brandon sanderson what book to start with reddit

Not many authors are quite equally consistently prolific as Brandon Sanderson, and happily, he's not showing any signs of slowing down whatsoever time shortly! For those of you who might be curious about what all the fuss is most, I've put together this full general introduction to his work. It covers a chip nearly Brandon himself, addresses the awesome fact that all of his epic fantasies are continued, and suggests some titles for first-time readers to start on…

A Retentivity of Light art by Michael Whelan

Who is Brandon Sanderson?

Brandon Sanderson is a New York Times bestselling writer, who has been published for x years, but writing for a lot longer than that. Built-in in Nebraska, but currently residing in Utah, Sanderson wasn't much of a bookworm as a child until he was given a copy of Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly by a favorite teacher. He'south been hooked on epic fantasy ever since. Even though he originally planned to study biochemistry in college, he gave himself over to his love of stories and switched to English, hoping to be a writer. After many years of writing whenever he could—at night, at piece of work, whenever he had free fourth dimension—Brandon sold his start novel and by May 2005, he was holding Elantris in his hands.

Following the success of Elantris, Brandon gained an even wider audition with the Mistborn trilogy and in 2007, Sanderson was catapulted into the spotlight when he was asked by Robert Jordan'due south widow, Harriet McDougal, to take over The Bike of Time series post-obit the unfortunate passing of Robert Jordan. Over the next few years, Sanderson performed double duty, non merely working vigorously on the finale to The Wheel of Time, but too producing fiction set in his ain worlds, including The Way of Kings, the inaugural volume of The Stormlight Archive series, which was published in 2010 and followed by its sequel, Words of Radiance, in 2014.

If that concluding bit sounds nuts, don't worry, it'southward standard. Sanderson is known for his incredible work ethic and furious step—not merely has he released full-length epic fantasy novels earlier, during, and later on completing Robert Jordan's iconic series, he's too written a scattering of eye-grade and YA novels, a multitude of short stories and novellas (i of which won the Hugo a few years agone), and even so manages to detect time to participate in the honor-winning "Writing Excuses" podcast he started with Dan Wells and Howard Taylor, with Mary Robinette Kowal joining in the sixth flavour.

Sanderson manages to strike a fine residuum in his work, providing the fun, magical, and epic fantasy adventures he loved growing up while simultaneously pushing those stories into new territory; finding ways to inquire important questions about civilization, graphic symbol, faith, society, history, and more than without sacrificing a breakneck, page-turning pace.

Mistborn fine art by Sam Weber

Then where exercise I start?

Sanderson has put out a lot of books out and any number of them tin can act every bit a dandy gateway to his work! I, myself, was first introduced to him through his novel Warbreaker, released through his website for free. Brandon wanted to showcase his work for people online to see what would happen, and estimate what? I went out and bought the first Mistborn book that same week.

I suppose it all depends on your preference. While Sanderson has a certain writing way, the season can vary per book, so here's a quick guide to finding a starting point that'southward right for you:

Mistborn – Practice you enjoy seeing fantasy tropes turned on their head, love heist stories, and wish you could soar through massive cities similar Spider-Man? And so try the Mistborn series! Fix in a dying world, ruled by a sinister immortal emperor who hides a dark cloak-and-dagger virtually the prophesied Hero of Ages, the series follows Vin, a young girl who joins up with a group of thieves, miscreants, and revolutionaries, on a mission to end the Final Empire once and for all, with enough of metal magic, intrigue, guys with spikes for optics, and adrenaline along the fashion…

Elantris art by Stephan Martiniere

Elantris  – Are you looking for more of a classic fantasy read just with a twist? Elantris has a shining urban center, magical god-like beings, and a beautiful princess being sent off to marry a handsome prince. Oh wait, ha, oops. The shining city of Elantris has been quarantined, the magic that turned men and women into god-like beings has been poisoned, and the handsome prince is at present cursed with that very magic, while his bridehoped-for is abandoned on strange shores, wondering what the heck to practice now. Symbol magic, big questions about life, philosophy, and religion, and float-y, glowing artificial intelligences soon follow.

Warbreaker  – Looking for something along similar lines to Elantris? Well, give Warbreaker a shot! Set in a world where the magical free energy of Jiff tin can imbue a mortal with godlike abilities, a immature princess is sent to ally the God-Rex of her neighboring, warring nation, and it'due south up to her older sister to bring her back home safely, while avoiding the conspiracy against the crown. Incredibly deadly (however naïve) talking swords, marble-sculpted immortal men and women, and a delightful chat about sarcasm ensue.

Steelheart  – Ah, and so these options are interesting, but you're not much of an epic fantasy person. That's fine, we're even so friends, (I judge). Maybe Sanderson'south Immature Adult novel Steelheart is more your matter? Information technology's set in our world, except years agone something exploded in the sky and stayed at that place, called "Cataclysm." It gifted certain people on the world, dubbed "Epics," with incredible superpowers. Except if you lot get powers, that'due south basically confirmation that yous're a super evil person. When the worst Epic of all, Steelheart, kills David'south father, our immature hero vows to find Steelheart'south special weakness and kill him. Questions of good and evil, cultural modify, and some actually, deliberately bad metaphors lay within.

Any one of these would be great book to beginning with for anyone interested in finding out what all the fuss is about. Of course, in that location'southward also the aforementioned Way of Kings—which is brilliant and does and then many absurd things—simply to paraphrase Brandon'southward comments in a contempo episode of "Writing Excuses," The Way of Kings is the novel to read once y'all trust him. But if you're the type of reader who likes an ballsy challenge, get right ahead!

What the heck is this Cosmere I go on hearing about?

Another adept question! You're good at these, these question things. Quite skillful. A Question Principal, even. Put it on your resume.

Now, don't panic, but all of Brandon's epic fantasy novels are continued. This is a really neat thing that doesn't impact your individual enjoyment of any one book, but is something that will merely add together to the reading feel itself.

So, without any spoilers, here'due south what you need to know: Brandon'south epic fantasy novels take place in a aforementioned universe, known as the Cosmere. Beyond the many novels and worlds, at that place is a surreptitious story playing out behind the scenes, as characters from 1 volume suddenly pop up in others, with new sides and facets being revealed with every new story; ultimately, this story is something that volition thread throughout every novel, and non but hide in the shadows as we move forward.

You absolutely do not need to exist aware of this behind-the-scenes story in social club to relish the novels. Only if you pay close attention, you'll recognize that one graphic symbol from a dissimilar earth cutting through a scene, or you'll recognize a familiar proper name from another book, and so on. Brandon is playing the long game, and while somewhen you'll need to have some noesis of the Cosmere to see the whole movie, right at present, rest easy and bask the story.

But, if you do want to get to know the Cosmere, here are but a few tantalizing thoughts that may be of involvement:

• There is a certain character that has shown upward in every one of Brandon's epic fantasy novels, and he's not always helpful.
• Brandon is theorizing a universal system of how the various magic systems piece of work in his universe, and it makes me so happy to wonder about it and the interplay of all the private systems.
• This cosmic struggle has been going on for thousands of years, and getting a glimpse at events on such an vast chronological scale is, bluntly, crawly.
• Look closely at the way his magic systems work in every book. Notation the similarities, differences, and potential points of intersection. Interesting, eh?

Then, Now What?

Go! Read! Bask!

Martin Cahill is glad you paid the price and read his essay. A publicist past solar day, a bartender by night, and a writer in between, when he'south not slinging words at Tor.com, he's contributing to Book Anarchism, Strange Horizons, and blogging at his own website when the mood strikes him. A proud graduate of the Clarion Writers' Workshop 2014, you can find him on Twitter @McflyCahill90; tweet him about how butt-aging beers are boot-donkey, tips on how to properly mourn Parks and Rec, and if you have any idea on what he should read next, and you'll exist sure to become fast friends.

citation

nealysondere44.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.tor.com/2015/05/11/where-to-start-reading-brandon-sanderson/

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