Book recommendation for April 2025: “Elantris” by Brandon Sanderson
I think this is the perfect place to start if you like fantasy books but have not yet read anything by Brandon Sanderson, who is perhaps the biggest fantasy writer at present. It’s a standalone novel, which is quite rare in fantasy these days.
What’s it about: Elantris is a city that was once home to god-like magic users, until the magic failed and turned those people into zombie-like wrecks. In its shadow, the city of Kae has prospered but is threatened by a warmongering neighbour. The book follows three characters: Prince Raoden, who wakes up and discovers he has been damned for all eternity; Princess Sarene, who arrives from a neighbouring kingdom to wed Prince Raoden and unite their realms; and Hrathen, a religious missionary from an imperialistic nation that seeks to convert and control the people of Kae.
Why I love it: the opening line immediately hooks you, and you must know why and how Prince Raoden has been damned for all eternity. I also enjoyed a fantasy novel set around one city, rather than spread across a vast country. Brandon Sanderson is known for his magic systems and this one did not disappoint. I thought the broken magic that no longer transformed people into god-like beings but, rather, zombie-like mad people was brilliant and felt like a fresh take (in my experience) on magic in fantasy books. Also, it is a standalone novel so, if you are thinking of what to read next in the world of fantasy, it’s a good way to get into Brandon Sanderson’s “Cosmere” universe without committing to a trilogy or more.
Beyond the book: I read Elantris when my daughter was a newborn and suffering with colic. I couldn’t sleep between the fitful bursts of crying before she eventually went down in the early hours and I would rest her on my shoulder to provide her some relief and, with my free hand, I read Elantris. It’s such a strong memory I have of that time and this book was an accompaniment.
In addition, Brandon Sanderson is one of the judges of the Writers of the Future contest. While I did not meet him in Hollywood, during the mass book signing event for Volume 41 (where we signed over 200 books), we were given a copy that was earmarked for him and asked to make a personalised signature. One of my primary motivations for starting writing was to show my children that they should follow their dreams, so it was doubly surreal for me that the first personalised book I ever signed was for Brandon Sanderson, who wrote the book I read trying to soothe my daughter while I dreamed of starting out on my own writing career.
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