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My first time


Swifftalon

First Sanderson?  

1240 members have voted

  1. 1. Which was your first Sanderson book/series?

    • Mistborn (The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages)
      546
    • Stormlight (the Way of Kings and Words of Radiance)
      325
    • Elantris
      155
    • Warbreaker
      29
    • The Rithmatist
      29
    • Steelheart
      57
    • Legion
      3
    • The Emperors Soul
      7
    • Other?
      89


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I discovered him through Elantris.

I was strolling throgh the fantasy section of a bookshop (as usual), when I came face-to-face with that book. Well, as it is, in Spain Elantris was published by an editorial which, in that collection, has the editor write some sort of prologue explaining why he decided to publish that book. Well, he was a very well-known editor, and he really praised the book and Sanderson. Besides, I was really hooked with the first two-three pages of the book, so I bought it.

I think that did it. After reading the book, I looked up "Brandon Sanderson" in Googke and found his official page. Then, months later, came Mistborn, and that was the final blow.

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One of my family members was going through the bookstore when a name caught her eye- Orson Scott Card. My whole family really enjoy his works, so she takes a closer look. "The finest work of fantasy to be written in a long while" said Card. She thought this was good enough for her, so she bought the book. I loved it. The characters were so deep, the struggles very real, and the magic system so interesting, that I plowed right through it. We found that a few months later that he had another book- Mistborn- out as well. I read it and loved it almost as much. When I heard that he was releasing a new book- Well of Ascension- I was there at the signing. However, I didn't join his online

community until Hero of Ages. I was there during the HoA Q&A, which was one of the last times Brandon was there, and the first time "Shard", "Adonalsium", "Hoid" and "Cosmere" were used. I have been a rabid fan ever since.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I discovered him through my sister, who had me read the first mistborn book. This was right around the release of HoA.

It's still my favorite book of all time. I read the whole trilogy within weeks, but for some reason I couldn't really get into Elantris. I had to give it back to the library before I got three chapters in.

There was a temporary hiatus until The Way of Kings was released; I read the cover blurb and was immediately sold. A freaking world of arthropods? Count me in. I finished that book within two days, and it is now my second favorite of Brandon's books. After that I purchased Elantris for a second try, and for whatever reason got hooked this time. Not my favorite of his works, but still a worthy addition to my BSanderson collection.

In fact, it wasn't until after I got Warbreaker and thought I was caught up that I discovered WoT. I actually am the reverse of most people: I found WoT through Brandon, rather than the other way around. I'm currently on the third book, mostly because I want to get to Brandon's books at the end. It's a good motivator, because I'm told the middle books tend to drag. :)

I'll quit WoT for a bit when AoL comes out. Then I'll try to finish the series before rithmatist or the next stormlight book. Then I'll be really caught up!

On a humorous note, I actually avoided the forums at Twg and here because I didn't like the idea of the cosmere. I decided just to ignore that annoying concept and live in my own perfect dreamworld. That didn't last long. Now I've embraced the truth. Lol

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On a humorous note, I actually avoided the forums at Twg and here because I didn't like the idea of the cosmere. I decided just to ignore that annoying concept and live in my own perfect dreamworld. That didn't last long. Now I've embraced the truth. Lol

You reminded me of Jasnah just now.

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Hmm... To be honest, I only remember how I started with Mistborn; I'm relatively sure I read Elantris first, but not sure how.

Anyway, I remember getting into a discussion with a local member of my church congregation (lawl, of all the places) and learning that he was a big scifi/fantasy fan as well. After trading a few favored authors, he asked if I had heard of Brandon Sanderson. When I said no, he offered to lend me each of the books in turn so I could read them.

While I don't remember it all, I do have a single record of my intense love for the series: "Sunday, Aug. 5th* - Got Mistborn 3! :) --> Tuesday, Aug. 7th - Finished Mistborn 3!". Probably could've finished it faster, if not for cursed sleep. Oh, and life.

Suffice it to say, I was pretty dang hooked. Just something about the well-defined, engaging and complex magical systems, intricate character arcs and the infamous "Brandon Sanderson Avalanche" that had me nearly sweating by the last few chapters... But hey, I imagine I'm preaching to the choir here. :P

So yeah. Now I'm dealin with my most recent of flabbergasting revelations; all his books are related somehow?! Still grappling with the sheer awexomeness of that one.

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...the infamous "Brandon Sanderson Avalanche" that had me nearly sweating by the last few chapters...

I'm pretty sure I actually walk around in a circle with the book in my face as I read those bits. I just feel like I can't contain all that pent-up emotion. It's a strange cross between fear(that something you don't want to happen will happen), excitement(that something you do want to happen will happen), frustration (that you don't know what the heck is going to happen), and amazement that someone could somehow compress all this godliness into as earthly a medium as a book.

Oh yeah, and mad chills because of how boss his magic users are. And fury at certain characters.

AHEM sadeas AHEM

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I first heard of Brandon Sanderson when my sister read Mistborn the Final Empire. I put it on a long list of books to get around to and pretty much forgot about it. Then in October 2010 Brandon Sanderson came to my school and did a presentation and signing for Convocations. I was impressed by what he had to say so I read the Mistborn trilogy and then Elantris. The pot of gold for me was when I was browsing his website and found a link to Writing Excuses. I love his books, but Writing Excuses is the reason that I decided to really take my writing seriously and I can't thank him enough for that (along with Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler).

My first time actually meeting Brandon was a couple of weeks ago at the Innistrad Prerelease. That was awesome too :D

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  • 3 weeks later...

A friend had recommended the Wheel of Time series to me as he is a hardcore fan of Robert Jordan. I read up to about book 4 or 5 and I just couldn't go on anymore. I googled around for another series and stopping at a "top fanstasy/sci-fi books and series" website and saw Mistborn there. After I read the run down I went and bought The Final Empire. After about halfway through FE I bought the other 2. Then I went out and bought Elantris while I was waiting for Warbreaker to come out in hardback. Good times.

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First post!

I learned of Sanderson through Wheel of Time. He did an excellent job with both of the books for that series, and finding myself without anything to read, I finally bought the Mistborn trilogy winter 2010. I had some concerns about it since I felt his writing was stronger in the WoT books but I still enjoyed the books.

In the last month I saw that Jim Butcher recommended Sanderson's books and currently being out of stuff to read, I ordered The Way of Kings as soon as I saw it was a fantasy epic. I was even more thrilled to see that he plans on writing ten books. Unlike many of my friends, I enjoy the painful years of waiting for a book to release lol and was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into a new epic series.

Well, I finished up The Way of Kings today and I want more!!! I'm really blown away with how for a first book in the series, it doesn't really feel like a first book. He fleshed the world out in such a way that I feel I know so much about the world he's made already, which hasn't been the case in many of series. I just want more and there is a good part of me that wishes he'd just skip AMoL (which is going to be awesome!) to do another Stormlight book.

I've officially become a Sanderson fanboi. I need to get the rest of his stuff now. And I kind of wish I lived in Utah so I could do some Magic drafts with him. :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

I saw a copy of Final Empire in my local bookshop, I picked it up, read the back cover and rolled my eyes. I put it down.

But the name was familiar to me from somewhere. I came home, I was browsing tvtropes and then I got to a WoT article and remembered where I knew the name Brandon Sanderson from: he was chosen to continue the WoT series!

I'm a very casual reader and fan of WoT but the fact that he was chosen to continue something so seminal made me want to learn more about Mr. Sanderson. So I looked him up on tvtropes, saw that that book I scrunched my nose at and rolled my eyes because the synopsis on the back cover read like a really crappy idea was in fact a book that was all about playing with those very stereotypes.

This got me interested. The next time I was at the bookshop, I bought the book, read it casually (mostly because I was reading other books at the time and so it was pretty low on my list)...then I stopped halfway to the end. Why? Because I liked it and I wanted to wait to get the other two books, just knowing in my gut that I'd want to read the whole trilogy in one go.

So I did, and it took months to get to the next two books but when I did, I read voraciously and finished Hero of Ages just the other day. Then I started on Alloy of Law and finished it about an hour ago.

Needless to say, I'm hooked on Sanderson.

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  • 1 month later...

I was laid off and was looking for a new author or series in the fantasy/epic area and stumbled upon the Mistborn series in an E-bundle sale for the Kobo. I wasn't sure about it so decided to try the "stand alone" Elantris to see if I liked the author first. What can I say? I am hooked!

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I first heard about him through WoT, but that's not why I read the rest of his books.

My brother picked up Mistborn off at college and I eventually got around to reading it. Then I picked up Warbreaker at my school libary. Then I got a Nook and proceeded to buy the rest of the trilogy. Then Elantris. Then Way of Kings, then Alloy of Law.

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This one is easy. I was turned on to Brandon's material when I got a text message from my brother about the Passing of Robert Jordan. I was upset to say the least and I followed news on the topic of the Wheel of Time until Brandon was announced to finish the series. I then found anything he had written and read all of it falling in love with his writing style and characters, not to mention his world building. As horrible as RJ's passing was, I am thankful to have found Brandon as a result.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This seems a good place to start here on the forums. I had been reading the Wheel of Time since about 1994 so when I found out that Robert Jordan had passed I figured that the end of his huge story would never be told. I moved on reluctantly. Then I read some interesting news about a guy named Brandon Sanderson. He had been picked to finish the Wheel of Time. Naturally, my first response was to go out and pick up Elantris. When I finished the book I turned to my wife and said, "I think I have found my new favorite author!" I ordered the first Mistborn book the next day and plowed through it. After I finished that book I was certain I had found my new favorite author. I then proceded to read every book he had in the market (minus the Alcatraz books. Don't worry. I'll get to them) and picked up each new one the day they came out. He has done a phenomenal job with the WoT and I am looking forward to that series ending. Mainly so Brandon can write more of his own books. Oh, and my wife is hooked on his books now as well.

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found him, like so many others, via the Wheel of Time. I decided to check out Elantris after that and really didn't like it. I couldn't get into either of the main characters. Then this past summer I decided to give him another shot after Pat Rothfuss mentioned the Way of Kings at a book signing for Wise Mans Fear... Or maybe on his blog. I liked the first Mistborn book, was bored by the second, and loved the third. So I read the Way of Kings. That hooked me completely, as did the RPG. I've had good success running games with the Dresden RPG, so I've ordered the Mistborn one as well and have my first session Saturday. In looking for stuff on the Mistborn RPG I found this place. I'd caught some of the bits involving Hoid and read a wiki entry on him, but when I started reading the theories put forth here my mind was blown. Eventually I'll have done enough to actually start theorizing on some of this stuff too. Currently going through Warbreaker as a break from Malazan. I can manage about a book and a half of that series before I burn out and need a break.

I should mention that as someone attempting to become an author I have no idea how Brandon gets so many books out. I mean. Way of Kings, Alloy of Law, and finishing MoL all in like a years time. He's amazing, especially when I'm used to the likes of Pat Rothfuss and Scott Lynch. Plus the Changes series break for The Dresden Files. I was about ready to tear my hair out on that one.

Edited by Aminar
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I can't remember exactly when I started reading him. It was shortly before or shortly after the passing of RJ, may he rest in peace. My husband and I picked up Elantris, and loved it. Then we read Mistborn series, and now he's been added to our collection of writers. I read Warbreaker last year, and I just finished The Way of Kings on my break between classes. He never ceases to amaze me with his plots and twists!

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I was recommended to Mistborn and Wheel of Time by a friend's dad, but I forgot that he talked about WoT, so I went home and looked up Mistborn on Wikipedia (yeah, yeah, I'm a cheater). I read the description of the series and got hooked by the fascinating magic system (I collect magic systems). So I went and bought the first one online. I loved it, and so did my sister and mom. This Christmas I got the next two Mistborn and Wheel of Time, so I finished Mistborn in the next two days. Now I'm stuck behind my slowpoke of a sister in WoT. I plan to get Elantris and Alloy of Law at the next chance I get.

Edit: I forgot, I also read Warbreaker online before I got the other 2 Mistborn.

Edited by Ironeyes
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  • 3 weeks later...

I found BS's work completely by accident on my part. However, it was planned by someone! I hadn't read a good fantasy book in a while, and my wife was looking around at book reviews and came across the Mistborn trilogy. She bought it for me as the boxed set for Christmas 2010, and I have not put down his work since.

Well, not entirely true. I'm reading the early WoT books now so that I can read his works at the end. Of course, this is odd for me because I didn't start reading WoT until a month or two ago, but the whole series was pretty much spoilered for me thanks to a friend of mine who had been a fanboy since middle school. Oh well, at least I can be intrigued by the little details.

Mistborn has become so popular in my apartment with my wife and I recommending it to all of our friends, that we now have some candleholders with some of the Steel Alphabet etched into them. My wife is getting crafty. I've only seen the end result of one (one is still being made) but it's pretty spiffy. If it gets the final touch-ups it needs, I may even post a photo.

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Well, my story of how I found Brandon is pretty common - through Wheel of Time. I'd started reading Wheel of Time in high school, almost ten years ago now. I heard Brandon was finishing the series around the time they announced it, but it wasn't til a year or two later that I picked up Elantris. I found the beginning a bit slow, but the second half had me hooked, and the end just blew me away. I read the Mistborn trilogy about six months later and was even more impressed.

I didn't read Warbreaker for a while, like a year and a half later. My family does a family book club (yes, we are big nerds like that), and it was my turn to pick the book, and we have to pick a book no one has read yet, so I picked Warbreaker. I thought it would be a good one, because not everyone in family likes fantasy, but it's (currently) a stand-alone, and if I had to pick a fantasy author to recommend to someone who doesn't liek fantasy, Sanderson is definitely one of those I would pick. Anyway, my whole family really liked the book! My mom wants to read his other books now (though she still hasn't, she doesn't read a lot), and my sister does too, though she'd been reading Wheel of Time first.

Anyhow, shortly after that I read Way of Kings, which is now my favorite of his works. I can't wait for the second Stormlight book.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I started reading the Wheel of Time books about a year ago. While reading the series, I kept hearing about Brandon Sanderson finishing and how good he is. I decided I would try it after I finish WoT. However, he sounded so good, I HAD to read him NOW. So I stopped the WoT at book 8 (still right there now) and took a break to read one of Sanderson's novels. My break has been extended to read ALL of his novels. I LOVE his writing. Will still read WoT though before AMoL

Edited by LevenThumps
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  • 3 weeks later...

Seems the place for the first post.

Grew up mostly in Provo, and actually ran into Brandon Sanderson long before reading his books (similar story with Howard Talyer and Schlock at Dragonskeep), with a few acquaintances showing up in the acknowledgements. My Father went to LTUE again in 2008, purchasing and having a copy of Elantris personalized for a birthday gift. Though it was a while before I got around to reading it, I then quickly devoured everything else and started waiting for more.

Love how he is finishing out the WOT (started reading that series the summer before Path of Daggers came out) so quickly, and am rereading all the books while I wait out the incredibly slow readers ahead of me at the BYU Library so that I can, hopefully, get my hands on Dragonsteel. (Been trying for ~18 months; between BYU losing the copy and the Library not having my correct email address on the hold request the first couple times.)

Edited by Voldy
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