FORBIDDEN Cosmere Reading Order (don't try at home)

The Cosmere is a vast fictional universe. No one really knows what order it should be read in. Through a process of scientific experiments, I have discovered the one true reading order, however, its power is all-consuming.
Twitter: / mancarrying

[@leonmayne797]

Everyone knows you have to start with The Wheel of Time.

[@ManCarryingThing]

That would be reckless. I want the Chaos Mode, not the Instant death mode.

[@porterwayman8643]

Your read Stormlight Archive, then you read Wheel of time all the way through. Then you read the first and halfway through the second book of Mistborn era 1 and then read the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th, books of Wheel of Time, with 13th first and 1st last. Then you read a chapter of Warbreaker at a time and each time in between you read the entire Malazan series. Finnaly, to finish off, you read each sentence of Crossroads of twilight, and inbetween each sentence you read Elantris backwards, with each sentence backwords. That is the Wheel of Time Brandon Sanderson reading list.

[@HeadCannon19]

@@porterwayman8643 No, you have to start with Mistborn Era 1, and then you read Oathbringer, then you have to read books 14, 9, and 2 of Wheel of Time, then you read Elantris with the chapters backwards, starting with the epilogue, while listening to lofi hip hop. After that, you read Words of Radiance but the sentences are arranged by reverse alphabetical order, then A Storm of Swords, then watch season 4 of The Clone Wars, and after that you listen to the Sixth of the Dusk audiobook while biking through the forest and you're not allowed to leave until you finish. After that you must commit tax evasion and try to read Alloy of Law before you get caught. Once you get arrested, you have to read Bands of Mourning while standing up and then Shadows of Self while sitting down. You should then break out of jail and escape to an underground hideout in Little Rock, Arkansas that will be waiting for you. Alternate reading a chapter each of Edgedancer and Dawnshard, starting with Dawnshard, and once you're done you have to leave the hideout and listen to every Kanye West album while establishing a false identity for yourself. Once that is done, you read one word of Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell every night and precisely 9:27 and 41 seconds. Once finished, you read The Way of Kings, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Lies of Locke Lamora, followed by watching The Bee Movie 7 times back to back. Watch all the Twilight movies except the first one and read one volume of White Sand in between each one. Read all of Realm of the Elderlings backwards while listening to Ben Shapiro talk on loop. Listen to the audiobook for Warbreaker while reading Batman volume 1 issue 66 repeatedly until you finish. Aquire 6 copies of Secret History and roll a dice before each paragraph to determine which one you will read it from. Read every review for The Emoji Movie on Rotten Tomatoes and post a rant review for To Kill a Mockingbird on pornhub without ever reading it. Move to Botswana and read The Emperor's Soul, then move back to wherever you were previously. Then you can finally read Rhythm of War, and you're free to read the short stories after that in whatever order you want.

[@porterwayman8643]

@@HeadCannon19 …that is the true way to experience Brandon Sanderson

[@elizabeth-098]

Um... I actually tried this route the first time I heard about Sanderson. Didn't get past book three lol

[@muhammadhashir6136]

People: who is your favourite author and what’s your fav book Me: Brian Frazier’s stormsmere

[@ManCarryingThing]

he writes good

[@hopebringer2348]

@@ManCarryingThing no he writes stormsmere

[@mintleafbluesey]

on my way to read alloy of law while listening to the audiobook of oathbringer

[@MagusMarquillin]

Every 5.55 minutes, you need to alternate to watching Wizard of OZ while listening to Dark Side of the Moon. That is if you really want *-the TRUTH-*

[@mintleafbluesey]

@@MagusMarquillin thanks bestie will do

[@althechicken9597]

May the wind be at your back

[@feniasklika125]

I wonder if reading the forbidden order will make me snap and finally reveal my Mistborn powers

[@ManCarryingThing]

if it does...i'm clearly doing it all wrong

[@danielthornton2046]

When I asked Braoden this question, he told me to R.O.F.L.

[@elliotcrossan6290]

@@ManCarryingThing that just means you're not a Mistborn 😞 disappointing

[@NahlaAnwer]

Is that the secret?

[@purplepawn5336]

I snapped, but it turns out I burn duralumin

[@ooonion5544]

I want to try the forbidden reading order so fucking bad now...

[@ManCarryingThing]

BRENDAN FRASER WILL HAUNT YOU TOO

[@cameronclaypool9133]

If it wasn't for the near impossibility of the Alloy of Law & Oathbringer audiobook combo I would legitimately do this lmao

[@dig8634]

@@cameronclaypool9133 Yeah, I need to know what happens if I finish one before the other? Like, I will almost certainly have to read Alloy of Law 3 times to even begin to have a chance of reading the entire time I'm listening to the audiobook

[@kf7ags]

I honestly might try this order . . . just because

[@barryallen2240]

@@cameronclaypool9133 Oathbringer on 3x speed

[@rodrigo3732]

You forgot to read war and peace skipping words in the morse code translation.

[@ManCarryingThing]

not even i am brave enough for that order

[@JulietteIsBored]

I feel like this is what my friends hear whenever I try to talk about anything within the Cosmere

[@muhammadhashir6136]

Great Gatsby might just be my third most fav cosmere book...I don’t even know how that’s possible

[@ManCarryingThing]

just behind warbreaker and tender is the night

[@muhammadhashir6136]

@@ManCarryingThing 🤣😂

[@HeadCannon19]

The best reading order in my opinion (please try this at home): 1. Arcanum Unbounded + Dawnshard 2. Rhythm of War 3. White Sands 3 4. White Sands 2 5. Oathbringer 6. Bands of Mourning 7. White Sands 1 8. Shadows of Self 9. Words of Radiance 10. Alloy of Law 11. The Way of Kings 12. Warbreaker 13. The Hero of Ages 14. The Well of Ascension 15. The Final Empire 16. Elantris

[@ManCarryingThing]

starting with Arcanum Unbounded is too dangerous for me. this is just getting reckless

[@princessthyemis]

@@ManCarryingThing starting with that one before I knew who Sanderson was was actually what lead me to the rest of his book in the first place lol!!

[@edsheeran1243]

But you have to read warbreaker 7 times in a row between all the other books

[@yoichiteamZ]

Thanks genuinely for the order !! Reading this in reverse !

[@yonatanhoresh2695]

@@princessthyemis You STARTED with Arcanum Unbounded?????

[@amazinggoob9108]

All these comments suggesting reading orders are weak. Here's the ultimate Cosmere reading order: 1. Legion 2. Alcatraz series 3. Skyward 4. That weird MTG thing he wrote 5. Warbreaker 5. Reckoners

[@Dr.Starbound]

I love that you have all his non-cosmere books then Warbreaker just vibes it's way in

[@filurenerik1643]

What about the rithmatist!!?

[@TiredHighProductions]

@@filurenerik1643 actually, a lot of people don't know this. But that's his only series not in the Cosmere

[@filurenerik1643]

@@TiredHighProductions skyward and reckoners are cosmere?

[@TiredHighProductions]

@@filurenerik1643 ha no, sorry. I was going along with the bit. Just about everything in that list is not in the Cosmere

[@LukeEdwardstube]

And just like that, Jake transcends into the ether realm, and is rebirthed into a living meme

[@ManCarryingThing]

T R A N S C E N D

[@MegaMuffinManX]

The reason you need to read Warbreaker three times is that the plot actually changes each time you read it. On the first time, Siri gets sent to Hallandren to marry the God King. The second time you read it, you unlock the Unlimited Breath Works route where Vivenna gets sent to Hallandren instead. The third time you read it, you unlock the Kalad's Feels route where no one gets sent to Hallandren and Lightsong ends up marrying the God King. Many fans often regard this last route to the be "true" version of the story.

[@philip8093]

Can confirm, Lightsong helps to make the god king into a party animal upon the third read.

[@ruzinus_]

Every copy of Warbreaker is personalized.

[@MYMOTHERISAFISH006]

Humans don't die when they die

[@dustinearly4857]

Don't forget about the 40 Optional Warbreaker bad endings hidden throughout each read.

[@kushagrakush7627]

Never expected a fate reference bruh 💀

[@XCatherine]

I tried the Warbreaker method and somehow I've entered the spiritual realm. Would like some assistance. Waiting for your reply. KZbin for Android.

[@ManCarryingThing]

Catherine...stay calm. But also there is literally nothing i can do to help, you're stuck down there. (sent from Nintendo 3DS)

[@DanielDangerous]

Don't be so drab

[@yonatanhoresh2695]

@@ManCarryingThing Sympathy be like "Stay calm... But also there's nothing I can do to help".

[@yaelfeldman6965]

Do each re-read of Warbreaker needs to be on a different copy?

[@ManCarryingThing]

Yes, and there are no exceptions to this rule

[@stormblessed178]

Cant believe I didn't know all these fantastic reading orders for Bernie Sanders' Cosverse.

[@sirdipping2244]

i've read all the Stormsmere Empire books before, but always felt like i was reading them in the wrong order, thank you for letting us know what Braden Shadesmo intended

[@majesticmundanity]

You literally never read any Stormlight books (except Oathbringer) using the forbidden order

[@samt3412]

And that's when you read RoW, WoK, and WoR in that order

[@samtrott776]

This is like those movies on KZbin that whenever something happens something else plays, but you're reading which makes it 100x more chaotic.

[@gnomishviking3013]

But what secrets of the cosmere did you discover reading in such a precarious way?!?!

[@ManCarryingThing]

I SAW THE ENDING OF STORMLIGHT 10.

[@MagusMarquillin]

Unfortunately, no one can be told what the CosmereMatrix is. You have to read it for yourself.

[@gnomishviking3013]

@@ManCarryingThing Sadeas comes back from the dead and he and Dalinar become lovers dont they? I always saw sexual tension there.

[@purplepawn5336]

@@ManCarryingThing You mean Book 10 or Era 10?

[@crazyfantakevideos3574]

So this is what the afterlife does to you, huh?! I dig it.

[@jankeprins9668]

RIP Tom

[@belalaloca]

Controversial Warbreaker reading order: Warbreaker.

[@ManCarryingThing]

that is the most forbidden

[@hoid8069]

How could you possibly think that's a good idea???? Everyone knows that The Hero of Ages is the best Warbreaker book to start with. Smh

[@kaces4844]

Here’s the order I read in! -Rhythm Of War -Secret History -Well Of Ascension -Warbreaker -A Dance With Dragons -Elantris -Bands Of Mourning -Edgedancer -Warbreaker -Arcanum Unbounded -Red Rising -Words Of Radiance -Secret History -The Canterbury Tales (in Middle English, you won’t understand it’s relations to The Cosmere if you read a modern translation) -Secret History -Dawnshard -The Lost Metal -Warbreaker -A Game Of Thrones -Elantris And finally, Warbreaker. Didn’t skip any books at all and everything I read was Cosmere related

[@dimitrijekulak3347]

I can't believe you missed "A Memory of Light". You won't even be able to grasp the basics of Cosmere without reading it

[@mattturner3484]

Reading them in this order actually allows you to see stormlight in real life

[@510amy5]

Question: where does the Chronicles of Narnia fit into this order and is the Magicians Nephew read first or last? (Obviously Warbreaker must be read halfway through these)

[@ManCarryingThing]

Magicians nephew & warbreaker combo. Read both books bock to back 7 times. true happiness

[@510amy5]

@@ManCarryingThing of course! I knew I had been doing it wrong this whole time *shakes head*

[@PabloSuarez97]

Mate you are releasing hit video after hit video, you are like that dude brandon fraiserson with books damn

[@ManCarryingThing]

BRO THAnk you, i aspire to be like my idol braeden fissure.

[@uhm3487]

i too like cosmetics

[@crungler]

that first one sounds like it would really... BREAK IT UP

[@ManCarryingThing]

aayyyyyyy

[@crungler]

@@ManCarryingThing ayyyyy

[@MagusMarquillin]

You know, I know what you're thinking - cause right know I'm thinking the same thing. Actually, I've been thinking the same thing since I got woke to the "correct orders"; "why, oh why, didn't I take the _Blue_ Pill?!?"

[@nikosbookreviews]

I need to know if Sanderson has seen your videos lol, every one is gold

[@ManCarryingThing]

That's the dream, lol. And thanks!

[@minerman60101]

I'm on Brian Sander's 40th lecture, would recommend this stor-stor-cosmere reading order

[@mggrbovic007]

I've been watching your channel for almost a year now, love to see how far it's come! One wish I have is for the stormlight sitcom to continue, those were great

[@voidsabre_]

"read Alloy of Law while you are listening to the audiobook of Oathbringer" I'm dying

[@gaelancampbell8347]

The "watch the Brando lectures at x2 speed" felt like a personal attack

[@rustykoenig5489]

There’s some subtle humor hidden in there. Had to watch twice

[@ManCarryingThing]

hell yeah, my art has LAYERS

[@aqqaerikh.kanuthsen3186]

That how I did mine, why was this forbidden, Should I be worried?

[@ManCarryingThing]

please visit a doctor asap

[@chelrok8764]

Question: Can you watch the Theatrical Cut of Return of the king instead of reading the book?

[@merai4024]

My eyes! I CANT SEE! IT BURNS! OH IT BURNS!!

[@ManCarryingThing]

acceptable, but only if you accidentally watch a scratched up dvd of Two Towers and assume that the series is over

[@katjacklyn7918]

Well now that you've killed me with this video, and I've transcended life, I'm ready for this reading order.

[@psarc9451]

I started reading both Mistborn era 1 and TSA from book 2. It has been awesome so far, except I don't know much about this Kelsier feella.

[@nadiapandey-riverstone5120]

You were done dirty Tom! RIP

[@user-xm9rt9xy6o]

I've read Mistborn era 2 before era 1. It was kinda fun.

[@ManCarryingThing]

i'd be willing to try that

[@danielvanrooyen9602]

O boy, our man went over the cliff and is staring into the abyss. See you on the other side.

[@TheRealDanEman]

I wanted to get into Cosmere for a while now, stumbled upon this video. Now I know the best way to read it. I always knew Warbreaker is the best book, so I assume that's why it's required to be read 27 times to understand the vast universe :D

[@thanks8589]

Thank you for this papsmere reading order I found it really helpful

[@shadowgodthegamer5738]

This must have taken many years of hard work to make. Full respect for brenden frazier's stormsmere

[@annejia5382]

1:12 I felt called out with the "watch every brandon sanderson lecture at two times speed" 😂😂😂

[@CaitlinnStoltz]

Finally a reading order I can comprehend! Thanks Brandon Fraiser!

[@reidblanchard6453]

Imma do it

[@ManCarryingThing]

no.

[@MagusMarquillin]

Sheev Palpatine: *_Dewit_*

[@raghavbhatia7624]

You. Are. Amazing.

[@ManCarryingThing]

[@VoxolotlDays]

Oh yeah, it all really started coming together when I read The Great Gatsby. So glad I read it. It seems unrelated but it totally is connected to the main story.

[@Kotsoros37]

Hilarious hahahaha, love your videos man, keep it up!

[@videoslv4626]

That’s it! I’m trying it!!!

[@ManCarryingThing]

no. run.

[@starkazing7817]

Ah man, I read the cosmere all wrong! Next time, I'll follow your list. Spectacular!

[@kendra_t]

How to enter whatever the opposite of the Cognitive Realm is.

[@TheBugma]

This video is definetly my favourite of yours. The sheer absurdity of these reading orders, mixed in with the stuttering and the undertale music make me laugh so hard that I honestly laugh out loud every single time I watch this, and it's been like 10 times already. On a more "fun" side note, every time I'm on reddit and someone is asking how to read the Cosmere I'm really tempted to curse them with this video's knowledge

[@rustykoenig5489]

Dude, I just can’t! You get me. This is my epitome of humor. Unfortunately, the number of people with this weird humor is limited.

[@rustykoenig5489]

But clearly, there’s 14.6 k people as weird as us. And who like the cosmere

[@alanrice6077]

My favorite on-going joke on this channel is the messing up of names.

[@jabariwiththebois5765]

For the true Cosmere experience you've got to go through every email Brandon Sanderson ever wrote. How can you get the full experience if you aren't reading such a huge chunk of his library??? Smh reminds me of those kinds of people who didn't even bother hacking into his high school's file system in order to read his earlier works

[@skilfularcher]

That section where you read Warbreaker three times in a row is WILD

[@vortex_user2504]

I am making a public commitment to one day read this reading order and document it through the power of video and the human language so you can feel the pain vicariously through me and Brian Sanders can finally have the power of so many minds that he can write faster than the speed of light.

[@LiftedStarfish]

Dude, how are you such a meme Lord?

[@elladumpsterfire]

oh hey i hadnt even seen this video until now but i just read it in that order cause its what felt the most natural

[@jameshamill4709]

I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it.

[@hansyolo8277]

The Forbidden Order is just a recipe to make someone have a psychotic episode

[@SignificantNumberOfBeavers]

Dear friend, I will attempt this reading order, but I fear it will bear the cost of my own sanity.

[@Tien1610]

Start with Rhythm of War, but only the War parts, then you start Warbreaker while taking a lot of breaks

[@Strogman25]

My favorite way is to start with Rhythm of War, reading through The Hope of Elantris at the end of each chapter. Then you're done.

[@tannerprince9730]

How is brandon sanderson the villain of a youtube channel

[@LisasComplicated]

Stormlight, warbeaker, mistborn area one (50% through) I was an innocent child. I only need to get my hands of dawnshard, white sand, and tress if the emerald sphere Shit the IMPLICATIONS of dawnshard Also, TotES magic system> all other cosmere magic systems

[@gabrielnylander7840]

When i need to read the divine comedy.

[@SunRayz3r]

This must be the path to enlightenment.

[@lewstherinteletubby50]

So has anybody followed any if his forbidden reading orders?

[@Professor_Brie]

Okay but genuinely I loved Warbreaker, I know it’s not regarded as his best work, but I thought the magic system was super cool and enjoyable to read about

[@Neds_Severed_Head]

I'm reading all mistborn but skipping the even chapters. I feel this is the way it's meant to be read.

[@andresromerocoz]

I read Mistborn in a normal order way to fast, gonna try the Forbidden Order XD

[@danieledelman158]

Ya know I just finished the Cosmere books and I've been trying to figure out what to do with my life so I thanks for my next few years of free time.

[@dramalexi]

You really have to read Warbreaker! This book is such a blast it will change your mind on all the works by Brandon Sanderson.

[@AFriendRemembers]

I should not be laughing at this but... you got me 😀

[@ManCarryingThing]

thanks, friend :)

[@Black_pearl_adrift]

dammit I now have to go through all of the meme videos to make sure I'm not missing any inside jokes. No no don't try to stop me

[@nickwoodfin2690]

I couldn't get through Warbreaker once I don't know if I could read it 54 times. That was a typo, I meant to say 4 but I also don't think I could read Warbreaker 54 times.

[@isaacs5731]

I’ve been told that my reading order gives people anxiety Stormlight + novellas White sand Warbreaker Elantris + Hope + Emperors Soul Shadows for Silence Sixth of the Dusk Mistborn era 1 (I’m currently on HoA) Era 2 will be next

[@sacomma3308]

Getting into booktube… and this guy is the videogamedunkey of KZbin gaming

[@ManCarryingThing]

😂 high praise

[@harrison127]

As a Warbreaker enjoyer, I approve

[@geekmatter3255]

im dying every second of this video😂😂😂

[@derekmann8239]

Is okay if I read Secret History before I read Final Empire?

[@MaxwellTheCat]

To little of Warbreaker. To properly understand the Cosmere you must read Warbreaker every time you read a page that starts or ends with the numer 2, 6 or 7

[@ManCarryingThing]

more warbreaker never hurts

[@LJW1912]

I honestly didn't realise people didn't just read books in the order in which they were released

[@jayworthen2000]

YES

[@lildaiki7629]

Now heres a route with some chest hair

[@Josh_R2.17]

Where might the Stand fit in the Dark Tower reading order...

[@ManCarryingThing]

the stand may be read once at the start and once at the end...but be careful what demons you might summon

[@zainabahmad8546]

but seriously now, should i start with stormlight?

[@the-fiddles]

don’t forget about the infinity blade novel. i just know that’s gonna come up in stormlight 10 somewhere

[@sukritisingh777]

I've never read a Brenden Sanders book, but after watching this video I started Warbreaker

[@tymekbraciszewski447]

Read Warbreaker after Vasher's interlude in Words of Radiance as his flashback

[@greenmarble638]

If a bondsmith was in warbreaker would he be a warmender?

[@CocoRegardless]

This is horrifying:))

[@natwon633]

I don't think anything will make me read warbreaker a second time

[@kristijanmadhukar516]

jokes on you I love warbreaker.

[@hhoi8225]

Mon brain is broken now.

[@KidderRachel]

Can we get an updated read order? Where do the Secret books fall in the read order and we have to also consider dawnshard and the fourth mistborn Era 2 book... should I just assume the latter to take place in line with the others from that Era? Would appreciate the guidance so so much!!

[@SevenStarsandSevenStones]

My intro to Brandon Sanderson was Way of Kings Prime. I actually liked it quite a bit.