Wind And Truth, the fifth novel in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive, is complete.
The author announced the news a few days ago. We also have a release date (December 6, 2024). Sanderson is the biggest fantasy author in the world. Remember his record-breaking Kickstarter campaign? Readers the world over paid him over $40 million for five new books because they could not get enough of his creative genius.
As such, some of you saw the Wind and Truth announcement and thought about buying the book upon its release to determine whether Sanderson is worth the hype. But that's a bad idea. As I said, this is book five of the Stormlight Archive series. More importantly, Stormlight is merely one among many Sanderson stories set in the Cosmere universe.
You can start your Sanderson journey with The Way of Kings, the first Stormlight novel. However, you will have a stronger appreciation for the concepts and characters if you consume every Cosmere-related story Sanderson has written thus far, because some of the characters cross over.
But that raises a question. Where should you start? In what order should you read these novels?
Common sense will tell you to begin your adventure with Elantris, Sanderson's first-ever novel. But here's the thing; Elantris is one of the author's weaker books, primarily because he was still finding his footing when he penned it.
The book follows a prince who contracts a magical illness and goes into exile in Elantris, a crumbling city once inhabited by benevolent godlike beings. For all its charm, you are better off putting Elantris aside and reading Mistborn Era 1 instead. Many readers hail this as Sanderson's best series to date.
Vin, the protagonist, is a street urchin surviving in an ash-covered city. In her world, the heroes failed and an immortal God rose to the throne. Vin's life takes a fascinating turn when she joins a motley crew of rebels on a mission to execute the heist of the century.
Mistborn is the best introduction to Sanderson's Cosmere universe because of its fast pace, medieval setting, bizarre creatures, practical magic system, and manageable page count. A fast reader can finish the entire trilogy in a week or two. The story will also appeal to younger audiences.
Now, Amazon may tempt you with Mistborn Era 2 at this point, but ignore the ads and skip to Warbreaker, which takes readers to a world where those who die in glory return as gods. By harnessing BioChromatic magic, they can perform miracles.
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While Sanderson has hinted at a potential sequel (set in the same world as the first story but not a direct follow-up), Warbreaker is currently a standalone, which may appeal to readers who are still on the fence about Sanderson. It won't consume as much of your time as an entire trilogy.
The Emperor's Soul is appealing for similar reasons. It is a novella as opposed to a full-length novel. Shai, the protagonist, is arrested, sentenced to death, and then told that she may attain her freedom if she recreates the soul of the Emperor. You can slot Elantris anywhere in between the books above.
However, many readers return to it after finishing The Emperor's Soul and gaining an appreciation for Sanderson's style. What about Mistborn Era 2?' It can wait. If you are determined to read Wind and Truth upon its release, you should start The Stormlight Archive as soon as possible.
The series has four books: The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer and Rhythm of War. All four books are at least 1000 pages long, so they will occupy the rest of your year.
Happy reading.
