Mistborn author Brandon Sanderson has become one of the most celebrated names in contemporary fantasy, with his best novels falling in that genre. Since his debut novel Elantris was released in 2005, Sanderson has risen to international prominence and acclaim through book series like Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive, both of which are part of a grander fictional universe called the Cosmere. His various series and standalone novels are connected by Easter eggs and world-hopping characters, making his Cosmere project one of the most ambitious and expansive overarching narratives that literature has ever seen.

Brandon Sanderson has a massive following online due to his podcast, YouTube channel, and website, where he’s appreciated for his transparency regarding his progress on his books. He’s constantly praised for his writing speed, having released four entire novels in 2023 through his Secret Projects Kickstarter campaign. His next novel will be The Stormlight Archive book 5, titled Wind and Truth, which will be released in December 2024, marking the end of the first arc of his sprawling epic fantasy series. Until then, there are several great reads to catch up on.

10

Warbreaker

Warbreaker Is One Of Sanderson’s Best Standalone Fantasy Novels

by Dan Dos Santos””>

Warbreaker is one of Sanderson’s earlier novels that doesn’t get enough credit. While it’s not directly part of any of his main series, the book is part of the Cosmere universe and has direct ties to events in The Stormlight Archive, making it a must-read for any fans of that saga. As for Warbreaker itself, it has many of the qualities that Sanderson stories are known for: compelling magic, riveting pacing, and excellent characters, with the benefit of being compact in a one-off installment.

While Elantris has a follow-up novella and sequels planned, Warbreaker is a self-contained story, making it one of the most accessible arcs to enjoy from start to finish in Sanderson’s world. It boasts a 4.3 score from readers on GoodReads, which is on the lower end compared to novels in The Stormlight Archive but still an impressive number overall. Warbreaker isn’t quite as well-developed as Sanderson’s larger series, as his greatest skills are in long-term plotting and slow-burn character arcs, but it’s still a highly enjoyable read.

9

The Lost Metal

The Lost Metal Aptly Concludes Mistborn Era 2

Overall, Mistborn Era 2 isn’t as strong of a series as the original Mistborn trilogy, but The Lost Metal squeezes into Sanderson’s best novels, proving once again how effective the author is with endings. Despite being a four-book series, Mistborn Era 2’s novels are relatively short, resulting in a lack of certain elements that make Sanderson’s long-form novels so powerful. The Lost Metal is the best of the four, especially due to its expanded connectivity with the growing Cosmere world.

The Lost Metal is a rewarding conclusion to Era 2, which has its lulls throughout the four-book saga. The Alloy of Law is the worst Mistborn book, and it takes some time for the series to really establish itself with character dynamics. Wax has the most time in the spotlight and is compelling throughout, but it isn’t until The Bands of Mourning that Steris truly shines, and it isn’t until The Lost Metal that Wayne and Marasi prove their worth in Sanderson’s pantheon of great protagonists. The book has a well-deserved 4.48 GoodReads score, but Era 2 isn’t as ultimately satisfying.

8

Tress Of The Emerald Sea

Tress Is The Perfect Novel For First-Time Sanderson Readers

by Howard Leon””>

Tress of the Emerald Sea was the first of Brandon Sanderson’s Secret Projects, released in 2023 to his backers and then later to the public. It immediately jumped out as one of the author’s best standalone books since there’s plenty for first-time readers to enjoy, even though it has plenty of Cosmere Easter Eggs and references. The 2023 fantasy adventure is one of Sanderson’s most accessible works, with the author even suggesting it as an ideal entry point to his fantasy universe.

The novel has a 4.41 score on GoodReads, but it earns a higher position than The Lost Metal due to its unique excellence. Tress of the Emerald Sea is one of Sanderson’s most vibrant and imaginative stories, with some of the most deeply interpersonal narratives in the author’s oeuvre. Sanderson’s stories continue to advance fantasy with modern elements, but Tress returns to the genre’s whimsical fairy tale roots, resulting in an incredibly emotional experience.

7

Oathbringer

Oathbringer Is The Weakest Stormlight Archive Book (But It’s Still Great)

by Michael Whelan””>

Though Oathbringer is the weakest in the series, there’s immense praise to give each volume of The Stormlight Archive series, as it’s widely perceived as Brandon Sanderson’s magnum opus. As for Oathbringer, the book’s 4.62 score on GoodReads is still pretty high, but it’s tied for the lowest in the series. It suffers from pacing issues, with characters like Kaladin and Shallan underutilized compared to the other volumes. Overall, it has the worst usage of the ensemble cast, but it still has incredibly high points worth noting.

Dalinar Kholin is perhaps Brandon Sanderson’s masterwork character, with his arc being Oathbringer’s standout. Through flashbacks, the novel sees Dalinar at his lowest points, answering long-standing mysteries about his violent past. By the end of the novel, he affirms his status as one of the greatest heroes in the Cosmere. His arc is truly a spectacle, filled with unforgettable moments.

6

Rhythm Of War

Rhythm Of War Is The Most Emotional Stormight Archive Installment

by Michael Whelan””>

Rhythm of War is the most recent novel in The Stormlight Archive series, and it shares Oathbringer’s 4.62 score on GoodReads. These two novels are a toss-up, as a condensed explanation could suggest their strengths and weaknesses are directly opposite. While Oathbringer benefits from one commanding character arc, Rhythm of War lacks the hard-hitting, climactic, jump-out-of-the-seat-and-celebrate moments that the other three novels in the series have had.

On the other hand, Rhythm of War perfectly handles the aspects Oathbringer struggles with, utilizing practically every character to their best and elevating figures like Navani and Venli. In a fantasy epic that hones in on the psychological aspects of its cast, Rhythm of War sees characters like Kaladin, Shallan, and more experience some of the most profound internal struggles in the series, resolving carefully built aspects of their story. The book has some of the deepest emotional arcs in Sanderson’s universe, and it deserves its praise.

5

The Hero Of Ages

The Hero Of Ages Perfectly Concludes Mistborn Era 1

As previously mentioned, Brandon Sanderson knows how to deliver a moving ending, and there’s no better example than The Hero of Ages, which concluded the first arc of the Mistborn series. The novel has a 4.54 score on GoodReads, which is actually the highest in the seven-book Mistborn saga, and much of the credit for this goes to how impactful the ending has been on modern fantasy audiences. The Mistborn trilogy is Sanderson’s most widely-read work; hence, the conclusion remains in the hearts of audiences over a decade later.

The Hero of Ages proves that a bittersweet fantasy ending can resonate deeply and serves as a perfect blueprint for Sanderson’s slow-burn, character-driven model of storytelling across multiple novels. The third Mistborn book also has a compelling mystery aspect and some of the series’ most hard-hitting plot twists, but it falls short of The Final Empire due to having a less compelling antagonist and less interesting narratives with supporting characters. Still, it’s hard to negate the visceral impact of the trilogy’s ending.

4

Yumi And The Nightmare Painter

Yumi Is Sanderson’s Most Unique, Artistic Novel

For many of the reasons Tress of the Emerald Sea is so successful, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is even more notable despite being less broadly read. It’s another Cosmere installment that doesn’t require experience with previous novels but is highly rewarding to those who’ve paid close attention. The book combines Sanderson’s interests, incorporating elements of fantasy and Japanese media, making it another of his most individual reads.

With a 4.48 GoodReads score, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter has the highest rating from audiences out of the four Secret Project novels. For readers who love supernatural stories, romance, or anime and manga, the 2023 book is one of Sanderson’s most soulful creations. It’s vivid and artistic, making it one of the Cosmere’s most impressive literary experiences. It may not have the epic action/adventure sensation of The Stormlight Archive, but it proves Sanderson’s versatility as a writer.

3

The Final Empire

The Final Empire Perfectly Introduces The Mistborn Series

The Final Empire is the best Mistborn book and Brandon Sanderson’s best work outside of The Stormlight Archive. It perfectly sets up the world of Scadrial as a gloomy, atmospheric world with a unique fantasy aesthetic and incorporates many of Sanderson’s most notable tropes. There are complex protagonists in Kelsier and Vin, lovable supporting characters, a villain with more to him than what meets the eye, and a riveting mystery that makes it impossible to put the book down.

In terms of pacing and constant suspense, The Final Empire is one of Sanderson’s crowning achievements. Of course, the Mistborn magic system is one of the author’s claims to fame, and it’s a huge reason for the book’s success. The Final Empire manages to present readers with a complicated, in-depth form of magic that comes with built-in dramatic elements and does so without obstructing the narrative. Not to mention, nearly two decades later, The Lord Ruler is still one of the Cosmere’s most unforgettable antagonists.

2

The Way Of Kings

The Way Of Kings Is One Of The Most Fun Fantasy Books Ever Written

by Michael Whelan””>

The Way of Kings is to The Stormlight Archive as The Final Empire is to Mistborn. It’s the book that grips readers into an enthralling, magical new world with properties so unlike real life yet somehow provides a sense of familiarity and home. The Way of Kings focuses primarily on Kaladin and his journey with Bridge Four, a group of slaves with one of the riskiest jobs in the Alethi army, but it also introduces readers to other leading heroes like Shallan and Dalinar.

The Stormlight Archive’s first volume comes in at just over 1,000 pages, yet it’s still the simplest and lightest read in the series. The Way of Kings terrifically introduces audiences to the world of Roshar, but comparatively, it’s a small piece of a much grander puzzle that’s still only beginning to unfold. Sanderson has ten novels planned for the series, with the material growing heavier in each one. That leaves book 1 to stand out as the series’ most fun, engaging novel with its lowest stakes.

1

Words Of Radiance

Words Of Radiance Is Sanderson’s Masterwork

by Michael Whelan””>

If The Stormlight Archive is Sanderson’s magnum opus, Words of Radiance is widely agreed to be his greatest novel. The 2014 novel has his highest GoodReads score by far, with a ridiculously impressive 4.76 rating. The sophomore novel still isn’t quite as dark and moody as the later installments, but the stakes are heightened as all the main characters come together on the Shattered Plains. While The Way of Kings makes readers fall in love with the individual protagonists, Words of Radiance teases their relationships.

Friendships and romantic interests form slowly throughout the novel as the main characters start to find their purposes together. Roshar’s magic system is more thoroughly introduced, and supporting figures like Moash, Elhokar, and Amaram really begin to shine through, creating unpredictable conflicts for the heroes. The arena pit fight and the final battle are some of Brandon Sanderson’s greatest action sequences, exceptionally demonstrating how his masterful character work adds to the drama of high-fantasy conflict.