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Cosmere Short Fiction Reading Order.

Quick Answer

Start Cosmere Short Fiction by Brandon Sanderson with "Defending Elysium", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

Novellas and short stories set within the larger Cosmere universe.

Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Defending Elysium"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

Community Consensus

Medium Debate

"Most commenters recommend starting with the original Mistborn trilogy (Mistborn Era 1) as the best entry point, followed by Warbreaker. While Elantris is the earliest published Cosmere novel, it is often suggested that new readers skip it or defer it until later, as its perceived lower quality might dissuade them from reading the rest of the author's work. The single most crucial dependency cited is reading Warbreaker before starting the Stormlight Archive series."

Key Reddit Advice

Start with Mistborn Era 1 (The Final Empire) or Warbreaker. Crucially, read Warbreaker before starting the Stormlight Archive.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Cosmere Short Fiction conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Cosmere Short Fiction. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "Defending Elysium" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Cosmere Short Fiction" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Reading Order3 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
Best Start Here
1

Defending Elysium

Pub: 2013Optional4

Included in the Humble Book Bundle: Brandon Sanderson bundle.Firstborn“I, Dennison Crestmar—brother of the great Varion Crestmar, cousin to kings and commander of fleets—am an idiot. Just like all of you have heard.”Dennison has tried to follow in his perfect brother’s footsteps in the service of the Imperial Fleet, but has been met only with failure after failure. Why do his father and even the emperor himself still have so much faith in in his potential?

2

Plot details hidden until you finish "Defending Elysium".

About the Author Brandon Sanderson is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Steelheart and Firefight, the first two books in the Reckoners series, and of the internationally bestselling books in the Stormlight Archive and the Mistborn series, and he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. His books have been published in more than twenty-five languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Calamity is the third book in the Reckoners series. Brandon lives and writes in Utah.Kate Reading has been a freelance narrator for over twenty years. She received an Audie Award for Bellwether by Connie Willis and for Breasts by Florence Williams; an Audie nomination for The Gathering Stormby Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, recorded with her husband, Michael Kramer; and an Audie nomination for Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell. She has also received numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine, which has named her Narrator of the Year and, for two years running, Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy for her narration of Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series. As Jennifer Mendenhall, she has worked as a stage actor in the Washington, D.C., area and has been a member of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company since 1987. Her work onstage has been recognized by the Helen Hayes Awards Society, the Washington Theatre Lobby Awards, and the Carbonell Awards in Florida. She and her husband live in Hyattsville, Maryland, with their two children. Product Description When the familiar and seemingly safe turns lethal, therein danger lies. Amid a forest where the shades of the dead linger all around, every homesteader knows to follow the Simple Rules: "Don't kindle flame, don't shed the blood of another, don't run at night. These things draw shades." Silence Montane has broken all three rules on more than one occasion. And to protect her family from a murderous gang with high bounties on their heads, Silence will break every rule again, at the risk of becoming a shade herself.

3

Secret History

Pub: 2019Optional4.5

Plot details hidden until you finish "Shadows For Silence In The Forests Of Hell".

Mistborn: Secret History is a companion story to the original Mistborn trilogy. As such, it contains HUGE SPOILERS for the books Mistborn (The Final Empire), The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages. It also contains very minor spoilers for the book The Bands of Mourning. Mistborn: Secret History builds upon the characterization, events, and worldbuilding of the original trilogy. Reading it without that background will be a confusing process at best. In short, this isn’t the place to start your journey into Mistborn. (Though if you have read the trilogy—but it has been a while—you should be just fine, so long as you remember the characters and the general plot of the books.) Saying anything more here risks revealing too much. Even knowledge of this story’s existence is, in a way, a spoiler. There’s always another secret.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Cosmere Short Fiction series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Cosmere Short Fiction?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "Defending Elysium" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Brandon Sanderson intended.

Can I read Cosmere Short Fiction books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Cosmere Short Fiction universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.