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The Cosmere - Reading Order

2 reading orders

Publication Order

The Cosmere in the order Brandon Sanderson wrote it. Starting with Elantris in 2005 and spanning nearly two decades of interconnected storytelling, this order follows the natural evolution of Sanderson's universe - each book building on the mythology and magic systems that came before. Publication order is the way most long-time Cosmere fans experienced these stories, and it's the order in which Sanderson planted his cross-series Easter eggs and foreshadowing. You'll see the Cosmere grow from standalone novels into a deeply connected web of worlds, with the connections becoming more explicit as the series progresses. This order follows publication chronology while keeping each series grouped together, so you'll finish one series before starting the next rather than interleaving books across series as they were originally released.

1
Elantris(2005)
Mistborn Era 1
2
The Final Empire(2006)
3
The Well of Ascension(2007)
4
The Hero of Ages(2008)
5
Warbreaker(2009)
The Stormlight Archive
6
The Way of Kings(2010)
7
Words of Radiance(2012)
8
Edgedancer(2016)
9
Oathbringer(2017)
10
Dawnshard(2020)
11
Rhythm of War(2020)
12
Wind and Truth(2024)
13
Arcanum Unbounded(2016)
Short story collection spanning multiple Cosmere worlds. Contains Edgedancer (skip if read in Stormlight) and Mistborn: Secret History
Mistborn Era 2 (Wax and Wayne)
14
The Alloy of Law(2011)
15
Shadows of Self(2015)
16
The Bands of Mourning(2016)
17
The Lost Metal(2022)

Recommended Cosmere Order

The most popular community-recommended reading order for newcomers to the Cosmere. This order groups each series together for narrative momentum rather than strict publication dates, starting with Mistborn Era 1 - widely considered the best entry point for its tighter scope and satisfying trilogy structure. Elantris and Warbreaker follow as standalone novels that introduce new worlds and magic systems without requiring series commitment. Warbreaker is placed before the Stormlight Archive deliberately - certain characters and artefacts from Warbreaker appear in Stormlight, and reading it first unlocks connections that would otherwise be missed. The Stormlight Archive follows as the centrepiece of the Cosmere, with its novellas Edgedancer and Dawnshard placed at their intended reading positions within the series. Mistborn Era 2 closes the order, as The Lost Metal contains the most significant Cosmere crossover content to date and rewards readers who arrive with broad knowledge of the wider universe.

Mistborn Era 1
1
The Final Empire(2006)
2
The Well of Ascension(2007)
3
The Hero of Ages(2008)
4
Elantris(2005)
5
Warbreaker(2009)
The Stormlight Archive
6
The Way of Kings(2010)
7
Words of Radiance(2012)
8
Edgedancer(2016)
9
Oathbringer(2017)
10
Dawnshard(2020)
11
Rhythm of War(2020)
12
Wind and Truth(2024)
Mistborn Era 2 (Wax and Wayne)
13
The Alloy of Law(2011)
14
Shadows of Self(2015)
15
The Bands of Mourning(2016)
16
The Lost Metal(2022)
17
Arcanum Unbounded(2016)
Best after completing Mistborn Era 1 and Stormlight. Contains Secret History (major Era 1 spoilers) and stories from across the Cosmere. Optional - skip stories you've already read