help a bro out

[bonbon he/him]

hi i'm bonbon and i like miku ig

anyway i don't read fantasy books (actually my only form of reading is manga tbh) but my friend's writing a research paper and another friend got banned from here anyway i'm actually kinda interested in the books but i got NO clue where to start so

help a bro out?

(i started mistborn today)

 

Edited October 31, 2025 by bonbon

[KnightSkye Reforged They/Them]

Hello! Welcome! 

What's your favorite manga? 

(the above question will influence which Sanderson book I recommend you start with)

[-ACE- he/him]

Hello and welcome to the shard! whats your favorite manga book?

For me, I started on way of kings, and it explains stuff fairly well before knowing much about the cosmere, so i guess I recommend it first.

It really just depends on what looks the best to you. WoK is really slow at first and lots of people lose interest and don't read any of his other books because of that first experience. Brandon has it set up so that you can really start with whatever book you want and it will (mostly) make sense. I would advise against mistborn first tho, as it has more stuff about the cosmere that you won't get at first. 

[Ookla the Newt she/her]

Hi, welcome to the shard!

I read mistborn first, so I wouldn't necessarily advise against that - you might not get the cosmere stuff at first, but it's still good

But yeah, probably what looks best to you. For Way of Kings (abbreviated WoK, just in case you didn't understand above abbreviation), I didn't like it much for like 2 years and would skip the entire book on rereads. I like it a lot more now though. So yeah it's really good, just slow at first. 

Some people say Elantris is his weakest book, but I like it a lot, and it's a good starting point imo.

[Ink and Embers Any pronouns]

Personally I would recommend starting with Mistborn; I think it's one of his strongest books and you don't have to read a ton of others before book 2. Happy reading!

[Keke They/he]

WELCOMMEEEE

i recommend literally everything brandon

alsp

rangers apprentice!!!

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

4 hours ago, bonbon said:

hi i'm bonbon and i like miku ig

anyway i don't read fantasy books (actually my only form of reading is manga tbh) but my friend's writing a research paper and another friend got banned from here anyway i'm actually kinda interested in the books but i got NO clue where to start so

help a bro out?

 

 

Hi!

3 hours ago, -ACE- said:

Hello and welcome to the shard! whats your favorite manga book?

For me, I started on way of kings, and it explains stuff fairly well before knowing much about the cosmere, so i guess I recommend it first.

It really just depends on what looks the best to you. WoK is really slow at first and lots of people lose interest and don't read any of his other books because of that first experience. Brandon has it set up so that you can really start with whatever book you want and it will (mostly) make sense. I would advise against mistborn first tho, as it has more stuff about the cosmere that you won't get at first. 

I think Brandon has actually recommended starting with Mistborn. The only real Cosmere connections are era 2 (later books), which is way better than Stormlight, and it explains Shards quite well - also compared to Stormlight, at least in my eye.

Keep in mind this is coming from someone who started with Stormlight, and got instantly addicted.

So, Bonbon, Stormlight Archive is an absolute masterpiece, but I’d recommend starting with Mistborn - the first book of which is conveniently named just “Mistborn”

[bonbon he/him]

8 hours ago, KnightSkye Reforged said:

Hello! Welcome! 

What's your favorite manga? 

(the above question will influence which Sanderson book I recommend you start with)

man i got too many but i’d say mashle? i reread it a lot

4 hours ago, Ire said:

Welcome to the Shard! I would recommend starting with either Elantris or Mistborn-I started with WoK and trust me, you probably don't want to read that first it will make absolutely no sense lol

what’s the difference bewteen elantris and mistborn?

8 hours ago, -ACE- said:

Hello and welcome to the shard! whats your favorite manga book?

For me, I started on way of kings, and it explains stuff fairly well before knowing much about the cosmere, so i guess I recommend it first.

It really just depends on what looks the best to you. WoK is really slow at first and lots of people lose interest and don't read any of his other books because of that first experience. Brandon has it set up so that you can really start with whatever book you want and it will (mostly) make sense. I would advise against mistborn first tho, as it has more stuff about the cosmere that you won't get at first. 

too many favorite manga—i’d say mashle maybe

 

alr thanks  

7 hours ago, Booknewt said:

Hi, welcome to the shard!

I read mistborn first, so I wouldn't necessarily advise against that - you might not get the cosmere stuff at first, but it's still good

But yeah, probably what looks best to you. For Way of Kings (abbreviated WoK, just in case you didn't understand above abbreviation), I didn't like it much for like 2 years and would skip the entire book on rereads. I like it a lot more now though. So yeah it's really good, just slow at first. 

Some people say Elantris is his weakest book, but I like it a lot, and it's a good starting point imo.

so mistborn first i assume? wait but how am i supposed to know what works best lol

4 hours ago, Hoid Slayer said:

Hi!

I think Brandon has actually recommended starting with Mistborn. The only real Cosmere connections are era 2 (later books), which is way better than Stormlight, and it explains Shards quite well - also compared to Stormlight, at least in my eye.

Keep in mind this is coming from someone who started with Stormlight, and got instantly addicted.

So, Bonbon, Stormlight Archive is an absolute masterpiece, but I’d recommend starting with Mistborn - the first book of which is conveniently named just “Mistborn”

so much mistborn i’ll read it ig

4 hours ago, Ire said:

Welcome to the Shard! I would recommend starting with either Elantris or Mistborn-I started with WoK and trust me, you probably don't want to read that first it will make absolutely no sense lol

okay tyy

4 hours ago, Hawks said:

WELCOMMEEEE

i recommend literally everything brandon

alsp

rangers apprentice!!!

huh

[KnightSkye Reforged They/Them]

6 minutes ago, bonbon said:

man i got too many but i’d say mashle? i reread it a lot

what’s the difference bewteen elantris and mistborn?

too many favorite manga—i’d say mashle maybe

 

alr thanks  

so mistborn first i assume? wait but how am i supposed to know what works best lol

so much mistborn i’ll read it ig

okay tyy

I haven't read much of mashle, but based on what I've seen of it I too would recommend starting with mistborn, because I think you will like Era 2 of mistborn, but you really need to read era 1 first to get a handle on it. (I didn't find there to be all that much Cosmere stuff that was hard to understand in mistborn)

Mistborn books in (my) recommended reading order:

(Era 1)
Mistborn (Also titled The Final Empire)
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages 

(Era 2)
The Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
The bands of Mourning
The Lost Metal

(Prequel to Era 2) 
Mistborn: Secret History
The Eleventh Metal
(Both are short stories found in arcanum unbounded.)

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

9 hours ago, bonbon said:

hi i'm bonbon and i like miku ig

anyway i don't read fantasy books (actually my only form of reading is manga tbh) but my friend's writing a research paper and another friend got banned from here anyway i'm actually kinda interested in the books but i got NO clue where to start so

help a bro out?

 

 

Hoi! Iom Tem!

Spoiler

and this is moi friend,

Tem!

Spoiler

Hoi! Iom Tem!

and this is moi friend,

Tem!

Spoiler

Hoi! Iom Tem!

and this is moi friend,

Spoiler

Hi i'm Bob

 

 

 

Have you read Fruits Basket?

Edited October 28, 2025 by CoderDrag0n8

[Ookla the Newt she/her]

2 hours ago, bonbon said:

what’s the difference bewteen elantris and mistborn?

Standalone / Series, like Ire said.

Also very different tonewise - Mistborn is a lot darker than elantris, it isn't grimdark level by any means but it's still darker. 

"Quick pitches" essentially: (full disclosure I am bad at these)
Elantris: What if the Standard Magic City With Magic People suddenly had the magic break and all the people in it lose the ability for their bodies to heal, and also don't need food anymore, which is seriously horrifying bc if you get an injury it never gets fixed.
Mistborn: What if instead of the Chosen One Of Prophecy Fixing The World the world got wrecked instead and now has a seemingly immortal ruler and volcanos spewing ash all over the place and no green plants.

Someone else pls supplement these descriptions they are BAD.

Or I could've used Sanderson's own descriptions... which maybe I should've done in the first place.

Elantris: Story of a man who catches a terrible magical disease, and is thrown into a prison city for those with that disease. He tries to unravel the world’s magic system (which is now non-functional, and potentially the source of the disease) while surviving in terrible circumstances and trying to bring civilization back to those locked in the city with him

Mistborn: Heist story about a young woman recruited into a gang of thieves, trained to use magic and to imitate a noblewoman, then used in a plot to try and rob (and hopefully overthrow) the immortal emperor of the world. One part Ocean’s Eleven, one part Lord of the Rings, one part Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, one part My Fair Lady.
(Source: Where do I start? – Brandon Sanderson)

[-ACE- he/him]

18 hours ago, Hoid Slayer said:

think Brandon has actually recommended starting with Mistborn. The only real Cosmere connections are era 2 (later books), which is way better than Stormlight, and it explains Shards quite well - also compared to Stormlight, at least in my eye.

Keep in mind this is coming from someone who started with Stormlight, and got instantly addicted.

So, Bonbon, Stormlight Archive is an absolute masterpiece, but I’d recommend starting with Mistborn - the first book of which is conveniently named just “Mistborn”

Yea, I just kinda group them all together. Maybe I should stop doing that.

Maybe take other people advise. not mine.

[bonbon he/him]

On 10/27/2025 at 8:17 PM, CoderDrag0n8 said:

Hoi! Iom Tem!

  Reveal hidden contents

and this is moi friend,

Tem!

  Reveal hidden contents

Hoi! Iom Tem!

and this is moi friend,

Tem!

  Reveal hidden contents

Hoi! Iom Tem!

and this is moi friend,

  Reveal hidden contents

Hi i'm Bob

 

 

 

Have you read Fruits Basket?

i have read it yeah

i'm sorry if i'm not replying to these properly (i'm employed ) but thank you everyone for the recs  i will come back with an update later 

[Treamayne]

On 10/27/2025 at 11:45 AM, bonbon said:

i'm actually kinda interested in the books but i got NO clue where to start so

help a bro out?

I'm a proponent of "there is not one best reading order - and people should be given enough information to make an informed personal choice."

To that end, Please see Cosmere Reading Order Discussion

I will caveat that with Warbreaker is free online for a no-money way to see if you like Sanderson's writing style. Also, There are many non-Cosmere works you can try that require less investment; such as Legion, Reckoners, and Cytoverse (or even some of the Solo Stories like Perfect State or Rithmatist).

On 10/27/2025 at 4:28 PM, Hoid Slayer said:

I’d recommend starting with Mistborn - the first book of which is conveniently named just “Mistborn”

Technically, it's Mistborn: The Final Empire. . . 

Hope that helps

Edited October 29, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG/Reference

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

14 hours ago, bonbon said:

i have read it yeah

i'm sorry if i'm not replying to these properly (i'm employed ) but thank you everyone for the recs  i will come back with an update later 

Tis fine.

Can I have your soul :3?

[bonbon he/him]

10 hours ago, CoderDrag0n8 said:

Tis fine.

Can I have your soul :3?

huh 

[Ookla the Newt she/her]

All you have to do is eat this cookie, it's very yummy. 

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

10 hours ago, bonbon said:

huh 

pwetty pwease? :3

I just want your soul

sign here: 

9 hours ago, Booknewt said:

All you have to do is eat this cookie, it's very yummy. 

No. Bad. We dont do that to non-Mistborn having read people.

Ground rules, guys!

[Ookla the Newt she/her]

1 hour ago, CoderDrag0n8 said:

11 hours ago, Booknewt said:

All you have to do is eat this cookie, it's very yummy. 

No. Bad. We dont do that to non-Mistborn having read people.

Ground rules, guys!

Oh sorry

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

13 minutes ago, Booknewt said:

Oh sorry

Its fine. Just a general rule :3