New to cosmere

[Steelslayer1000]

I have only read The Stormlight Archive of Sanderson's  writings in the cosmere  and i am still confused on what the cosmere actually is. Can someone please explain? 

[Magestar he/him]

This, 

 

And this,

Will help once you have read all the books.  The first section or two of the second link is alright as far as spoilers go. But you only really need to know that the cosmere is the sum total of most of Brandons Books, not including Reckoners, Alcatraz, and Rithmatist, until you finish the other books. Oh, and Watch out for Hoid.  He's everywhere. 

[Pagerunner he/him]

Welcome to the Shard! As a quick, non-spoiler summary, the cosmere is the shared universe in which many of Brandon's books take place. They are each set on a different planet in the cosmere, and there are underlying fundamental principles of this universe (i.e. other worlds have their own form of Shadesmar, they have deities like the Almighty and Odium, and things like that). Each cosmere book or series (right now, there are 6 Mistborn books, 2 Stormlight books, Elantris, Warbreaker, White Sand, and a bunch of short fiction) is designed to stand alone, so you don't have to know the whole cosmere mythology to read and enjoy Stormlight. But there are secrets hidden in the background of the books (especially in some of the Stormlight epigraphs), and some minor characters who cross over from book to book, so that is there as a hidden 'stealth story' for those who are aware of everything.

[Darkness Ascendant he/him]

8 hours ago, Pagerunner said:

They are each set on a different planet in the cosmere

The planets are called Shardworlds, and since you have read Stormlight, read Mistborn next.

[Magestar he/him]

Then wait a while.  Maybe read Elantris.

Then read Warbreaker, and then SA again.

 

Edited July 1, 2016 by Magestar
ELANTRIS

[Stranker]

Short version:

The Cosmere is the universe where most of Sanderson's novels take place.

EDIT: I've been informed my post has some spoilers to it. To my knowledge, the only place with this information clearly given to far is Misborn: Secret History. So if you plan on reading that, I would do that first. I highly recommend the Mistborn books. They are what got me into the Cosmere. Here's a spoiler tag.

 

Adonalsium was a god (probably) that sixteen people shattered. They each took a fraction of that god's power (referred to as Shards)  and made their own planets in the cosmere, which different novels take place on.

There are three realms in the cosmere. The physical realm is where people and objects are. In the cognitive realm, you can see what an object perceives itself as. Some forms of magic (such as soulcasting) allow you to change what an object perceives itself as through the cognitive realm. The cognitive realm is where world hoppers travel to get around the cosmere. The spiritual realm is where the spirit of something is.

 

 

While it is cool to find connections in the cosmere, you can enjoy seperate series without worrying about the cosmere too much. However, if you read Warbreaker, some things in WoR will be a lot cooler. I recommend reading the Mistborn books after that.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Stranker
Minor spoilers

[Zoaez she/her]

Hi, I'm new to the shard too! I'd recommend reading all the major books before looking around at any spoilers. Mystborn 1 to 3 especially, the others would not be so ruined by spoilers I think.

The Cosmere is the name of Brandon universe. Some of his books are in the same universe and others are not.