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Cosmere Reading Order

Brandon Sanderson Books in Order

All Brandon Sanderson books in order — Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, Elantris, Warbreaker, and the complete Cosmere guide. Where to start and how it all connects.

Cosmere — Recommended Starting Order

Each series is standalone, but connections between them reward reading in this order.

1
Elantris
ElantrisBest starting point
2005 · Standalone. A city of fallen demigods. Short, accessible, great entry point to the Cosmere.
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2
The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
2006 · A crew of thieves plans to overthrow an immortal tyrant. The magic system: swallow metals, gain powers.
Buy →
3
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2)
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2)
2007 · The aftermath of the revolution. Harder and more complex than book 1.
Buy →
4
The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
2008 · The original trilogy concludes. Major Cosmere revelations.
Buy →
5
Warbreaker
Warbreaker
2009 · Standalone. A princess sent to marry a god-king. Characters appear later in Stormlight.
Buy →
6
The Way of Kings (Stormlight #1)
The Way of Kings (Stormlight #1)Main event
2010 · Three characters in a world shaped by massive storms. The most ambitious Cosmere project.
Buy →
7
Words of Radiance (Stormlight #2)
Words of Radiance (Stormlight #2)
2014 · The series deepens. Major revelations about the Knights Radiant.
Buy →
8
The Alloy of Law (Mistborn Era 2 #1)
The Alloy of Law (Mistborn Era 2 #1)
2011 · 300 years after Era 1. A Western-flavoured fantasy mystery. Short and fun.
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9
Shadows of Self (Mistborn Era 2 #2)
Shadows of Self (Mistborn Era 2 #2)
2015 · Wax and Wayne investigate a serial killer with unusual powers.
Buy →
10
The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn Era 2 #3)
The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn Era 2 #3)
2016 · The search for a mythical object. Major Cosmere connections.
Buy →
11
Edgedancer (Stormlight novella)
Edgedancer (Stormlight novella)
2016 · Follows Lift between books 2 and 3. Short but essential.
Buy →
12
Oathbringer (Stormlight #3)
Oathbringer (Stormlight #3)
2017 · Dalinar's backstory. The most emotionally complex Stormlight book.
Buy →
13
Dawnshard (Stormlight novella)
Dawnshard (Stormlight novella)
2020 · Follows Rysn. Read before Rhythm of War.
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14
Rhythm of War (Stormlight #4)
Rhythm of War (Stormlight #4)
2020 · The war enters a new phase. Major magic system revelations.
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15
The Lost Metal (Mistborn Era 2 #4)
The Lost Metal (Mistborn Era 2 #4)
2022 · Wax and Wayne's final adventure. Era 2 concludes.
Buy →
16
Wind and Truth (Stormlight #5)
Wind and Truth (Stormlight #5)
2024 · The first Stormlight arc concludes. Major Cosmere events.
Buy →

Non-Cosmere Series

Great entry points for readers who want simpler Sanderson without Cosmere complexity.

1
The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
2006 · Also Cosmere, but fully self-contained and the best introduction to Sanderson's style.
Buy →
2
The Rithmatist
The Rithmatist
2013 · YA standalone. A magic system based on chalk drawings. Charming and inventive.
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3
Skyward
Skyward
2018 · YA sci-fi. A girl determined to become a starfighter pilot in a world under siege.
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4
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
2023 · Lighthearted standalone. A man wakes in medieval England with no memory.
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The Stormlight Archive — In Order

The main event. Plan for very long books.

1
The Way of Kings
The Way of Kings
2010 · ~1,000 pages. Three POVs: Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar.
Buy →
2
Words of Radiance
Words of Radiance
2014 · ~1,000 pages. Shallan and Kaladin's stories converge.
Buy →
3
Edgedancer (novella)
Edgedancer (novella)
2016 · ~250 pages. Read between books 2 and 3.
Buy →
4
Oathbringer
Oathbringer
2017 · ~1,200 pages. Dalinar's backstory dominates.
Buy →
5
Dawnshard (novella)
Dawnshard (novella)
2020 · ~175 pages. Read before Rhythm of War.
Buy →
6
Rhythm of War
Rhythm of War
2020 · ~1,200 pages. War goes underground. Mental health themes.
Buy →
7
Wind and Truth
Wind and Truth
2024 · ~1,300 pages. Arc 1 concludes. Major Cosmere revelations.
Buy →

About Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson is the most prolific writer in contemporary epic fantasy. Born in 1975, he published his debut Elantris in 2005 and has since published more than 20 novels across multiple series, most set in a shared universe called the Cosmere. He is also the author who completed Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

Sanderson's defining characteristic is his magic systems — each series has an elaborate, rule-based system of magic unique to its world. He also maintains a YouTube channel and podcast (Intentionally Blank) explaining his work, and is known for completing series reliably and on schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Mistborn Series Order Stormlight Archive Series Order Books Like Mistborn Brandon Sanderson Author Page