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Series · fantasy

Elantris

by Brandon Sanderson

The Elantris series by Brandon Sanderson has 2 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Elantris (2005).

Books
1 novel + 1 novella
First published
2005
Status
ongoing
Last checked

Start here: Elantris (2005) — then read straight through in publication order.

Cover of Elantris, the first book in Elantris

Reading order

The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.

  1. Elantris

    Novel

    View book

  2. The Emperor's Soul

    Novella

    View book

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.

How to read this series

Read Elantris (2005) first -- it is a complete, self-contained novel with a fully resolved ending. The Emperor's Soul (2012) is set in the same world about ten years afterward, with a different cast, and can be read any time afterward as an optional but excellent companion; it requires no other Cosmere reading.

Both work as a genuinely spoiler-free introduction to Brandon Sanderson and the wider Cosmere universe. Sanderson has long discussed a possible Elantris sequel trilogy as part of his very long-term writing plans, but as of 2026 nothing has been announced with a title or date.

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.

Reading order last verified .