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Brandon Sanderson Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide to Every Series

Updated September 2026

Brandon Sanderson Books in Order: The Short Answer

Brandon Sanderson has published well over forty books since Elantris in 2005, and most belong to the Cosmere, a shared universe of separate series set on different planets. To read Brandon Sanderson books in order, you don't need strict publication order: start with Mistborn: The Final Empire, then follow each series in sequence.

His other books sit outside the Cosmere, from middle-grade comedy to young adult science fiction.

The Cosmere novels in publication order:

  1. Elantris (2005)
  2. Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006)
  3. The Well of Ascension (2007)
  4. The Hero of Ages (2008)
  5. Warbreaker (2009)
  6. The Way of Kings (2010)
  7. The Alloy of Law (2011)
  8. Words of Radiance (2014)
  9. Shadows of Self (2015)
  10. The Bands of Mourning (2016)
  11. Oathbringer (2017)
  12. Rhythm of War (2020)
  13. The Lost Metal (2022)
  14. Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023)
  15. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023)
  16. The Sunlit Man (2023)
  17. Wind and Truth (2024)
  18. Isles of the Emberdark (2025)
  19. The Fires of December (2026)

The newest is The Fires of December, the third Hoid's Travails novel (narrated by Hoid, following a heroine named December). Backers of his spring 2026 crowdfunding campaign got it first, and wider bookstore editions are expected in late 2026. The most recent book already in stores is Blightfall (September 1, 2026), the first book of the Riftwake trilogy that continues the Skyward series.

In this guide:

The Cosmere Reading Order, Series by Series

You don't need to read the Cosmere in strict publication order. Each series works on its own; the crossovers are Easter eggs until late in The Stormlight Archive, where they start to matter. Here is each thread in its own reading order.

Mistborn, Era One (the original trilogy)

  1. The Final Empire (2006)
  2. The Well of Ascension (2007)
  3. The Hero of Ages (2008)

A heist crew tries to overthrow an immortal emperor using magic fueled by swallowed metals. It has one of the most satisfying endings in modern fantasy. The novella Mistborn: Secret History (2016) runs alongside this trilogy but spoils it badly, so save it until after The Bands of Mourning.

Mistborn, Era Two (Wax and Wayne)

  1. The Alloy of Law (2011)
  2. Shadows of Self (2015)
  3. The Bands of Mourning (2016)
  4. The Lost Metal (2022)

Three hundred years later, the same world has railroads and revolvers. Lighter and funnier than Era One, and a good palate cleanser. Read Era One first.

The Stormlight Archive

# Title Year
1 The Way of Kings 2010
2 Words of Radiance 2014
2.5 Edgedancer (novella) 2016
3 Oathbringer 2017
3.5 Dawnshard (novella) 2020
4 Rhythm of War 2020
5 Wind and Truth 2024

Sanderson's flagship: a planned ten-book war epic in two five-book arcs. Wind and Truth (December 2024) closed the first arc. Each volume runs over a thousand pages in hardcover. The novellas fill gaps between the main books and are worth reading in the slots shown.

Standalone Cosmere novels

  • Elantris (2005): his first published novel, set in a city of fallen gods.
  • Warbreaker (2009): two princesses, a court of returned gods, and color-powered magic. Read before Words of Radiance, because a character crosses over.
  • The Emperor's Soul (2012, novella): won the Hugo Award for Best Novella. A great short sampler.
  • Tress of the Emerald Sea (2023): a fairy-tale adventure in the spirit of The Princess Bride. The best Cosmere book for younger teens.
  • Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (2023): a quieter, strange and lovely romance.
  • The Sunlit Man (2023): a chase across a planet where the sunrise kills. Best read after Rhythm of War, as it follows a character from Stormlight.
  • Isles of the Emberdark (2025): builds on the world of the novella Sixth of the Dusk, which it reworks into flashbacks.
  • The Fires of December (2026): the third Hoid's Travails book, after Tress and Yumi.

Arcanum Unbounded (2016) collects most of the shorter Cosmere fiction, including The Emperor's Soul, Sixth of the Dusk, Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell and Mistborn: Secret History. Buy that rather than hunting the novellas one by one. The White Sand graphic novels (2016–2019, later an omnibus) are the only place to get that part of the Cosmere.

Where to Start With Sanderson, by Type of Reader

  • Adults and older teens new to Sanderson: Mistborn: The Final Empire. Finish the trilogy, then decide between Era Two and The Way of Kings.
  • Readers who want the big one right away: The Way of Kings is a legitimate starting point, as long as you know the first three hundred pages are slow and the last two hundred are why people love it.
  • Want to test the style in one sitting: The Emperor's Soul or Tress of the Emerald Sea.
  • Middle school readers: the Alcatraz books (ages 8–12 and very silly) or The Rithmatist. Our fantasy series for middle schoolers list has more at this level.
  • Teens who like science fiction: Skyward. Fighter pilots, a talking spaceship, and a heroine who refuses to quit. If it clicks, our science fiction books for teens guide picks up from there.

Some readers want to try the older fantasy writers who are most often recommended alongside Sanderson before committing to a thousand-page Stormlight volume. Our Tolkien reading order and Ursula K. Le Guin reading guide both work as a first step into epic fantasy.

Skyward, Reckoners and the Other Non-Cosmere Books

Skyward (young adult science fiction)

  1. Skyward (2018)
  2. Starsight (2019)
  3. Cytonic (2021)
  4. Defiant (2023)

Three Skyward Flight novellas written with Janci Patterson, Sunreach, ReDawn and Evershore (all 2021), fit between Cytonic and Defiant and are collected in Skyward Flight (2022). The sequel trilogy, Riftwake, began with Blightfall on September 1, 2026, written mainly by Patterson with Sanderson revising. Book two, Songrise, is expected in 2027.

The Reckoners (young adult superhero)

  1. Steelheart (2013)
  2. Firefight (2015)
  3. Calamity (2016)

In a world where everyone with superpowers turned evil, a teenager joins the rebels hunting them. Lux (2021), set in the same world and co-written with Steven Michael Bohls, was released as an Audible audiobook only.

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (middle grade)

  1. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (2007)
  2. Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones (2008)
  3. Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia (2009)
  4. Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens (2010)
  5. Alcatraz Versus the Dark Talent (2016)
  6. Bastille Versus the Evil Librarians (2022, with Janci Patterson)

Everything else

  • The Rithmatist (2013): chalk-drawing magic at a boarding school. A sequel has been promised for years with no date.
  • The Legion novellas (2012, 2014, 2018), collected as Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds (2018).
  • The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (2023).
  • Tailored Realities (December 9, 2025): ten non-Cosmere short works including Snapshot, Perfect State and the new novella Moment Zero.
  • The Wheel of Time: after Robert Jordan died in 2007, Sanderson finished his series with The Gathering Storm (2009), Towers of Midnight (2010) and A Memory of Light (2013).

Sanderson Content Notes for Families

Sanderson is popular with homeschool families for a reason: his books have no explicit sex scenes, and the swearing is almost entirely made-up in-world curses. Romance is present but chaste on the page.

That doesn't mean everything is for kids. The Cosmere books have large-scale battles, on-page deaths, slavery, and in The Stormlight Archive, a frank and sympathetic treatment of depression, trauma and suicidal thoughts. Most families find Mistborn and the Skyward books fine from about 13; Stormlight suits older teens who can handle both the length and the heavier themes. Alcatraz is the one series written for younger readers. For a teen who isn't ready for Stormlight yet, our best fantasy books for teens list sorts shorter series by age.

The Mistborn Movie and Stormlight TV Series at Apple

In January 2026, Apple announced a deal for the Cosmere, with a Mistborn film and a Stormlight Archive television series in development. Sanderson is writing the Mistborn screenplay himself and has reported finishing a first draft, calling it an early step in a long process. No cast, director or release dates have been announced for either project.

What Comes After Wind and Truth

Sanderson has said the third era of Mistborn comes next, with the second arc of Stormlight after that. Neither has a release date yet. In the meantime, The Fires of December reaches bookstores in late 2026 and Songrise is expected in 2027.

Shopping for Sanderson Books Secondhand

His hardcovers are heavy and expensive new, which makes them ideal used purchases; mass-market Mistborn paperbacks turn up often too. See every Brandon Sanderson book we have now, then look around our fantasy and science fiction shelves. Free shipping applies on orders over $15.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Brandon Sanderson book to start with?

Mistborn: The Final Empire. It is self-contained, fast-moving, and introduces the Cosmere without requiring any background. The Way of Kings is the other common starting point if you want his biggest series.

What is Brandon Sanderson's newest book?

The Fires of December, the third Hoid's Travails novel, went to Kickstarter backers first in 2026, with wider bookstore editions expected in late 2026. Blightfall, the first Riftwake book, came out on September 1, 2026.

Do I need to read the Cosmere books in order?

No. Each series stands on its own. Reading Mistborn Era One and Warbreaker before the later Stormlight books helps, because characters and ideas cross over.

How many Stormlight Archive books are there?

Five novels so far, ending with Wind and Truth (2024), plus the novellas Edgedancer and Dawnshard. The series is planned at ten books.

Are Brandon Sanderson books appropriate for teens?

Generally yes. There are no explicit sex scenes and little real profanity, but there is war violence, and Stormlight deals seriously with depression and suicidal thoughts. Skyward, Reckoners and Tress of the Emerald Sea are the easiest fits for younger teens.

Is there a Mistborn movie?

One is in development at Apple, announced in January 2026 alongside a Stormlight Archive TV series. Sanderson has reported finishing a first draft of the Mistborn screenplay, but no release date has been set.

Is Skyward part of the Cosmere?

No. Skyward, Reckoners, Alcatraz, The Rithmatist and Legion are all separate from the Cosmere.

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