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Elantris

Elantris

Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
608
Published
2005
Language
English

Synopsis

Elantris was once the city of gods — a shining beacon where its inhabitants were transformed by a mysterious force called the Shaod into divine beings of immense power. Then, a decade ago, the magic failed. Those taken by the Shaod now become rotting, pain-wracked husks, trapped in the decaying city and unable to die. Prince Raoden of Arelon is the latest victim, cast into Elantris by his own father before his planned wedding to the Teoish princess Sarene, who arrives to find him officially dead. As Sarene navigates treacherous court politics, and the Fjordell high priest Hrathen moves to convert the kingdom before his armies arrive, Raoden discovers the secret of what killed Elantris — and whether it can be restored. Published in April 2005 as Sanderson's debut novel (his sixth completed manuscript), it won the Romantic Times award for Best Epic Fantasy of that year.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

AdventurousMysteriousHopeful
Court Intrigue

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy

About the author

B
Brandon Sanderson

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Brandon Sanderson spent his early twenties working graveyard shifts at a hotel — writing novels at the front desk between guest check-ins. By the time his debut, Elantris, was published by Tor Books in 2005, he had completed thirteen novels in the drawer. His subsequent Mistborn trilogy and the ongoing Stormlight Archive series established him as the primary architect of the Cosmere, an interconnected fictional universe in which most of his fantasy series share...

Characters

Prince RaodenProtagonist

Cast into the cursed city of Elantris, he sets out to discover what killed its magic.

Princess SareneProtagonist

A princess who arrives to find her betrothed officially dead and must navigate treacherous court politics.

HrathenAntagonist

A zealous Fjordell high priest racing to convert Arelon before his armies arrive.

GalladonSupporting

A pragmatic fellow Elantrian who befriends Raoden.

All characters in Elantris

Frequently asked questions

  • Was Elantris Sanderson's first published novel?

    Yes, though it was his sixth completed manuscript. He wrote five previous novels before Elantris; they were rejected or set aside. Elantris was published in April 2005 by Tor Books.

  • Where did the idea for Elantris come from?

    Sanderson has said the concept developed during his time as a Mormon missionary in Korea, where he had time to write and plan extensively. The initial idea was a city that had once been magical but whose magic had failed.

  • What award did Elantris win?

    It won the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Epic Fantasy Novel of 2005.

  • Is there a sequel to Elantris?

    Yes — The Hope of Elantris is a short story set in the same world, and a sequel novel (the second full book in the Elantris series) has been planned for years. As of 2024, it has not yet been written due to the demands of the Stormlight Archive.

  • Is Elantris part of the Cosmere?

    Yes. Elantris takes place on the planet Sel and is part of Sanderson's larger Cosmere universe, which also includes Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, and others. The Emperor's Soul is also set on Sel, on a different continent.

  • Is Elantris a good starting point for the Cosmere?

    Yes — it was Sanderson's first Cosmere novel and is designed as a standalone story with a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. Many readers recommend it as a shorter, self-contained entry point alongside The Emperor's Soul.

  • How long did it take Sanderson to write Elantris?

    Sanderson has stated that Elantris took him approximately six years to write across multiple drafts from initial concept to final version.

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