Get Exclusive NordVPN deal at nordvpn.com/capturedinwords. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! My reading order: -Mistborn book 1: The Final Empire -Eleventh Metal -Mistborn book 2: The Well of Ascension -Mistborn book 3 The Hero of Ages -Elantris -Hope of Elantris -Emperor's Soul -WhiteSand (optional) -The Way of Kings -Warbreaker (can be read before WoK, but make sure you read it before Stormlight book 2) -Shadows for silence in the forests of hell -Words of Radiance -Edgedancer -Oathbringer -Sixth of the Dusk -Dawnshard -Rhythm of War -Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law -Mistborn era 2: Shadows of Self -Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania -Mistborn Era 2: The Bands of Mourning -Mistborn: Secret History -Mistborn Era 2: The Lost Metal -Tress of the Emerald Sea
This is perfect cause I’m one of the twelve people on earth who haven’t read the Cosmere yet! But I intend to start soon. Thanks for the great video! ❤
Are there any spoiler free primer/lore videos I can watch before getting into the Cosmere? Like how the world/magic works and the different peoples?@@CapturedInWords
EDIT: Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a standalone story that can be read on its own, though it does have a lot of references to The Stormlight Archive and other Cosmere works. You can read it whenever but I would personally place it after Rhythm of War. My reading order: -Mistborn book 1: The Final Empire -Eleventh Metal -Mistborn book 2: The Well of Ascension -Mistborn book 3 The Hero of Ages -Elantris -Hope of Elantris -Emperor's Soul -WhiteSand (optional) -The Way of Kings -Warbreaker (can be read before WoK, but make sure you read it before Stormlight book 2) -Shadows for silence in the forests of hell -Words of Radiance -Edgedancer -Oathbringer -Sixth of the Dusk -Dawnshard -Rhythm of War -Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law -Mistborn era 2: Shadows of Self -Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania -Mistborn Era 2: The Bands of Mourning -Mistborn: Secret History -Mistborn Era 2: The Lost Metal -Tress of the Emerald Sea
Thanks for posting the list! The first one I read was Elantris, because I didn't want to commit to the longer stuff. I still felt like Way of Kings would never end. I loved it also, but it was hard to follow with all the jumping around. Still, now I'm hooked.
Hi Everyone here is his recommend reading order! 1. The Final Empire 2. The Eleventh Metal (Short Story) 3. The Well of Ascension 4. Hero of Ages 5. Elantris 6. The Hope of Elantris (Short Story) 7. The Emperor’s Soul (Novella) 8. The Way of Kings 9. Warbreaker 10. Shadows of Silence in the forest of hell (Short Story) 11. Words of Radiance 12. EdgeDancer (Novella) 13. OathBringer 14. Six of the dusk (Short Story) 15. Dawnshard (Novella) 16. Rhythm of war 17. The Alloy Of Law 18. Shadows of Self 19. Allowmancer Jack and the pits of Eltania (Short Story) 20. The Bands of Mourning 21. Mistborn Secret History (Novella) 22. The Lost Metal 23. Tress of the Emerald Sea
@@1treps197Rude comment for no reason. A lot of people ignore pinned comments by habit because it's usually just about the creator's brand deal or other social medias. In this case, the pinned comment starts with a link to NordVPN, so a lot of people probably scrolled past it.
Thank you so much actually putting this list together!!! While I enjoyed watching the video, I don't want to have to re-watch it every time I want to figure out what the next book is!!! @capturedinwords should have just included this in the description already!
I’ll just say this: Jay’s videos, especially the Cosmere ones, are some of the best that BookTube has to offer. Full stop. Keep up your amazing work, Jay!
As someone who has never read a Sanderson book, but just bought Stormlight Archive, this feels like it might be the perfect video to break my bank and muddle up the TBR. 😊🎉
Take his advice to read Warbreaker before Words of Radiance. I didn’t know about this connection and I regret quite a lot that I didn’t read that first.
@@Deni-mt9bj Yeah, even going as far back as Mistborn The Final Empire. Borrowed it from the library to see if I should invest reading the whole Cosmere.
I read Elantris first but that was at least 10 years ago and could do with going over it again. Just started again by reading mistborn era 1, not realising there was a recommended reading order. Currently reading The Well of Ascension and loving it.
@@snikichit’s really worth reading all the small books in the cosmere. It’s such an incredible universe that’s being created and honestly he’s only like 1/3 of the way through it. The latest books that have come out have shown some incredible potential on where he can take this story
This is probably the best way to get every single reference. That said, it definitely feels more like a reread order. Stuff like breaking up Stormlight and having to stop to read Warbreaker just doesn’t feel like a way people will naturally want to read their first time through, you know? Either way great video. I can’t wait to see the rest of the cosmere content coming our way!
Literally just finished Words of Radiance and saw this video 🫠 feeling like such a newb as I’ve only just started the Cosmere with The Way of Kings and thought it made sense to go with Words of Radiance next 😂
@@e.m.e7474 lmao dude don’t feel bad. There really is no right way to read the cosmere. Do whatever feels right to you. I have a friend who’s only read Stormlight and nothing else. It’s ok lol
Yeah, maybe don’t break up SLA for WB, but read WB before the series. You’d remember the magic and characters you’d need for books 2, 2.5, and 3 but not break stride.
Had a reading slump recently…. Never read any Brandon Sanderson before ( no idea why) but this cosmere thing intrigued me….had no idea where to start….found this vid and blasted through Mistborn ( which was stunning ) and now halfway through Elantris….ive got Acanium Unbounded….so following this route……Thankyou so much Captured in words.
I did Mistborn era 1, then Warbreaker, then The Way of Kings, and now I’m a couple hundred pages into Words of Radiance. Just absolutely fantastic books
Read Mistborn and picked up and started Way of Kings. I didn't know that they are all set in the same universe. Thanks for this list, now I'll know where to go next. It's a very helpful video.
You've got a talent to capture the essence of a book without spoiling it. Describing kaladin as having a heavy weight on his shoulder it's a great way to give the vibes without going into details. I hate when people go into too much detail even if it only spoils the first few chapters. Also your edit and fan art selection is always top. Lately my favorite type of videos on the internet are these of yours! Not exaggerating 🎉 Also this video will come in handy when someone asks me for advice on the cosmere order. Finally, I'm sorry you didn't get to read warbreaker in time, your frustration is comical and palpable 😂
The first cosmere book I read was the Way of Kings. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t start with stormlight knowingly but I went in completely blind to the cosmere and all of Brando Sando’s works and completely fell in love with Stormlight. It’s where the Journey started for me, and what a journey it’s been.
Thank you! I've looked up many reading orders and they all state don't worry about easter eggs etc but I want to be on the lookout and get the full Sanderson easter egg moments the first time I read the entire Cosmere.
I read my first Cosmere novel about 2 weeks ago: Tress of the Emerald Sea. Loved it! Now I have to work the other books into my already packed reading schedule. It’s good to be retired with lots of reading time! 😁
Re-read Tress once you've caught up. You'll catch yourself smiling at all the references you'll understand that you didn't even think twice about or even notice the first time. Certain phrases you didn't even give a second thought will all of a sudden make you go "I understood that reference" ala Captain America.
What an AWESOME video!! I've just started my Cosmere journey (partially thanks to you!), and I've done Mistborn Era 1, Elantris, Warbreaker, The Emperor's Soul, and now The Way of Kings. Just missed a few novellas it seems, but I'll circle back for SURE
Who else just discovered all the books are connected? Im soo fkn excited rn. The last stormlightbook made it seem like there was room for a bunch of stories now i learn he has already filled in some of those stories
I have been reading the Cosmere to my sister. We've read Elantris, then Hope of Elantris, and we Just finished The Final Empire. I have been stressing quite a bit about trying to figure out which books to read in the future, and this video was IMMENSELY helpful. I've got some deviations here and there, but that's to be expected. You asked which Cosmere book we read first: I read the Way of Kings first, and I'm really glad I did. It remains one of my favorite books ever. (I also suspect that had I started elsewhere, I might not have stuck with the cosmere) Interestingly, I've been discussing the books we've read so far with my sister, and while she agrees that Mistborn is a little better written than Elantris, she suspects that had we not started with Elantris, she would not have been hooked on Cosmere, and would not have been able to stick it out for the long haul. I've decided to read her The Emperor's Soul after Era 1, and Warbreaker before Stormlight. This means that, including White Sand, We've got 6 more books and stories to get through before I can start her on The Way of Kings. We'll probably get The Eleventh Metal out of the way pretty quickly, and I'm also really looking forward to The Emperor's Soul, but that's still a LOT of stuff that we'll be going through. I figure that if I read to her for about an hour a day every day, I can probably start The Way of Kings by August or September. We'll see how it goes.
I’m over here having started with Tress and figuring out where to go next 😅 I will say, starting with a stand-alone was good because I’ve been intimidated by Brandon Sanderson’s books for several years. And now I’m finally in!
So, in terms of Brandon Sanderson, I started with Alcatraz, loved it, read the Reckoners series, loved it, read the Rithmatist, loved it and read all of Skyward, loved it. In terms of the Cosmere, I read Mistborn, having no idea there was a whole extended universe involved, then moved on to the first 3 books of the Stormlight Archives, then Dawnshard, then I watched this video.
I just started reading Cosmere and started with Tress of the Emerald Sea. It's such a beautiful and fun book to read, I'm doing research on cosmere for my next Sanderson book!!
Definitely read Mistborn Era 2 (minus Lost Metal) and Secret History before Rhythm of War!!! Lots of references in Rhythm of War to Mistborn era 2 and I would highly recommend reading it first
Returning to this video. Just finished the mistborn series. And I almost cried that I LOVED these books so much. I have become a HUGE FAN now. What’s next.
Just finished reading the whole Cosmere within a calendar year - what a series Sanderson is putting together! My reading order actually isn't far off of what you've got above and I would probably only change the reading of Warbreaker to an earlier point just to avoid breaking up Stormlight. When I get asked what to read first I usually say the original Mistborn trilogy or Warbreaker (my personal favourite Cosmere work to date). My reading order was: The Final Empire The Well of Ascension The Hero of Ages Alloy of Law Shadows of Self Bands of Mourning Secret History Warbreaker The Way of Kings Words of Radiance Edgedancer Oathbringer Eleventh Metal Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell Elantris Hope of Elantris The Emperor's Soul Sixth of the Dusk Allomancer Jak Dawnshard Rhythm of War The Lost Metal Tress of the Emerald Sea If I were to re-read the series I would certainly read Mistborn Era 2 together near the end, Elantris-world stuff before any Stormlight, and probably not break the short stories into the middle like I did this first time through. But I don't think my order significantly left me missing much interconnectivity! I'm just glad to be caught up and looking forward to catching the final two secret projects and Stormlight 5 with everyone else going forward!
Here’s what I read so far -Mistborn series then the short story on the other metal -war breaker -way of kings -words of radiance -edge dancer Then on oath bringer now. Before the 4th book I’m going to do the second era mistborn/tress of the emerald sea then 4th Stormlight. Whatever I haven’t read then I’ll read it
I just started reading The Final Empire yesterday! I had been so intimidated every time I wanted to pick up a Sanderson book. I'm hooked. Will definitely go with you reading order
This is perfect! I have been struggling on what order to read the cosmere to get all the Easter eggs. I started with Mistborn era 1 then jumped to Warbreaker. Elantris is next up on my TBR. Thank you for the explanation of all the novellas, I didn’t realize there were so many. Great video!
YES YES please more Cosmere deep dives!!!!! Any and all content for this world I adore. It’s really it’s own marvel cinematic universe and more people are joining it but are sooo lost or would love more lord and theories and connections. Also for me personally as a fan but also someone a bit new to high fantasy “epics” I find it challenging to follow huge character and plot and world sometimes, (I come from recently leaving YA fantasy which is just male & female and that’s it and they’re probably in love lol). So if you have any interest in discussing how you keep big fantasy worlds and names straight or any advice on this topic I would highly adoreeee. Either way thanks for all your content ❤😊
Very good video! I started my cosmere adventure by reading Mistborn era 1. I am gonna buy Arcanum unbounded today so that o am ready to continue reading cosmere in your order:)
Thanks for this, I just started listening to Audio Books at work and a friend recommended me the Stormlight Archive and then after looking into it I found out about Mistborn and that lead me to Elantris, soooo thank you for this order, it will help a lot!
Just the video I needed!! Just started my journey in this world. I've read the first 2 Mistborn book, now I'm going to squeeze in The Eleventh Metal before reading the third and follow your order from there! So excitedddd
I started with MISTBORN and couldn't agree more that it's the best place to start. The writing is incredible, the world building, character building and heist feel of Final Empire really gets you to fall in love with BS' writing. This is also a great book to recommend to anyone who hasn't read or doesn't think they like fantasy/fiction. I had not enjoyed fantasy/fiction previous to reading MISTBORN and that original trilogy changed me completely. BONUS COMMENT: For some reason my favorite book is Dawnshard. I think, for whatever reason, I could so easily imagine every single scene with high detail in my brain. Such a fun ride for Rysn.
I like this reading order. My first Sanderson book was The Way of Kings. Since then I’ve read almost all of his books except Mistborn Era 2. I plan to reread everything before the 5th Stormlight book gets released. I plan to follow your reading order. It’s gonna be fun!!!
Just started with this recommended reading order of the cosmere 10 days ago. Finishing book 3, The Hero Of Ages, from the Mistborn trilogy. Ive always read Tolkien and Conan for my fantasy fix. Im so glad i decided to go with The Cosmere. Cant wait to see what the rest is all about! Thanks for making this awesome guide!
Thank you so much for this! I attempted Way of Kings last year, and I was completely overwhelmed. Was waiting for this exact video on how best to approach Sanderson, and I've taken diligent notes! The second half of 2023 will be devoted to your exact order.
Since I've been a member of your channel for a while for the KKC content, and I saw you have a lot of cosmere content, I decided to dive in. So far I read Mistborn first generation trilogy, Warbreaker, and am about 2/3 through Alloy of Law. Good stuff!
My friends got me to start the Cosmere with The Way of Kings, and that was great, but I DEFINITELY wish I'd started with Mistborn! This is a fantastic reading order, thank you for doing this video
Just finished the trilogy, and I have to say, it is one of the best books I've ever read. It literally felt like watching a movie, especially the last scenes in book 2 and 3. I've never read anything like that. The final scene brought me to tears, and I can't wait to read more. I have a tendency to feel very sad and empty when one book series ends, but this time I didn't feel so depressed, knowing that there is so much left to read in the cosmere. This video conviced me to read misborn, and I will continue read from your suggested order. Thank you for this video.
I love that you suggest Warbreaker or Elantris if the reader doesn't vibe with Mistborn Era 1. I am one of those readers (though getting through the series now anyway because I must read all the Cosmere!) -- Elantris really spoke to me, and I think it's probably a better entry than Mistborn for people who prefer literary fiction over action. It certainly got me hooked on Sanderson's books immediately!
I was gonna flip back and forth from Era 2 to Stormlight in order to get a break from the heft of Stormlight. Glad I watched this I have adjusted my reading order.
I did Way of Kings then Warbreaker now Words of Radiance haven’t finished yet but the plan is to read stormlight 3 and 4 then read the rest in order of publication.
The Way of Kings is a great start to your fantasy experience! It can be a little confusing at first, but keep pushing through and everything will make sense! 😁
I litteraly did this for my best friend haha. It's missing those I either haven't read or consider non essential to the main arcs. Here's what I ended on: Mistborn Era 1: The Final Empire Mistborn Era 1: The Well of Ascension Mistborn Era 1: The Hero of Ages Mistborn: Collected Tales Elantris Stormlight Archive 1: The Way of Kings Warbreaker Stormlight Archive 2: Words of Radiance Edgedancer Stormlight Archive 3: Oathbringer Dawnshard Stormlight Archive 4: Rhythm of War The Emperor's Soul Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law Mistborn Era 2: Shadows of Self Mistborn Era 2: The Bands of Mourning Mistborn Era 2: The Lost Metal WHENEVER: Tress of the Emerald Sea (better after The Lost Metal, kinda, but probably my favourite Sanderson novel)
Bookmarking this video. Just starting my Cosmere journey with Mistborn Book 1, already read Way of Kings (was partway through before I even realised there was a wider universe), and now my reading schedule is co-opted by Sanderson for the foreseeable future, and with your video's help I won't get any of the others in the wrong order, lol.
This is absolutely amazing. What an amazing and beautiful job you did here, thank you so much, wish there were videos for the rest of the series. I have fallen in love with your channel❤
with any series i find just going by publication order is my favorite. its so cut and dry and i never have to worry about if theres something I should have (idc about could have) known. ur reading with a level of understanding of the series that the author more or less expected readers to have when each book came out. like theres so many ways to go about it, but no one that kept up with the series from day one had any choice but to read in the order it was published so im fine with that too. if its good enough to stick with, i dont think a minor enhancement of the experience through a given reading order will make enough difference for me. ofc still only respect for reading it in a more tailored order, just throwing my take out there. ive had a blast w/ the cosmere so far and im only on stormlight 2.
Amazing video! I’d love for this to be an annual video with all the new books added in each year. Speaking of, is there an updated list with all the secret projects and everything else since this video?
Thanks for this reading order! I have finished the Mistborn Mara 1. I really felt disappointed in the last book. It just felt so long so much wandering meandering to and fro strategizing war tactics I felt nothing happened! There were obvious changes that were explained. But I do want to continue with Cosmere world this video inspired my motivation again to not be so beat up by the last book.
I love seeing all the art in your videos, many I haven’t seen before. I’ve started re reading the cosmere books and following this order. I haven’t read any of the novellas or white sands before so there will be some new stuff to discover.
Not me literally taking notes while watching this video. I recently finished Mistborn Era 1 and picked up Arcanum Unbounded and was wondering what novellas I could read. Also, my intention was to continue with Mistborn Era 2, but I might pick up Warbreaker instead.
Thank you for the order suggestion! I've listened to all of Mistborn, side stories and novellas included, as well as Stormlight. I was unaware that Risyn had her own book so that is my next listen, but im excited to get into the other books in the cosmere.
Mistborn book 1 The Eleventh Metal Mistborn book 2 and 3 Elantris and The hope of Elantris The Emperor’s Soul (You can read white sand) The way of kings Warbreaker Shadow for silence Words of radiance Edgedancer Oathbringer Sixth of the dusk Dawnshard Rhythm of war The Alloy of law Shadows of self Jack and the Pits of Altania? The bands of mourning Mistborn: secret history The lost metal Tress of the emerald sea
I really want to get started on the Cosmere and Brandon Sanderson. I have heard so much about his stories. Based on this sequence,I am glad that I only got Mistborn. I’ll use this video as a guide once I make the commitment.
Good Order, especially for Easteregg and X-reference Knowledge. I started with Elantris + Shortstories, then Mistborn Era1 + Shortstories, then Warbreaker, and so on until everything written today was consumed - and I'm currently rereading everything 😄.
Started reading fantasy again after more than a decade away from the genre. Having grown up with Wheel of Time as my favourite book series (when I started there were only 3 books in the series) I heard The Stormlight Archives would be a good place to start. I'm nearly finished Way of Kings and only recently found out this is part of a larger universe of stories. I think I'm going to have a lot of reading ahead of me. If you've read this far, I guess this is my way of saying thanks to the video author for suggesting an entry into this massive universe. I look forward to uncovering all the details.
Great video. I read a lot out of order during my time, but first cosmere book I read was Way of Kings. I remember legit sobbing at that sanderlanche. Only have rhythm of war and the lost metal left!
Just finished the final empire, so seeing this video now was perfect. I'd already done a fair bit of reading on, well... reading orders. (have all of the cosmere aside from tress which is on the way, and white sand which i'll honestly just read summaries of) And everyone seem to suggest different orders. This one made a lot of sense, thanks! :)
I just read pretty much all of the Cosmere in the last 6 months and I think you presented my idea of the perfect reading order. I really, really wish I read Warbreaker and Elantris before diving deeper into Stormlight Archive (basically Book 2 onwards), and I wish I read Dawnshard before Rhythm of War. Arcanum Unbounded + Mistborn Era 2 + Secret Histories before Rhythm of War might also be a perfectionist protip if you really want ALLLL of the relevant magic systems, character arcs, etc involved. I say this because I think Rhythm of War intentionally tries to incorporate the majority of the Cosmere published at that time, even if it's tiny bits of lore like the Investiture-reacting sands. That being said, it might not be the optimal reading experience in terms of enjoyment because that's a pretty significant amount of content to pack between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War, and I'd imagine most people wouldn't want to take such a long detour. But I digress. Thanks for making Cosmere content for the rest of us to enjoy! I hope it encourages more people to give it a shot, because it quickly became my favorite Fantasy universe of all time!
I finally convinced three people to pick up the Cosmere and start with Mistborn. This is a solid order to guide them forward-certainly better than the order I read these books (hey, I didn't know any better back in the day). Thanks!
Ideal reading order for reveals and connections is something I've been considering for a full Cosmere re-read. I don't think there is a perfect solution yet, but your order is excellent and will be the jumping off point for determining my order. I might personally push all the Scadrial works together and put Tress after the Elantris-related stories.
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My reading order:
-Mistborn book 1: The Final Empire
-Eleventh Metal
-Mistborn book 2: The Well of Ascension
-Mistborn book 3 The Hero of Ages
-Elantris
-Hope of Elantris
-Emperor's Soul
-WhiteSand (optional)
-The Way of Kings
-Warbreaker (can be read before WoK, but make sure you read it before Stormlight book 2)
-Shadows for silence in the forests of hell
-Words of Radiance
-Edgedancer
-Oathbringer
-Sixth of the Dusk
-Dawnshard
-Rhythm of War
-Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law
-Mistborn era 2: Shadows of Self
-Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania
-Mistborn Era 2: The Bands of Mourning
-Mistborn: Secret History
-Mistborn Era 2: The Lost Metal
-Tress of the Emerald Sea
What about the sunlit man
And what about stormlight 5 that's also out
Storm light 5 isn't out yet, but you should probably read sunlit man near the end.@@fenix-legends21
@@fenix-legends21sunlit man goes after rhythm of war
I'm a simple man, I see cosmere, I click
Same here
Yes
Same here
Yessir
I’m a simpler man, I see a cute content creator, I click
This is perfect cause I’m one of the twelve people on earth who haven’t read the Cosmere yet! But I intend to start soon. Thanks for the great video! ❤
I'm happy to help! I hope you enjoy the Cosmere :D
Right there with you, Sheldon 😂
I am with you. I will be starting it either this Fall or after I start and complete The Wheel of Time.
Are there any spoiler free primer/lore videos I can watch before getting into the Cosmere? Like how the world/magic works and the different peoples?@@CapturedInWords
I haven't read him either. I haven't even heard of him before now.
EDIT: Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a standalone story that can be read on its own, though it does have a lot of references to The Stormlight Archive and other Cosmere works. You can read it whenever but I would personally place it after Rhythm of War.
My reading order:
-Mistborn book 1: The Final Empire
-Eleventh Metal
-Mistborn book 2: The Well of Ascension
-Mistborn book 3 The Hero of Ages
-Elantris
-Hope of Elantris
-Emperor's Soul
-WhiteSand (optional)
-The Way of Kings
-Warbreaker (can be read before WoK, but make sure you read it before Stormlight book 2)
-Shadows for silence in the forests of hell
-Words of Radiance
-Edgedancer
-Oathbringer
-Sixth of the Dusk
-Dawnshard
-Rhythm of War
-Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law
-Mistborn era 2: Shadows of Self
-Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania
-Mistborn Era 2: The Bands of Mourning
-Mistborn: Secret History
-Mistborn Era 2: The Lost Metal
-Tress of the Emerald Sea
Would you please pin this?
@@ChekkoVisban Just added it to my pinned comment :)
Thanks for posting the list!
The first one I read was Elantris, because I didn't want to commit to the longer stuff. I still felt like Way of Kings would never end. I loved it also, but it was hard to follow with all the jumping around. Still, now I'm hooked.
Thans Jay!! I love your work!
I feel like tress could go before stormlight archive just because of midnight essence
Hi Everyone here is his recommend reading order!
1. The Final Empire 2. The Eleventh Metal (Short Story)
3. The Well of Ascension 4. Hero of Ages
5. Elantris
6. The Hope of Elantris (Short Story)
7. The Emperor’s Soul (Novella)
8. The Way of Kings
9. Warbreaker
10. Shadows of Silence in the forest of hell (Short Story)
11. Words of Radiance
12. EdgeDancer (Novella)
13. OathBringer
14. Six of the dusk (Short Story)
15. Dawnshard (Novella)
16. Rhythm of war
17. The Alloy Of Law
18. Shadows of Self
19. Allowmancer Jack and the pits of Eltania (Short Story)
20. The Bands of Mourning
21. Mistborn Secret History (Novella)
22. The Lost Metal
23. Tress of the Emerald Sea
he already had commented the reading order, your comment seems useless no offense
@@1treps197Rude comment for no reason. A lot of people ignore pinned comments by habit because it's usually just about the creator's brand deal or other social medias. In this case, the pinned comment starts with a link to NordVPN, so a lot of people probably scrolled past it.
Thank you so much actually putting this list together!!! While I enjoyed watching the video, I don't want to have to re-watch it every time I want to figure out what the next book is!!!
@capturedinwords should have just included this in the description already!
Actually, I see now that he has it listed in the comments, but it's hidden by the Nord VPN plug.
@@1treps197your comment was made a month after his 💀
I’ll just say this: Jay’s videos, especially the Cosmere ones, are some of the best that BookTube has to offer. Full stop. Keep up your amazing work, Jay!
100% agree here. Even his NoTW videos are a must watch. I specifically love all the theory crafting on Book 3.
As someone who has never read a Sanderson book, but just bought Stormlight Archive, this feels like it might be the perfect video to break my bank and muddle up the TBR. 😊🎉
Take his advice to read Warbreaker before Words of Radiance. I didn’t know about this connection and I regret quite a lot that I didn’t read that first.
@@Deni-mt9bj Yeah, even going as far back as Mistborn The Final Empire. Borrowed it from the library to see if I should invest reading the whole Cosmere.
I read Elantris first but that was at least 10 years ago and could do with going over it again. Just started again by reading mistborn era 1, not realising there was a recommended reading order. Currently reading The Well of Ascension and loving it.
@@snikichit’s really worth reading all the small books in the cosmere. It’s such an incredible universe that’s being created and honestly he’s only like 1/3 of the way through it. The latest books that have come out have shown some incredible potential on where he can take this story
@@Deni-mt9bjthis is thr stormlight archive right? I just started it can you tell me why please
This is probably the best way to get every single reference. That said, it definitely feels more like a reread order. Stuff like breaking up Stormlight and having to stop to read Warbreaker just doesn’t feel like a way people will naturally want to read their first time through, you know? Either way great video. I can’t wait to see the rest of the cosmere content coming our way!
Literally just finished Words of Radiance and saw this video 🫠 feeling like such a newb as I’ve only just started the Cosmere with The Way of Kings and thought it made sense to go with Words of Radiance next 😂
@@e.m.e7474 lmao dude don’t feel bad. There really is no right way to read the cosmere. Do whatever feels right to you. I have a friend who’s only read Stormlight and nothing else. It’s ok lol
i’m personally happy with reading warbreaker right before Stormlight
able to get the references and no need for long asides between volumes
Yeah, maybe don’t break up SLA for WB, but read WB before the series. You’d remember the magic and characters you’d need for books 2, 2.5, and 3 but not break stride.
Had a reading slump recently…. Never read any Brandon Sanderson before ( no idea why) but this cosmere thing intrigued me….had no idea where to start….found this vid and blasted through Mistborn ( which was stunning ) and now halfway through Elantris….ive got Acanium Unbounded….so following this route……Thankyou so much Captured in words.
I own all the books and have read two due to the challenge of figuring out the timeline. You, sir? Dropped this: 👑
I did Mistborn era 1, then Warbreaker, then The Way of Kings, and now I’m a couple hundred pages into Words of Radiance. Just absolutely fantastic books
Great order!
Read Mistborn and picked up and started Way of Kings. I didn't know that they are all set in the same universe. Thanks for this list, now I'll know where to go next. It's a very helpful video.
You've got a talent to capture the essence of a book without spoiling it. Describing kaladin as having a heavy weight on his shoulder it's a great way to give the vibes without going into details. I hate when people go into too much detail even if it only spoils the first few chapters. Also your edit and fan art selection is always top. Lately my favorite type of videos on the internet are these of yours! Not exaggerating 🎉 Also this video will come in handy when someone asks me for advice on the cosmere order. Finally, I'm sorry you didn't get to read warbreaker in time, your frustration is comical and palpable 😂
This reading order is solid gold! 10/10! The White Sands Graphic Audio was great. I haven't read the physical books. But, really enjoyed the audio.
My god, the editing of your videos is always simply magnificent.
Thanks!!
The first cosmere book I read was the Way of Kings. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t start with stormlight knowingly but I went in completely blind to the cosmere and all of Brando Sando’s works and completely fell in love with Stormlight. It’s where the Journey started for me, and what a journey it’s been.
Super helpful, thanks!
You really picked up mistborn one day and after finishing it thought to read fantasy more than fiction
Thank you! I've looked up many reading orders and they all state don't worry about easter eggs etc but I want to be on the lookout and get the full Sanderson easter egg moments the first time I read the entire Cosmere.
I read my first Cosmere novel about 2 weeks ago: Tress of the Emerald Sea. Loved it! Now I have to work the other books into my already packed reading schedule. It’s good to be retired with lots of reading time! 😁
Re-read Tress once you've caught up. You'll catch yourself smiling at all the references you'll understand that you didn't even think twice about or even notice the first time. Certain phrases you didn't even give a second thought will all of a sudden make you go "I understood that reference" ala Captain America.
Me too!! Now I’m on this video to figure out how to deep diver into Sanderson’s work!
What an AWESOME video!! I've just started my Cosmere journey (partially thanks to you!), and I've done Mistborn Era 1, Elantris, Warbreaker, The Emperor's Soul, and now The Way of Kings. Just missed a few novellas it seems, but I'll circle back for SURE
Awesome, you already have a really great start!! :D I'm glad my video can help
Who else just discovered all the books are connected? Im soo fkn excited rn. The last stormlightbook made it seem like there was room for a bunch of stories now i learn he has already filled in some of those stories
I have been reading the Cosmere to my sister. We've read Elantris, then Hope of Elantris, and we Just finished The Final Empire. I have been stressing quite a bit about trying to figure out which books to read in the future, and this video was IMMENSELY helpful. I've got some deviations here and there, but that's to be expected.
You asked which Cosmere book we read first: I read the Way of Kings first, and I'm really glad I did. It remains one of my favorite books ever. (I also suspect that had I started elsewhere, I might not have stuck with the cosmere)
Interestingly, I've been discussing the books we've read so far with my sister, and while she agrees that Mistborn is a little better written than Elantris, she suspects that had we not started with Elantris, she would not have been hooked on Cosmere, and would not have been able to stick it out for the long haul.
I've decided to read her The Emperor's Soul after Era 1, and Warbreaker before Stormlight. This means that, including White Sand, We've got 6 more books and stories to get through before I can start her on The Way of Kings.
We'll probably get The Eleventh Metal out of the way pretty quickly, and I'm also really looking forward to The Emperor's Soul, but that's still a LOT of stuff that we'll be going through.
I figure that if I read to her for about an hour a day every day, I can probably start The Way of Kings by August or September. We'll see how it goes.
I started with elantris and I needed more thats how I found this video, time to buy a bunch of books now lol
I’m over here having started with Tress and figuring out where to go next 😅
I will say, starting with a stand-alone was good because I’ve been intimidated by Brandon Sanderson’s books for several years. And now I’m finally in!
So, in terms of Brandon Sanderson, I started with Alcatraz, loved it, read the Reckoners series, loved it, read the Rithmatist, loved it and read all of Skyward, loved it. In terms of the Cosmere, I read Mistborn, having no idea there was a whole extended universe involved, then moved on to the first 3 books of the Stormlight Archives, then Dawnshard, then I watched this video.
You are the first person I have come across who also started with Alcatraz! I feel like it is super underrated
@@thedarianjade it was very good lol
the most valuable video I've seen in months. THANK YOU.
It is hell of a TBR .
I read the Mistborn series a while ago and I was so amazed and I’ve been wanting to read the rest of Sandersons books so thank you for this video!
I just started reading Cosmere and started with Tress of the Emerald Sea. It's such a beautiful and fun book to read, I'm doing research on cosmere for my next Sanderson book!!
Definitely read Mistborn Era 2 (minus Lost Metal) and Secret History before Rhythm of War!!! Lots of references in Rhythm of War to Mistborn era 2 and I would highly recommend reading it first
Yess I have been waiting for this vid from you for a long time! Thank you so much! Keep up the awesome work!
I've wanted to make this vid for sooo long haha! Thanks for watching :D
Returning to this video.
Just finished the mistborn series.
And I almost cried that I LOVED these books so much.
I have become a HUGE FAN now.
What’s next.
i may have already read all of the cosmere but i still enjoy any cosmere vids i can get my hands on
Just finished reading the whole Cosmere within a calendar year - what a series Sanderson is putting together! My reading order actually isn't far off of what you've got above and I would probably only change the reading of Warbreaker to an earlier point just to avoid breaking up Stormlight. When I get asked what to read first I usually say the original Mistborn trilogy or Warbreaker (my personal favourite Cosmere work to date).
My reading order was:
The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning
Secret History
Warbreaker
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer
Oathbringer
Eleventh Metal
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell
Elantris
Hope of Elantris
The Emperor's Soul
Sixth of the Dusk
Allomancer Jak
Dawnshard
Rhythm of War
The Lost Metal
Tress of the Emerald Sea
If I were to re-read the series I would certainly read Mistborn Era 2 together near the end, Elantris-world stuff before any Stormlight, and probably not break the short stories into the middle like I did this first time through. But I don't think my order significantly left me missing much interconnectivity! I'm just glad to be caught up and looking forward to catching the final two secret projects and Stormlight 5 with everyone else going forward!
Currently following your order! White Sand was a drag to get through but I’m excited to finally start Way of Kings!
Here’s what I read so far
-Mistborn series then the short story on the other metal
-war breaker
-way of kings
-words of radiance
-edge dancer
Then on oath bringer now. Before the 4th book I’m going to do the second era mistborn/tress of the emerald sea then 4th Stormlight. Whatever I haven’t read then I’ll read it
I just started reading The Final Empire yesterday! I had been so intimidated every time I wanted to pick up a Sanderson book. I'm hooked. Will definitely go with you reading order
This is perfect! I have been struggling on what order to read the cosmere to get all the Easter eggs. I started with Mistborn era 1 then jumped to Warbreaker. Elantris is next up on my TBR. Thank you for the explanation of all the novellas, I didn’t realize there were so many. Great video!
This was so helpful. I can’t wait to start the Cosmere!
Thank you for this video! I've been thinking about starting the Cosmere for a while now and this helps a lot 😁 Love the t-shirt, btw.
YES YES please more Cosmere deep dives!!!!! Any and all content for this world I adore. It’s really it’s own marvel cinematic universe and more people are joining it but are sooo lost or would love more lord and theories and connections. Also for me personally as a fan but also someone a bit new to high fantasy “epics” I find it challenging to follow huge character and plot and world sometimes, (I come from recently leaving YA fantasy which is just male & female and that’s it and they’re probably in love lol). So if you have any interest in discussing how you keep big fantasy worlds and names straight or any advice on this topic I would highly adoreeee. Either way thanks for all your content ❤😊
Very good video! I started my cosmere adventure by reading Mistborn era 1. I am gonna buy Arcanum unbounded today so that o am ready to continue reading cosmere in your order:)
Thanks for this, I just started listening to Audio Books at work and a friend recommended me the Stormlight Archive and then after looking into it I found out about Mistborn and that lead me to Elantris, soooo thank you for this order, it will help a lot!
Just started Mistborn as my first Sanderson book, let’s see if that’s the first one.
LETSSSSSS GOOOOOOOO!!!
well?
I’ve so far read the entire Mistborn era one books and Warbreaker, so I definitely have some catching up to do! Thank you for this great guide!
This is phenomenal. Thank you for the work put into this so I can share it with people who haven't started!
You're very welcome! I'm glad it can be a helpful resource! :)
I just finished Elantris and I’m OBSESSED but it’s a bit overwhelming looking at it all! This was awesome - thanks for the video!!
Just the video I needed!! Just started my journey in this world. I've read the first 2 Mistborn book, now I'm going to squeeze in The Eleventh Metal before reading the third and follow your order from there! So excitedddd
Awesome!!! I hope you enjoy the journey!!
I started with MISTBORN and couldn't agree more that it's the best place to start. The writing is incredible, the world building, character building and heist feel of Final Empire really gets you to fall in love with BS' writing. This is also a great book to recommend to anyone who hasn't read or doesn't think they like fantasy/fiction.
I had not enjoyed fantasy/fiction previous to reading MISTBORN and that original trilogy changed me completely.
BONUS COMMENT: For some reason my favorite book is Dawnshard. I think, for whatever reason, I could so easily imagine every single scene with high detail in my brain. Such a fun ride for Rysn.
I like this reading order. My first Sanderson book was The Way of Kings. Since then I’ve read almost all of his books except Mistborn Era 2. I plan to reread everything before the 5th Stormlight book gets released. I plan to follow your reading order. It’s gonna be fun!!!
Just started with this recommended reading order of the cosmere 10 days ago. Finishing book 3, The Hero Of Ages, from the Mistborn trilogy. Ive always read Tolkien and Conan for my fantasy fix. Im so glad i decided to go with The Cosmere. Cant wait to see what the rest is all about! Thanks for making this awesome guide!
The chapter Dabbid in Rythm of War was the most enjoyable bit of reading I've done in years. So satisfying.
The Reckoners Trilogy is one of my favorites
The Reckoners trilogy isn't part of his Cosmere, but it is really great! :) very underrated books
Elantris is my first and I've read the first Mistborn so this is perfect timing 🤪🤓🙌🏼 thank you.
Finished well of ascension today 🤯 can’t wait to consume it all
Thank you so much for this! I attempted Way of Kings last year, and I was completely overwhelmed. Was waiting for this exact video on how best to approach Sanderson, and I've taken diligent notes! The second half of 2023 will be devoted to your exact order.
I DNFd WoK twice before I finally read it. It's worth the read, but I'm glad I read other cosmere books before diving back into it.
Since I've been a member of your channel for a while for the KKC content, and I saw you have a lot of cosmere content, I decided to dive in. So far I read Mistborn first generation trilogy, Warbreaker, and am about 2/3 through Alloy of Law. Good stuff!
My friends got me to start the Cosmere with The Way of Kings, and that was great, but I DEFINITELY wish I'd started with Mistborn! This is a fantastic reading order, thank you for doing this video
Just finished the trilogy, and I have to say, it is one of the best books I've ever read. It literally felt like watching a movie, especially the last scenes in book 2 and 3. I've never read anything like that. The final scene brought me to tears, and I can't wait to read more. I have a tendency to feel very sad and empty when one book series ends, but this time I didn't feel so depressed, knowing that there is so much left to read in the cosmere. This video conviced me to read misborn, and I will continue read from your suggested order. Thank you for this video.
I love that you suggest Warbreaker or Elantris if the reader doesn't vibe with Mistborn Era 1. I am one of those readers (though getting through the series now anyway because I must read all the Cosmere!) -- Elantris really spoke to me, and I think it's probably a better entry than Mistborn for people who prefer literary fiction over action. It certainly got me hooked on Sanderson's books immediately!
Im at the end of the Final Empire, cant wait to get to the Stormlight Archives, what a journey
I was gonna flip back and forth from Era 2 to Stormlight in order to get a break from the heft of Stormlight. Glad I watched this I have adjusted my reading order.
Awesome video as always!
I’ve been wanting to get into these series, but have been too overwhelmed 😂 I needed this vid
The graphic audio version of all cosmere is gold standard good. They are a must as a reared and you should listen to them
I did Way of Kings then Warbreaker now Words of Radiance haven’t finished yet but the plan is to read stormlight 3 and 4 then read the rest in order of publication.
I've read half of Elantris, the Final Empire, other half of Elantris, Well of Ascension, Tress of the Emerald Sea and now I plan to read Hero of Ages
I love how you matched your t shirt
I loved this Warbreaker artwork with the red background!
This is great. I'm considering picking up Way of Kings as my first proper fantasy book and Sanderson book.😁
The Way of Kings is a great start to your fantasy experience! It can be a little confusing at first, but keep pushing through and everything will make sense! 😁
This is the way
Rysn had an interlude in Way of Kings when she meets the Shin
I litteraly did this for my best friend haha. It's missing those I either haven't read or consider non essential to the main arcs.
Here's what I ended on:
Mistborn Era 1: The Final Empire
Mistborn Era 1: The Well of Ascension
Mistborn Era 1: The Hero of Ages
Mistborn: Collected Tales
Elantris
Stormlight Archive 1: The Way of Kings
Warbreaker
Stormlight Archive 2: Words of Radiance
Edgedancer
Stormlight Archive 3: Oathbringer
Dawnshard
Stormlight Archive 4: Rhythm of War
The Emperor's Soul
Mistborn Era 2: The Alloy of Law
Mistborn Era 2: Shadows of Self
Mistborn Era 2: The Bands of Mourning
Mistborn Era 2: The Lost Metal
WHENEVER: Tress of the Emerald Sea (better after The Lost Metal, kinda, but probably my favourite Sanderson novel)
Bookmarking this video. Just starting my Cosmere journey with Mistborn Book 1, already read Way of Kings (was partway through before I even realised there was a wider universe), and now my reading schedule is co-opted by Sanderson for the foreseeable future, and with your video's help I won't get any of the others in the wrong order, lol.
This is absolutely amazing. What an amazing and beautiful job you did here, thank you so much, wish there were videos for the rest of the series. I have fallen in love with your channel❤
Excellent video! Fantastic resource!! Thank you so much for doing this…
with any series i find just going by publication order is my favorite. its so cut and dry and i never have to worry about if theres something I should have (idc about could have) known. ur reading with a level of understanding of the series that the author more or less expected readers to have when each book came out. like theres so many ways to go about it, but no one that kept up with the series from day one had any choice but to read in the order it was published so im fine with that too. if its good enough to stick with, i dont think a minor enhancement of the experience through a given reading order will make enough difference for me. ofc still only respect for reading it in a more tailored order, just throwing my take out there. ive had a blast w/ the cosmere so far and im only on stormlight 2.
Amazing video! I’d love for this to be an annual video with all the new books added in each year. Speaking of, is there an updated list with all the secret projects and everything else since this video?
Also would like to know, maybe update the order in the pinned comment with the new books?
I appreciate this video so much
I'm happy it is helpful! 😃
thank you so much for doing this! i've been looking everywhere for a cosmere reading guide and this was exactly what i needed!
You're very welcome! Glad it was helpful!!
Thanks for this reading order! I have finished the Mistborn Mara 1. I really felt disappointed in the last book. It just felt so long so much wandering meandering to and fro strategizing war tactics I felt nothing happened! There were obvious changes that were explained. But I do want to continue with Cosmere world this video inspired my motivation again to not be so beat up by the last book.
I'm just gonna start my cosmere journey, thanks for the order !
I love seeing all the art in your videos, many I haven’t seen before. I’ve started re reading the cosmere books and following this order. I haven’t read any of the novellas or white sands before so there will be some new stuff to discover.
Not me literally taking notes while watching this video.
I recently finished Mistborn Era 1 and picked up Arcanum Unbounded and was wondering what novellas I could read. Also, my intention was to continue with Mistborn Era 2, but I might pick up Warbreaker instead.
Perfect timing - I was just in the library wondering which book by Brandon Sanderson to grab.
Thank you for the order suggestion!
I've listened to all of Mistborn, side stories and novellas included, as well as Stormlight. I was unaware that Risyn had her own book so that is my next listen, but im excited to get into the other books in the cosmere.
Mistborn book 1
The Eleventh Metal
Mistborn book 2 and 3
Elantris and The hope of Elantris
The Emperor’s Soul
(You can read white sand)
The way of kings
Warbreaker
Shadow for silence
Words of radiance
Edgedancer
Oathbringer
Sixth of the dusk
Dawnshard
Rhythm of war
The Alloy of law
Shadows of self
Jack and the Pits of Altania?
The bands of mourning
Mistborn: secret history
The lost metal
Tress of the emerald sea
I started with Mistborn.
Not my favorite series tbh. But im loving the stormlight archive!!
I really want to get started on the Cosmere and Brandon Sanderson. I have heard so much about his stories. Based on this sequence,I am glad that I only got Mistborn. I’ll use this video as a guide once I make the commitment.
Good Order, especially for Easteregg and X-reference Knowledge. I started with Elantris + Shortstories, then Mistborn Era1 + Shortstories, then Warbreaker, and so on until everything written today was consumed - and I'm currently rereading everything 😄.
Started reading fantasy again after more than a decade away from the genre. Having grown up with Wheel of Time as my favourite book series (when I started there were only 3 books in the series) I heard The Stormlight Archives would be a good place to start. I'm nearly finished Way of Kings and only recently found out this is part of a larger universe of stories. I think I'm going to have a lot of reading ahead of me.
If you've read this far, I guess this is my way of saying thanks to the video author for suggesting an entry into this massive universe. I look forward to uncovering all the details.
Great video. I read a lot out of order during my time, but first cosmere book I read was Way of Kings. I remember legit sobbing at that sanderlanche. Only have rhythm of war and the lost metal left!
Graphic audio is amazing. highly recommend👍
started with way of kings series and now i'm thinking about going on the cosmere journey
Just finished the final empire, so seeing this video now was perfect.
I'd already done a fair bit of reading on, well... reading orders. (have all of the cosmere aside from tress which is on the way, and white sand which i'll honestly just read summaries of) And everyone seem to suggest different orders.
This one made a lot of sense, thanks! :)
Looking forward to the lore deep dive :)
Thanks!
Much appreciated! Thanks! :)
I just read pretty much all of the Cosmere in the last 6 months and I think you presented my idea of the perfect reading order. I really, really wish I read Warbreaker and Elantris before diving deeper into Stormlight Archive (basically Book 2 onwards), and I wish I read Dawnshard before Rhythm of War. Arcanum Unbounded + Mistborn Era 2 + Secret Histories before Rhythm of War might also be a perfectionist protip if you really want ALLLL of the relevant magic systems, character arcs, etc involved. I say this because I think Rhythm of War intentionally tries to incorporate the majority of the Cosmere published at that time, even if it's tiny bits of lore like the Investiture-reacting sands. That being said, it might not be the optimal reading experience in terms of enjoyment because that's a pretty significant amount of content to pack between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War, and I'd imagine most people wouldn't want to take such a long detour. But I digress. Thanks for making Cosmere content for the rest of us to enjoy! I hope it encourages more people to give it a shot, because it quickly became my favorite Fantasy universe of all time!
I learned about the Cosmere from an Instagram comment section and now I'm hooked. No I decided I need to catch up before stormlight 5 comes out
I finally convinced three people to pick up the Cosmere and start with Mistborn. This is a solid order to guide them forward-certainly better than the order I read these books (hey, I didn't know any better back in the day). Thanks!
Ideal reading order for reveals and connections is something I've been considering for a full Cosmere re-read. I don't think there is a perfect solution yet, but your order is excellent and will be the jumping off point for determining my order. I might personally push all the Scadrial works together and put Tress after the Elantris-related stories.