ByDanielD
Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere is an interconnected universe in which many of his written works take place. While each book or series can be read and enjoyed on its own, every Cosmere story is relevant to the broader narrative. In this article, we’ll take a look at every Cosmere story, from the premiere series to the short stories. An attempt has been made to give as much information as possible, with as few spoilers as possible, in as few words as possible.
The Stormlight Archive is the primary Cosmere series, with the most published books and the most relevance to the narrative universe as a whole. Currently, there are four published novels in this series, with a fifth set to release December 2024, plus two novellas.
Note that summaries of Books 2-5 will contain spoilers for the previous books in the series.
On Roshar, a harsh world of rock and storms, a war on the Shattered Plains has dragged on for years. Kaladin, a surgeon in training turned spearman, finds himself a slave on the frontlines of that war. Dalinar, a warlord questioning both his past and his people’s future, commands an army in the very same war. Meanwhile, the young woman Shallan seeks an apprenticeship to a renowned scholar and heretic, in order to save her family.
Kaladin the slave is now Captain Kalidan, and has spoken the ancient Oaths, bringing with them strange and powerful abilities. Another speaker of oaths, Brightness Shallan must continue the research of her mentor before it’s too late. Dalinar continues to struggle with bringing the Alehti High Princes together, in an attempt to finally end the war on the Shattered Plains. His enemies in that war, the Parshendi, struggle with their own decision, choosing between an old danger, or possible destruction at the hands of the Alethi.
Young Lift is an Edgedancer, a Knight Radiant with the power to change the friction of objects or herself, and the ability to heal others. She got these powers after asking a mysterious goddess to stop her from growing older. But she’s too busy hunting the city of Yeddaw for Darkness — himself a hunter of Radiants — to worry about what being a starvin’ Radiant actually means. Besides, she still needs to eat every kind of Sun Day pancake in Yeddaw.
Dalinar’s war on the Shattered Plains has ended, but the Parshendi have summoned the Everstorm: a powerful storm that not only wreaks devastation when it passes, but also turns once-docile parshmen slaves into formidable enemies, and sometimes turns them into something terrible. What was a localized conflict quickly becomes a global war, and Dalinar must unite the bickering rulers of Roshar against the new threat. Kaladin Stormblessed has sworn yet more Oaths, becoming an even more powerful Knight Radiant, but must come to terms with the reality that the parshmen just might be on the right side of the war. Meanwhile, fellow Radiant Shallan Davar continues to struggle with her disparate personalities, while discovering the secrets within Urithiru, ancient tower fortress of the original Knights Radiant.
The mysterious island Aimia is surrounded in a perpetual storm, and may contain secrets that decide the fate of the war on Roshar. Sent to investigate by Navani Kohlin is ship owner Rysn. As the Thaylen struggles to accept the loss of her legs, she finds comfort in the companionship of her rare larkin companion Chiri-Chiri, a type of small winged creature once thought extinct that feeds on Stormlight. Chiri-Chiri is sick, however, and Rysn hopes Aimia, the ancestral home of the larkins, may hold the cure. With Lopen, the most irreverent member of the Knights Radiant, she must venture through the storm and discover what the island hides — including what might be the only hope for her larkin friend.
The war against Odium and the Parshendi drags on, with no end in sight. Dalinar and Jasnah head to the front lines of the conflict, while Navani continues studying fabrials and the still-mysterious tower of Urithiru. Shallan and Adolin journey to another world to seek allies, and Kaladin deals with a new enemy — the mental and emotional aftermath of battle.
The contest between of champions between Dalinar and the god Odium is 10 days away, but Dalinar still doesn’t know what that contest will entail. In an attempt to learn more (and gain another ally), Dalinar sends Kalidan the Windrunner to Shinovar, with the goal of using Kalidan’s newfound skills as Roshar’s first therapist to turn the mad Herald Ishar into an ally. Szeth is to accompany Kalidan, though he has his own mission: cleansing Shinovar of the dark influence of the Unmade there. Meanwhile, the war continues on multiple fronts, and Shallan leads a small team in a search for the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram, whose imprisonment in a gemstone may have major connections with both the advent of the parshmen and with the Recreance — when the Knights Radiant broke their oaths so long ago.
There are currently two distinct Mistborn “trilogies”. The original trilogy, dubbed Era 1, is one arc; the next four books take place a few centuries later in Era 2 and were intended to be a second trilogy — but Brandon Sanderson did his usual thing and wrote an extra book. There’s also a novella, Secret History, which takes place between the first two trilogies. There is a third trilogy planned, set to take place still further in the future.
Note that summaries of Books 2-7 will contain spoilers for the previous books in the series.
Kelsier has recently discovered his mistborn abilities, able to “burn” metals to give himself incredible strength, powerful senses, and push and pull on metals. In this brief story, the half-mad mistborn Gemmel teaches Kelsier the art of Allomancy as they raid the house of a nobleman.
A thieving crew enact a complex plot to overthrow the powerful Lord Ruler, who has reigned over Luthadel and the surrounding countryside for over a thousand here. This is no ordinary crew, however — among them are allomancers, who can use metal to enhance their natural abilities, and even two mistborn, who possess the power of every type of allomancer. One of these mistborn is Vin, a young orphan who must learn how to wield her new powers quickly under the tutelage of Kelsier, the gang’s leader and other mistborn.
Kelsier’s crew may have succeeded in their plot to take down the Lord Ruler, but the Final Empire is now in chaos as multiple powerful factions vie for control of the capital, Luthadel. The throne may have been siezed by Elend Venture, but his rule in far from secure. As Vin uses her powers to protect Elend and the people of Luthadel, Elend fights a different battle, one of politics and leadership, while the Terris scholar Sazed investigates an ancient prophecy.
With an ancient evil loosed on the world, plants dying under piles of ash, and Koloss rampaging, things aren’t looking good for the people of Scadrial. The mists now appear in daylight and seem to be killing people, and no one knows why. Vin and Elend try to conquer a rebel city while also searching for the crucial storage caches the Lord Ruler supposedly left behind. Meanwhile, Sazed, Breeze and Spook attempt a similar mission in yet another city in revolt, and the kandra TenSoon returns home to recruit his people in the fight against Ruin.
Note that reading this title before Bands of Mourning will spoil elements of that Mistborn book.
Kelsier remains stubborn, even in death. After being killed by the powerful Lord Ruler, he refuses to pass on, instead remaining in Scadrial as a spirit. He chains himself to the world via the Well of Ascension, and finds he cannot leave — but Kelsier isn’t one to let himself be trapped for long, and soon discovers the truth of his aphorism “There’s always another secret”.
The characters of Era 1 are now figures from history, or even myth. But despite Scadrial being in the midst of an industrial revolution, the magics of allomancy and feruchemistry are still prevelant in society. A rare Twinborn with both types of magic, Waxillium Ladrian returns home to the city of Elendel after two decades in the Roughs, and must content with being head of a noble household. But it isn’t long until his skills as a lawman are required once again, as noblewomen begin to go missing. Joining Wax is a fellow Twinborn, Wayne, who serves as both comic relief and powerful partner.
Wax and Wayne must once again investigate a mystery in the bustling city of Elendel, which continues its headlong plunge into modernity — with all its benefits and dangers. Tensions in the city are already high, and it seems forces behind the scenes are working to foment further unrest. Wax and Wayne are assisted in their investigation by allomancer and law woman Marasi Colms, the sister of Wax’s fiance Steris.
The Lord Ruler was said to possess a set of metalminds that would grant anyone who wore them all the incredible powers of the Lord Ruler himself. Long thought a legend, a kandra researcher may have found evidence of the Bands — but has returned to Elendel missing a spike and therefore unable to communicate. While the odds of the Bands being real are slim, Marasi prepares to head south with the kandra MeLaan to New Seran in search of the kandra’s spike and perhaps the legendary artifacts. Wax is initially hesitant to accompany them, but his sister is still being held prisoner in the very same city.
Wax has hunted the Set for years, and Wayne and Marasi may have found a new lead on the dangerous organization. Unfortunately, Wax has also discovered a dangerous new type of explosive with the power to level cities — and suspects the Set has probably already discovered it themselves. When Harmony informs Wax that a nearby city is being influenced by another Shard, the crew is called to once again set out on an investigation, this time with the safety of the entire planet at stake. But does Wax want to once again be Harmony’s sword?
There are currently three Cosmere stories set on the planet of Sel.
Brandon Sanderson’s first published work, Elantris follows three characters in the country of Arelon: Prince Raoden, who is magically stricken with an illness that sees him tossed into a ruined city for others like him; Princess Sarene, his would-be bride who refuses to give up on him; and Gyorn Hrathen, a religious fanatic charged with converting the populace of Arelon — or else let them be conquered by force.
This short story is set during the events of the end of Elantris, but gives a new perspective on some specific events that occured in the city of Elantris (and is meant to be read only after reading Elantris).
After the restoration of the city, Raoden listens to Sarene’s seon Ashe tell the events of the danger-filled last hours before the city recovered.
Shai is both a skilled thief and a master Forger, specializing in a type of magic that allows her to fundamentally change an object by the use of carved stamps. Sentenced to death, her only chance of saving her own life is by recreating the soul of the Emporer, who lies in a coma after an assassination attempt.
The rest of the Cosmere stories are each the only story (currently) set on their particular planet.
A princess has been trained her whole life to marry the God King of the neighboring nation of Hallandran. But her father decides he cannot bear sending his beloved daughter away, and so instead sends his younger, untrained daughter Siri to the Hallandran capital T’Telir to marry the God King. The eldest daughter Vivenna quickly follows her unprepared sister to the city. Also in Hallandran are Lightsong, another normal man turned God by magic that brought him back to life, who isn’t confident in his status as a God. And Vasher, a mysterious character who has accumulated an exceptional amount of Breaths, granting him the powers of an Awakener, able to make inanimate objects come to life.
The powerful Worldhopper Nomad has the unique ability to “skip” to other worlds — and skip he must, as the Night Brigade constantly pursues him for the secret he holds. His last skip has left him with almost no Investiture (the magical energy he needs to fuel his powers), and Nomad finds himself on a planet where the sun incinerates all it touches. While avoiding the light, Nomad must find a source of energy on a world where he doesn’t speak the language, that is currently rebelling against a ruthless tyrant.
Yumi is a yoko-hijo, a religious figure who uses her magical talents to draw the attention of powerful spirits, who in turn serve vital functions in her society. Painter also serves his society with his magic talents, painting Nightmares and so neutralizing them. Both struggle with their role, and long for a different life. When the two are drawn to each other’s worlds, they must figure out why their lives have been intertwined — as the fate of their worlds may hang in the balance.
Tress is content in her family’s little house by the spore sea, spending her free time with Charlie, the island’s prince. Charlie is taken away by her father to be wed to a princess, but ends up captured by the Sorceress, who resides in the deadly Midnight Sea. So, the young Tress must leave her home for the first time, venturing onto the spore seas to rescue Charlie. But this will be no ordinary sea journey, as the smallest amount of water can spell death on the ocean of spores.
A unique entry in the Cosmere, White Sand is currently available primarily as a series of graphic novels, with the Omnibus collecting all three books into one collection.
Kenton is a sand mage, able to manipulate ribbons of sand and wield them as weapons. Unlike most of his peers, he can only control a single ribbon at a time, but is still determined to prove himself a true Sand Master and become a Mastrell. When the community of Sand Masters Kenton belongs to is shattered, he must ally himself with a mysterious woman from the dark side of the planet — if he wishes to survive against the myriad of enemies that have suddenly appeared, both political and otherwise.
This novella is available in the collection Shadows Beneath, as well as the Cosmere collection Arcanum Unbounded.
A trapper’s peaceful life on the dangerous island of Patji is under threat from a danger he barely understands. To save his island, and his Aviar — birds that grant special protection or foresight — he’ll need to work with Vathi, a lost clerk who may be his only hope at protecting Patji.
This novella is available in the collection Dangerous Women, as well as the Cosmere collection Arcanum Unbounded.
Don’t kindle flame, don’t shed the blood of another, don’t run at night. Everyone who lives in the forests of Threnody knows and follows the Simple Rules — because breaking them will cause the Shades to come for you. But Silence Montane might have to break all them tonight in order to keep her tavern out of the hands of her creditors.
This short story was originally included in the Mistborn Adventure Game’s expansion Alloy of Law. It is now available in the Cosmere collection Arcanum Unbounded.
Told from the perspective of a Terris Steward publishing in a broadsheet, this short story tells a brief tale of Allomancer Jak’s encounter with the monstrous koloss, and the search for a legendary artifact.
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