Looking for the Stormlight Archive reading order? This guide breaks down exactly where to start, which books to read next, and where the novellas fit so you don’t accidentally spoil yourself or miss the best character beats.
The Stormlight Archive is epic fantasy on a ridiculous scale: a brutal world, a genuinely fun magic system, and some of Brandon Sanderson’s most addictive long-form storytelling, all sitting inside the larger Cosmere.
Jump to:
- Where to Start (Best Reading Order)
- Stormlight Archive Reading Order by Publication Date
- Recommended Cosmere Tie-Ins for Stormlight Archive
- Stormlight Archive Books FAQ
- Want to know more about the Cosmere?
Where to Start (Best Reading Order)
If you’re new to The Stormlight Archive, start with The Way of Kings and continue in publication order. That’s the simplest, spoiler-safe path and the way most readers experience the story.
Do you need the novellas?
They’re optional, but worth reading in their publication spots: Edgedancer after Words of Radiance, and Dawnshard after Oathbringer. They’re short, but they add important character and world context.
Stormlight Archive Reading Order by Publication Date
First Arc
- The Way of Kings (2010)
- Words of Radiance (2014)
Edgedancer (2016) — Novella - Oathbringer (2017)
Dawnshard (2020) — Novella - Rhythm of War (2020)
- Wind and Truth (2024)
Wind and Truth closes out the first major story arc of The Stormlight Archive, meaning books one through five form a complete series, but the story isn’t over.
Sanderson has long planned the saga as two connected arcs, so while the larger story continues, the next set of books is designed to feel like a fresh start—new focus, new phase, and a different era of Roshar—similar to how Mistborn shifts between its different eras.
Recommended Cosmere Tie-Ins for Stormlight Archive
This is not a full Cosmere reading order, and it’s not a chronological timeline.
Think of it as a recommended reading path for Stormlight readers who want a little more context around the Cosmere connections that show up on Roshar, especially the recurring “worldhopper” characters who sometimes appear under different names.
You can read The Stormlight Archive on its own and understand the story just fine.
This list simply places a few useful crossover books and related reads at points where they tend to click best, either because they introduce concepts Stormlight later plays with, or because certain character cameos will feel more rewarding when the source material is still fresh.
The Stormlight Archive books are bolded below to make them easier to spot.
- The Final Empire (Mistborn 1)
- The Well of Ascension (M2)
- Hero of Ages (M3)
- The Alloy of Law (M4)
- The Eleventh Metal (Mistborn Short Story)
- Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania (Mistborn Short Story)
- Shadows of Self (M5)
- The Bands of Mourning (M6)
- Mistborn: Secret History (Mistborn Novella)
- The Lost Metal (M7)
- The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive 1)
- Warbreaker
- Words of Radiance (SA 2)
- Edgedancer (SA Novella)
- Oathbringer (SA 3)
- Dawnshard (SA Novella)
- Rhythm of War (SA 4)
- Tress and the Emerald Sea (Secret Project 1)
- Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (Secret Project 3)
- The Sunlit Man (Secret Project 4)
- Wind and Truth (SA 5)
The Secret Projects
The Secret Projects are mostly separate from Stormlight’s main arc, so they aren’t required, and most of them won’t clarify the main Roshar plot.
The one exception is The Sunlit Man, which follows a character Stormlight readers will recognize, even though the story is still doing its own thing rather than continuing Stormlight’s central narrative.
The other two books heavily feature Hoid, who of course, is a recurring character throughout the Cosmere. However, neither of them specifically tie into Stormlight in any significant way beyond revealing more insight into the character of Hoid himself.
Whether you choose to read one (or none) of the Secret Projects is up to you, if you’re only concern is The Stormlight Archive.
Stormlight Archive Books FAQ
How many Stormlight Archive books are there?
Right now there are five main Stormlight Archive novels and two novellas that fit into the core reading experience. The series is planned as ten main novels total, split into two arcs of five, so more are coming, but you can read the first five as a complete “phase” of the story.
What is the Stormlight Archive reading order?
The cleanest Stormlight Archive reading order is publication order, with the novellas slotted where they were released. Read the main novels straight through, and add Edgedancer between Books 2 and 3, then Dawnshard between Books 3 and 4. That path is spoiler-safe and matches how most readers experienced the reveals.
Do I need to read Edgedancer and Dawnshard?
You don’t have to, but they are worth it. Edgedancer bridges character development that pays off later, while Dawnshard sets up context that makes parts of the later books hit cleaner. Treat them as “strongly recommended” rather than optional bonus fluff.
Do I need to read other Cosmere books before starting Stormlight?
No. Stormlight stands on its own, and you can start with Book 1 without doing any Cosmere homework. That said, a couple of non-Stormlight books can make certain background connections feel sharper, so if you enjoy spotting crossovers, you can follow your “Cosmere tie-ins” path, but it’s never required to understand the main plot.
Is The Way of Kings the first book in the Stormlight Archive series?
Yes. The Way of Kings is the starting line for the series, and it’s the best entry point for first-timers. Other books and novellas may connect to the world, but none of them replace the core experience of beginning with Book 1.
Want to know more about the Cosmere?
Want the full universe roadmap? Head over to my Cosmere reading order to see how Stormlight fits into the bigger picture.