The Right Way to Read Brandon Sanderson

Over the last two decades, while working from his supervillain lair beneath the surface of Utah, Brandon Sanderson has published the largest interconnected fantasy universe in literary history: the Cosmere. "No one else is doing a project at this scale, ambition, quality—and most of all, pace," says Sam Winkler, the narrative director of the video game Borderlands 4 and a huge Sanderson fan. "Where other connected universes might seem smaller for their nods and cameos, Sanderson only indulges when the connection ends up begging more questions, rather than answering them conveniently."

For Esquire's guide to the Cosmere, we prioritized narrative continuity to provide the smoothest possible reading experience. Instead of bouncing from planet to planet like a pinball, this reading list shepherds you through each arc of Sanderson's cosmic story before moving on to another. We also included a preview of the next twenty books Sanderson has announced, if you'd like a glimpse at the Cosmere's future.

View in Browser  SHOP EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBE How to Read All the Cosmere Books in Order Over the last two decades, while working from his supervillain lair beneath the surface of Utah, Brandon Sanderson has published the largest interconnected fantasy universe in literary history: the Cosmere. "No one else is doing a project at this scale, ambition, quality—and most of all, pace," says Sam Winkler, the narrative director of the video game Borderlands 4 and a huge Sanderson fan. "Where other connected universes might seem smaller for their nods and cameos, Sanderson only indulges when the connection ends up begging more questions, rather than answering them conveniently." For Esquire's guide to the Cosmere, we prioritized narrative continuity to provide the smoothest possible reading experience. Instead of bouncing from planet to planet like a pinball, this reading list shepherds you through each arc of Sanderson's cosmic story before moving on to another. We also included a preview of the next twenty books Sanderson has announced, if you'd like a glimpse at the Cosmere's future. Read More The 44 Best Affordable Clothing Stores to Shop Online Fiscal responsibility never looked so good. Read More When Speaker Moses Talks, the Future President's Lips Don't Move There's a word for that. Read More The David Lynch Scenes I'll Never Forget Over the years, I would blow hot (mostly) and cold (rarely) on Lynch's films. But even when I didn't care for them, I never blamed him, I blamed myself. I just assumed that I must not have been clever enough to pick up what he was putting down. But from the moment that he dropped out of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1967, he was one of those rare, capital-A artists that it was impossible to ignore or be luke-warm on. And now, with Lynch's unexpected death at age 78 (not too bad for someone who relished sucking on lung darts as much as Lynch did), it's hard not to feel like we've all lost an ineffable and irreplaceable piece of cinema. Read More Everlane's Sale Is So Good We Thought It Was a Mistake Long-sleeves are just $18. Read More What I Really Think About HexClad's Cookware To my surprise, the company makes a great do-it-all pan. Read More The Severance Season 2 Premiere Is a Deceptively Simple RTO I don't usually do this. Actually, I never do this. But this Friday morning, Severance season 2 premiered on Apple TV+—marking the celebrated sci-fi show's return to television after a three-year-long break. We all deserve a treat, don't we? So, Esquire is officially providing a Melon Bar, for everyone. And if you hit quota by EOD, we'll kick off next morning with a Waffle Party, too! No expenses spared. Okay, I don't actually have the power to host a Melon Bar for everyone reading this—I'm just excited that season 2, episode 1 is out in the world for you all to watch. But I can offer you Esquire's review of Severance's sophomore season—spoiler alert, it's phenomenal—and a recap of the premiere episode. Read More Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Esquire is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779