundation for what is now one of the most complex and detailed literary universes in modern fantasy.
2. warbreaker
for fans of the clever sword trope.
warbreaker follows a young princess sent to marry the god-king of a neighboring and hostile nation, and the search for her older sister to bring her back home safely. Things get complicated when the God-King is revealed to be a puppet, and the two become embroiled in a conspiracy for the ultimate power.
To survive, the brothers team up with a mysterious man who can use breath, a magical energy that turns people into superhumans, and wields a talking sword and is incredibly naive.
3. heart of steel
for fans of superheroes.
so you’re more of a sci-fi type? well, sanderson has that too. the appearance of an orbiting cosmic entity known as calamity turned some people into “epics”, endowing them with superpowers that defy natural laws.
Dreams of finally having superheroes are dashed when these guys turn out to be big bad news. governments collapsed and epics enslaved the rest of humanity. now a normal guy is out to catch them, and he doesn’t stop with just the epic that killed his father.
4. unlimited arcanum
for lovers of short fiction.
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if you’re not ready to dive into the depths of cosmere, try sanderson’s anthology of short works. arcanum unbounded contains nine short works that perfectly capture her writing style and voice while giving you a good starting point for cosmere.
The Emperor’s Soul, in particular, is a memorable read about a master forger who is forced to “forge” a new soul for the Emperor, left brain-dead from an assassination attempt.
5. white sand
for tatooine fans.
Sanderson’s only graphic novel (so far), White Sand follows a group of people who can manipulate sand in many ways. When the weakest of the group are suddenly slaughtered, Kenton believes he is the only survivor. With unknown conspiracies and enemies circling around him, he allies himself with a woman who has dark secrets of her own.
If you are more of a visual reader, this story can help you get into the world of cosmere. there are currently only three volumes, but they are quite extensive, so you will surely have a few hours of reading.
6. legion
for fans of psychology.
stephen leeds is rich, brilliant and skilled at what he does thanks to his unique mindset. he can spawn a multitude of people, each with their own set of skills and knowledge. wherever he goes, a host of imaginary experts are there to help him. When he receives an impossible photograph, he must track down the inventor of a camera that can take pictures of the past.
7. the rhythmist
for math fanatics.
In an alternate earth, arithmetic is a type of magic that uses chalk and geometry to combat wild monsters called chalks. Joel dreams of being a rithmatist, but can only watch in envy as the students practice the magical art he desperately wants to learn. When students start disappearing, Joel is assigned to help with investigations, leading to a discovery that will change his world forever.
8. the coming storm
for fans of epic fantasy.
When Robert Jordan died and left his epic fantasy series unfinished, his widow and publisher chose Sanderson to finish the series. This, along with Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Light, not only stayed true to Jordan’s vision, but are considered some of the best books in the series. however, I recommend that you start with the first book the eye of the world and continue until the end.
tarmon gai’don, the last battle, is near and humanity is not ready. Rand al’thor, the dragon reborn, is struggling to unite feuding kingdoms and alliances as he attempts to form a temporary truce with an invading empire.
9. alcatraz against the evil librarians
for fans of wacky situations and even crazier abilities.
on his thirteenth birthday, alcatraz smedry receives a bag of sand from his parents. but it is not ordinary sand and it is quickly stolen by an evil cult of librarians, whose goal is to take over the world by hiding the truth. It’s up to Alcatraz to stop them with the only talent he has: breaking things.
Full of wit and hysterical “talent”, this is one of Sanderson’s simpler stories that’s just right when you want a quick and enjoyable read.
10. the way of kings (book 1 of the stormlight series)
For fans of war stories.
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The Radiant Knights have been gone for centuries, leaving behind their mystical swords and armor. wars have been fought and won with these artifacts that turn men into nearly invincible warriors.
one such war is being fought on the shattered plains where a soldier turned slave is embittered by leaders who consider them expendable; a warchief is troubled by visions of the apocalypse, and ten armies fight separately against a single enemy.
Ten years of planning, writing, and worldbuilding have resulted in one of the most ambitious metaseries in modern fantasy.
11. mistborn: the final empire (book 1 of the mistborn series)
for fans of science-based magic.
For a thousand years, the ruling lord has dominated a world constantly drowning in ashes, ruling it through terror and absolute power. When an oppressed person “breaks” and discovers that he is a Mistborn, a person who can draw energy from metals, he uses his talents of deception and theft to overthrow the ruling lord’s regime.
Perhaps the best known of Sanderson’s books, Mistborn showcases his particular genius at creating unique magic systems and developing developed worlds. this is (in my opinion) the best place to start discovering sanderson’s universe. The best part is that it’s planned to be a trilogy of trilogies, so expect many hours of enjoyable reading.
should i read mistborn or stormlight first?
If you’re wondering if you should read mistborn or stormlight first, it really depends on your preference, but let me give you my personal opinion. The Stormlight Archive is a planned 10-book epic fantasy series currently in its fourth book, while the Mistborn Series is a three-trilogy set, currently in its second trilogy, or sixth book. Looking at the volume of the book alone, mistborn is the clear winner.
if you haven’t read any sanderson books yet, mistborn will also be an easier introduction to his works. The main story is already finished, so you can enjoy a full, stand-alone story compared to Stormlight, which may take another decade to complete.
I also feel that mistborn is easier to digest, as it’s a more compact story, while stormlight embarks on truly epic proportions of everything. You’ll gain a better understanding of Sanderson’s style, voice, and creation of Cosmere.
not convinced? you can check out sanderson’s blog where he has his own suggestions on where to start.
what is brandon sanderson’s net worth?
Brandon Sanderson’s net worth is estimated at $6 million. Learn more about the world’s richest authors.
read brandon sanderson books
sanderson, or “brando sando”, as his fans call him, has yet to reveal the end of the cosmere. and he shows no signs of finishing it as of yet, so look forward to many more books from him to add to your to-read list.
This article is a general introduction to his work that is intended to help you if you have just discovered him. covers the basics of his work, goes into some detail about it, and gives you some pointers on where you can start.
However, if you’re already a hardcore fan, you might not get much out of this. but let me take the opportunity to remind you to read his books again. you may find another of the details that sanderson likes to hide in his works. enjoy reading!
do you have a favorite brandon sanderson book? Share it in the comments below!
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