Elantris by Brandon Sanderson Series: Elantris #1
Published by Recorded Books on October 5, 2015
Genres: Fantasy
Length: 28 hours, 36 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.
Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping—based on their correspondence—to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.
But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.
Epic fantasy, by definition, should be epic. It typically involves a grand and sweeping narrative that spans a vast world with many characters, cultures, and conflicts. I find that they are often stories that stay with me forever. That might be good, seeing as they usually require a huge investment in time (and sometimes money, unless you are blessed to have a great public library!). Elantris by Brandon Sanderson is a captivating and intricately-plotted novel that embodies an epic-level story in a single book. This was his first published novel, and while not as sophisticated or as well flushed-out as his later work, it is a great introduction to his writing style and a good representation of his work in general.
The characters in Elantris are richly drawn and memorable. The point of view switches between the three primary characters, Raoden, Sarene, and Hrathen; and each bring a unique angle to the narrative. Raoden, Prince of Arelon, is a typical hero, brought low by circumstance, but still rising to the challenge to lead a protect those in his care. Raoden is the good guy, no question, and his flaws are inwardly focused. Sarene is a princess born to rule and thrust into a society that clearly does not value what she brings to the table. I like how she adapts her social and political strategies to best suit her audience and needs, and the savvy way she gathers allies in a hostile environment.  Hrathen is a dedicated priest from an enemy kingdom, sent to convert (read: conquer) the people of Arelon. In my opinion, his struggle with his humanity, mission, and faith result in a far richer, more complex character than either Raoden or Sarene. I think he was underutilized in the story, but suppose that could be a result of the writer’s inexperience or the need to cut words to contain the story into a single volume.
The world-building is truly impressive, and Elantris is a city of mysterious magic-gone-bad with people that seem caught between life and death. It is imaginative and different, and I hope that one day Brandon Sanderson expands on this particular place and time in the Cosmere universe. I think some of the detail was spread a little thin, especially regarding different religions; but that is probably because I’d set expectations based on the depth and detail in Sanderson’s later books.
Sanderson’s writing style is engaging and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the story. While I maintain that The Mistborn Trilogy is still the best place to start reading Sanderson, I would happily recommend Elantris to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy with character-driven narratives.
Narration:
Jack Garrett does a good job narrating Elantris, however I think his voice didn’t sound as grave and serious as some of the story required. This is probably personal preference, and I would still chose to listen to the audiobook over reading it on the page. I think his diction and pacing were good, and I was able to distinguish between the various characters with relative ease.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson was born in 1975 in Lincoln, Nebraska. As a child Brandon enjoyed reading, but he lost interest in the types of titles often suggested to him, and by junior high he never cracked a book if he could help it. This changed when an eighth grade teacher gave him Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly.
Brandon was working on his thirteenth novel when Moshe Feder at Tor Books bought the sixth he had written. Tor has published Elantris, the Mistborn trilogy and its followup The Alloy of Law, Warbreaker, and The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, the first two in the planned ten-volume series The Stormlight Archive. He was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series; 2009’s The Gathering Storm and 2010’s Towers of Midnight were followed by the final book in the series, A Memory of Light, in January 2013. Four books in his middle-grade Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series have been released in new editions by Starscape, and his novella Infinity Blade Awakening was an ebook bestseller for Epic Games accompanying their acclaimed Infinity Blade iOS video game series. Two more novellas, Legion and The Emperor’s Soul, were released by Subterranean Press and Tachyon Publications in 2012, and 2013 brought two young adult novels, The Rithmatist from Tor and Steelheart from Delacorte.
The only author to make the short list for the David Gemmell Legend Award six times in four years, Brandon won that award in 2011 for The Way of Kings. The Emperor’s Soul won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella. He has appeared on the New York Times Best-Seller List multiple times, with five novels hitting the #1 spot.
Currently living in Utah with his wife and children, Brandon teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University.
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I've developed a preference for audiobooks over the last few years, which allow me to complete chores, run carpool, or work on my many building and craft projects while 'reading.
My all time favorite selections include Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, and all of Robin Hobb's books set in the Farseer world. Â Honorable mentions to Elle Kennedy, Penny Reid, Meljean Brook, Ann Aguirre, Krista and Becca Ritchie, Jeaniene Frost, and Kristen Callihan.
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Great review KC and you’re right an epic fantasy usually is a huge time commitment I had to look twice when I saw it was over 26 hours. Sanderson is an author on my wish list and I have a few blogger buds who love him and I admit your review makes me want to take a closer look. So who knows 😉
I am a huge Sanderson fan and have read most of his works. Elantris is good but you are right that it isn’t as good as everything else that came after it. Steelheart was my first Sanderson book and since it was only 12.5 hours long it was an easier commitment but made me want to explore his epic fantasy and convinced me to jump into Mistborn.
This sounds like one heck of a world!
That cover is definitely creepy! Glad you enjoyed this one, great review!