The Stormlight Archive Books in Order

Why this order?

The Stormlight Archive is a planned ten-book epic, and five of the main novels are out so far. For both publication and reading, the order is essentially the same, which makes this an easy series to follow: start with The Way of Kings, then Words of Radiance, then Oathbringer, Rhythm of War, and Wind and Truth. The simplicity is part of the appeal, since each book is enormous and builds directly on the last.

The one real decision is where to read the two novellas. Edgedancer was published in 2016 (in the Arcanum Unbounded collection) and is meant to be read after Words of Radiance and before Oathbringer. Dawnshard arrived in 2020 and slots in after Oathbringer and before Rhythm of War. Both are short, optional in the strictest sense, but they set up characters and plot threads that pay off in the larger novels, so we place them in their intended spots in the default order.

This is why the publication order and the recommended reading order are the same list here: Sanderson released the novellas exactly where they belong in the story. There is no "machete" trick or chronological reshuffle to worry about. If you want the leanest possible run, you can skip both novellas, but you will miss setup that the main books assume you have read.

Stormlight is also one corner of Sanderson's larger Cosmere universe, which includes Mistborn and other interconnected series. Easter eggs and a few recurring characters tie them together, but Stormlight stands entirely on its own. You do not need any Mistborn knowledge to start, so newcomers can begin with The Way of Kings and dive straight in.