Brandon Sandersonis hard atwork on the next iteration ofMistbornbooks, but 2025 is far from a quiet year for the bestselling fantasy author. His short fiction collection,Tailored Realities, comes out in December— and his newest addition to the Cosmere and fifth Secret Project is now available in ebook and audiobook format.
Isles of the Emberdarkalso got a physical release for those who backed Sanderson’s crowdfunding campaign on Backerkit, and the novel will be more widely available to readers in February 2026. They can still read it now, though — butSanderson doesn’t recommend it as a starting point for his Cosmere universe.
In aYouTubevideo, the author noted that, “This might not be a good book for your first Cosmere novel. But, I mean, if you’re on this channel, I doubt this is your first Cosmere novel. But it may not be the best one to give to your friends as their first Cosmere novel.”
Sanderson’s Cosmerecomprises many interconnected stories, though a lot of them can be read on their own. It sounds like readers may want to dig intoSanderson’s previous booksbefore checking outIsles of the Emberdark,however. Andhe offered some recommendations on where to start instead.
Brandon Sanderson Recommends These 2 Books As Good Cosmere Starting Points
The Author Named Mistborn & Tress Of The Emerald Sea As Good Entries
Although Sanderson advised against picking upIsles of the Emberdarkas his first Cosmere novel, he did offer recommendations for better entry points.The first option he floated wasMistborn,which makes sense, as it’s his first full series.TheMistbornbooksare incredibly easy to fall into, and they make a great segue into his later works.
Sanderson also named2023’sTress of the Emerald Seaas a good placeto begin your Cosmere journey. The standalone is whimsical and a good starter for readers new to fantasy, so the suggestion makes a lot of sense. After these books, readers can work their way into the rest of the author’s backlist — and towardsIsles of the Emberdark.
The Author’s Other 2025 Book Isn’t Connected To The Cosmere
Tailored Realities Features Non-Cosmere Stories
Those feeling totally overwhelmed by the prospect of entering Sanderson’s Cosmere can also check out his non-Cosmere books. Among them are theSkywardseries,Reckonersseries,The Rithmatist, theAlcatrazseries, and theLegionseries. The author’sTailored Realitiescollection will also be separate from the Cosmere.
Needless to say, there are plenty of great places to dive into the author’s works, even if you’re totally new to them. More establishedBrandon Sandersonreaders may be digging intoIsles of the Emberdarkthis summer, but it’s always a great time to check out his other fantasy and sci-fi releases.
