Sanderson writes many of his works in an overarching universe known as the Cosmere with series tending to be on different planets within that universe. The works, especially the magic systems within them, are often subtly connected, and some characters appear across the various series.[1]
Original author Robert Jordan died before completing his multi-volume epic The Wheel of Time. Sanderson was chosen by Harriet McDougal, Jordan's widow and editor, to finish the series according to the notes left behind by her husband.[2] Sanderson's novels in the series are:
River of Souls, a deleted scene from A Memory of Light. Published in Unfettered (2013).
A Fire Within the Ways, a non-canon deleted scene from A Memory of Light. Published in the fantasy anthology Unfettered III, ed. Shawn Speakman (novella) (2019, Grim Oak Press, ISBN1944145230).
Standalone short works[]
This includes standalone short stories, novelettes, and novellas.
In a blogpost on his website, Sanderson revealed Skyward is the continuity of something he has written before, but more was not officially stated.[23] In a Q&A at a book signing for Skyward, he said it is in the same universe as Defending Elysium.[24]
An abandoned Cosmere novel. Elements were incorporated into the Mistborn series, and Sanderson has also suggested that a character may be recycled for the potential Warbreaker sequel, Nightblood.[28] The last completed draft of Aether of Night can be requested as an Office Open XML file from the official Sanderson fan forum 17th Shard.[29]
Dragonsteel
This story (of the shattering of Adonalsium, as told by Hoid) is next-to-last in Sanderson's sequence of Cosmere novels (though it is first chronologically). It will probably be released once Stormlight volume 10 is done.[30]
A fourth book in the Wax and Wayne series, entitled The Lost Metal, is planned for publication Christmas 2022, concluding "Era 2" of Mistborn.[32] Sanderson is also currently planning "Era 3", to be written between Stormlight books 5 and 6 in the mid 2020s.[33]
Silence Divine
Standalone novella (working title, forthcoming) set in the Shardworld Ashyn, in the Greater Rosharan solar system.[18]
Silverlight
There is a planned novella, but no details have yet been released.[30]
The Stormlight Archive
This series is planned to run to ten novels. The fifth book is tentatively planned for release December 2023, with the sixth to follow after the completion of the third era of Mistborn novels in the late 2020s.[32] An early draft of The Way of Kings, dated to 2002 and titled The Way of Kings Prime, is available in ebook form.[34] A limited hardcover was printed as a reward to contributors to a Kickstarter campaign.[35] An audiobook edition is also expected.[36]
Threnody
At least one novel is planned, though no specific details have been announced.[30]
The unpublished prose novel from which the White Sand graphic novel is adapted. Download links to an Office Open XML file appear in Sanderson's official newsletters.[37]
Others[]
Series
Notes
Adamant
A mooted "epic science fiction space opera" series released every other month as serial novellas. Sanderson plans to write four of the six and have co-authors for the other two. No release dates have been announced.[30]
Alcatraz
Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians: The Worldspire (forthcoming)[30]
The Apocalypse Guard
Trilogy "set in a world parallel to that of The Reckoners", announced on March 1, 2016.[38] The outlining for the series was nearing completion at the end of December 2016.[30] The project was put on hold in November 2017.[39] On February 20, 2018, Dan Wells tweeted that he would be co-writing the series with Sanderson.[40]
Dark One
Young Adult series about a boy who learns he is destined to destroy the world. The series was announced in December 2014, but no information on number of volumes or release dates were included.[18] The Dark One series was originally set in the Cosmere but it got "pulled out".[41] In 2018 it was announced that Sanderson partnered with FremantleMedia and Random House Studio to produce Dark One as a television series, along with a series of novels, a prequel podcast and graphic novel that will be published by Vault Comics.[42]
Defiant, the fourth and final book will release in early 2023.[43]
Songs of the Dead
Standalone short work, in revision as of December 2018, release date TBD.[33] Co-written with Peter Orullian. Was previously known under the working titles Death By Pizza and Death Without Pizza.[44]
^Sanderson, Brandon (February 9, 2020). "Centrifugal". Brandon Sanderson. Dragonsteel Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
^Sanderson, Brandon (December 17, 2008). "Firstborn". Tor.com. Tor Books. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
^Zummaraga, Alfredo (February 17, 2017). "SNAPSHOT IS OUT!". Brandon Sanderson. Dragonsteel Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
^Sanderson, Brandon (September 26, 2012). "Q&A with Brandon Sanderson". 17th Shard. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
^Sanderson, Brandon (November 21, 2019). "Defending Elysium". Brandon Sanderson. Dragonsteel Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
^Peters, John Edward (October 13, 2019). "Starsight". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2021.