Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Winn Sanderson (born December19, 1975) is an American author of high fantasy, science fiction, and young adult books. His best known novels include the Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive, which are set in the "Cosmere", a fictional universe. Outside of the Cosmere, he has written several young adult and juvenile series including The Reckoners, the Skyward series, and the Alcatraz series.
Brandon Sanderson

Ceridwen · CC BY 3.0
- Name
- Brandon Sanderson
- Birth Name
- Brandon Winn Sanderson
- Born
- 19 December 1975
- Birthplace
- Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.
- Education
- Brigham Young University (BA, MA)
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- novelist · writer
- Fields
- creative and professional writing · fantasy literature
- Teachers
- Dave Wolverton
- Known for
- Elantris · Warbreaker · Mistborn · The Stormlight Archive · The Reckoners · Rithmatist series · Legion series · The Emperor's Soul
- Honours
- Hugo Award for Best Novella · Audie Award for Fantasy · Hugo Award for Best Related Work · Whitney Awards · Imaginales award for best foreign-language novel · Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Brandon Winn Sanderson (born December19, 1975) is an American author of high fantasy, science fiction, and young adult books. His best known novels include the Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive, which are set in the "Cosmere", a fictional universe. Outside of the Cosmere, he has written several young adult and juvenile series including The Reckoners, the Skyward series, and the Alcatraz series.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Brandon Sanderson. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
bnf · gnd · loc · wikidata · Q457608 · wikipedia · Brandon Sanderson
In this article
Biography
Biography
Sanderson worked across novelist, short story writer, writer, author and teacher. The registers place that work in fantasy, science fiction and young adult literature. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.
Brandon Sanderson studied at Brigham Young University and Lincoln East High School. Training under Dave Wolverton is recorded. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is creative and professional writing and fantasy literature. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are fantasy, science fiction and young adult. Robert Jordan is recorded as an influence. Places of work recorded in the authority are Utah. Employment is recorded with Brigham Young University and Dragonsteel Entertainment. Works named in the authority record are Elantris, Warbreaker, Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, The Reckoners and Rithmatist series. Distinctions recorded are Hugo Award for Best Novella, Audie Award for Fantasy, Hugo Award for Best Related Work and Whitney Awards.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Brandon Sanderson • Birth Name — Brandon Winn Sanderson • Born — 19 December 1975 • Birthplace — Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. • Education — Brigham Young University (BA, MA) • Period — 2005–present • Genre — * Fantasy • science fiction • Notable Works — * Mistborn • The Stormlight Archive • Final three books of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time • The Reckoners • Rithmatist • White Sand • Children — 3
Early life
Early life
Sanderson was born on December 19, 1975, in Lincoln, Nebraska, the eldest of four children born to Barbara and Winn Sanderson. Sanderson was raised as a member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church). As a child he was a "reluctant reader" but became a passionate reader of fantasy in his teens after a teacher gave him a copy of Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly. He made several early attempts at writing his own stories.
Education
Education
After graduating from high school in 1994, he went to Brigham Young University (BYU) and majored in biochemistry. He took a two-year leave of absence from 1995 to 1997 to serve as a volunteer LDS missionary and was assigned to serve in South Korea. According to Sanderson, his experience with Korean language and linguistics helped him build the magic system for Elantris, his first published novel. In 1997, Sanderson returned to BYU and changed his major to English literature. While an undergraduate, Sanderson took a job as a night auditor at a local hotel in Provo, Utah, which allowed him to write while working. One of Sanderson's roommates at BYU was Ken Jennings (famous for his appearance on the show Jeopardy!). He graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts. He continued on as a graduate student, receiving an M.A. in English with an emphasis in creative writing in 2004. Sanderson's honors thesis, Dragonsteel, was the first in BYU's history to be rebound as it was being read so frequently by students at the university library. While at BYU, Sanderson was on the staff of Leading Edge, a semi-professional speculative fiction magazine published by the university, and served as its editor-in-chief during 2001.
Adult life
Adult life
In 2006, Sanderson married Emily Bushman in the Mount Timpanogos Utah LDS Temple. Emily was an English, Spanish, and ESL teacher and fellow BYU alumna; Emily later became the business manager for Dragonsteel Entertainment, Sanderson's company. They have three sons and reside in American Fork, Utah. As of 2022, Sanderson was serving as a Sunday School teacher in his LDS ward.
Early writing career
Early writing career
• Illustration — Sanderson in 2007 Sanderson wrote consistently throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies; by 2003, he had written twelve novels, though no publisher had accepted any of them for publication. While in the middle of a graduate program at BYU, he was contacted by Tor Books editor Moshe Feder, who wanted to acquire one of his books. Sanderson had submitted the manuscript of his sixth novel, Elantris, a year and a half earlier. Elantris was published by Tor Books on April 21, 2005, to generally positive reviews. This was followed in 2006 by Mistborn: The Final Empire, the first book in his Mistborn fantasy trilogy, in which "allomancers"—people with the ability to "burn" metals and alloys after ingesting them—gain enhanced senses and control over powerful supernatural forces. He published the second book of the Mistborn series The Well of Ascension in 2007. Later that year, Sanderson published the children's novel Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, about a boy named Alcatraz with a talent for breaking things. Alcatraz confronts a group of evil librarians who are bent on taking over the world. The first of his "laws of magic" were first published in 2007, with the second and third published in 2012 and 2013 (respectively). In 2008, the third and final book in the Mistborn trilogy was published, titled The Hero of Ages, as well as the second book in the Alcatraz series, titled Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones. That same year, he started the podcast Writing Excuses with Howard Tayler and Dan Wells. In 2009, Tor Books published Warbreaker, which originally appeared serially on Sanderson's website while he was writing the novel from 2006 to 2009. In the same year, the third Alcatraz book was published, titled Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time
Sanderson rose to prominence in late 2007 when Harriet McDougal, the wife and editor of author Robert Jordan, chose Sanderson to complete the final books in Jordan's epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time after Jordan's death. McDougal asked Sanderson to finish the series after being deeply impressed by his first Mistborn novel, The Final Empire. Tor Books made the announcement on December 7, 2007. After reviewing what was necessary to complete the series, Sanderson and Tor announced on March 30, 2009, that a final three books would be published instead of just one. The first of these, The Gathering Storm, was published on October 27, 2009, and reached the number-one spot on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction. Towers of Midnight, the second-to-last The Wheel of Time book, was published just over a year after The Gathering Storm on November 2, 2010, debuting at number one on the bestseller list. In early 2013, the series was completed with the publication of A Memory of Light.
2010s
2010s
In 2010, Sanderson published The Way of Kings, the first of a planned ten-book series called The Stormlight Archive. It achieved the number seven slot on the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. The fourth Alcatraz novel, Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens, followed soon after. In October 2011, he finished a novella e-book, Infinity Blade: Awakening, based on the action role-playing, iOS video game Infinity Blade, developed by Chair Entertainment and Epic Games. In November 2011, he published a sequel to the Mistborn trilogy, Mistborn: The Alloy of Law. It was originally planned as a standalone novel set about 300 years after the original trilogy, but it was later expanded into a four-book series. It debuted at number nine on the combined print and e-book New York Times Best Seller list. On August 31, 2012, Sanderson published a science fiction novella entitled Legion, followed by another short work titled The Emperor's Soul. In 2013, Sanderson published two new young adult series. These series included The Rithmatist and the first of The Reckoners series titled Steelheart. In March 2014, Words of Radiance, the second book in The Stormlight Archive, was published. Later that year, Subterranean Press published the second novella in the Legion series, Legion: Skin Deep. It was a preliminary nominee for the 2015 Hugo Awards, but did not make the final ballot. In January 2015, the second book of The Reckoners, titled Firefight, was published. Firefight won the 2015 Whitney Award in the Best Young Adult—Speculative category. It also placed eighth in the Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction category of the Goodreads Choice Awards and was a finalist for the 2015 AML Award in the Young Adult Novel category. Nine months later, Sanderson published Mistborn: Shadows of Self as a direct sequel to The Alloy of Law. The novel won the 2017 Neffy Award in the Best Novel category, placed third in the 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards in the Fantasy category, was a finalist in the Best Speculative Fiction category of the 2015 Whitney Awards, and was a preliminary nomineed for the 2016 Gemmell Legend Award. On November 16, 2015, Sanderson's agency (JABberwocky Literary Agency) announced that Sanderson officially sold over 7 million copies worldwide. On January 26, 2016, Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning was published as the sequel to Shadows of Self. On February 16, 2016, the third and final book of the Reckoners trilogy, titled Calamity, was published. In June 2016, Sanderson's first graphic novel White Sand—written with Rik Hoskin—was released. The series is planned as a trilogy. The graphic novels are based on an original manuscript by Sanderson. On September 6, 2016, the fifth Alcatraz book was published, called Alcatraz Versus the Dark Talent. DMG Entertainment optioned the Cosmere in 2016 for film and television. On November 22, 2016, an anthology of Cosmere short stories and novellas was published, titled Arcanum Unbounded: A Cosmere Collection. The third book in The Stormlight Archive, Oathbringer, was published on November 14, 2017. The first book of the Defiant series, Skyward, was published on November 6, 2018. The second book in the series, Starsight, was released on November 26, 2019.
2020s
2020s
In September 2020, a collaboration project with author Mary Robinette Kowal called The Original, was released. Rhythm of War, the fourth Stormlight novel, was published on November 17, 2020. In 2020, Sanderson's agency updated his number of copies sold to over 18 million worldwide, in early 2021 to over 21 million, and in late 2025 to over 50 million. In March 2021, Brandon Sanderson announced a "Weekly Update" in his YouTube channel which will give updates on his current projects every week. On May 26, Brandon Sanderson revealed the title and cover for Cytonic, the third book of his Skyward series, which was published on November 23, 2021. Sanderson started a new podcast in June 2021 called Intentionally Blank, with friend and fellow science fiction author Dan Wells. Sanderson announced in March 2022 that, over the previous two pandemic years, he had secretly written five otherwise-unannounced books (four full adult novels and a shorter junior novel). The full novels (three of which are set in the Cosmere) were made available through a Kickstarter subscription that released them quarterly through 2023. The Kickstarter campaign was highly successful, raising $15 million in its first 24 hours and over $20 million within three days, becoming the all-time most successful campaign. The Kickstarter campaign finished with 185,341 backers pledging $41,754,153. Before the conclusion of his Kickstarter campaign, Sanderson also backed every other publishing project on Kickstarter, for a total of 316 projects. One of the secret projects during the pandemic, Tress of the Emerald Sea, was released in book form in April 2023. In March 2024, Sanderson announced a further 'secret project' novel set for a 2025 release. Sanderson also collaborated with Unknown Worlds Entertainment to create the lore and setting for the video game Moonbreaker, which was released via early access in September 2022. The "biggest release the [fantasy] genre has seen in years" came about in December 2024 with the unveiling of Wind and Truth. This is Sanderson's fifth and final book in the first arc of The Stormlight Archive. Sanderson projects there will be at least five more books in the series, but the printing of these novels is not expected until 2031. On January 28, 2026, it was reported that Apple TV has secured development rights for screen adaptations of works by Sanderson, focusing initially on two major series from his Cosmere universe. The agreement seeks to develop feature films based on the Mistborn series and a television series adaptation of The Stormlight Archive, both of which are among Sanderson’s most commercially successful and widely read works. The deal is described as significant within the industry because it grants Sanderson an unusually high degree of creative involvement: he is expected to write, produce, consult on the adaptations, and retain approval rights over key production elements. Production roles have begun to take shape for The Stormlight Archive television project, with the production company Blue Marble Pictures attached and executive producer Theresa Kang linked to the series.
Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC
Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC
Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC is a company acting as publisher, storefront, and producer for various Sanderson-related products and projects. It is also known as Dragonsteel Books, according to Sanderson's personal blog, as a rebranding tactic in 2021. It holds copyrights to many of Sanderson's novels and has self-published several of his stories in both digital and print formats. In 2024, Sanderson appeared before 5,000 fans at FanX in Salt Lake City, Utah, at a 50-minute panel. During the panel, Sanderson announced that Dragonsteel Entertainment had purchased land to "theoretically build a bookstore" called Dragonsteel Plaza. Dragonsteel Plaza would be home to a bookstore, outside market, and the headquarters for Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC.
Kickstarter campaigns
Kickstarter campaigns
Sanderson first turned to Kickstarter in 2020, when he generated $6.7 million from almost 30,000 backers to produce a collectable leather-bound 10th anniversary edition of the Stormlight Archive novel, The Way of Kings. In 2022, in his second Kickstarter project, Sanderson raised over $41.7 million for four secret books, all intended as stand-alone novels, through Dragonsteel Entertainment. The crowdfunding campaign became the largest in Kickstarter history by pledge volume, surpassing the previous record holder by more than double. It also set new records for the most funds raised in the first 24 hours, with $15.4 million, as well as the highest number of backers and total funding within the same time period. In August 2024, Sanderson teamed up with Brotherwise Games to create a tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) based on the mythical universe the Cosmere, featured in many of his fantasy novels. With over $14.6 million in pledges, the Kickstarter campaign broke the previous record in pledges for a tabletop RPG.
Community relations
Community relations
In 2015, Brandon Sanderson and wife Emily Sanderson created a charitable organization called The Lightweaver Foundation. Its mission is to "Feed bodies. Fill minds. Fuel hope." Jane Horne is the director of the organization. The Lightweaver Foundation's first project helped students at Utah Valley University (UVU) and Brigham Young University (BYU) publish their speculative fiction in journals. The foundation set up an endowment fund to support university journals and ensure future publications of these journals continued. The Lightweaver Foundation is also responsible for raising money to support people and programs, largely within their local community. One of the major beneficiaries for these efforts has been the Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. The Lightweaver Foundation has also promoted literacy by supporting a writing conference for teens called StoryCon (formerly Teen Author Bootcamp) and also supporting Book Drop, which hosts popular authors to speak at schools and give away copies of their published works.
Cosmere
Cosmere
The Cosmere is the name of the universe in which Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker, The Stormlight Archive, White Sand, Tress of the Emerald Sea, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, The Sunlit Man, Isles of the Emberdark, and stories contained in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection are all set. This idea came from Sanderson's desire to create an epic-length series while also attempting to convince publishers to sell his books as a new writer. Further, Sanderson has cited inspiration from the way Isaac Asimov's separate Robot and Foundation series were eventually tied together; the Cosmere is his attempt at an overarching superstory established at onset of the series. This is unlike Asimov's stories, which were connected ad hoc mid-series. Sanderson has estimated that the Cosmere sequence could conclude with at least 40 books. The story of the Cosmere is about a mysterious being called Adonalsium, who existed on a world known as Yolen. Adonalsium was killed by a group of at least seventeen conspirators, causing its power to shatter into sixteen different Shards, each of which bears immense power. Sixteen of those people—referred to as Vesselsthen took these Shards and traveled to new worlds, populating them with different systems of magic or extending on ones already present. In one case, the Shards known as Ruin and Preservation worked together to create the planet Scadrial, the setting of the Mistborn series. Each Shard has an Intent, such as Ambition or Honor, and a Vessel's personality is changed over time to bring them more in-line with their Intent. One such Shard, Odium, has killedor "splintered"several other Shards. On Sel, he splintered Devotion and Dominion, accidentally creating the Dor, from which Seons and Skaze have emerged. He has also splintered Ambition, in the Threnody system. A man known as Hoid is seen or mentioned in most Cosmere books. He is from Yolen and travels the so-called Shardworlds, using the people of those worlds to further an unknown agenda. Sanderson has indicated that an upcoming work in the series will be in the cyberpunk genre, a marked departure from the setting of the high-fantasy and urban-fantasy settings that have featured in the Cosmere universe to date.
Sanderson's Laws of Magic
Sanderson's Laws of Magic
Sanderson makes an express distinction between "soft" and "hard" magic for purposes of world building and creating magic systems in fictional settings. Both terms are approximate ways of characterizing two ends of a spectrum. Hard magic systems follow specific rules; the magic is controlled and explained to the reader in the narrative detailing the mechanics behind the way the magic 'works' and can be used for building settings that revolve around the magic system. Soft magic systems may not have clearly defined rules or limitations, or they may provide limited exposition regarding their workings. They are used to create a sense of wonder in the reader. Sanderson's three laws of magic are creative writing guidelines that can be used to create magic systems for fantasy stories: • Sanderson's First Law An author's ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic. • Sanderson's Second Law Weaknesses, limits and costs are more interesting than powers. • Sanderson's Third Law The author should expand on what is already a part of the magic system before something entirely new is added, as this may otherwise entirely change how the magic system fits into the fictional world. Additionally, there is a zeroth law: • Sanderson's Zeroth Law Always err on the side of what's awesome.
Life and work
Life and work
Brandon Sanderson was born on 19 December 1975 in Lincoln. Sanderson held the nationality of United States. Sanderson was educated at Brigham Young University and Lincoln East High School. Sanderson studied under Dave Wolverton. Sanderson worked as novelist, short story writer, writer and author, and the authority record catalogues a further 1 occupations under the same name, among them teacher. Sanderson was active from 2005. Sanderson worked in Utah. Sanderson was employed by Brigham Young University and Dragonsteel Entertainment. The fields Sanderson worked in include fantasy, science fiction and young adult literature. Sanderson worked in English.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1975–2022
The full dated record · 13 entries
1975
Brandon Sanderson was born on 19 December 1975.
2007
Receives Whitney Awards.
2007
Brandon Sanderson received Whitney Awards in 2007.
2013
Receives Hugo Award for Best Novella.
2013
Receives Hugo Award for Best Related Work.
2013
Receives Imaginales award for best foreign-language novel.
2013
Brandon Sanderson received Imaginales award for best foreign-language novel in 2013.
2013
Brandon Sanderson received Hugo Award for Best Related Work in 2013.
2015
Receives Audie Award for Fantasy.
2015
Brandon Sanderson received Audie Award for Fantasy in 2015.
2018
Receives Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
2018
Brandon Sanderson received Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2018.
2022
Receives Audie Award for Fantasy.
Works documented in more than one form
Catalogued output
Works documented in more than one form
35 titles are catalogued under more than one form, which is to say the registers hold them both as a work and as a distinct object, score, recording or edition. Where a title is documented in several forms the evidence behind it is correspondingly wider, and the article treats those forms as separate records of the same work rather than as separate works. Hoid — catalogued as comics character, literary character, hatstand, fictional human, mistborn, Lightweaver and Awakener (Cosmere). Kelsier — catalogued as literary character, fictional human, fictional deity, mistborn and cognitive shadow. Vin — catalogued as literary character, fictional human, fictional deity and mistborn. Snapshot, dated 2017 — catalogued as audiobook edition, version, edition or translation and literary work. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, dated 2007 — catalogued as literary work, novel series and version, edition or translation. Elend Venture — catalogued as literary character, fictional human and mistborn. Kaladin — catalogued as literary character, fictional human and Windrunner. Firstborn, dated 2005 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Defending Elysium, dated 2021 — catalogued as version, edition or translation and literary work. Perfect State, dated 2015 — catalogued as version, edition or translation and literary work. Dreamer, dated 2014 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. I Hate Dragons, dated 2011 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. The Well of Ascension, dated 2007 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Elantris, dated 2005 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. The Final Empire, dated 2006 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. The Hero of Ages, dated 2008 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones, dated 2008 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens, dated 2010 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. The Alloy of Law, dated 2011 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Words of Radiance, dated 2014 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Warbreaker, dated 2009 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Shadows of Self, dated 2015 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. The Bands of Mourning, dated 2016 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Secret History, dated 2016 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Skyward, dated 2018 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Starsight, dated 2019 — catalogued as literary work and version, edition or translation. Cosmere — catalogued as book series and fictional universe. Surgebinding — catalogued as superpower and Invested Art. Shallan Davar — catalogued as literary character and fictional human. Szeth — catalogued as literary character and fictional human. Adolin Kholin — catalogued as literary character and fictional human.
Tailored Realities
2025 — catalogued as literary work and audiobook edition
Mitosis
2013 — catalogued as literary work and audiobook edition
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
2023 — catalogued as audiobook edition and literary work
Blightfall
2026 — catalogued as literary work and audiobook edition
Works, 1990–2026
Catalogued output
Works, 1990–2026
These are texts written by the subject, distinct both from writings about the subject and from printed editions of other people's work. 66 works carry dates between 1990 and 2026. The 2010s are the densest part of the run, with 35 titles, and that concentration is a fact about what the registers have catalogued rather than a judgement on the work itself. They belong to a run of 107 titles in all, from 1990 to 2026. A selection is set out below and the complete run may be opened beneath it.
The run opens with The Wheel of Time and closes with Songs of the Dead: The Strata Wars, Book One
The Wheel of Time
1990
Firstborn
2005
Elantris
2005
Mistborn
2006
The Final Empire
2006
The Well of Ascension
2007
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians
2007
The Hero of Ages
2008
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones
2008
The Gathering Storm
2009
Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia
2009
The complete catalogue · 60
The run opens with The Wheel of Time and closes with Songs of the Dead: The Strata Wars, Book One
The Wheel of Time
1990
Firstborn
2005
Elantris
2005
Mistborn
2006
The Final Empire
2006
The Well of Ascension
2007
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians
2007
The Hero of Ages
2008
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones
2008
The Gathering Storm
2009
Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia
2009
Warbreaker
2009
The Way of Kings
2010
Towers of Midnight
2010
Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens
2010
The Stormlight Archive
2010
I Hate Dragons
2011
Extended Version
2011
Awakening
2011
The Alloy of Law
2011
Legion series
2012
The Emperor's Soul
2012
Legion
2012
A Memory of Light
2013
The Reckoners
2013
Redemption
2013
Unfettered
2013
Steelheart
2013
Dreamer
2014
Words of Radiance
2014
Skin Deep
2014
Perfect State
2015
Shadows of Self
2015
Firefight
2015
The Bands of Mourning
2016
Secret History
2016
Alcatraz Versus the Dark Talent
2016
The Cosmere Collection
2016
White Sand
2016
Edgedancer
2016
Calamity
2016
Snapshot
2017
Oathbringer
2017
Skyward
2018
Lies of the Beholder
2018
Starsight
2019
Rhythm of War
2020
Dawnshard
2020
Defending Elysium
2021
Cytonic
2021
The Lost Metal
2022
Bastille vs. The Evil Librarians
2022
Tress of the Emerald Sea
2023
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
2023
The Sunlit Man
2023
Wind and Truth
2024
Isles of the Emberdark
2025
Moment Zero
2025
Brain Dump
2025
A further 3 recorded entries stand behind this article and are held on the record.
Works without a settled date
Catalogued output
Works without a settled date
41 further works are catalogued under Sanderson's name without a date the collections agree on, which is why they are set apart from the dated run rather than placed in it. There Are Still Stories to Tell.
Brandon Sanderson bibliography
Wax and Wayne
Children of the Nameless
Sixth of the Dusk
Deleted Scenes from the 2002 Version of The Way of Kings
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell
The Strata Wars
The Stormlight Archive (Part One)
Unnamed Scadrian Continent
Books and published writings, 2001–2019
Catalogued output
Books and published writings, 2001–2019
These are catalogued publications carrying the name — editions and printings, distinct from the works they contain and from writing about the subject. They belong to a run of 188 titles in all, from 2001 to 2026.
Brandon Sanderson 3 Books Collection Set
106 editions carry dates between 2001 and 2019
The run opens with The Alloy of Law and closes with White Sand 3
The entries follow Open Library
Alcatraz und das Pergament des Todes
2008
What the Storm Means: Prologue to the Gathering Storm
2009
I Hate Dragons extended version
2010
Stormlight Archive
2010
Der aufziehende Sturm
2010
Prologue to Towers of Midnight
2010
The Way of Kings, Part One
2011
Epic
2012
Mistborn Adventure Game
2012
The complete catalogue · 60
106 editions carry dates between 2001 and 2019
The run opens with The Alloy of Law and closes with White Sand 3
The entries follow Open Library
Alcatraz und das Pergament des Todes
2008
What the Storm Means: Prologue to the Gathering Storm
2009
I Hate Dragons extended version
2010
Stormlight Archive
2010
Der aufziehende Sturm
2010
Prologue to Towers of Midnight
2010
The Way of Kings, Part One
2011
Epic
2012
Mistborn Adventure Game
2012
Alcatraz
2012
The Complete Alcatraz
2012
Dangerous Women
2013
Wheel of Time
2013
The Rithmatist
2013
Kolo czasu t.6 Triumf chaosu
2013
FirstBorn & Defending Elysium (Double Novella) **SIGNED**
2013
Writing Fantasy Heroes
2013
Legion & The Emperor's Soul
2013
Parole di Luce
2014
Das Rad der Zeit 36
Die Schlacht der Schatten
2014
Das Rad der Zeit 34
Der Traum des Wolfs
2014
Die Türme der Mitternacht
2014
Tales from the Cosmere
2014
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014
2014
Tor.com
2014
Die Stürme des Zorns
2015
Sombras de Identidad
2015
Words of Radiance, Part Two
2015
Words of Radiance Part One
2015
Writers of the Future 32
2016
The Stormlight Archive 1
2016
New Tales By Masters of Fantasy
2016
Words of Radiance (1 of 5)
2016
Dragon Writers
2016
Arcanum Unbounded
2016
Untitled Mistborn 1 Of 2
2016
El aliento de los Dioses
2016
An Anthology
2016
Der Pfad der Winde
2016
White Sand 1
2016
Writers of the Future Vol 32 (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future)
2016
The Reckoners Series Boxed Set
2016
The Reckoners Series
2016
Snapshot / Dreamer
2017
Mistborn Segunda Era - Caixa com Volumes 1 2 3 e caderno
2017
Cienie tozsamosci
2017
Schatten über Elantel
2017
De bron der verheffing
2017
Brandon Sanderson's Fantasy Firsts: (the Way of Kings, Mistborn: the Final Empire, Rithmatist, Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians)
2017
Infinity Blade--Redemption
2018
Brandon Sanderson 3 Books Collection Set
Arcanum Unbounded, Elantris, Warbreaker
2018
Legion--The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds
2018
White Sand 2
2018
The Wax and Wayne Series
2018
A further 9 recorded entries stand behind this article and are held on the record.
Books and published writings, 2020–2026
Catalogued output
Books and published writings, 2020–2026
73 editions carry dates between 2020 and 2026
The run opens with The Hope of Elantris [Dramatized Adaptation] and closes with Blightfall
The Hope of Elantris [Dramatized Adaptation]
2020
Way of Kings Prime
2020
The Original
2020
The Stormlight Archive Series 6 Books Collection Set by Brandon Sanderson
2020
Way of Kings Part Two
2020
El Pozo de la Ascensión
2021
Lux
2021
Stormlight Archive Series
4 Books Collection Set. The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer, Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
2021
ReDawn
2021
The complete catalogue · 60
73 editions carry dates between 2020 and 2026
The run opens with The Hope of Elantris [Dramatized Adaptation] and closes with Blightfall
The Hope of Elantris [Dramatized Adaptation]
2020
Way of Kings Prime
2020
The Original
2020
The Stormlight Archive Series 6 Books Collection Set by Brandon Sanderson
2020
Way of Kings Part Two
2020
El Pozo de la Ascensión
2021
Lux
2021
Stormlight Archive Series
4 Books Collection Set. The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer, Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
2021
ReDawn
2021
Trilogía Nacidos de la bruma [Mistborn] (Nacidos de la bruma.. De fantasía épica que ha conquistado el mundo
2021
Evershore
2021
Sunreach
2021
Rythm of War part 1
2021
Dark One, Book 1
2021
Sturmklänge, dated 2022. Éclat de l'Aube
2022
Palabras Radiantes
2022
Stephen Leeds
2022
La Via dei Re
2022
Skyward Series 3 Books Set
2022
Escuadrón Cielo
2022
Los huesos del escriba
2022
Arena Blanca
2022
Stormlight Archives HC Boxed Set 1-4
2022
Curso de escritura creativa
2022
Skyward Flight
2022
Rhythm of War Part Two
2022
Desafiante (Escuadrón 4)
2023
Tress
2023
Dark One--Forgotten
2023
Brandon Sanderson's White Sand Omnibus
2023
Spring 2023 Tor Title to Be Announced
2023
Juramentada
2023
Hyperthief
2023
Long Chills and Case Dough
2023
Mistborn 7 Books Collection Set by Brandon Sanderson (Final Empire, Well of Ascension, Hero of Ages, Band of Mourning, Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self & the Lost Metal)
2023
Secret Projects Series 3-Book Set by Brandon Sanderson
2023
Stormlight Archive, Books 1-4
2023
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians TPB Boxed Set
2023
Novela Secreta 2
2023
Untitle
2023
Reckoners Series Paperback Box Set
2023
Defiant
2023
Scarlet Circus
2023
Box Série Executores
2024
The Most Boring Book Ever
2024
Dragonsteel Prime
2024
Skyward Series Boxed Set
2024
Los Huesos Del Escriba / the Scrivener's Bones
2024
Las Lentes Fragmnetadas / the Shattered Lens
2024
Los Caballeros de Cristalia / the Knights of Crystallia
2024
Bastille Contra Los Bibliotecarios Malvados / Bastille vs. The Evil Librarians
2024
White Sand Omnibus
2024
Mistborn Quartet Boxed Set
2024
Talento Oscuro / the Dark Talent
2024
Islas de la Ascuaoscura
2025
Vento e verità
2025
Sunlit Man
2025
A further 1 recorded entry stand behind this article and are held on the record.
Books and published writings without a settled date
Catalogued output
Books and published writings without a settled date
9 further editions are catalogued under Sanderson's name without a date the collections agree on, which is why they are set apart from the dated run rather than placed in it.
The Bands of Mourning, Part 1
Words of Radiance, Part 2
Words of Radiance, Part 1
Songs of the Dead (Duplicate of OL45746319W)
Z Mgy Zrodzony Br
Untitled Sanderson 2 of 3 (Children's) Untitled Sanderson 2 Of 3 (Children
Teaching
Sanderson is adjunct faculty at Brigham Young University, teaching a creative writing course once per year. Sanderson's writing courses are also published to his YouTube channel, "Brandon Sanderson." Sanderson from 2008 to 2022 participated in the weekly podcast Writing Excuses with authors Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, and web cartoonist Howard Tayler. He began hosting the podcast Intentionally Blank with Dan Wells in June 2021, where they discuss random things they enjoy, often while Sanderson signs the front sheets that will eventually be inserted in his books once they are published.
Primary material
Documents and archives
institutional register
- Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 161510729
Unverified · Bibliothèque nationale de France
- GND (German National Library) authority file 133523829
Unverified · GND (German National Library)
- IdRef (French universities) authority file 137396201
Unverified · IdRef (French universities)
- ISNI authority file 0000000114724577
Unverified · ISNI
- Library of Congress authority file n2004036176
Unverified · Library of Congress
- MusicBrainz artist authority b7b9f742-8de0-44fd-afd3-fa536701d27e
Unverified · MusicBrainz
reference work
- “Brandon Sanderson”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Selected awards and honors
Selected awards and honors
Sanderson has received numerous awards and nominations for his various works. See Writing Excuses for additional awards and nominations. • Year — Organization — Award title, category — Work — Result • 2005 — Romantic Times — Reviewers' Choice Best Book Award, Best Epic Fantasy Novel Award — Elantris • 2006 — World Science Fiction Society — John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer — -- • Romantic Times — Reviewers' Choice Best Book Award, Best Epic Fantasy Novel Award — Mistborn • 2007 — World Science Fiction Society — John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer — -- • Romantic Times — Reviewers' Choice Best Book Award, Best Epic Fantasy Novel Award — The Well of Ascension • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Speculative Fiction • Whitney Awards, Best Youth Fiction — Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians • Polytechnic University of Catalonia — UPC Science Fiction Award — Defending Elysium • 2008 — Romantic Times — Reviewers' Choice Best Book Award, Best Epic Fantasy Novel Award — The Hero of Ages • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Speculative Fiction Award • 2009 — DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Fantasy Novel — The Hero of Ages • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Speculative Fiction — Warbreaker • 2010 — DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Fantasy Novel — Warbreaker • The Gathering Storm • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Speculative Fiction Award — The Way of Kings • Whitney Awards, Best Novel of the Year Award • Goodreads — Goodreads Choice Awards 2010, Best Fantasy of 2010 — Towers of Midnight • 2011 — DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel — The Way of Kings • Towers of Midnight • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Speculative Fiction Award — The Alloy of Law • 2012 — DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Legend Award For Best Novel — The Alloy of Law • Goodreads — Goodreads Choice Awards 2012, Best Fantasy of 2012 — The Emperor's Soul • 2013 — World Science Fiction Society — Hugo Award, Best Novella — The Emperor's Soul • World Fantasy Convention — World Fantasy Award, Best Novella • Goodreads — Goodreads Choice Awards 2013, Best Fantasy of 2013 — A Memory of Light • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Young Adult—Speculative — Steelheart • Goodreads — Goodreads Choice Awards 2013, Best Young Adult Fantasy of 2013 • 2014 — World Science Fiction Society — Hugo Award, Best Novel — The Wheel of Time • DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Legend Award for Best Novel — A Memory of Light • Goodreads — Goodreads Choice Awards 2014, Best Fantasy of 2014 — Words of Radiance • LDStorymakers — Whitney Awards, Best Speculative Fiction Award • 2015 — DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Legend Award for Best Novel — Words of Radiance • Goodreads — Goodreads Choice Awards 2015, Best Fantasy of 2015 — Shadows of Self • Goodreads Choice Awards 2015, Best Young Adult Fantasy of 2015 — Firefight • 2016 — World Science Fiction Society — Hugo Award, Best Novella — Perfect State • Dragon Con — Dragon Awards, Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel — Calamity • 2017 — DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel — The Bands of Mourning • 2018 — World Science Fiction Society — Hugo Award, Best Series — The Stormlight Archive • DGLA — David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel — Oathbringer • Dragon Con — Dragon Awards, Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal) • Dragon Awards, Best Graphic Novel — Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand Volume 1 • 2019 — Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy — Geffen Award, Best Translated Fantasy Book — The Alloy of Law • 2021 — Dragon Con — Dragon Awards, Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal) — Rhythm of War • 2023 — Dragon Con — Dragon Awards, Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal) — Tress of the Emerald Sea • Utah Valley University — Honorary Doctor of Letters — -- — Awarded • 2025 — World Science Fiction Society — Hugo Award, Best Series — The Stormlight Archive
Honours and awards
Where the work is held
Honours and awards
They run from 2007 to 2022.
7 honours stand against the name
Whitney Awards
2007
Hugo Award for Best Novella
2013
Hugo Award for Best Related Work
2013
Imaginales award for best foreign-language novel
2013
Audie Award for Fantasy
2015
Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel
2018
Authority records
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
institutional register
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 161510729Bibliothèque nationale de France
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
GND (German National Library) authority file 133523829GND (German National Library)
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
IdRef (French universities) authority file 137396201IdRef (French universities)
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Library of Congress authority file n2004036176Library of Congress
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Partially resolvedinstitutional register
Wikidata, structured authority record Q457608: Brandon SandersonWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolved
Every cited source · 9
- 01
Bibliothèque nationale de France authority file 161510729
institutional register · Unverified · Bibliothèque nationale de France
Consult the source - 02
GND (German National Library) authority file 133523829
institutional register · Unverified · GND (German National Library)
Consult the source - 03
IdRef (French universities) authority file 137396201
institutional register · Unverified · IdRef (French universities)
Consult the source - 04
- 05
Library of Congress authority file n2004036176
institutional register · Unverified · Library of Congress
Consult the source - 06
- 07
- 08
Wikidata, structured authority record Q457608: Brandon Sanderson
institutional register · Unverified · Wikimedia Foundation
Consult the source - 09
“Brandon Sanderson”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Consult the source
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Formation and teaching. Sanderson studied at Brigham Young University and Lincoln East High School. He trained under Dave Wolverton. His recorded influences include Robert Jordan. Sanderson worked in creative and professional writing, fantasy literature, writing and fiction. He was employed by Brigham Young University and Dragonsteel Entertainment. He worked at Utah. Work and production. Works recorded as notable number 8: Elantris, Warbreaker, Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, The Reckoners, Rithmatist series, Legion series and The Emperor's Soul. His recorded genres are fantasy, science fiction and young adult. Sanderson received Hugo Award for Best Novella, Audie Award for Fantasy, Hugo Award for Best Related Work, Whitney Awards, Imaginales award for best foreign-language novel and Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Career and activity
Recognition and collections
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,960 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Brajanath RathaAuthor
- Brajendra Nath SealAuthor
- Branca de Gonta ColaçoAuthor
- Brander MatthewsAuthor
- Brandon T. JacksonAuthor
- Brandy Nālani McDougallAuthor
- Brane MozetičAuthor
- Branimir ŠtulićAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Brandon Sanderson?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.