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Includes SPOILERS forThe Stormlight Archive Books 1 - 4.Brandon Sanderson ’s al-Qur’an can be a labyrinth to understand , and there are several that are authoritative to cover beforeThe Stormlight Archivebook 5,Wind and Truth . Thefifth installment of Sanderson ’s larger-than-life fantasy saga is set to conclude the first leg of the design ten - book serial , promise finis to character arcs and narratives established inThe room of Kingswhile also put down the base for more to come . The previous fourStormlight Archivenovels are , of course , vital to understandingWind and Truth , but with Sanderson , there ’s always more to it than that .
Breaking into Brandon Sanderson ’s novels is a challenge , as he has multiple serial publication and standalone deed of conveyance that are connected in ajoint world call the Cosmere . It works similarly to the MCU , Star Wars , or any other fictional macrocosm that utilize multiple deed to tell apart an overarching narrative . Importantly , Sanderson writes his series to be savor individually , without any knowledge of the others . So , one can readThe Stormlight Archivewithout knowingMistborn , but knowledge of different Sanderson books can still embellish the rest with references and connections to the encompassing Cosmere news report .
7The Stormlight Archive Series
Catching Up On Books 1-4 Is The Only Requirement
The only Brandon Sanderson books that are utterly lively to read beforeWind and Truthare the first four volumes ofThe Stormlight Archive . Thestory lead off withThe Way of Kingsin 2010 , where Sanderson introduce audience to the sprawling world of Roshar . The planet ’s " highstorms " sweep across the land mass , importantly shape a free ecosystem where plant and creatures have adapted to the harsh conditions . Over thousands of eld , Roshar has suffer from human race - shattering wars yell " bleakness " that left civilization in ruins . The Stormlight Archivedepicts the events of the True Desolation .
Brandon Sanderson once pointed out one of the major error in Game of Thrones , and it foreground a strength of The Stormlight Archive .
Throughout the four volumes , theorders of the Knights Radianthave reawaken , apply humanity a fighting chance against the god Odium and the singers . Dalinar Kholin is the King of Urithiru and the loss leader of the Knights Radiant and has since united Alethkar and the human nation of Roshar against Odium . Kaladin is a slave sour warrior who helped to re - found the Knights Radiant along with Shallan Davar , a young cleaning woman working to defend Roshar against an off - world thread called the Ghostbloods . The three master agonist interlace amongst a massive character ensemble , force the story along .
At the end ofRhythm of War , Dalinar agrees to a contest of mavin with Odium , repose the introduction forWind and Truth’sstory . Only ten Clarence Shepard Day Jr. stay before the contest , setting up the 5th volume to act out in real - time , with ten sections covering each of the days . The four books ofThe Stormlight Archiveare listed below .
The Stormlight ArchiveBooks
Release Year
The agency of Kings
2010
word of Radiance
2014
Oathbringer
2017
Custom image by Ana Nieves & original cover art for Rhythm of War and Wind and Truth byMichael Whelan
Rhythm of War
2020
6The Stormlight Archive Novellas
Edgedancer & Dawnshard Embellish The Story
Novellas and short story are common in the Cosmere , provide for small tale in between the tremendous volumes . In the case ofThe Stormlight Archive , those novella are about as long as a normal - sized novel , so they ’re grand enough to be considered worthwhile stories on their own . To understandWind and Truthand the previous volumes , these novella are n’t entirely necessary , but they can provide some added context of use for supporting character and proffer glimpses of Roshar that readers have n’t spent as much sentence with .
The Stormlight Archive Novellas
When to take
OATHBRINGERby Michael Whelan
Edgedancer
AfterWords of Radiance
Dawnshard
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore
AfterOathbringer
The first novella , Edgedancer , follow the character Lift . She ’s first introduce inWords of Radianceand becomes an of import supporting character inOathbringerandRhythm of War , so reading her storey is important to get to know her . She ’s intended to be the central flashback character in one of the futureStormlight Archivebooks , so one might as well get intimate in advance . As forDawnshard , the novella follows the character Rysn , who was present inThe fashion of Kingsand returns in the interludes of each volume of the main series .
5Mistborn Era 1
The Mistborn Trilogy Introduces Key Elements Of The Cosmere
All major planet in the Cosmere characteristic gods forebode " Shards , " which are relate to the magic system featured in story likeMistbornandThe Stormlight Archive .
The originalMistborntrilogy is Brandon Sanderson ’s most widely read work , so chances are , someone dive intoThe Stormlight Archivewill already have made their agency through the serial . It’sgenerally advised as the starting point for his books , especially for those face to plunge into the Cosmere , as it establishes many of the core ideas for the unspecific universe . All major planet in the Cosmere feature gods called " sherd , " which are related to the magic organization feature in stories likeMistbornandThe Stormlight Archive . Though these system of rules take different forms , they come up from the same energy seed called Investiture .
Mistborn Era 1 Books
THE SUNLIT MAN by Kudriaken
The Final Empire
2006
The Well of Ascension
WARBREAKERby Dan Dos Santos
2007
The Hero of Ages
2008
The Stormlight Archive is an epic fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson, set on the storm-ravaged world of Roshar. The series follows multiple characters, each with their unique storylines, as they navigate political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and powerful magic. Central to the story are the Knights Radiant, legendary warriors with magical abilities who must return to save their world from impending destruction. The series explores themes of honor, leadership, and the burden of power.
With that in brain , readingMistborncan allow the reader to get used to Sanderson ’s storytelling and the attribute of the Cosmere that exist inThe Stormlight Archive . But understanding the case of the originalMistborntrilogy is also important for understanding several lineal references and fictitious character crossovers . There aremultiple characters inThe Stormlight Archive , particularly from the Ghostbloods organization , who correspond directly to characters or coinage introduce inMistbornEra 1 .
" Kandra " are a shapeshifting species fromMistborn , and Sanderson has suggested one is in hiding on Roshar .
4Mistborn: Secret History
Secret History Ties Era 1 More Directly To The Cosmere
MistbornEra 1 can help introduce audience to ideas that exist inThe Stormlight Archive , but the original trilogy does n’t really name things like Investiture , and the term Cosmere is n’t even admit in them . Mistborn : Secret Historyis a novellawritten years later , in 2016 , thatconnects back to the event ofMistbornEra 1 , tot up some setting to how those events related to the Cosmere at tumid . For anyone concerned in understanding how exactlyMistbornEra 1 connect toThe Stormlight Archive , this novelette is important to bridge over the gap .
The style of king and The Final Empire have alike initiative , but The Stormlight Archive ’s prologue does the same thing as Mistborn ’s , only good .
Without mishandle details , the novella explores the events of one of the main character fromMistbornEra 1 after their death , examine their time in the Cognitive Realm ( known primarily inThe Stormlight Archiveas Shadesmar ) . There , they probe subsequent occurrence from theMistbornbooks from afar . The worldhopper , Hoid , who appears inMistbornas well asThe Stormlight Archive(known primarily as Wit ) , also has a memorable scene in this novella that establishes an of import , long - condition Cosmere connection .
3Mistborn Era 2
Era 2 Is More Cosmere-Focused Than Era 1
Technically , MistbornEra 2 happens afterThe Stormlight Archivechronologically , but since the record book were release beforeWind and Truth , they ’re still relevant to some degree . geological era 2 picks up roughly 300 years after the result ofMistbornEra 1 , demonstrating how Brandon Sanderson handles time jumps . reach thatThe Stormlight Archivewill have a poor fourth dimension jump of its own succeed book 5 , Era 2 is the honest instance of what this might look like . Moreso than geological era 1,MistbornEra 2 also hasfar more joining to events go on throughout the Cosmere .
Mistborn Era 2 Books
The Alloy of Law
2011
shadow of ego
2015
The Bands of Mourning
2016
The Lost Metal
2022
Unlike in Era 1,MistbornEra 2 normally note matters of the broader Cosmere , as engineering has begun to modernize and interplanetary function are becoming more prevalent . The main Shard in Era 2 is not only implicated with the event occur in this series , but also with a growing conflict taking shape throughout Sanderson ’s larger fantasy universe of discourse . To get the full cathode-ray oscilloscope of everything Brandon Sanderson is setting up withWind and Truth , catching up on all of these books is worthwhile .
2The Sunlit Man
The Sunlit Man’s Protagonist Is From Roshar
The Sunlit Manwas one of the Secret Projects that come from Brandon Sanderson ’s disc - breaking Kickstarter military campaign and had its wide release in other 2024.Unlike the other two Cosmere Secret project , The Sunlit Manis broadly speaking recommended to readers who are already intimate with Sanderson ’s work , as it ’s packed with references to his other books , particularlyThe Stormlight Archive . With that being said , it ’s set in the quad years , soit ’s not vital to sympathize what happens inWind and Truthsince it occurs later chronologically .
Before Wind and Truth comes out in December , this 2023 Brandon Sanderson book is worth reading for its references to The Stromlight Archive .
Not much can be allege aboutThe Sunlit Man’sconnections without spoiling anything major , butit ’s clear from just the first few chapter that the main POV character in the leger is from Roshar . He mentions being from a home planet without filth and even uses terms like " Storming , " making it pretty obvious . For any rooter ofThe Stormlight Archive , this is a fun one to pluck up , as it get out some vague clues regarding consequence yet to follow on Roshar while extend a beguile story of its own .
1Warbreaker
Multiple Stormlight Archive Characters Come From This Book
Warbreakeris doubtless the most important standalone novel when it come to connections toThe Stormlight Archive . In fact , Sanderson has even recommended readingWarbreakerafterThe Way of Kings , as thereferences to this novel begin early inWords of Radianceand persist throughout the subsequent record book . There are three grapheme inThe Stormlight Archivethat have-to doe with to the issue ofWarbreaker , give it a rather helpful Word to catch up on , as it can provide some context for what certain worldhoppers are doing on Roshar .
LikeThe Sunlit Man , Warbreakeris a playfulness novel in its own right , and it ’s one of the few narrative in the Cosmere that Brandon Sanderson does n’t presently have any plans to explore further . Meanwhile , his other 2000s standalone , Elantris , has a long - awaited subsequence set to be write afterward in the 2020s . For buff ofThe Stormlight Archive , Warbreakercan help the lector understand some of the more mystic character who have drift in and out of events conduce up toWind and Truth .
The Stormlight Archive is an epic phantasy serial by Brandon Sanderson , set on the storm - desolate macrocosm of Roshar . The series follows multiple character , each with their singular storylines , as they pilot political machination , ancient prophecies , and powerful magic . fundamental to the story are the Knights Radiant , legendary warriors with sorcerous abilities who must return to save their world from imminent end . The series explores themes of honor , leadership , and the burden of power .
