Brandon Sanderson Reading Order (2026): Where to Start with the Cosmere
Brandon Sanderson is one of the most popular fantasy authors writing today, and one of the most daunting to start. Most of his adult fantasy is set in the Cosmere, a shared universe of novels, novellas and shorter stories, and he keeps adding to it.
This Brandon Sanderson reading order guide helps you choose your first book, follow Mistborn and the Stormlight Archive in order, and fit the standalones and novellas around them. You will also find a publication-order checklist and the latest confirmed releases for 2026.
Last fact-checked: October 15, 2026. Reading suggestions below are our recommendations; future release plans can change.
Where to Start with Brandon Sanderson
For most new readers, start with Mistborn: The Final Empire. Its mix of a heist, rebellion and inventive magic gives you a good feel for his writing, and the original trilogy has its own ending.
- Want a short introduction? Try The Emperor’s Soul, a standalone novella.
- Prefer a lighter adventure? Choose Tress of the Emerald Sea.
- Ready for a sprawling epic? Begin the Stormlight Archive with The Way of Kings.
There is no single compulsory order across the whole Cosmere. Sanderson’s official starting guide allows you to begin with the first book of a series. Keep each series in sequence and check novella spoiler warnings as you go.
In This Guide
- Recommended Cosmere reading path
- Mistborn reading order
- Stormlight Archive reading order
- Cosmere standalones
- White Sand and Cosmere short fiction
- Special editions and collector’s copies
- Cosmere publication-order checklist
- Non-Cosmere books
- New and upcoming books
- About Brandon Sanderson
- Reading-order questions
Brandon Sanderson Cosmere Reading Order: Our Recommended Path
If you like having a plan, this route keeps related stories together without asking you to switch series every few chapters. You can change the order of the standalones or start with Stormlight if that is what appeals to you.
- Read Mistborn Era 1: The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages.
- Try the earlier standalones: Elantris, The Emperor’s Soul and Warbreaker, in any order.
- Begin Stormlight: The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Edgedancer, Oathbringer, Dawnshard and Rhythm of War.
- Read Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, The Bands of Mourning, then Secret History before The Lost Metal.
- Explore the newer standalones: Tress of the Emerald Sea, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter and The Sunlit Man. Finish Stormlight’s first arc with Wind and Truth, then try Isles of the Emberdark.
Fit White Sand and the independent short stories into breaks between series. Our placement of Warbreaker before Words of Radiance helps you recognize connections; it is a bonus rather than required homework. Similarly, we suggest saving The Sunlit Man until after Dawnshard and Rhythm of War for context. It was published before Wind and Truth, so you can read it before that book.
What Is the Cosmere?
The Cosmere is the shared universe behind Mistborn, the Stormlight Archive and several other fantasy stories. Its worlds have their own cultures and magic: Scadrial for Mistborn, Roshar for Stormlight, Sel for Elantris and The Emperor’s Soul, Nalthis for Warbreaker, and Taldain for White Sand.
Characters and ideas cross between these worlds, but you do not need to understand the entire universe to enjoy your first book. The wider connections become more interesting as you read. Skyward and Sanderson’s other non-Cosmere stories do not belong in this sequence.
Mistborn Reading Order
Mistborn is told in eras, each set in a different period of the same world. For a first read, we recommend the original trilogy before the Wax and Wayne books: later books refer back to its outcome.
Mistborn Era 1: The Original Trilogy
1. Mistborn: The Final Empire
2006 · Mistborn Era 1, book 1
An unlikely young recruit joins a crew with an ambitious plan: challenge the ruler of an empire built on ash, mist and oppression.
Read our review of Mistborn: The Final Empire for a closer look.
2. The Well of Ascension
2007 · Mistborn Era 1, book 2
Continue directly from The Final Empire as the consequences of the first book expand into a larger struggle. Its setup reveals the previous book’s ending.
3. The Hero of Ages
2008 · Mistborn Era 1, book 3
The concluding volume brings the original trilogy’s mysteries and conflicts together. Finish it before moving into Era 2 or Secret History.
Mistborn Era 1: Three-Book Paperback Box Set
Want the original trilogy together? This set includes Mistborn: The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages. It covers the complete first era, rather than the entire Mistborn saga. Click below to get the trilogy in one set.
Mistborn Era 2: The Wax and Wayne Books
Set roughly three centuries later, Era 2 brings firearms, railways and a different pace to Scadrial. It is a four-book sequence, not another trilogy.
4. The Alloy of Law
2011 · Mistborn Era 2
Meet Wax and Wayne as the series moves into a more industrial age. This begins a new cast’s story, with references to the original trilogy.
5. Shadows of Self
2015 · Mistborn Era 2
Continue Wax and Wayne’s story here. Read after The Alloy of Law rather than treating it as a separate entry point.
6. The Bands of Mourning
2016 · Mistborn Era 2
Read the third Wax and Wayne novel next. Its revelations are a reason to delay Secret History on a first read.
7. The Lost Metal
2022 · Mistborn Era 2
This concludes Wax and Wayne’s four-book arc and brings the wider Cosmere further into view. Our route puts Secret History immediately before it.
Where Does Mistborn: Secret History Fit?
2016 · Companion novella
Spoiler warning: Sanderson’s official Mistborn page flags major spoilers for Era 1 and minor spoilers for The Bands of Mourning. Our safest first-read recommendation is after The Bands of Mourning and before The Lost Metal. Readers who choose it immediately after The Hero of Ages should know about that trade-off.
It is also included in Arcanum Unbounded; you do not need both editions to read the story.
Wax and Wayne: Four-Book Paperback Box Set
Continue your collection with all four Era 2 novels: The Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, The Bands of Mourning and The Lost Metal. Secret History is separate. Click below to get the complete Wax and Wayne arc.
Stormlight Archive Reading Order
Sanderson’s epic of knights, storms and ancient oaths is much larger in scale. The first five main novels form the first arc; the planned ten-book series is not finished. The two companion novellas slot between the numbered novels.
1. The Way of Kings
2010 · Stormlight book 1
Begin here for the world of Roshar, its storms and its divided societies. You can start Stormlight without having read Mistborn.
2. Words of Radiance
2014 · Stormlight book 2
Continue after The Way of Kings. Reading Warbreaker beforehand adds context to some connections, but Stormlight’s main story remains understandable on its own.
2.5. Edgedancer
2016 · Stormlight novella
Read after Words of Radiance and before Oathbringer. This follows Lift and is included in Arcanum Unbounded as well as sold separately.
3. Oathbringer
2017 · Stormlight book 3
Return to the main sequence after Edgedancer. Keep the books in order rather than jumping to a favorite character’s volume.
3.5. Dawnshard
2020 · Stormlight novella
Place this expedition story between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War. It is a separate novella and is not included in Arcanum Unbounded.
4. Rhythm of War
2020 · Stormlight book 4
Read after Oathbringer, with Dawnshard in between if you are including the novellas. It continues the conflict of the earlier main novels.
5. Wind and Truth
2024 · Stormlight book 5
The fifth main novel closes Stormlight’s first arc. The larger series is planned to continue with a second five-book arc.
For additional extras, Sanderson’s official Stormlight page also lists Elsecaller with Dan Wells and King Lopen: The First of Alethkar with Isaac Stewart after Edgedancer. These Story Deck tales are optional extras; they are not additional numbered novels.
Stormlight Archive: Five-Book Hardcover Box Set
Collect the first five main novels, from The Way of Kings through Wind and Truth. This is the complete first arc, not the finished ten-book series; Edgedancer and Dawnshard are not included. Tor lists this hardcover set for October 27, 2026, so it is a preorder at this guide’s October 15 update. Click below to preorder the five-book set.
Cosmere Standalones and Secret Projects
These are good places to take a break from the longer series. Elantris and The Emperor’s Soul share a world but tell independent stories; the latter does not require the former.
Elantris
2005 · Standalone novel
Sanderson’s debut centers on a city whose former glory has become a curse. Planned sequels do not prevent you from reading this story now.
Warbreaker
2009 · Standalone novel
Gods, political maneuvering and color-based magic make this another accessible entry point. We recommend it before Words of Radiance if you enjoy spotting crossovers.
Sanderson also offers a free Warbreaker ebook through his online library.
The Emperor’s Soul
2012 · Standalone novella
A skilled Forger faces the task of recreating an emperor’s soul. This compact story won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella.
Also included in Arcanum Unbounded. The cover shown is the tenth-anniversary edition; the story first appeared in 2012.
Tress of the Emerald Sea
2023 · Standalone Cosmere novel
A young woman leaves her familiar island for a dangerous voyage. Its storybook feel makes it a welcoming alternative to starting a long epic.
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
2023 · Standalone Cosmere novel
Two people from different cultures find their lives unexpectedly linked. Choose this if you want an intimate, romance-centered story alongside the fantasy.
The Sunlit Man
2023 · Standalone Cosmere novel
Nomad arrives on a world where surviving the moving sunlight is a daily challenge. We recommend this later in your journey for its Stormlight connections.
Our suggested placement is after Dawnshard and Rhythm of War. This is an editorial recommendation, not a compulsory official order.
Isles of the Emberdark
2025 Dragonsteel edition · February 3, 2026 Tor edition
A far-future Cosmere adventure brings Sixth of the Dusk’s world into a wider conflict. It expands the earlier novella, so that novella is not required beforehand.
The original four Secret Project novels released in 2023 included three Cosmere titles: Tress, Yumi and The Sunlit Man. The fourth, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, is outside the Cosmere. Isles of the Emberdark was the later fifth Secret Project.
White Sand and Cosmere Short Fiction
White Sand
Graphic novel · Taldain
Kenton and Khriss introduce another Cosmere world, where magic draws on sand. The omnibus collects the story from the three graphic-novel volumes. Read the omnibus or the separate volumes; you do not need both.
The trade-paperback omnibus pictured was released by Dynamite on May 29, 2024. It is adapted with Rik Hoskin, with art by Julius Gopez, Fritz Casas and Julius Ohta. The White Sand material in Arcanum Unbounded is an excerpt, not this complete graphic novel.
Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection
2016 · Collection
Treat this as a shelf of stories rather than reading it straight through on your first Cosmere visit. Check the warnings before each entry and avoid reading series companions too early.
It contains The Emperor’s Soul, Edgedancer and Mistborn: Secret History, so buying those separately is optional. It does not include Dawnshard.
| Story or excerpt | Suggested placement |
|---|---|
| The Emperor’s Soul | Any time; independent of Elantris |
| The Hope of Elantris | After Elantris |
| The Eleventh Metal | After The Final Empire for a first read |
| Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania | After The Alloy of Law |
| Mistborn: Secret History | After The Bands of Mourning on our first-read route |
| Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell | Any time; independent story |
| Sixth of the Dusk | Any time; optional before Isles of the Emberdark |
| Edgedancer | After Words of Radiance, before Oathbringer |
| White Sand excerpt | A sample; use the graphic novel for the complete story |
These placements are intended to keep a first read comfortable; consult the collection’s own spoiler notices before an entry. The official collection page lists its contents.
Special Editions and Collector’s Copies
Want a gift edition or a matching shelf? Choose the exact format before ordering: cover art, binding and extras differ between publishers and printings. Collector’s editions are optional alternatives to the same stories.
The Emperor’s Soul: Tenth-Anniversary Edition
The cover in this guide shows the tenth-anniversary edition. Use its purchase button above if you want a separate keepsake copy; if you only want to read the story, Arcanum Unbounded already includes it.
Dragonsteel Leatherbounds and Premium Secret Projects
Dragonsteel offers a leatherbound edition of Mistborn: The Final Empire and a premium illustrated edition of Tress of the Emerald Sea. These are collector alternatives; check the listing for the current binding, signature option and stock.
Its Secret Projects premium four-book bundle contains Tress, Yumi, The Sunlit Man and The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook. That last title is outside the Cosmere. Click the Dragonsteel links to explore the premium editions directly. These are not the standard Tor editions pictured in the individual book sections.
Blightfall: Special First Edition
This September 1, 2026 novel by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson starts the Riftwake follow-up to Skyward. It is not a Cosmere book. The publisher describes the special first edition as having sprayed edges and patterned endpapers. Check that the retailer specifies that printing, since later copies may not include those extras. Click below to look for the special first edition.
Cosmere Publication-Order Checklist
Prefer to follow the books as readers originally encountered them? This checklist covers the main Cosmere novels, companion novellas and collection discussed here. Years refer to the original story release, not a later paperback or publisher edition. Independent short stories are covered above; this is not a complete bibliography of every Sanderson work.
| Year | Book | Series or format |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Elantris | Standalone |
| 2006 | Mistborn: The Final Empire | Mistborn Era 1 |
| 2007 | The Well of Ascension | Mistborn Era 1 |
| 2008 | The Hero of Ages | Mistborn Era 1 |
| 2009 | Warbreaker | Standalone |
| 2010 | The Way of Kings | Stormlight 1 |
| 2011 | The Alloy of Law | Mistborn Era 2 |
| 2012 | The Emperor’s Soul | Novella |
| 2014 | Words of Radiance | Stormlight 2 |
| 2015 | Shadows of Self | Mistborn Era 2 |
| 2016 | The Bands of Mourning | Mistborn Era 2 |
| 2016 | Mistborn: Secret History | Novella; also in Arcanum Unbounded |
| 2016 | Arcanum Unbounded, including Edgedancer | Collection; Edgedancer is Stormlight 2.5 |
| 2017 | Oathbringer | Stormlight 3 |
| 2020 | Dawnshard | Stormlight 3.5 |
| 2020 | Rhythm of War | Stormlight 4 |
| 2022 | The Lost Metal | Mistborn Era 2 |
| 2023 | Tress of the Emerald Sea | Standalone |
| 2023 | Yumi and the Nightmare Painter | Standalone |
| 2023 | The Sunlit Man | Standalone |
| 2024 | Wind and Truth | Stormlight 5 |
| 2025 | Isles of the Emberdark | Standalone; Tor edition in 2026 |
| 2026 | The Fires of December | Audio listed October 6; Tor print scheduled December 8 |
White Sand is a graphic-novel sequence rather than a single original release: the omnibus is an alternative to its three volumes. For a first read, the spoiler guidance in the series sections takes priority over treating every same-year release as interchangeable. The Fires of December has format-specific dates: Macmillan lists the audio edition for October 6, 2026 and the Tor print edition for December 8, 2026. See the new-release section before choosing an edition.
Brandon Sanderson’s Non-Cosmere Books
Not everything Sanderson writes is part of the Cosmere. Here are some other starting points, rather than a complete list of all his work:
- Skyward: a young adult science-fiction series. Read Skyward, Starsight, Cytonic and Defiant in sequence. The companion collection Skyward Flight, written with Janci Patterson, contains Sunreach and ReDawn (between Starsight and Cytonic) and Evershore (alongside Cytonic). Read these before Defiant.
- Riftwake: the sequel series to Skyward, co-written with Janci Patterson, begins with Blightfall. It was released on September 1, 2026; it is no longer an upcoming title. Finish Skyward first to avoid its spoilers.
- The Reckoners: start with Steelheart, then Firefight and Calamity. The companion novella Mitosis follows Steelheart; Lux, co-written with Steven Michael Bohls, is an additional story in that world.
- The Rithmatist: a young adult fantasy novel involving magical chalk drawings.
- Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians: a comic middle-grade series, beginning with the book of that name.
- Legion: stories about Stephen Leeds and his imagined expert personalities, collected in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds.
- The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (2023): the non-Cosmere novel from the original Secret Projects.
- Tailored Realities (2025): a collection of non-Cosmere short fiction.
- The Wheel of Time: Sanderson completed Robert Jordan’s series with The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Light. Those are the final three volumes of Jordan’s larger series; do not start there.
New and Upcoming Brandon Sanderson Books
The Fires of December
2026 · Audio listed October 6; Tor print edition December 8
This Cosmere novel follows December as she travels upriver to warn a royal court of an approaching plague. It belongs to Hoid’s Travails, a group of standalone stories that can be read in any order. As checked on October 15, Macmillan lists the audio edition for October 6, 2026, while the Tor print edition is scheduled for December 8. The print button below is therefore a preorder, not an already-released hardcover.
See the official publisher listing for edition and release details.
Sanderson’s State of the Sanderson 2025 update sets out a longer-term roadmap. These are plans, not guaranteed publication dates:
- Mistborn Era 3: Ghostbloods. The roadmap targets the first book for December 2028, then further books in December 2029 and December 2030.
- Elantris sequels. Planned, but the update leaves their placement uncertain. We are not treating the previously circulated 2029 date as confirmed.
- Stormlight’s second arc. Planned after the Ghostbloods work; there is no confirmed publication date for book six in that roadmap.
- White Sand prose revision. Still a planned project, without a firm release date in the update. The published graphic novel is available now.
If you are catching up today, Isles of the Emberdark and Blightfall are already available. Check announced future dates again before buying a preorder.
About Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is an American author of fantasy and science fiction, known for Mistborn, the Stormlight Archive and the interconnected Cosmere. His debut novel, Elantris, was published in 2005. He also completed the final three volumes of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, and his novella The Emperor’s Soul won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella.
Explore his books, essays and reading advice at Brandon Sanderson’s official website.
Brandon Sanderson Reading Order FAQ
Where should I start reading Brandon Sanderson?
For most readers, we suggest Mistborn: The Final Empire. Try The Emperor’s Soul if you want a novella, Tress of the Emerald Sea for a lighter standalone, or The Way of Kings for a large epic.
Should I read Mistborn or the Stormlight Archive first?
Mistborn is our usual first recommendation because its original trilogy is a smaller commitment. Stormlight is also a valid starting point if its premise appeals to you; begin with The Way of Kings.
Do I need to read all the Cosmere books in order?
No single cross-series order is compulsory. Read each main series in sequence and pay attention to companion-story spoilers. Reading for crossover recognition is optional.
Do I have to read Warbreaker before Words of Radiance?
No. We recommend it for extra context, but it is not required to follow Stormlight’s main story.
When should I read Mistborn: Secret History?
For the safest first read, after The Bands of Mourning and before The Lost Metal. It contains major Era 1 spoilers and minor spoilers for The Bands of Mourning.
Is the Stormlight Archive finished?
Its first five-book arc ends with Wind and Truth. The full series is planned to have ten main novels, so it is not finished.
Do I need Arcanum Unbounded and the separate novellas?
Not for the stories it already includes: The Emperor’s Soul, Edgedancer and Secret History. Dawnshard is separate, and its White Sand excerpt does not replace the full graphic novel.
Are Brandon Sanderson’s books suitable for teens?
Skyward, the Reckoners and The Rithmatist are written for young adult readers; Alcatraz is middle grade. Suitability varies among the adult fantasy books, which can include violence, trauma and other mature themes. Check the individual title’s content before choosing for a younger reader.
More Fantasy Reading Guides
- Sarah J. Maas books in order
- Throne of Glass reading order and series guide
- Zodiac Academy reading order
- Epic fantasy series to explore next
Sources and Edition Notes
Reading order and story placement were checked against Sanderson’s starting guide, his Mistborn and Stormlight series pages and the Arcanum Unbounded contents. Box-set contents and dates follow Tor’s listings for Mistborn Era 1, Wax and Wayne and Stormlight books 1–5. Penguin Random House supplies the Blightfall release and first-edition details. Publisher and author sites supply the cover and product imagery; editions may look different in other markets.