Worldhopping to Roshar[edit]
Vasher moved to Roshar and changed his name to Zahel. His main purpose in returning to Roshar was to have easier access to the Investiture (Stormlight) that he needs in order to survive.Nightblood is an Awakened sword, native to the world of Nalthis and formerly wielded by Vasher, now Zahel. It was later given to Szeth by Nale. It was created from the power of Breaths that had been pulled from living hosts and pushed into something unnatural.
If you're new to my books, here's a primer on where to start.
- If you don't typically read fantasy, try Steelheart or Elantris.
- If you consider yourself a fantasy reader, try Mistborn: the Final Empire or The Way of Kings.
- If you like romance, try Warbreaker.
Should I read Warbreaker before Words of Radiance? It's helpful but not necessary. Two characters cameo, one it is semi useful to understand their character and characteristics, one is a pure cameo. With Warbreaker you will understand them but without it you will be in the same camp as the Stormlight characters.
Azure first appears as Vivenna (age 22) in Warbreaker. She is firstborn, daughter of Dedelin, king of Idris, with (in birth order) brother Ridger, sister Fafen, and sister Siri (age 17). Vivenna is betrothed, by treaty, to the God King of Hallandren, an enemy nation.
Reading order for Cosmere series by Brandon Sanderson
- Elantris (2005)
- Mistborn Trilogy.
- Warbreaker (2009)
- The Stormlight Archive: The Way of Kings (2010)
- Mistborn: The Alloy of Law (2011)
- The Emperor's Soul (2012, novella)
- Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell (2013, short story published in Dangerous Women)
- The Stormlight Archive: Words of Radiance (2014)
Elantris consists of one prologue, sixty-three chapters, one epilogue, and one postscript, reaching a total 201,372 word count. There are nine different unique point-of-view characters in a total of 122 POVs.
Generally speaking, no. The book you should try to read - at least before you start Words of Radiance, and definitely before Oathbringer is Warbreaker. There are some mysterious communications in the books, and there are some other hints of the larger thing going on, but they are not very important prominent.
The name "Hoid" is likely the name he is hiding behind. Hoid was involved in the events taking place before any of the cosmere's published books begin, and is the second oldest character seen so far.
| Hoid |
|---|
| Universe | Cosmere |
| Featured In | The Stormlight Archive, Elantris, The Emperor's Soul, Mistborn, Warbreaker, White Sand |
Nightblood is a powerful sentient sword and Shardblade originally from Nalthis. It was created by Shashara with assistance from Vasher.
All of the books share a single creation myth (though not all cultures are aware of it), a single cosmology, and are connected by an overarching story. Elements of the cosmere are slowly being added into the books, behind the scenes, until they come into the forefront with Dragonsteel and the final Mistborn trilogy.
Hoid is former King Elhokar's Wit and entertainer. He is a recurring mysterious character in the cosmere who existed before the gods of the various worlds were created, and was involved in that situation.
Zahel has been confirmed to be native to the world, Nalthis. He appears in Warbreaker with the name Vasher, but is otherwise known by the nickname "Tax" for Talaxin. During the height of his power, Vasher only managed to Awaken metal on a few select occasions.
Hoid is a recurring character in the cosmere, as well as a legend rumored to have a thousand titles (most of which, he says, are not pleasant). He has appeared in almost every cosmere novel, short story, and novella which takes place in that universe. Note that his real name is likely not Hoid.
Great news for fans of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive: Tor has announced that the fourth book in the series will be released on November 17, 2020! Said Sanderson in a statement: It has been almost twenty years since I first outlined The Stormlight Archive.
Adonalsium is a mysterious being or force in the cosmere from which all Investiture is derived. These Shards each bear an aspect of Adonalsium's nature. The events on Yolen surrounding the Shattering of Adonalsium will be addressed in Dragonsteel.
I intentionally wrote Warbreaker as a standalone epic fantasy, much as my first book Elantris was. Obviously, I'm not the only one to release standalones in this genre. There's a grand tradition of it, and some of my personal favorite books are standalones.
Best advice: Read it all in publication order. As far as Elantris and Mistborn, I like Mistborn better so that's another good reason to read Elantris first. I generally recommend newcomers start with Mistborn though because that's a surefire way to get someone hooked on Sanderson.
Read 'Elantris' first. It was his debut, and my own gateway drug to his works. It also lays groundwork for his extended Cosmere universe. Go to Mistborn trilogy after that.
If you don't typically read fantasy, try Steelheart or Elantris. If you consider yourself a fantasy reader, try Mistborn: the Final Empire or The Way of Kings. If you like romance, try Warbreaker. If you're a younger reader or want something humorous and lighthearted, try Alcatraz vs.
So in short, my recommended reading order for the best experience is:
- SA 1: The Way of Kings. (orderinterchangeablewithWarbreaker)
- WB 1: Warbreaker. (orderinterchangeablewithTheWayofKings)
- SA 2: Words of Radiance.
- SA 2.5: Edgedancer.
- SA 3: Oathbringer.
10 Epic Fantasy Books Like Wheel of Time
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
- The Shadow of what Was Lost by James Islington.
- Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho.
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.
- Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.
- The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang.
- Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson.
- Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan.
