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Quick answer: If you finished Isles of the Emberdark, read Tress of the Emerald Sea, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, The Sunlit Man and Warbreaker, then try The Way of Kings and Mistborn. All are Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere books, linked by shared worlds and ideas.
Isles of the Emberdark is a Cosmere novel by Brandon Sanderson. The Cosmere is a connected universe of fantasy worlds, each with its own magic system. The books below include more Cosmere stories and other fantasy novels with detailed magic and big adventure. Most are adult or older teen fantasy, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tress of the Emerald Sea | Brandon Sanderson | Teen and adult | the easy entry |
| Yumi and the Nightmare Painter | Brandon Sanderson | Teen and adult | romantic Cosmere |
| The Sunlit Man | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | action Cosmere |
| Warbreaker | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | standalone Cosmere |
| Elantris | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | first Cosmere book |
| The Way of Kings | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | epic scale |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | magic systems |
| The Well of Ascension | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | Mistborn series |
| The Alloy of Law | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | Wild West fantasy |
| Shadows of Self | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | detective fantasy |
| Arcanum Unbounded | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | short stories |
| White Sand | Brandon Sanderson | Teen and adult | graphic novel |
| The Eye of the World | Robert Jordan | Adult | long epics |
| The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss | Adult | lyrical fantasy |
| The Priory of the Orange Tree | Samantha Shannon | Adult | standalone epic |
1. Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
A young woman sails a sea of spores to save the boy she loves. Whimsical, funny and a perfect entry to the Cosmere.
Best for: the easy entry.
2. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson
A painter and a young woman who sees spirits are drawn together in a Japanese-inspired world. Sweet and inventive.
Best for: romantic Cosmere.
3. The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson
A man runs across a world where the sun's heat chases people. Fast, tense and imaginative.
Best for: action Cosmere.
4. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Two sisters, a god king and a magic based on color. Standalone and quick to read.
Best for: standalone Cosmere.
5. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
A fallen city of cursed people and a prince cast into it. Sanderson's first novel, with fine worldbuilding.
Best for: first Cosmere book.
6. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
The first Stormlight Archive book introduces Kaladin, Shallan and Dalinar. Huge and ambitious.
Best for: epic scale.
7. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A thief joins a crew to topple a god-king using metal-based magic. Fast and clever.
Best for: magic systems.
8. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
The second Mistborn book follows the new rulers' struggle to hold a city. Political and tense.
Best for: Mistborn series.
9. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
A Mistborn sequel in a world of guns and trains, with a lawman and a rogue. Light, witty and fast.
Best for: Wild West fantasy.
10. Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
The Wax and Wayne mystery continues with a political plot. Fun and clever.
Best for: detective fantasy.
11. Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson
A collection of Cosmere short stories and novellas. Good for sampling worlds.
Best for: short stories.
12. White Sand by Brandon Sanderson
A graphic novel set on a desert world with a magic of sand. Quick and visual.
Best for: graphic novel.
13. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Rand al'Thor and his friends leave their village. First of the Wheel of Time, which Sanderson later completed.
Best for: long epics.
14. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Kvothe tells the story of his life. Lyrical and character-driven.
Best for: lyrical fantasy.
15. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
A huge standalone epic about queens, dragons and a hidden war. Rich in worlds and characters.
Best for: standalone epic.
How to Choose
If you are new to the Cosmere, begin with Tress of the Emerald Sea or Elantris. For the main series, read Mistborn and The Way of Kings. For short stories, Arcanum Unbounded. For other big fantasy, The Eye of the World. Because the Cosmere is connected, many readers enjoy reading in publication order. If you want to understand the whole Cosmere, a reading order guide online can help. Sanderson also posts updates on his own site. Many readers keep a map or a wiki open as they read, though the standalones are friendly to newcomers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cosmere?
It is Sanderson's shared universe, in which many worlds share a common history and connected magic.
Do I need to read other Cosmere books before Isles of the Emberdark?
It helps to know the Cosmere basics, but many readers start with the standalone books.
What order should I read Sanderson?
Tress of the Emerald Sea, Elantris and Warbreaker are good standalones, then Mistborn and Stormlight.
Are the Cosmere books suitable for teens?
Most are fine for older teens, with violence typical of epic fantasy.
Where can I find a reading guide?
Sanderson's website and fan sites provide reading order recommendations.
Is Isles of the Emberdark a good starting point?
It is better to read some earlier Cosmere books first, such as Tress of the Emerald Sea or Mistborn.
Is Isles of the Emberdark part of a series?
It belongs to the larger Cosmere, but it can be read without finishing other series.
How long is the novel?
It is a big book of several hundred pages.