Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere is arguably the most ambitious interconnected fantasy universe out there, and since these books have been decades in the making, it’s not surprising to find that they vary in quality.
Indeed, books like The Way of Kings and The Final Empire are separated by more than just a star system within this fictional world. Sanderson’s writing has undergone massive shifts over the years, usually for the better, and his storytelling chops get more and more intricate as we move forward in what can only be called epic fantasy’s equivalent of the MCU.
Note that this isn’t a Cosmere reading order recommendation, nor an absolutely objective ranking of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere novels — if that would even be possible. This is an overview of Sanderson’s two-decade career, highlighting how the aspiring fantasy author has evolved into a maestro of the genre and what those developments have entailed. Here follows every major release in the Cosmere, ranked from worst to best.
21. Elantris
Elantris was the first-published Brandon Sanderson novel. Taking place in the titular city of Elantris, this debut book revolves around an ensemble of humans turned into demigods, with the ability to live forever and heal whatever ill afflicts normal people. But disaster strikes when an unknown curse befalls Elantris and turns its populace into a host of the undead, unable to die and always in pain. Elantris is very inventive in terms of worldbuilding, but Sanderson’s prose is very rough. To this day, I think Sanderson’s first novel remains his worst, and should in no way be considered a gateway into his Cosmere.
20. Dawnshard
Dawnshard is a Stormlight Archive spinoff centering around Rysn. It takes place after Oathbringer (the third Stormlight book) and as such should be read after that book. Fan-favorite characters like Lopen and Navani Kholin appear in this novella, but I personally never found the Rysn interludes in the main Stormlight Archive all that compelling, and certainly not enough to warrant a novella of her own.
19. White Sand
White Sand is a series of graphic novels taking place in the desert world of Taldain. It features a unique magic system that involves sand, with the story following a Sand Master named Kenton. The White Sand world can serve as a great palate cleanser, especially after reading Sanderson’s chunkier novels like The Stormlight Archive that easily go above 1000 pages.
18. Edgedancer
Now if there ever was a character needing a novella of her own, it would be Lift. The odd Reshi who consumes food and turns it into Investiture to slide her way to mischief is one of the best comic relief heroes in the entire Cosmere. Edgedancer takes place after Words of Radiance (the second Stormlight book) and features Lift as the main character. It’s certainly not among Sanderson’s best works, but who cares about that when you’ve got Lift running, or rather, sliding loose in a story of her own?
17. Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection
Arcanum Unbounded is a must-have for Cosmere stans because it includes a host of shorts and novellas detailing what happens in the backdrop of some of these main stories. The Eleventh Metal and Secret History are both part of this anthology book, and they give readers more insight into what went down behind the scenes in the original Mistborn trilogy.
16. The Alloy of Law (Wax & Wayne #1)
Taking place many years after the first trilogy, The Alloy of Law thrusts readers into the second Mistborn era, this time in a steampunk setting, and introduces them to Wax and Wayne. Given how brilliantly The Final Empire sets up the Mistborn world, a lot of readers were partially underwhelmed by how The Alloy of Law picked up the narrative. But then again, you can’t always expect Sanderson to write acclaimed page-turners. After all, even the Brando Sando machine is prone to churning out mediocre books every now and again.
15. The Sunlit Man
The fourth Secret Project from Sanderson’s most-backed Kickstarter campaign of all time, The Sunlit Man takes place in the space age of the Cosmere, more than ten-thousand years following the Shattering of Adonalsium. It follows the story of a person named Nomad, who has gained immortality and is escaping a mercenary band called the Night Brigade by hopping between Cosmere worlds. But there’s more to this Nomad person than meets the eye, and learning his true identity will leave you utterly flabbergasted.
14. Shadows of Self (Wax & Wayne #2)
Shadows of Self is the second book in the Wax & Wayne series, continuing to chronicle the adventures of its titular characters in the world of Scadrial. Shadows of Self is a huge improvement over Alloy of Law and actually sets up an interesting narrative for the next two sequels. It also marks the first time where we see how technology and magic interact within the Cosmere narrative.
13. Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archive #4)
The fourth Stormlight Novel entertained a painfully sluggish pace and featured a ton of filler subplots. That’s not to say Rhythm of War isn’t important or any good. In fact, if this book had been 300-400 pages shorter, I would’ve loved every second of reading it. But as it stands, Rhythm of War is probably the weakest novel in Sanderson’s so-called Magnum Opus.
12. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
The story takes place on the planet Komashi, where the shard of Virtuosity has shattered herself. Our favorite world-hopper and storyteller Hoid is trapped on Komashi, and he tells readers the story of Yumi, a highly powerful individual in this world, and Nikaro, who is a nightmare painter contracted by the government to stop the nightmares released from the Shroud. The epic factor takes a back seat for this particular outing, because Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is, at its heart, a romantic story.
11. The Lost Metal (Wax & Wayne #4)
The Lost Metal brought the story of Waxillium Ladrian and Wayne to a satisfying conclusion. While you’d generally be hard-pressed to rank any of the Wax & Wayne books higher than the first Mistborn era, the end of this saga will bring you to tears, and that is a testament to Sanderson’s ability to write compelling characters and interesting narratives, even if at times it might feel like things can’t possibly come so neatly together.
10. The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
The first book in the Mistborn trilogy and the story that made Sanderson’s name, The Final Empire takes readers to the planet Scadrial, where a tyrannical god-emperor called the Lord Ruler is presiding over a world on the brink of catastrophe. The Final Empire tells the tale of a band of misfit rebels as they try to bring together the slave class to topple this invincible, immortal god-emperor. Many fans and Sanderson himself recommend The Final Empire as an entry point into the Cosmere narrative.
9. The Bands of Mourning (Wax & Wayne #3)
As mentioned earlier, the second Mistborn era, more commonly known as the Wax & Wayne series, fails to soar to the same heights as the original trilogy, but there’s an exception to this rule, and that exception is The Bands of Mourning. There’s much brilliant character work underlying this second-to-last chapter in the story, and the events that lead up to the finale will leave you enthralled. Every Brandon Sanderson fan should read the second Mistborn era, if for nothing besides experiencing the sheer awesomeness of The Bands of Mourning and The Lost Metal.
8. Tress of the Emerald Sea
Tress of the Emerald Sea was the first Secret Project to be released following Sanderson’s Kickstarter campaign. The novel started as a personal gift to Sanderson’s wife, but when the book was finished and read by her, she convinced Sanderson to release it. Now, Tress of the Emerald Sea is among the author’s best published novels, with many fans even putting it in their top 5 Cosmere list. Hoid is back, and this time he tells a story that took place in years long past. Tress of the Emerald Sea is intimate, heartfelt, sincere, and a great read overall, even if you don’t understand the obvious Cosmere references sprinkled throughout the book.
7. The Emperor’s Soul
The Emperor’s Soul won the Hugo Award for best novella in 2013. This short story revolves around a thief named Shai, who gets caught during her latest hustle. Shai also practices magical forgery, which is convenient for her in this case, because the emperor has been left brain-dead following an assassination attempt. The monarch’s advisors petition Shai to forge a new soul for the emperor and earn her freedom. Shai and Gaotona, one of the emperor’s advisors, research his life and try to understand where a man of ideals went wrong, all in an attempt to reconstruct his soul in 100 days.
6. The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2)
While The Well of Ascension is not an action-heavy book, it does pack a lot of philosophical dilemmas into its narrative. How do people tackle the socio-economic problems of an empire that is steadily burning in the fires of greed and hatred? Is there a case to be made for democracy? What does it mean to pick up the mantle of a leader? And the best thing about The Well of Ascension is the mind-numbing twist at the end of the book. I’ve been bamboozled by stories and books and narratives more times than I can count, but the second Mistborn book will always have a special place in my heart.
5. Warbreaker
Sanderson is one of the most prolific writers alive, but despite publishing more than 30 novels, he’s still mostly known for a select few. Warbreaker is one of them, detailing the story of two sister princesses, Vivenna and Siri, when they get embroiled in a political conflict between their nation of Idris and the rival kingdom of Hallandren. Warbreaker also marks the debut of a prominent Stormlight character and has been well-received by fans and critics alike. And the best part? You can head over to Sanderson’s official website right now and read Warbreaker for free.
4. Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive #3)
The third Stormlight Novel centers around the origin story of one of the protagonists, Dalinar Kholin, a.k.a. Blackthorn. It also includes the biggest battle against the Voidbringers as the Knights Radiant come together to thwart their assault on one of the Rosharan countries. If we consider The Stormlight Archive to be first and foremost a book about moral philosophy, then Oathbringer is where that point reaches a powerful crescendo.
3. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
The culmination of the first Mistborn era happens in The Hero of Ages. Having learned the buried truth about their world, Vin, Elend, and the rest of the gang have to race against the most primordial force in existence to save Scadrial from devastation. The Hero of Ages is a great book, and beyond that, a testament to Brandon Sanderson’s ability to weave a very complex narrative together. Almost every plot thread from the trilogy has a satisfying payoff in The Hero of Ages, and every character finds their resolution to one degree or another by the end of the book. Mistborn certainly has its ups and downs, but read all three books and you begin to understand why people often bring up its name when talking about the best fantasy books in history.
2. Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive #2)
The second Stormlight Archive book continues Kaladin Stormblessed’s story in the war camps. Shallan Davar is also joining the frontlines to investigate the Voidbringers, while Dalinar Kholin struggles to form an alliance with the Highprinces and defeat the Parshendi once and for all. Things come to a head when the Alethi plan a decisive offensive against the Parshendi, little knowing that the strange marbled creatures have plans of their own. No matter how far Sanderson goes, Words of Radiance will remain one of his best books. (It might interest you to know Words of Radiance is also the highest-rated book on Goodreads, followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Leigh Bardugo’s Crooked Kingdom.)
1. The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1)
I have zero doubts that The Way of Kings is a literary achievement that will be studied many years from now. Setting up one of the most ambitious and imaginative fantasy worlds ever attempted, The Way of Kings came out in 2010 and began The Stormlight Archive in earnest, introducing us to unforgettable characters like Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, and Dalinar Kholin. Kaladin’s character arc and backstory, Dalinar’s struggles with his unsettling visions, the trials of Bridge Four, and ultimately, the build-up to the final battle on the Shattered Plains and its aftermath, are all a masterclass in superb storytelling. The Way of Kings is, without a doubt, Sanderson’s crowning achievement as a fantasy author.
Forthcoming works set in the Cosmere
The next Stormlight book is coming out on December 6, 2024. Titled Wind and Truth, this fifth installment will conclude the first Stormlight arc. Sanderson will follow that up with another secret project called Isles of the Emberdark. Then we’ll be off to the third Mistborn era, set in the post-industrial period, equivalent to our own 1980s.
After we’re finished with the third Mistborn series, Cosmere stans can expect to see one or two sequels for Elantris, followed by the second Stormlight Archive arc, spanning another five books. Sanderson will probably release a couple of spinoff novels and novellas along the way too, and then, the entire Cosmere will come together for a definitive conclusion in the fourth science fiction-themed Mistborn era.
Published: May 28, 2024 03:44 pm