Brandon Sanderson is one of the biggest names in modern fantasy. Not only is he regarded as one of the greats, but he’s also one of the most prolific authors. His most well-known books are those belonging to the Cosmere and if you’re new to his writing, you may be wondering about the best Cosmere reading order.
There are four main ways to approach reading the Cosmere books in order. The first is by order of publication, the second is by order of series, the third is in chronological order, and finally there is Brandon Sanderson’s recommended reading order.
We’ll walk you through each of these Cosmere reading orders and also what order might be best depending on what type of reader you are.
About the Cosmere
Now, if you’ve seen Brandon Sanderson’s name dominating bestsellers lists or news headlines for his record-breaking Kickstarter in 2021, but have yet to pick up a book by him, it can feel overwhelming to know where to begin.
Massive fans of Sanderson and the Cosmere can become a bit like Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with all the theories and Easter eggs. While it is true that the Cosmere and its books are becoming more blatantly interconnected, don’t let that intimidate you from entering into this universe.
The Cosmere is the setting for the majority of Sanderson’s books, but said universe is vast and features numerous different planets. Each series has a different tone, which you can use to decide where you should begin, and takes place on a different planet.
For example, The Stormlight Archive takes place on Roshar and is Sanderson’s spin on a classic, epic fantasy with numerous POVs and large-scale battles. Then, Mistborn takes place on Scadrial. The original trilogy is the First Era which has a more heist-like feel, then the Wax and Wayne series takes place on the same planet but during the Second Era and has a Western vibe.
To round out the remaining full-length novel settings, Elantris is politically-focused and takes place on Sel, while Warbreaker has a strong romance storyline and takes place on Nalthis. There are also a few unnamed planets have been the setting for short stories, novellas, and the Secret Projects that take place in the Cosmere.
While each world is vastly different, they coexist together, so the unique magic systems interconnect and work alongside each other. This interconnectedness also means that if you have a keen eye, you’ll see familiar characters pop up on different worlds.
These explanations, however, are massive oversimplifications of Sanderson’s brilliance.
About Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is unmistakably one of the most popular authors in fantasy. But before he became a household fantasy name, Sanderson wrote 12 full-length novels that were rejected by publishers.
Collectively, his books have now sold 30 million copies around the world. Sanderson was also the author chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series after Jordan’s death. More recently in 2022, he made Kickstarter history by raising more than $41.7 million to deliver books directly into the hands of readers.
Sanderson is beloved for the relationship he has with his fans. Writing the Secret Projects as a fun surprise, while not impacting his already busy publishing schedule is just one such example. His transparency surrounding his writing is another.
After the fifth Stormlight book, which has a tentative working title of Knights of Wind and Truth, there will be a big gap before the next book in the series. Sanderson writes and publishes two books a year like clockwork with a rotation for different series and special projects.
Typically, there are around three years between the publication of Stormlight books, but after the fifth book there will be a six-year gap. There will also be a 15-year gap in-book as well and book five marks the halfway point in the planned 10-book series.
But even though Sanderson will be changing his writing schedule and rotation, he will still be publishing a phenomenal amount. He plans to use this time to begin the Third Era in Mistborn. Other book projects he has spoken about include a fourth Mistborn series, a sequel to Elantris, a sequel to Warbreaker, a trilogy about the origins of the Cosmere, and much, much more.
But Rust and Ruin, let’s move on to the Cosmere reading order.
#1 – Cosmere Reading Order by Publication
I like to start my reading order lists with the most straight-forward reading order, and that is by publication. So, below is the order in which Brandon Sanderson wrote the Cosmere books. This is how millions of fans read the books for the first time, and it’s also worthy of consideration for you too.
If you want the full experience and to witness the trajectory of Sanderson’s career as an author, this is the reading order for you. Since this begins with Sanderson’s debut publication, you can really see his growth as a writer as he gained more experience.
However, this reading order might feel a bit disjointed. That’s because the Cosmere reading order by publication will jump between series and, subsequently, planets.
1. Elantris (2005)
2. The Hope of Elantris (Short Story) (2006)
Mistborn: First Era
3. The Final Empire (2006)
4. The Well of Ascension (2007)
5. Hero of Ages (2008)
6. Warbreaker (2009)
The Stormlight Archive
7. The Way of Kings (2010)
Mistborn: Second Era
8. The Alloy of Law (2011)
9. The Eleventh Metal (Short Story) (2012)
10. The Emperor’s Soul (Novella) (2012)
The Stormlight Archive Cont.
11. Words of Radiance (2014)
12. Sixth of the Dusk (Novella) (2014)
13. Shadows For Silence in the Forests of Hell (Novella) (2015)
Mistborn: Second Era Cont.
14. Shadows of Self (2015)
15. The Bands of Mourning (2016)
16. Mistborn: Secret History (Novella) (2016)
17. Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania (Short Story) (2016)
18. White Sand, Vol. 1 (Graphic Novel) (2016)
The Stormlight Archive Cont.
19. Edgedancer (Novella) (2016)
20. Oathbringer (2017)
21. White Sand, Vol. 2 (Graphic Novel) (2017)
22. White Sand, Vol. 3 (Graphic Novel) (2019)
The Stormlight Archive Cont.
23. Dawnshard (Novella) (2020)
24. Rhythm of War (2020)
Mistborn: Second Era Cont.
25. The Lost Metal (2022)
Sanderson Kickstarter Secret Projects
26. Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023)
27. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023)
28. The Sunlit Man (Expected: October 10, 2023)
29. White Sand Omnibus (Expected: November 8, 2023)
The Stormlight Archive Cont.
30. Horneater (Novella) (Expected: 2024)
31. Knights of Wind and Truth (Expected: Fall 2024)
#2 – Cosmere Reading Order by Series
The Cosmere reading order by publication is a bit of a hot mess, no?
For that reason, this reading order will arrange everything by series. So, this will keep novellas and books in order of publication within their respective series.
This Cosmere reading order is for the reader who doesn’t like to jump around from series to series. You can follow one set of characters for the duration of your time in that world.
However, there are a few guidelines that may help inform you with where to begin. As previously mentioned, there are two eras to the Mistborn series. So, the first three books follow one set of characters on Scadrial, while the Second Era follows a new main cast of characters. In addition to the characters and tonal change, there is also a technological and societal shift between eras, so this makes it an easy place to pause.
Also, many readers overlook Sanderson’s early works of Elantris and Warbreaker. However, there are characters from Warbreaker that appear in Stormlight. So, if you read Warbreaker first you won’t miss the importance, and delight, of those characters appearing.
Elantris
1. Elantris
– The Hope of Elantris (Short Story)
– The Emperor’s Soul (Novella)
Mistborn
1. The Final Empire
2. The Well of Ascension
3. Hero of Ages
4. The Alloy of Law
– The Eleventh Metal (Short Story)
5. Shadows of Self
6. The Bands of Mourning
– Mistborn: Secret History (Novella)
7. The Lost Metal
Standalones
– Warbreaker
– Sixth of the Dusk (Novella)
– Shadows For Silence in the Forests of Hell (Novella)
– Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania (Short Story)
The Stormlight Archive
1. The Way of Kings
2. Words of Radiance
2.5 Edgedancer (Novella)
3. Oathbringer
3.5 Dawnshard (Novella)
4. Rhythm of War
4.5 Horneater (Novella) (Expected: 2024)
5. Knights of Wind and Truth (Expected: Fall 2024)
Taldain – Graphic Novels
1. White Sand, Vol. 1
2. White Sand, Vol. 2
3. White Sand, Vol. 3
4. White Sand Omnibus (Expected: November 8, 2023)
Sanderson Kickstarter Secret Projects
1. Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023)
2. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023)
3. The Sunlit Man (Expected: October 10, 2023)
#3 – The Cosmere in Chronological Order
Next is actually the Cosmere reading order that I would least recommend – at least for newcomers. That’s because this reading order will contain spoilers.
For example, if you read Mistborn: Secret History where it falls chronologically, which is before the second book in the original First Era trilogy, you will encounter major spoilers for the series.
This will ruin the anticipation and intrigue surrounding critical moments. So, following the publication order of the Mistborn series as a newcomer will maintain the preservation of these moments and ensure the best reading experience.
Therefore, a chronological Cosmere reading order is best as a re-read of the books. That’s because your first time reading about these different worlds and characters is best spent enjoying the moment and watching events unfold.
Then if you want to delve deeper into the lore of the Cosmere and start compiling theories or predictions, a read-through of the books in chronological order can help make that possible.
One thing to note, however, is that Sanderson has very purposefully not canonized the exact timeline. Therefore, this list is as accurate as can be at the time of writing.
A final note is where the Secret Projects slot into the overall timeline. Sanderson has only given fans an answer about the chronology for Secret Project #4. According to a livestream, The Sunlit Man takes place around the same time as Sixth of the Dusk, maybe a little bit after.
Taldain – Graphic Novels
1. White Sand, Vol. 1
2. White Sand, Vol. 2
3. White Sand, Vol. 3
4. White Sand Omnibus (Expected: November 8, 2023)
Elantris
1. Elantris
– The Hope of Elantris (Short Story)
– The Emperor’s Soul (Novella)
Mistborn: First Era
– The Eleventh Metal (Short Story)
1. The Final Empire
– Mistborn: Secret History (Novella)
2. The Well of Ascension
3. Hero of Ages
– Warbreaker
– Shadows For Silence in the Forests of Hell (Novella)
The Stormlight Archive
1. The Way of Kings
2. Words of Radiance
2.5 Edgedancer (Novella)
3. Oathbringer
3.5 Dawnshard (Novella)
4. Rhythm of War
4.5 Horneater (Novella) (Expected: 2024)
5. Knights of Wind and Truth (Expected: Fall 2024)
– Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania (Short Story)
Mistborn: Second Era
1. The Alloy of Law
2. Shadows of Self
3. The Bands of Mourning
4. The Lost Metal
– Sixth of the Dusk (Novella)
#4 – Brandon Sanderson’s Recommendation
Finally, I’ll keep this last Cosmere reading order recommendation short. This is the reading order that Brandon Sanderson once recommended on his website.
However, Sanderson himself says that you can really start anywhere in the Cosmere. That’s because the books do not overlap and are all self-contained stories. Many fans may have entered the Cosmere in this way, choosing first the series that interested them most before making the decision to commit to the whole universe.
Cosmere lore continues to grow and be shaped with each book Sanderson writes. That knowledge will enhance your Cosmere reading experience, but it is not necessary to enjoy each series.
There is one book though that Sanderson does suggest readers do not begin their Cosmere reading order with. That book is The Alloy of Law. While it is an OK entry-point for the Cosmere as a whole, it will have major spoilers for the First Era of Mistborn in the original trilogy. It is the first book in the Second Era, but the fourth book for the Mistborn series overall.
Mistborn
1. The Final Empire
2. The Well of Ascension
3. Hero of Ages
4. The Alloy of Law
– The Eleventh Metal (Short Story)
5. Shadows of Self
6. The Bands of Mourning
– Mistborn: Secret History (Novella)
7. The Lost Metal
– The Emperor’s Soul (Novella)
Elantris
– Elantris
– The Hope of Elantris (Short Story)
The Stormlight Archive
1. The Way of Kings
2. Words of Radiance
2.5 Edgedancer (Novella)
3. Oathbringer
3.5 Dawnshard (Novella)
4. Rhythm of War
4.5 Horneater (Novella) (Expected: 2024)
5. Knights of Wind and Truth (Expected: Fall 2024)
Brandon Sanderson didn’t include any of the standalone novellas or graphic novels (besides Emperor’s Soul) in his list, so I’ve removed them here. We’ll assume you can read those whenever.
Final thoughts on the Cosmere reading orders
I’ve officially read every book in the Cosmere. How many have you read?
My own personal Cosmere reading order was a little bit different than any of the ones I listed here. Which helps emphasize that while these are the four main Cosmere reading orders, there are many more ways to read these books.
I read them in this order: Mistborn 1-3, Stormlight 1-4, Mistborn 4-6, Elantris, Warbreaker, Stormlight 5, Mistborn 7.
I’ve also read all the Cosmere novellas and short stories, but I don’t remember exactly when I read them.
As we get further along into Brandon Sanderson’s journey through the Cosmere, I think there will be many more fans who read the books in some combination of by series to get caught up, then by publication in order to stay caught up. What order did you first read the Cosmere books in?
4 thoughts on “Cosmere Reading Order | 4 Ways to Read Brandon Sanderson’s Books”
I’ve just started out with Elantris and I look forward to this mammoth universe. Your books look interesting as well; I shall make sure I check them out next! Thank you for this list.
That’s how I would do it as well! For me, I read the first three Mistborns, then read all of Stormlight, then read the last three Mistborns, and then went back and did the standalones.
If I were doing it again, I’d probably still read the Mistborn trilogy first, then I’d probably read the standalones. Because I felt like Stormlight was the best of all of them and I’d probably would have liked to have saved that for last.
Plus, there’s a character in Stormlight that you’ll first meet in Warbreaker. It doesn’t hurt to read them the way I did. You wouldn’t even know that character was important, but it would have been nice to read Warbreaker first.
I started with Alloy of Law 😆 My mom likes the 2nd seeies best so she said I could just start there. But it made me curious about the lore of the 1st one and I found it really interesting reading the 1st series with the little hints I’d had from Alloy of Law. I then went back and reread Alloy of Law and the next 2 and a half books. I stopped to wait for my husband to catch up so we could read rhe 4th together and listened to the WHOLE Stormlight archive in the mean time and then gave up on waiting and just finished the 4th. While reading The Lost Metal I realized that the 2 series were connected and was curious about the other Cosmere lore and just started Elantris yesterday. It has been an adventure.