In 2005, a young writer named Brandon Sanderson watched his debut novel Elantris arrive to rave reviews. By this time, he had written more than seven novels, a hint at how prolific he would become. Publishers Weekly gave him a starred review, declaring, "Sanderson is a writer to watch." They were right.
Brandon Sanderson's name became a buzz word in the fantasy community when he was chosen to finish the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga. But Sanderson won't merely be remembered for completing Jordan's legacy. The books which led to his being chosen as Jordan's successor attracted fans for the same reasons they attracted Jordan himself, and that is this: Sanderson established himself as a writer who knows how to keep readers glued to the page, from his very first book and beyond.
Sanderson's diverse works range from his Mistborn epic fantasy trilogy, which asks what would happen if the prophesied hero failed to defeat the dark lord, to his humorous middle grade fantasy series beginning with Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which features a protagonist who possesses the magical ability to break anything he touches. Several authors have remarked on the freshness Sanderson brings to the genre, and indeed, the hallmark of bestselling authors is their ability to give readers a new and exciting experience. But crafting such books requires a skill it sometimes takes seven unpublished novels to gain.
Know for his intricate magic systems which are drawn so that they feel as real and scientific as the laws of gravity, it is actually the characters who live with this magic that makes Sanderson such a success. Brandon Sanderson was a popular author before his name was ever associated with The Wheel of Time, and that's because his heroes and heroines are flawed but heroic, tortured but inspiring--larger than life. Sanderson knows that magic systems based on metals and magnetism (Mistborn) or on color (Warbreaker) are only interesting when readers care about the people using them.
Sanderson's last appearance in Cincinnati was in November 2010 at the Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Commons, and was held to promote Towers of Midnight, the latest Wheel of Time release. But in December 2010, Brandon Sanderson's publisher released The Way of Kings, his most poignant, epic, and memorable novel to date--the product of over ten years of thought and seven years of writing. The Way of Kings, the first novel of The Stormlight Archive, was released in paperback in May and is available in bookstores now.
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