Cosmere Reading Order: Complete Guide 2025

Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere is a shared fantasy universe spanning more than 20 novels, set across multiple worlds connected by hidden forces and recurring characters. Each series — Stormlight Archive, Mistborn, Warbreaker, Elantris, and others — is self-contained enough to read alone, but the connections between them reward readers who approach the full Cosmere in a thoughtful order.

This guide covers the complete Cosmere reading order for 2025: the recommended sequence, which books you can skip, where the novellas fit, and how to handle the crossover elements without spoiling yourself.

What Is the Cosmere?

The Cosmere is the name for the shared universe that Brandon Sanderson began building with Elantris (2005). Every fantasy novel he writes — with the exception of his YA series, the Wheel of Time completion, and a handful of standalone works — is set in this universe.

The Cosmere’s worlds are connected by:

• Shards of Adonalsium — cosmic entities, each representing an aspect of a god-like being that was shattered long before the events of most novels
• Investiture — the fundamental magical energy that underlies every magic system in the Cosmere
• Worldhoppers — characters who travel between worlds, some of whom appear in multiple series
• Hoid — a recurring mysterious figure who appears in every Cosmere novel in some capacity

None of this requires understanding to enjoy any individual series. But knowing the framework makes the connections surprising and satisfying rather than confusing.

Complete Cosmere Reading Order (Recommended)

This is the order most commonly recommended by the Cosmere fan community for maximum enjoyment of cross-series connections:

Phase 1: Entry Points

1. Mistborn: The Final Empire — The best starting point. Self-contained, fast-paced, exceptional magic system.
2. The Well of Ascension — Mistborn book 2
3. The Hero of Ages — Mistborn book 3. Completes Era 1.

Phase 2: Expanding the Cosmere

4. Warbreaker — Standalone. Read before Oathbringer for maximum impact.
5. The Way of Kings — Stormlight Archive book 1. The series peaks here.
6. Words of Radiance — Stormlight book 2
7. Edgedancer — Stormlight novella. Read before Oathbringer.
8. Oathbringer — Stormlight book 3. Warbreaker connections pay off here.

Phase 3: Deepening

9. Mistborn: Secret History — Novella. Read after Oathbringer. Major Cosmere revelations.
10. Elantris — Sanderson’s first novel. Weakest of the Cosmere, but completionist reading.
11. Dawnshard — Stormlight novella. Read before Rhythm of War.
12. Rhythm of War — Stormlight book 4
13. The Lost Metal — Mistborn Era 2 finale. Significant Cosmere crossover content.
14. Wind and Truth — Stormlight book 5. Concludes Arc 1.

The Stormlight Archive Reading Order (Standalone)

If you only want to read the Stormlight Archive without the full Cosmere context:

1. The Way of Kings (2010)
2. Words of Radiance (2014)
3. Edgedancer (2016) — novella, optional but recommended
4. Oathbringer (2017)
5. Dawnshard (2020) — novella, recommended before Rhythm of War
6. Rhythm of War (2020)
7. Wind and Truth (2024)

For a detailed guide to this sequence: Complete Stormlight Archive Reading Order.

Mistborn Reading Order

Mistborn is split into three eras set in the same world at different points in history:

Era 1 — The Original Trilogy

1. The Final Empire
2. The Well of Ascension
3. The Hero of Ages

Era 2 — Wax and Wayne (set 300 years later)

1. The Alloy of Law
2. Shadows of Self
3. The Bands of Mourning
4. The Lost Metal

Who Is Hoid?

Hoid is the most important recurring character in the Cosmere. He is a worldhopper — a person who travels between Cosmere worlds — and he appears in every Cosmere novel, often in minor roles that reward attentive readers. He is a gleeman in The Way of Kings, a beggar in Mistborn: The Final Empire, a storyteller in Warbreaker.

His true identity, motivations, and history are one of the central mysteries of the Cosmere, paid off gradually across dozens of novels. Recognizing him in each book is one of the pleasures of reading the Cosmere in order.

Do I Need to Read the Whole Cosmere?

No. Every series is designed to be readable independently. You will miss Easter eggs and cross-series connections, but you will never be lost in the plot.

The Cosmere rewards completionists — but it does not punish readers who start with one series and stop there. Most readers start with Mistborn or Stormlight and then decide whether to expand.

Audiobooks for the Cosmere

All major Cosmere works are available on Audible with excellent narration. The Stormlight Archive (Michael Kramer and Kate Reading) and Mistborn Era 1 (Michael Kramer) are widely considered among the best fantasy audiobook productions ever recorded.

Browse all Cosmere audiobooks on Audible →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best order to read Brandon Sanderson’s books?

Start with Mistborn: The Final Empire, then The Way of Kings, then Warbreaker before continuing Stormlight. That sequence gives you the best Cosmere experience without spoiling cross-series revelations.

Can I start with the Stormlight Archive without reading Mistborn?

Yes. The Stormlight Archive is fully self-contained. Mistborn is not required reading. However, reading Warbreaker before Oathbringer is specifically recommended — there is a character connection that is significantly more impactful if you know the earlier book.

How many books are in the Cosmere total?

As of 2025, approximately 20 novels plus novellas and short stories are published in the Cosmere. Sanderson has planned many more, with the Stormlight Archive’s second arc (books 6-10) and additional Mistborn eras still to come.

What is Investiture?

Investiture is the fundamental magical energy of the Cosmere — the force that powers every magic system across every world. Stormlight is a form of Investiture. So is the metal-burning of Allomancy, the color-based BioChroma of Warbreaker, and the Aons of Elantris. Understanding that all Cosmere magic shares this common substrate is one of the key insights that connects the series.