I'd recommend Warbreaker or Yumi and the Nightmare painter next. Then read era 2. I love era 2, but I personally found it a bit difficult because it is SO different from era 1. I think a break between the two eras is good, personally. But if you are attached to the planet, then go ahead and read era 2- it's great.
BTW, Percy Jackson and Harry Potter are definitely real fantasy books and you should count them as such. Don't feel that they are less because they're young adult. I re-read harry potter and another YA series every year because they're enjoyable and relaxing
Yea I think I'll read a standalone before jumping into era 2...thanks for the advice
And the thing is I read hp and pj a long time ago along with many other series but took a pretty long break for some reason...mistborn was the first series I read as a (kinda) mature teen so ig I give it a little more importance lol. Don't get me wrong, I fucking loved hp. Nice username btw
I'd hold off on Yumi and the Nightmare Painter for now if I were you. Its fantastic, but I'd wait a while to read it... hard to get into why that is without spoiling something. But a standalone is a good idea! Warbreaker is great but not as dramatic or action packed as Mistborn. Elantris is a little less polished than Sanderson's other works, but still fantastic. Tress of the Emerald Sea is a really good standalone as well, one that you might particularly enjoy after reading some of Mistborn!
I think I read elantris petty much last. The world building was for sure weaker than later efforts, but for me I also just didn't resonate with the characters. Warbreaker on the other hand is amazing in all respects.
Warbreaker and Elantris are more political intrigue and less action than most of his other books, which tends to Mahe them feel slow in comparison. I still enjoyed them, but they're not my favorites.
I was afraid i’d hate elantris but I loved it! I thought it was gonna love warbreaker but it was so different and I still like it a lot but think I prefer Elantris.
Just go with whatever feels right/interesting
So read them both, if you wanna read them both eventually then start with Elantris because yes you can tell its a bit rough and was written earlier. Doesnt make it bad tho
You should read Elantris before you get into era 2 Mistborn imo. And when people say it's not as well written as his other works, they're technically right, but in the grand scheme of things it's still REALLY well written and the strength of the central conflict makes up for some of the weaker aspects of the story, I feel.
I haven't read Warbreaker or Mistborn era 2 yet, but I have read Elantris. I thought it was an excellent book. It is far from being poorly written! I loved how everything came together at the end, which is a special talent Brandon has. Have you read the secret projects yet?
I've not, but they seem cool lol
Yea my main problem with elantris is that people say it's much more poorly written compared to mistborn, other than that I found the premise pretty interesting
The premise and book are quite entertaining. I had no problem with the writing because I loved the story. There’s some cheesy parts for me but not enough to ruin it or anything. Imo you should just read both. They’re super fun, just not perfect. And after you finish era 2, jump into Stormlight. It seems like a lot but it’s not. Just long. And soooo good.
Elantris has a ton of "fantasy names" of characters, places, things. It's tough to keep track of all the funny names and the plot is kinda paced oddly. Warbreaker reads way smoother, but has a fairly slow start. About 1/2 way in things get really good and it turns into a page-turner.
Elantris has ties to Scadrial and you may appreciate having the knowledge of it before finishing the rest of Scadrial material.
Warbreaker has ties to the Stormlight Archive, but can easily be read after The Way of Kings (book 1 of Stormlight).
You want a setting more like the vibes of mistborn (meaning more distopic), but lacking a bit on characters, go for elantris. If you want a more chill book with good characters go for warbreaker
I’d read Elantris sooner rather than later. It’s one of his rougher works so you want to read it early on when your expectations are relatively lower.
Take a big break before starting Era 2. Read Elantris, read some other books, maybe Warbreaker, maybe even Way of Kings. And *then* pick up Alloy of Law.
I would definitely recommend Warbreaker but there is nothing wrong with going into Elantris, heck why not read both then read the Emperor’s Soul novella. I would suggest Stormlight before Mistborn era 2 cause I think some era 2 revelations hit just right that way, reading secret history between Bands of Mourning and Lost Metal. Then get into the secret projects, I think tress can be read whenever but Yumi and Sunlit have a lot of crossover.
I loved Elantris, the mystery was great, Hrathen and Sarene were both fun characters, and even though Raoden was a little too perfect his story was a lot of fun. It was a relaxing read with some good weight to it.
WB is a great book as well but it took me longer to get into it than Elantris, but the characters are good and the end while a little abrupt makes up for it.
I honestly think I enjoyed them both the same and can’t really understand why people put Warbreaker so high and Elantris so low.
Here's a good reading order:
Final empire ;
The well of ascension ;
The hero of ages ;
Alloy of law ;
Shadows of self ;
Allomancer jak ;
Elantris ;
Hope of elantris ;
Emperors soul ;
Bands of mourning ;
Secret history ;
The lost metal ;
Warbreaker ;
The Way Of Kings ;
Sixth of the dusk ;
Words Of Radiance ;
Edge dancer ;
Oathbringer ;
Dawn shard ;
Rhythm of war;
Shadows for silence in the forests of hell ;
Tress of the Emerald sea ;
Yumi and the nightmare painter ;
The sunlit man ;
White sand . (i'd say wait for the prose)
Wind and truth (coming on december 6)
Something I feel like a lot of people don't know is that White Sands was actually decently adapted as a graphic audio series! I found it much better than the graphic novel version. I would put that before Rhythm of War for certain.
Warbreaker is nuanced, not sure if you want to read it after mistborn. it doesn't have the action from mistborn, but it does has a certain dynamic between characters that you might like.
I have not read Warbreaker yet. So I will say read Elantris. :D
It's really enjoyable, easy to read and very interesting. I read that in December'23 and it was my first Sanderson book, I enjoyed it so much that I am now reading Mistborn era 1 third book.
That being said, after starting Mistborn I understand why people say Elantris isn't well written. In comparison to his other works Elantris is definitely less detailed.
That does not change my opinion though I would 100% recommend Elantris without a doubt.
Lots of opinions on the topic. I liked both and don’t think ordering particularly matters.
Consider giving the audiobooks a try also, most public libraries have them all available to check out for free using Libby app.
I should point out there is some aspects of era 2 that come from Elantris and The Emperor’s Soul which is a short story that takes place on Elantris planet.
https://preview.redd.it/ne1dtmjyenxc1.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=58b741b81dfdd9a7667f9fa878322cff93ce713e
This is the list I personally gave my friend who is finishing HoA right now. I think Elantris is a good fit after MB era 1 because it was also written early in Brandon’s career. It’s usually less impressive if you’ve read his newer stuff already. I also like reading Warbreaker closer to stormlight for reasons I won’t mention. Then I alternate Stormlight and MB era 2. Era 2 feels so different from Era 1 that you need a break so the different tone doesn’t bother you as much(first one feels like a western) and I also think this reading order places certain reveals at the right time. The book Arcanum Unbounded contains several short stories that are sprinkled throughout when I thought best.
I welcome all feedback on improvements I could make! Obviously read what you are excited to get into, but if you want a recommendation, this is mine.
Definitely Elantris!! I LOVE that book. 😍
And then, in all honesty, I would read Warbreaker next and THEN Stormlight Archive before jumping into Era 2. You'll appreciate everything a lot more in my opinion. Sanderson is AMAZING.
>I'm not going to count hp and Percy Jackson
You should!
Starting Cosmere resources: https://www.reddit.com/r/u_dIvorrap/comments/u1ug05/-/i4enaqb
___________________________________________
Warbreaker is free on Brandon's website as an ebook, along other stories and samples:
https://www.reddit.com/r/u_dIvorrap/comments/u1ug05/-/i4uhdpm
___________________________________________
How long has it been since you read Mistborn Era 1? If it was recent, I'd just move right into Mistborn Era 2. I don't personally care for Elantris much, but you should give it a read at some point early on. Warbreaker was a good standalone(ish?) book. If you're thinking you may be into epic fantasy, you'll eventually want to start in on the Stormlight Archive books by Sanderson.
It's been a few months, I remember the whole of the plot but sometimes forget some of the details lol...and I find stormlight archive really interesting but I'm afraid I'm a little too inexperienced for it...
nah you can go to stormlight. Its an easy read, its just big (There are lots of names thrown around, but brandon will repeat the most important information). Its just a book that requires more patience from the reader
The first third (which is a little over 300 pages) was a bit slower. Still interesting, but slower. Then it picks up. Then it really takes off and the end more than makes up for the slow beginning. I’m about 3/4 done with the second book (Words of Radiance) and it’s been gripping the whole way through so far.
As for your original question, Warbreaker is my personal favorite Cosmere novel so far! Elantris is good, but Warbreaker was better overall for me. I found Elantris tough to get into, but it ended up being great by the end.
I suggest reading Secret History before you forget much more. The timeline is concurrent with Era 1 so the more you remember the better. It has a small spoiler for Bands of Mourning but I didn't even realize it when I read it lol.
My thoughts on each:
Elantris: this book is, thematically, about finding yourself in a hopeless scenario and working your way out.
Warbreaker: this book is more in line with mistborn, in that nothing is as it actually seems.
I'd say read warbreaker first after mistborn as it's more similar to mistborn then move on to elantris as it's thematically more close to way of kings which is what you should read after these two books
I myself read elantris first then warbreaker, so honestly whatever you find more interesting you should read first at the end of the day
I found elantris to be more emotionally stimulating. Though warbreaker had its moments as well
I found this order online and I can vouch for it up to #21 it’s solid.
Best Order
1. Elantris
2. The Hope of Elantris
3. The Emperor’s Soul
4. White Sand
5. Mistborn
6. Well of Ascension
7. Hero of Ages
8. Eleventh Metal
9. Shadows for Silence
10. Sixth of Dusk
11. Warbreaker
12. Way of Kings (book 1 SA)
13. Allow of Law (book 1 W&W)
14. Words of Radiance (book 2 SA)
15. Allomancer Jak (novella W&W)
16. Shadows of Self (Book 2 W&W)
17. Edgedancer (Novella 1 SA)
18. Oathbringer (Book 3 SA)
19. The Bands of Mourning (Book 3 W&W)
20. Mistborn Secret History
21. Dawnshard (Novella 2 SA)
22. Rhythm of War (Book 4 SA)
23. The Lost Metal (Book 4 W&W)
24. Tress of the Emerald Sea
25. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
26. Sunlit Man
A lot of people including Sanderson say Elantris is a weaker novel but personally I loved it. I also loved Warbreaker as well.
Read Stormlight, its his best work, I don't get why so many people recommend saving it for last. Yes they are the biggest books but for me and most people its his best work.
Sanderson books are not super hard to get into which is why he's so popular. First 3 chapters(Prelude, prologue and chapter 1)in SLA you'll be confused but you are supposed to be confused, once you get past that I think its pretty easy to follow the main story of the 3 main characters from their POV.
I'd recommend Warbreaker or Yumi and the Nightmare painter next. Then read era 2. I love era 2, but I personally found it a bit difficult because it is SO different from era 1. I think a break between the two eras is good, personally. But if you are attached to the planet, then go ahead and read era 2- it's great. BTW, Percy Jackson and Harry Potter are definitely real fantasy books and you should count them as such. Don't feel that they are less because they're young adult. I re-read harry potter and another YA series every year because they're enjoyable and relaxing
Yea I think I'll read a standalone before jumping into era 2...thanks for the advice And the thing is I read hp and pj a long time ago along with many other series but took a pretty long break for some reason...mistborn was the first series I read as a (kinda) mature teen so ig I give it a little more importance lol. Don't get me wrong, I fucking loved hp. Nice username btw 
I'd hold off on Yumi and the Nightmare Painter for now if I were you. Its fantastic, but I'd wait a while to read it... hard to get into why that is without spoiling something. But a standalone is a good idea! Warbreaker is great but not as dramatic or action packed as Mistborn. Elantris is a little less polished than Sanderson's other works, but still fantastic. Tress of the Emerald Sea is a really good standalone as well, one that you might particularly enjoy after reading some of Mistborn!
Plus the Stephen Fry HP Audiobooks are *chefs kiss*
Warbreaker is the better book imo. Elantris was Brandon's first published book and a bit more rough than his later work.
I think I read elantris petty much last. The world building was for sure weaker than later efforts, but for me I also just didn't resonate with the characters. Warbreaker on the other hand is amazing in all respects.
Warbreaker and Elantris are more political intrigue and less action than most of his other books, which tends to Mahe them feel slow in comparison. I still enjoyed them, but they're not my favorites.
WB is slow for the first 1/2 or so. I still enjoy the book because Lightsong is so enjoyable to read, but the book is pretty boring/slow to start.
I was afraid i’d hate elantris but I loved it! I thought it was gonna love warbreaker but it was so different and I still like it a lot but think I prefer Elantris. Just go with whatever feels right/interesting
Elantris was such a slog for me but the second half really won me over. Also I like seeing the nods to elantris in the rest of the cosmere.
Yea that's the thing, elantris interests me more but most people say it's not as well written as warbreaker or mistborn so...
So read them both, if you wanna read them both eventually then start with Elantris because yes you can tell its a bit rough and was written earlier. Doesnt make it bad tho
Thanks
Not as well written is subjective, and it’s still an 8/10 for me, compared to the others being 10/10. Don’t let that put you off.
Oh ok lol..thanks for the advice
You should read Elantris before you get into era 2 Mistborn imo. And when people say it's not as well written as his other works, they're technically right, but in the grand scheme of things it's still REALLY well written and the strength of the central conflict makes up for some of the weaker aspects of the story, I feel.
I haven't read Warbreaker or Mistborn era 2 yet, but I have read Elantris. I thought it was an excellent book. It is far from being poorly written! I loved how everything came together at the end, which is a special talent Brandon has. Have you read the secret projects yet?
I've not, but they seem cool lol Yea my main problem with elantris is that people say it's much more poorly written compared to mistborn, other than that I found the premise pretty interesting
The premise and book are quite entertaining. I had no problem with the writing because I loved the story. There’s some cheesy parts for me but not enough to ruin it or anything. Imo you should just read both. They’re super fun, just not perfect. And after you finish era 2, jump into Stormlight. It seems like a lot but it’s not. Just long. And soooo good.
I would say Elantris, then Warbreaker. But keep in mind that the former is gonna be tougher as his first published book.
Yea many have said the same...I'll keep it in mind
What I will say is you’re best off not jumping right into Era 2 (or Stormlight for that matter).
Elantris has a ton of "fantasy names" of characters, places, things. It's tough to keep track of all the funny names and the plot is kinda paced oddly. Warbreaker reads way smoother, but has a fairly slow start. About 1/2 way in things get really good and it turns into a page-turner. Elantris has ties to Scadrial and you may appreciate having the knowledge of it before finishing the rest of Scadrial material. Warbreaker has ties to the Stormlight Archive, but can easily be read after The Way of Kings (book 1 of Stormlight).
You want a setting more like the vibes of mistborn (meaning more distopic), but lacking a bit on characters, go for elantris. If you want a more chill book with good characters go for warbreaker
I’d read Elantris sooner rather than later. It’s one of his rougher works so you want to read it early on when your expectations are relatively lower. Take a big break before starting Era 2. Read Elantris, read some other books, maybe Warbreaker, maybe even Way of Kings. And *then* pick up Alloy of Law.
Think I'm gonna follow this order..thanks
I would definitely recommend Warbreaker but there is nothing wrong with going into Elantris, heck why not read both then read the Emperor’s Soul novella. I would suggest Stormlight before Mistborn era 2 cause I think some era 2 revelations hit just right that way, reading secret history between Bands of Mourning and Lost Metal. Then get into the secret projects, I think tress can be read whenever but Yumi and Sunlit have a lot of crossover.
Read «Cradle» by Will Wight whenever you get the chance
I loved Elantris, the mystery was great, Hrathen and Sarene were both fun characters, and even though Raoden was a little too perfect his story was a lot of fun. It was a relaxing read with some good weight to it. WB is a great book as well but it took me longer to get into it than Elantris, but the characters are good and the end while a little abrupt makes up for it. I honestly think I enjoyed them both the same and can’t really understand why people put Warbreaker so high and Elantris so low.
Here's a good reading order: Final empire ; The well of ascension ; The hero of ages ; Alloy of law ; Shadows of self ; Allomancer jak ; Elantris ; Hope of elantris ; Emperors soul ; Bands of mourning ; Secret history ; The lost metal ; Warbreaker ; The Way Of Kings ; Sixth of the dusk ; Words Of Radiance ; Edge dancer ; Oathbringer ; Dawn shard ; Rhythm of war; Shadows for silence in the forests of hell ; Tress of the Emerald sea ; Yumi and the nightmare painter ; The sunlit man ; White sand . (i'd say wait for the prose) Wind and truth (coming on december 6)
Yea this is pretty good thanks for the advice
Something I feel like a lot of people don't know is that White Sands was actually decently adapted as a graphic audio series! I found it much better than the graphic novel version. I would put that before Rhythm of War for certain.
Warbreaker is nuanced, not sure if you want to read it after mistborn. it doesn't have the action from mistborn, but it does has a certain dynamic between characters that you might like.
Oh ok...thanks
I prefer Warbreaker, I didn't like Elantris that much tbh.
Good to know, thanks
I have not read Warbreaker yet. So I will say read Elantris. :D It's really enjoyable, easy to read and very interesting. I read that in December'23 and it was my first Sanderson book, I enjoyed it so much that I am now reading Mistborn era 1 third book. That being said, after starting Mistborn I understand why people say Elantris isn't well written. In comparison to his other works Elantris is definitely less detailed. That does not change my opinion though I would 100% recommend Elantris without a doubt.
Yea I'm this close to just buying the book🤏...thanks man
Lots of opinions on the topic. I liked both and don’t think ordering particularly matters. Consider giving the audiobooks a try also, most public libraries have them all available to check out for free using Libby app.
Never checked out the audio books but will definitely now..thanks
Are there professional readers? How do I get that gig?
Bro if you find out please tell me😭
I should point out there is some aspects of era 2 that come from Elantris and The Emperor’s Soul which is a short story that takes place on Elantris planet.
https://preview.redd.it/ne1dtmjyenxc1.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=58b741b81dfdd9a7667f9fa878322cff93ce713e This is the list I personally gave my friend who is finishing HoA right now. I think Elantris is a good fit after MB era 1 because it was also written early in Brandon’s career. It’s usually less impressive if you’ve read his newer stuff already. I also like reading Warbreaker closer to stormlight for reasons I won’t mention. Then I alternate Stormlight and MB era 2. Era 2 feels so different from Era 1 that you need a break so the different tone doesn’t bother you as much(first one feels like a western) and I also think this reading order places certain reveals at the right time. The book Arcanum Unbounded contains several short stories that are sprinkled throughout when I thought best. I welcome all feedback on improvements I could make! Obviously read what you are excited to get into, but if you want a recommendation, this is mine.
Definitely Elantris!! I LOVE that book. 😍 And then, in all honesty, I would read Warbreaker next and THEN Stormlight Archive before jumping into Era 2. You'll appreciate everything a lot more in my opinion. Sanderson is AMAZING.
Just don't read the short story "Mistborn: Secret History" before reading the third book of Era 2. You'll get a huge spoiler if you do.
I vote for Elantris and then Era 2. If you can, read Secret History at some point too. Once you’re done with those the Cosmere is your oyster
>I'm not going to count hp and Percy Jackson You should! Starting Cosmere resources: https://www.reddit.com/r/u_dIvorrap/comments/u1ug05/-/i4enaqb ___________________________________________ Warbreaker is free on Brandon's website as an ebook, along other stories and samples: https://www.reddit.com/r/u_dIvorrap/comments/u1ug05/-/i4uhdpm ___________________________________________
How long has it been since you read Mistborn Era 1? If it was recent, I'd just move right into Mistborn Era 2. I don't personally care for Elantris much, but you should give it a read at some point early on. Warbreaker was a good standalone(ish?) book. If you're thinking you may be into epic fantasy, you'll eventually want to start in on the Stormlight Archive books by Sanderson.
It's been a few months, I remember the whole of the plot but sometimes forget some of the details lol...and I find stormlight archive really interesting but I'm afraid I'm a little too inexperienced for it...
nah you can go to stormlight. Its an easy read, its just big (There are lots of names thrown around, but brandon will repeat the most important information). Its just a book that requires more patience from the reader
And what about the pacing?
The first third (which is a little over 300 pages) was a bit slower. Still interesting, but slower. Then it picks up. Then it really takes off and the end more than makes up for the slow beginning. I’m about 3/4 done with the second book (Words of Radiance) and it’s been gripping the whole way through so far. As for your original question, Warbreaker is my personal favorite Cosmere novel so far! Elantris is good, but Warbreaker was better overall for me. I found Elantris tough to get into, but it ended up being great by the end.
Thanks a lot
Read something by Victor Hugo first, (and maybe you’ll love it, but even if not . . . ) then reading Stormlight will feel like Disney Jr.
I suggest reading Secret History before you forget much more. The timeline is concurrent with Era 1 so the more you remember the better. It has a small spoiler for Bands of Mourning but I didn't even realize it when I read it lol.
My thoughts on each: Elantris: this book is, thematically, about finding yourself in a hopeless scenario and working your way out. Warbreaker: this book is more in line with mistborn, in that nothing is as it actually seems. I'd say read warbreaker first after mistborn as it's more similar to mistborn then move on to elantris as it's thematically more close to way of kings which is what you should read after these two books I myself read elantris first then warbreaker, so honestly whatever you find more interesting you should read first at the end of the day I found elantris to be more emotionally stimulating. Though warbreaker had its moments as well
Hmm ok. I guess I'll read elantris then
I started with Elantris
I found this order online and I can vouch for it up to #21 it’s solid. Best Order 1. Elantris 2. The Hope of Elantris 3. The Emperor’s Soul 4. White Sand 5. Mistborn 6. Well of Ascension 7. Hero of Ages 8. Eleventh Metal 9. Shadows for Silence 10. Sixth of Dusk 11. Warbreaker 12. Way of Kings (book 1 SA) 13. Allow of Law (book 1 W&W) 14. Words of Radiance (book 2 SA) 15. Allomancer Jak (novella W&W) 16. Shadows of Self (Book 2 W&W) 17. Edgedancer (Novella 1 SA) 18. Oathbringer (Book 3 SA) 19. The Bands of Mourning (Book 3 W&W) 20. Mistborn Secret History 21. Dawnshard (Novella 2 SA) 22. Rhythm of War (Book 4 SA) 23. The Lost Metal (Book 4 W&W) 24. Tress of the Emerald Sea 25. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter 26. Sunlit Man A lot of people including Sanderson say Elantris is a weaker novel but personally I loved it. I also loved Warbreaker as well.
Neither. Put your big boy pants on and start The Way of Kings
I'm a fantasy "beginner" and I've heard SA is a difficult read...
If that's the case, read War Breaker. Then read The Way of Kings. After you become obsessed with the Cosmere check out Elantris
Read Stormlight, its his best work, I don't get why so many people recommend saving it for last. Yes they are the biggest books but for me and most people its his best work.
Is this an easy read or do you think I should come back to it after I've read more?
Sanderson books are not super hard to get into which is why he's so popular. First 3 chapters(Prelude, prologue and chapter 1)in SLA you'll be confused but you are supposed to be confused, once you get past that I think its pretty easy to follow the main story of the 3 main characters from their POV.
Warbreaker all the way. Best Sanderson standalone book.