Brandon Sanderson is undeniably a king of fantasy fiction. It’s rare to find a consistently prolific author who can churn out excellent stories time and time again.

Known for his elaborate plots and unique magic systems (which are often based on science), most of his works unfold in the Cosmere, a shared universe where a mysterious being called Adonalsium is killed by sixteen conspirators, and its powers shattered into sixteen shards.

Taking these shards, the sixteen conspirators travel to new worlds and populate them with different forms of magic. These worlds are mostly unaware of each other, which effectively keeps the stories separate yet while still exhibiting common elements.

11 Best Brandon Sanderson Books

Newbies might find Sanderson’s works daunting at first, due to the shared universe element, but each of them works excellently as a stand-alone. If you’re having trouble choosing which book to start with, my personal list of favorites may be of help. Check it out below!

1. Elantris

For fans of traditional fantasy.

Sanderson’s debut novel was, at the time, a standalone epic fantasy that focused on the titular city populated by immortals who can create and heal with a simple gesture. The best part? Anyone can be an Elantrian through a magical transformation called the Shaod.

But tragedy strikes ten years before the story, destroying Elantrian magic, cursing the inhabitants, and sealing the city from the rest of society. Now anyone affected by the Shaod is thrown into the city, cursed with eternal hunger and pain.

This is the very first story to Sanderson’s Cosmere, laying down the foundation to what is now one of the most complex and detailed literary universes of modern fantasy.

2. Warbreaker

For fans of the sentient sword trope.

Warbreaker follows a young princess sent to be married to the God-king of a neighboring, hostile nation, and her older sister’s quest to bring her back home safely. Things get complicated when the God-king is revealed to be a puppet, and the two get caught up in a conspiracy for ultimate power.

To survive, the siblings ally themselves with a mysterious man who can use breath—magical energy that turns people into superhumans— and wields a talking and incredibly naive sword.

3. Steelheart

For fans of superheroes.

So, you’re more of a sci-fi kind of guy? Well, Sanderson’s got that too. The appearance of an orbiting cosmic entity known as Calamity turned some people into “Epics”, endowing them with superpowers that defy natural laws.

Dreams of finally having superheroes are crushed when these guys turn out to be major bad news. Governments collapsed and Epics enslaved the rest of humanity. Now one normal guy is out to get them, and he’s not stopping with just the Epic that killed his dad.

4. Arcanum Unbounded

For fans of short fiction.

If you’re not ready to dive into the deep end of the Cosmere, then try out Sanderson’s anthology of short works. Arcanum Unbounded contains nine short works that perfectly capture his writing style and voice while giving you a good starting point to the Cosmere.

The Emperor’s Soul, in particular, is a memorable read about a master forger who is forced into “Forging” a new soul for the emperor, who was left brain-dead by an assassination attempt.

5. White Sand

For fans of Tatooine.

Sanderson’s only graphic novel (for now), White Sand follows a group of people who can manipulate sand in many ways. When they’re suddenly slaughtered, the weakest of the group, Kenton thinks himself the only survivor. With unknown conspiracies and enemies circling around him, he allies with a woman who has dark secrets of her own.

If you’re a more visual reader, then this story can help you get into the world of the Cosmere. Only three volumes are currently out, but they’re quite lengthy ones, so you’re sure to get a few hours of reading.

6. Legion

For fans of psychology.

Stephen Leeds is rich, brilliant, and skilled at what he does thanks to his unique mental condition. He can generate a multitude of personas, each with its own set of skills and knowledge. Wherever he goes, a host of imaginary experts are there to help him out. When he receives an impossible photograph, he must track down the inventor of a camera that can take pictures of the past.

7. The Rithmatist

For fans of math.

In an alternate Earth, Rithmatics is a type of magic that uses chalk and geometry to combat wild monsters called Chalkings. Joel dreams of being a Rithmatist, but can only watch in envy as students practice the magical art he desperately wants to learn. When students begin disappearing, Joel is assigned to help in the investigations, leading to a discovery that will change their world forever.

8. The Gathering Storm 

For fans of epic fantasy.

When Robert Jordan died and left his epic fantasy series unfinished, his widow and editor chose Sanderson to finish the series. This, along with Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Light, not only stayed true to Jordan’s vision but are considered some of the best books in the series. I do recommend you start with the first book The Eye of the World and work your way to the end, though.

Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, is near and humanity isn’t ready. Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, is struggling to unite squabbling kingdoms and alliances while trying to form a temporary truce with an invading empire.

9. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

For fans of absurd situations and even more absurd abilities.

On his thirteenth birthday, Alcatraz Smedry receives a bag of sand from his parents. But it’s no ordinary sand and is quickly stolen by an evil cult of Librarians, whose goal is to take over the world by hiding the truth. It’s up to Alcatraz to stop them with the one talent he has: breaking things.

Filled with wit and hysterical “talents,” this is one of Sanderson’s more simple stories that are suitable when you want a quick, enjoyable read.

10. The Way of Kings (Book 1 of the Stormlight Series)

For fans of war stories.

The Knights Radiant have been gone for centuries, leaving their mystical swords and armor behind. Wars have been fought and won with these artifacts that turn men into near-invincible warriors.

One such war is being fought in the Shattered Plains where a soldier-turned-slave grows bitter from the leaders that consider them expendable; a war chief is troubled by apocalyptic visions, and ten armies fight separately against a single foe.

Ten years of planning, writing, and world-building have resulted in one of the most ambitious meta-series of modern fantasy.

11. Mistborn: The Final Empire (Book 1 of the Mistborn Series)

For fans of science-based magic.

For a thousand years, the Lord Ruler has dominated a world constantly drowning in ash, ruling it through absolute power and terror. When one oppressed person “snaps” and finds himself a mistborn—a person who can draw power from metals— he turns his talents of trickery and thieving into toppling the Lord Ruler’s regime.

Perhaps the most well-known of Sanderson’s books, Mistborn showcases his particular genius in creating unique magic systems and fleshed out world-building. This is (in my opinion) the best place to start discovering Sanderson’s universe. The best part is that it’s planned out to be a trilogy of trilogies, so expect a lot of enjoyable reading hours.

Should I Read Mistborn or Stormlight first?

If you’re wondering whether you should read Mistborn or Stormlight first, it really does depend on your preference, but let me give you my personal two cents. The Stormlight Archive is a planned 10-book epic fantasy series currently at its fourth book, while the Mistborn series are a set of three trilogies, which is currently at its second trilogy, or the sixth book. Looking at book volume alone, Mistborn is the clear winner.

If you haven’t read any Sanderson books yet, then Mistborn will also be an easier introduction to his works. The mainline story is already finished, so you can enjoy a complete, stand-alone storyline compared to Stormlight, which might take another decade or so to complete.

I also feel like Mistborn is easier to digest as it’s a more compact story, while Stormlight embarks on truly epic proportions of everything. You’ll be able to better grasp Sanderson’s style, voice, and Cosmere-building.

Not convinced? You can check out Sanderson’s blog, where he has his own suggestions on where to start.

What Is Brandon Sanderson’s Net Worth?

Brandon Sanderson’s net worth is estimated to be $6 million. Learn more about the world’s richest authors.

Reading Brandon Sanderson Books

Sanderson, or “Brando Sando” as his loving fans call him, has yet to reveal the endgame for the Cosmere. And he’s showing no signs of wrapping it up as of yet, so expect a lot more books from him to add to your to-be-read list.

This article is a general introduction to his work that is meant to help you out if you’ve just discovered the dude. It covers the basics of his work, gets into some details about himself, and gives you some direction on where you can start.

If you’re already a hardcore fan though, you might not get much out of this. But let me take the opportunity to remind you to re-read his books again. You might just find another one of the tidbits Sanderson likes to hide in his works. Enjoy the reading!

Do you have a favorite book by Brandon Sanderson? Share it in the comments below!

 

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