Dreamstorm Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 Hello! - I'm new to this board, new to the SA, new to the Cosmere and new to Sanderson. So assume I know nothing I recently read (well listened on Audible and then supplemented with the ebooks) WoK and WoR on a recommendation of a friend and LOVED them. I have Edgedancer standalone, and of course Oathbringer, preordered for the fall. Can't come soon enough! I know all the Cosmere books tie in together somewhat (e.g. Zahel and Hoid), so I want to tide myself over by trying something else in the universe that might help explain the bigger picture of the SA. What book is the most perinent to what is going on in the SA at this point? I'm thinking Warbreaker with Vasher/Zahel and Nightblood (I learned about this crossover from this board ), but I don't know if something else featuring Hoid would be more informative. Would love suggestions from those more Cosmere-knowledgeable! Thank you! PS: A rec where the audiobook is known to be good would be amazing too. The narrators in the SA so far have been amazing! I think my favorite audiobooks ever at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 Warbreaker is your best bet for the reasons you stated yourself. It also has the next largest Hoid appearance after SA. The I'd go Mistborn, then whatever you'd like. As far as Audio goes, I don't use it, but I believe that all Cosmere other than Elantris is the same people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy92 Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 I don't listen to audiobooks so I can't really help there, but Warbreaker will give you the background on Nightblood that you should find interesting (Warbreaker is a good story too). This one doesn't really tie into SA much, but Mistborn: The Final Empire is right up there with the books from SA as far as my favorite Sanderson novels go. If you're looking to expand on the Cosmere as a whole, you'll eventually want to read through that series anyways. But the first book can stand on its own enough to where you shouldn't feel rushed to have to read the next installment immediately after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kered Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 The best audiobooks of the the cosmere are the SA books. It took me a few chapters to get used to it but I'm glad I did it. I picked up on a lot of new things listening instead of another re-read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormblessDave Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Warbreaker mistborn era 1 Elantris (good book, not his best due to being one of his earlier works, definitely a fun read still) White sand, dragonsteel and mistborn era 2 novellas including the threnody one, shadows for silence in the secrets of hell This order worked for me, I hope it does for you too Edited August 2, 2017 by StormblessDave warbreaker as first read makes sense as he wrote the book so that he could introduce Vasher in SA(one of the reasons he wrote warbreaker) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toaster Retribution Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 Warbreaker in order to get the background on Zahel and Nightblood. The Mistborn series are also good, because they will allow you to recognize a couple of characters in SA. When you have read all the Mistborn books (Final Empire - Bands of Mourning), you should check out Secret History. I think you will find that interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathrangking Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 I'd agree warbreaker is pardon the expression the best way to break into Brandon's world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightofLight Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 I think Mistborn will give you a better idea of shards and the powers within the cosmere. I read TWoK, then mistborn era 1, then WoR and that helped me put a lot of pieces together. I also haven't read warbreaker because I'm distracted with another series and can't stop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steeldancer Posted August 2, 2017 Report Share Posted August 2, 2017 I occasionally borrow the audiobooks from my library system. They're fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamstorm Posted August 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 Thank you to everyone for your responses! I downloaded Warbreaker (especially with the note from @StormblessDave re reason for it being written), then will likely go on to Mistborn after that. Excited! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kered Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 36 minutes ago, Dreamstorm said: Thank you to everyone for your responses! I downloaded Warbreaker (especially with the note from @StormblessDave re reason for it being written), then will likely go on to Mistborn after that. Excited! Say hello to Lightsong for me. Tell him to not overexert to much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbazz4 Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 It is interesting to see everyone'es recommendations. My first Sanderson books were the Mistborn Era 1 books. Then i went to Warbreaker and Elantris then SA came out and i jumped into them. Then i read individual novellas like Emperor's soul and shadows for silence in the secrets of hell. Then i did Mistborn Era 2 followed by Arcanum Unbounded. All of the books are awesome so you will have tons to read. Since you already did SA, your approach with going to Warbreaker then Mistborn is good. After that i think Elantris would be good to jump into along with the Mistborn Era 2 (they are just fun and you might catch some stuff that connects you to ideas in SA). After those reading Arcanum Unbounded would be great for you, Mistborn: Secret History will give you a lot of interesting background for the cosmere in general. Then the other novellas and short stories will just help build knowledge and appreciation for all that is going on in the cosmere. Have fun getting caught up. Also, i loved the Reckoners as another Sanderson series that was great, but it is not cosmere if i recall correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamstorm Posted August 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 Hi - I'm making my way through the Cosmere and again looking for advice on when I should read certain books I have read (well, listened) to Warbreaker (it was no SA in terms of world building, but was a lot of fun) and am now almost finished with Mistbown Book 1 (Final Empire). I also bought Arcanum Unbounded and listened to Edgedancer since I missed Roshar. In terms of the Mistborn novellas in AU (11th Metal, Allomancer Jak and Secret History), when can I read them and not spoil future Mistborn books? My original plan was to finish the first Mistborn trilogy (right now I'm so addicted, but I've heard the second and third books aren't as good?), then do Elantris, its novellas, then second Mistborn trilogy. And at some point in there Oathbringer is going to come out! So I'm mostly wondering if any of the Mistborn novellas would be more appropriately read in between first trilogy books or after that trilogy instead of waiting until after I finish the second trilogy (and with the coming of Oathbringer, it'll be a while until I am to that point!) PS: I guess this isn't really purely Stormlight related.... let me know if I should move the post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsentKeeper Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Dreamstorm said: In terms of the Mistborn novellas in AU (11th Metal, Allomancer Jak and Secret History), when can I read them and not spoil future Mistborn books? My original plan was to finish the first Mistborn trilogy (right now I'm so addicted, but I've heard the second and third books aren't as good?) A lot of people didn't like the second two Mistborn Era 1 books as much as the rest, but I loved them, personally. As for novellas, you could read the 11th Metal any time after where you are, but I would wait for the other two until after you finish Era 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted August 28, 2017 Report Share Posted August 28, 2017 (edited) Agreed. People's opinions vary obviously, but SoS is my favorite of the Era 2, followed by BoM. Edited August 28, 2017 by Calderis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seloun Posted August 29, 2017 Report Share Posted August 29, 2017 It doesn't really have a lot of Cosmere relevance, but The Emperor's Soul is probably my favorite non-Stormlight work by Brandon Sanderson. I actually didn't enjoy any of the Mistborn series, so YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calderis Posted August 29, 2017 Report Share Posted August 29, 2017 Emperors Soul is amazing, and the mechanics explained about forging are some of the strongest in world realmatic explanations we've seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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