Some know him for his intricate magic systems. Others recognize him as an author reinventing the speculative genre with his unique touch. To us, however, Brandon Sanderson is simply one of this generation’s greatest storytellers.
I use the word “great” but perhaps the more accurate adjective would be “prolific.” Since starting his career with the release of Elantris in 2005, now almost two decades ago, Sanderson has written dozens of fantasy novels, most of them critically acclaimed hits, and there’s no sign of him stopping any time soon.
Whether it be The Stormlight Archive, an epic high-stakes fantasy tale taking place on an exotic planet, Mistborn, one of the best reinventions of the steampunk subgenre, or any number of the other standalone stories and novels in Cosmere and beyond, Sanderson has left his mark in the literary tradition of the 21st century. And while the prospects of picking up these books may be daunting at first due to their sheer scale, here we’ve decided to rank some of the best of them to give you a glimpse into Cosmere and how it’s been received by readers over the years.
These are the top 10 Brandon Sanderson books, ranked from worst to best.
15. Skyward (Skyward #1)
I sometimes think of the Skyward series as Brandon Sanderson slowly preparing himself to approach the upcoming third and fourth Mistborn eras, which are supposed to depict the modern and futuristic space periods, respectively. Skyward is a fast-paced character-driven sci-fi story that, unlike many of Sanderson’s other books, is aimed at a young adult audience. You follow Spensa, a girl with a fiery spirit who lives on a planet constantly beset by invasion from a race of aliens. Spensa wants to train to become a pilot, but her family’s past has turned her into something of an outcast in society. Skyward is dynamic, easy to read, and full of intense action. Sanderson should definitely write more science fiction.
14. Rhythm of War (Stormlight #4)
To say that Rhythm of War is the weakest entry in The Stormlight Archive series would be to severely undersell some of its surging strengths (pun intended), but at the same time, we can’t help but notice that the fourth book only exists to bridge the gap between the first three books and the fifth and final one in the first arc, which came out a couple of weeks ago under the title of Wind and Truth. There are many moments that I loved in Rhythm of War, but at 1200+ pages, this was the longest installment in the series thus far, and the longest book Sanderson has ever written.
That is, until Wind and Truth came along and raised the bar by adding another couple hundred pages. If this book was, say, 300 pages shorter, then it might have turned into one of my favorite fantasy books. But expecting Sanderson to write fewer words is like asking the sun to take a day off.
13. The Lost Metal (Mistborn #7)
Concluding the story of Wax and Wayne, whose adventures comprised the second Mistborn era set hundreds of years after the trials of Vin and Elend, The Lost Metal is one of the most emotional stories Sanderson has written. The humor and heart that defined much of the so-called Wax & Wayne saga is still there, but the stakes have never been higher for the planet Scadrial, and beyond that, the Cosmere as a whole. The ending is satisfying and the character resolutions are emotionally fulfilling, but what sets the second Mistborn era as well as The Lost Metal apart is its expansive lore-building, finally bringing many worlds from across the Cosmere, including The Stormlight Archive and elusive concepts such as perpendicularities and world-hopping to the fore.
12. Tress of the Emerald Sea
Reading through Sanderson’s Cosmere is not just daunting for its sheer volume, but the fact that many of these large-scale epic stories tend to wear you down over time. For these people, the best way to retain their lifeline to Sanderson’s writing but avoid burn-out is approaching books like Tress of the Emerald Sea; lighter, whimsical, less chunky, and overall, more palatable and charming. Sanderson published this as part of his Secret Projects but he originally wrote it as a gift to his wife. The story follows Tress, who leaves her idyllic life to save her kidnapped lost interest, once again told by Hoid. Though unlike most of his other fanciful tales, this one truly occurred in the larger Cosmere.
11. Warbreaker
While most Brandon Sanderson series stand on their own feet and rarely include references to other worlds, and then very opaque, Warbreaker is one of those novels that can help you make sense of the larger Cosmere, especially The Stormlight Archive. In fact, some characters from Warbreaker do appear on Roshar, even if under a different guise. Warbreaker is full of action and compelling character arcs, but perhaps the best part about this well-known and acclaimed standalone is the fact that you get to explore a magic system unlike any other the author has developed, full of magic and colors and the enigmatic type of energy known as BioChromatic Breath.
10. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
At its heart, the story of Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a celebration of art and creativity. This is one of the books Sanderson released as part of his Secret Projects initiative, now considered the most successful Kickstarter campaign in history. The story is told from the perspective of Hoid, a famous Worldhopper in the Cosmere that appears in most Sanderson works like The Stormlight Archive and Mistborn. This time, Hoid (or Wit, as he’s otherwise known) is telling us the story of Yumi, a powerful spirit binder, and Nikaro, a nightmare painter, taking place on the planet Komashi, which has been inspired by East Asian cultures.
The idea of using art as magic, the intricacies of dual worldbuilding for our two protagonists, and the beautiful illustrations in Yumi all turn it into one of Brandon Sanderson’s best publications to this day.
9. The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
Ash fell from the sky, and so began Brandon Sanderson’s journey from a modest fantasy enthusiast to the greatest voice in the genre. The Final Empire may not be the author’s first published work, but it remains, even after all these years, the best gateway into Cosmere and the epic works that comprise it. We follow the tale of a group of disgruntled, wrathful slaves known as skaa, who are attempting to overthrow the tyrannical god emperor of their world.
The tale follows the street girl Vin, distrustful and apprehensive, who gets recruited by Kelsier, a charismatic con artist, into his burgeoning group of rebellious skaa. The world of Mistborn is unique, both in storytelling and aesthetic. There are mysteries to discern, secrets to uncover, and a dozen colorful characters to fall in love with. Even Brandon Sanderson himself says that the best way to start on the Cosmere journey is to pick up the first Mistborn trilogy, consisting of The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages.
8. Oathbringer (Stormlight #3)
Every Stormlight Archive book has a fundamental premise that defines that particular installment. With Oathbringer, Sanderson attempted to see if he could subvert expectations in a way that he has never done before. And no, I’m not talking about the game-changing twist about the fight for Roshar at the end of this book. Oathbringer focuses on one of the main characters, Dalinar Kholin, and shows us his past in a raw, unfiltered light. You get to see how the famed and feared Blackthorn managed to forge an empire through blood and savagery, and how this man whom everyone once disavowed for his wicked ways became one of the most respectable and honorable people in the entire Cosmere. The story of Dalinar’s fall and redemption achieves something that few fantasy books in history have managed to pull off, and perhaps none as successfully as Sanderson’s Oathbringer.
7. The Emperor’s Soul
Brandon Sanderson is known for writing chunky fantasy novels that easily push past 1000 pages. He is known for his elaborate plots, extremely complex magic systems, intricate lore and worldbuilding, and ambitious, series-spanning character arcs. And yet, one of the best stories Sanderson has ever written was a novella that came out in 2012, titled The Emperor’s Soul. This is not a story that needs foreknowledge to understand.
This isn’t a tale embedded in the tangled web of the so-called Cosmere universe. The Emperor’s Soul is the thought-provoking, compelling tale of a thief named Shai, who gets tasked with forging a new soul for the brain-dead emperor and is given 100 days to accomplish this gargantuan undertaking. Reading The Emperor’s Soul will only take you the better part of an afternoon, but the experience will stay with you for weeks if not months. If you want an easy gateway into the brain of Brandon Sanderson, then picking up this novella is your best bet.
6. Words of Radiance (Stormlight #2)
Many in the fandom would put Words of Radiance, the second book in The Stormlight Archive, above the first one. The storylines are more compact, the main characters finally begin to interact with each other in earnest, and the overall worldbuilding is less ambiguous, not to mention that iconic scenes like “the duel” turn Words of Radiance not only into one of the best books Sanderson has written, but one of the best fantasy books of all time. (The sequel is usually ranked in the top three on Goodreads’ Best Books of All Time list.)
All of these statements are true in their own way, and I would’ve agreed with them, except for the fact that The Way of Kings is still objectively more significant for the way it sets up the story and the world in such a seamless manner. That being said, Words of Radiance is still pretty epic, its scenes remaining a comfort read whenever I prowl through the Brandon Sanderson section of my library.
5. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
When people think about Brandon Sanderson, their minds immediately latch onto The Stormlight Archive because of how massively epic it is. The first Mistborn era, however, consisting of the first trilogy beginning with The Final Empire, continuing with The Well of Ascension, and ending with The Hero of Ages, truly cemented Sanderson’s name as one of the greats in the genre. Even now, after all these years, I still think the first Mistborn trilogy has the most well-thought-out narrative out of all of Sanderson’s books. The joy of reading those first two books and coming up with two dozen questions, only to have them all answered or hinted at through The Hero of Ages is an experience you’re not likely to forget. This is one of those few times in a book series where reading the final book and the story’s ending won’t leave you wanting more.
4. The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time #12)
Brandon Sanderson is the kind of author to finish another person’s book series and still manage to do an absolutely brilliant and praiseworthy job. It’s strange to think that out of all the books Sanderson has written, and there are a great many of them—most critically acclaimed—The Gathering Storm is still among my favorites. Sure, the world of The Wheel of Time was created by Robert Jordan. Granted, these are not Sanderson’s own characters that he spins on this grand tapestry. And yes, Sanderson had a rough outline for where the series was supposed to be headed thanks to the notes Jordan left behind before his death, but it’s still somewhat absurd for a relatively nameless author to come in and write the next entry in a book series that has tens of millions of fans all around the world.
I love The Wheel of Time, and I love Robert Jordan, but my favorite book in the series is The Gathering Storm. That I think should tell you all you need to know about what Sanderson has accomplished with this novel.
3. The Way of Kings (Stormlight #1)
Sanderson refers to The Stormlight Archive series as his burgeoning magnum opus. While the prolific novelist never takes a break from writing a new story, Stormlight was always going to be his genre-defining masterpiece. And as far as debuts go, The Way of Kings knocked it out of the park in every regard, serving as a perfect primer into the spiraling and exotic world of Roshar, on whose soil the old gods are waging a battle that no mortal being can yet fathom. The Way of Kings is epic, extensive, ambitious, heartbreaking, and just about everything that fantasy readers want in a big story. This was also the book that introduced everyone to iconic characters like Kaladin Stormblessed, Dalinar Kholin, and Shallan Davar, who are now each, in their own way, archetypal in the overarching speculative landscape.
2. A Memory of Light (Wheel of Time #14)
For the final book in Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series, Brandon Sanderson brings all of his literary and storytelling chops to bear down on the story of Rand al’Thor, and the continent embroiled in a devastating conflict with the greatest enemy of humanity. As one of the most ambitious works of high fantasy fiction, a lot was riding on the success of A Memory of Light. We all know how painstakingly difficult it is to come up with a decent ending for any great story, and that was doubly true for The Wheel of Time since its author had passed away. Brandon Sanderson, however, managed to do the impossible by not only giving fans a satisfying conclusion but turning the prophesied Tarmon Gai’don – The Last Battle – into one of the most epic spectacles that you’ll ever experience in the world of novels.
1. Wind and Truth (Stormlight #5)
It has been over two decades since Brandon Sanderson conceived The Stormlight Archive series. The first book came out in 2010, and now, after 14 years, we’ve finally come to the end of the journey… well, sort of. Wind and Truth officially brings the first major arc of the series to a close. Think of it like Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers: Endgame, where our cast of characters come together to wage a final battle against the being that wants to enslave their entire world, for reasons that even the most ardent Cosmere fans have not been able to figure out.
There are questions to be answered, mysteries to be unveiled, and character arcs to come to a satisfying conclusion. On paper, Wind and Truth is far from the best book Brandon Sanderson has written, but we still have to admire the man for his sheer dedication to this ambitious and complex narrative. The fact that Sanderson wrote a roughly rewarding ending to his magnum opus is something that few other contemporary storytellers manage to do. For that reason, Wind and Truth is arguably his greatest accomplishment to date.
Published: Dec 21, 2024 10:27 am