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Series · fantasy
Elantris
The Elantris series by Brandon Sanderson has 2 known books (2 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with Elantris (2005). The Emperor's Soul is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date.
- Books
- 2 known books (1 novel + 1 novella)
- Published
- 2
- First published
- 2005
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
Start here: Elantris (2005)
— then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Elantris
Elantris, published in 2005, is Brandon Sanderson's account of a city whose people were once transformed into radiant, ageless beings by a magic called the Shaod -- until, ten years before the novel opens, that magic reversed overnight, leaving them shambling and unhealing. At 592 pages, it stands as a complete, self-contained novel with a fully resolved ending. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Elantris - Book 2:
The Emperor's Soul
The Emperor's Soul followed seven years later in 2012, a much shorter work at 180 pages set in the same world roughly a decade after Elantris's events, with an entirely different cast. Sanderson wrote it as an optional companion that requires no other book to be read first. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Emperor's Soul
Our shelf-tested path for first-time readers.
- Book 1:
Elantris
Elantris, published in 2005, is Brandon Sanderson's account of a city whose people were once transformed into radiant, ageless beings by a magic called the Shaod -- until, ten years before the novel opens, that magic reversed overnight, leaving them shambling and unhealing. At 592 pages, it stands as a complete, self-contained novel with a fully resolved ending. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Elantris - Book 2:
The Emperor's Soul
The Emperor's Soul followed seven years later in 2012, a much shorter work at 180 pages set in the same world roughly a decade after Elantris's events, with an entirely different cast. Sanderson wrote it as an optional companion that requires no other book to be read first. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Emperor's Soul
Key facts about the Elantris series
The Elantris series has 2 books on our list. Since all 2 are out now, you can read the whole list today. 1 is a novel, while the rest is a novella.
Start with Elantris, since it opens the publication order in 2005. The Emperor's Soul is book 2, from 2012.
We also give a recommended order, while noting it is our own advice. It is not publisher canon.
The Emperor's Soul is the latest book with a full release date, out on 30 October 2012. The catalogue marks it as ongoing, yet no next book has a date so far.
The books came out between 2005 and 2012, while their length runs from 180 to 592 pages. That is a run of 7 years.
Brandon Sanderson has 48 books on our list. Additionally, they write Mistborn, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians and The Stormlight Archive, plus 3 more series. We shelve the books under fantasy.
About the Elantris series
Elantris was once a city of literal gods: its people were transformed at random by the Shaod into radiant, ageless, superhumanly powerful beings who ruled the world in glory. Ten years before the novel opens, the magic reversed overnight -- the city's inhabitants became shambling, unhealing wretches instead, and Elantris was walled off as a slum for the cursed. Prince Raoden is struck by the failed Shaod on his wedding day and thrown into that living tomb, where he sets out to rebuild some kind of order among the fallen god-king's broken subjects. Meanwhile his bride-to-be, Princess Sarene -- arriving to marry a man she's told is already dead -- must out-maneuver a religious zealot bent on conquest, and a devoted priest of the old faith searches for the magic's forgotten cause.
Elantris was Brandon Sanderson's 2005 debut, and it already shows the hallmarks that would define his career: a meticulously logical magic system built on real rules, three converging viewpoints who don't realize how their stories intersect, and a satisfying, mechanically-earned twist ending. It also opened the Cosmere, the shared universe that would go on to include Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive, though Elantris and its companion novella work perfectly as an entry point requiring no other Cosmere knowledge at all.
The standalone novel is joined by The Emperor's Soul, a Hugo Award-winning novella set in the same world roughly a decade later, following a magical forger commissioned to recreate a comatose emperor's soul from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
How many Elantris books are there?
One novel, Elantris (2005), plus a companion novella, The Emperor's Soul (2012), set in the same world about a decade later.
What order should I read Elantris in?
Read Elantris first, then The Emperor's Soul whenever you like afterward -- it's a standalone story in the same setting, not a direct sequel.
Is Elantris part of the Cosmere?
Yes. Elantris was Brandon Sanderson's first published novel and the first book in his interconnected Cosmere universe, which also includes Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive. No other Cosmere reading is required to enjoy it.
Is there an Elantris sequel coming?
Brandon Sanderson has talked about an eventual Elantris sequel trilogy as part of his long-term writing plans, but as of 2026 no title, outline, or release date has been announced.
Do I need to read Elantris before other Cosmere books?
No. Elantris stands completely alone and is often recommended as a low-commitment starting point for readers curious about the Cosmere before tackling longer series like Mistborn or Stormlight.
If you like the Elantris series
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