Hello! My name's Brandon.
I write science fiction and fantasy stories that focus on complex characters and innovative settings. I’m glad you stopped by.
I’ve written a lot over the years. It can be a little daunting to get into my work, but it doesn’t have to be. Most of my series can be read independently of one another, and although many of them are connected behind the scenes, references to these things are generally easter eggs or other small-scale connections.
I thought that here I’d pitch to you a few books—each a good place to start—if you want to dive in. Each book or series I write is usually trying something slightly different, so they each tend to have a unique vibe. The best place for you to start, then, is generally with something that matches your reading tastes. Let me give you a few options. You can click the title of each one to read sample chapters!
All of these works, save Skyward, take place in the same universe called the Cosmere. The connections are quite ephemeral in these pieces, but watch for a character named Hoid (a.k.a. Wit). He is relevant to each of them in some way or another. Watching for him and trying to piece together his motives is one of the mysteries of the Cosmere.
Thanks again for looking into my works! I hope you found this little guide helpful.
BUT, WHERE SHOULD I START?
Below, you'll find Brandon's personal recomendations for entry points into his legendary worlds. Plus, click the button below to watch the video breakdown.
Mistborn
One of my best-known series is called Mistborn, and starts with a book simply called Mistborn—or sometimes subtitled The Final Empire. Though I’ve written other things in this setting, the original Mistborn Trilogy is a complete, self-contained story. It is a fantasy heist story about a young woman who is recruited into a team of thieves planning to rob the Dark Lord of their world. It is a little more action-oriented, but balances all of the things I tend to do, and for that reason is generally my best suggestion of a starting point.
The Emperor's Soul
My story that has won the most awards is a shorter novella called The Emperor’s Soul. If you like things a little more literary, or if you want to try a story that is shorter than my other works, this is the place to start. It’s about a woman who is imprisoned and forced to use her magical talent to try to create a forgery of the soul of the empire’s ruler.
The Stormlight Archive
This is my big epic. If you want to jump into the deep end, this is it: my most ambitious work. A story dealing with political intrigue and war, heavy on the worldbuilding and lore—but focused on the story of a young surgeon who is drafted into battle and forced to carry siege equipment in a protracted war.
The Stormlight Archive, unlike the other things I’m pitching here, isn’t finished. It is going to be ten books, though the first five (of which four are currently out) form a self-contained arc. This is my best story, but it is also the one that the most people bounce off of, as it takes a little longer to get going than the others. By design there’s a lot going on, so you might feel a little at sea. But I promise the journey is worthwhile.
Skyward
This is my current YA series. It’s about a young woman in a science fiction world who has dreamed of being a pilot, then finds a broken-down spaceship that she decides to repair in secret. It’s fast-paced, action-oriented, and a character study on one unique person. (Rather than an ensemble, like most of my other stories.)
Warbreaker
If you want a novel-length standalone work, this is my suggested pitch to you. A single-volume epic fantasy about a world where people’s souls can be used to bring objects to life. It follows two sisters who must trade roles in life, and a god who does not believe in his own religion. Though still dark in places, this story has more humor and romance than the others, and is preferable for someone who wants a book that is decidedly epic–but also self-contained.
Plus, while this one is available in your local bookstore just like the others, I’ve also made the ebook completely free on my website if you want to download and read it!