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Elantris

Author: Brandon Sanderson

This fantasy fiction novel will suck you in. Elantris is one of the best standalone fantasy books in the genre. It's about addictive as chocolate and a whole lot healthier! .Normally, I prefer to avoid novelizations of myths such as Arthur or Atlantis. This book is no rewrite however. I didn't stop reading this one till my eye skimmed the last page. Sanderson's newer works are better in some ways, but Elantris, his debut novel, has quite a few wow movements. If you are tired of picking up yet another fat fantasy saga and want a well-drawn tale that's completed in one book, you won't go wrong reading Elantris. Apparently, Sanderson will be writing a sequel to Etlantris -- according to one of his 2014 blog posts.

Similar Recommendations

The obvious choice

if you like the "style" of writing in Elantris is to read Sanderson's other books (which sadly are NOT standalones, but series). He's got quite a few now. You could give his Mistborn series a go which features a very strong heroine like the one found in Elantris. For a more "end of the world" mega fantasy series in the vein of Robert Jordan, his new Stormlight Archive series (starts with The Way of Kings) looks like one of the most promising fantasy tales I've read to date.

For a somewhat

similar feel to Elantris (though a much more intricate and complicated tale than Elantris) in setting, you might look at Daniel Abraham's A Shadow in Summer (part of the Long Quartet series). There are some rich characterization, intelligent plotting, and some really ambitious ideas (literally and pun totally intended -- read the book to see what I mean).

Booklists having this book

Best Stand Alone Fantasy Books

Most of the books listed on this website's top fantasy lists have been part of a series, either because of the financial incentive behind publishing multiple books in the same universe, or because their authors are not inventive and talented... Read more

Top 100 Fantasy Books

This list continues directly from where the Top 25 Best Fantasy List ends, starting from #26 and ending at #100 (yes, I know the list shows #1, but 1 = 26). Frankly, there are so many good books that have... Read more

Other books by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris

This fantasy fiction novel will suck you in. Elantris is one of the best standalone fantasy books in the genre. It's about addictive as chocolate and a whole lot healthier!... Read more

Mistborn

A magnificent series of adventure, magic, and revenge with one of the most unique magic systems in the fantasy genre. Mistborn is the story of a band of wizards fighting... Read more

Well Of Ascension

The Hero Of Ages

Allow Of Law

Mistborn

Though Sanderson's main criticism is a lack of character depth, it's hard to deny the satisfying coming of age stories in Mistborn. The novel describes a classic rags-to-riches story, Vin... Read more

The Stormlight Archive

Understandably, some readers prefer series more epic in their nature, and Sanderson also has that covered. Though it’s magic systemsaren’t quite as compelling as in Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive is... Read more

Words Of Radiance

The Way Of Kings

The Stormlight Archive has for better or worse become the poster-boy for where (classic) epic fantasy is going. It's the evolution of the Tolkien-style fantasy -- a fantasy that was... Read more

The Stormlight Archive

If you like your epic fantasy big in the style of Wheel of Time, the closest you'll find to that style is The Storm Light Archive -- written by the... Read more

Skybreaker

Steelheart

While Sanderson excels at writing ÃƒÂ¢epicÃƒÂ¢ fantasy, Steelheartwas a pleasant surprise. Sanderson takes on the ÃƒÂ¢superheroÃƒÂ¢ fantasy genre andwrites a uniquely compelling tale about a band of ordinary humans whospecialize... Read more

Firefight

Calamity

Shadows Of Self

Bands Of Mourning

Warbreaker

Brandon Sanderson proves his expertise in magic once more with Warbreaker, a story of two princesses, separated and each trying to prevent a war. In theShardworld of Nathis, every individual... Read more

The Stormlight Archive

Take one part of the Wheel of Time and two-parts Mistborn adding in more character building, an even grander vision of the world, a sophisticated magic system, and you have... Read more

Bands Of Mourning

Yet another Sanderson book. The second book to come out in 2016, and it's only March! Seriously, I don't know how Sanderson can write so prolifically â€“ he writes two,... Read more

The Well Of Ascension

Secret History

Shadows Of Self

The Bands Of Mourning

Oathbringer: Book Three Of The Stormlight Archive

The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Words of Radiance, from epic fantasy author Brandon Sanderson at the top of his game.In Oathbringer, the third volume... Read more

Mistborn

Brandon Sanderson is well-known for his magic systems, and Mistborn standshigh above the rest. In the Final Empire, ash falls from the sky, mist moves unnaturally through the night, and... Read more

The Lost Metal

Nightblood

The Rithamatist

The Rithmatist’s magic system has been likened to a real-time strategy game, if it incorporated chalk, and it was a life or death situation. Rithmastists use their magic to give... Read more

The Hero Of Ages

Nightblood

Oathbringer: Book Three Of The Stormlight Archive

The #1 New York Times bestseller, Oathbringer is the third volume of Brandon Sanderson\'s Stormlight Archive fantasy epic where humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers,... Read more

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