American author Brandon Sanderson
has dominated the contemporary fantasy landscape for years, thanks, in part, to one unique release and its complex magic system. The writer burst into public prominence when his friend, Robert Jordan, passed away, and Sanderson was chosen to finish his beloved book series, The Wheel of Time. Propelling Sanderson further to fame was Amazon Prime Video adapting this into a TV show. Meanwhile, multiple Brandon Sanderson adaptations are in the works, which should draw curious fans’ attention to one of his lesser-known works and its bizarre sorcery.
Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe was what helped the writer’s take on magic achieve global resonance. In the Mistborn books, allomancers eat metals and adopt special powers that enable them to interact with supernatural forces. As J. R. R. Tolkien was the creator of high fantasy and the king of it in his time, popularizing the notion of magical rings as power sources, Sanderson has become the master of contemporary fantasy. Sanderson helped make elemental, natural magic the expectation of modern fantasy and complicates it in The Rithmatist.
The Rithmatist Has One Of Brandon Sanderson’s Best Magic Systems After Mistborn & The Stormlight Archive
Sanderson Keeps High Fantasy Diverse With The Rithmatist
One of the must-read books for Brandon Sanderson fans is The Rithmatist, which takes the Cosmere’s magic system and turns it on its head in many ways. Released in 2013, this young adult novel explores warriors called Rithmatists at Armedius Academy. This academic focus is fun for younger readers, but the magic system is beautifully unique, offering older readers an inspiring story. Rithmatists draw with chalk to shield, attack, or even animate beings called chalklings. By honing their skills, Rithmatists can defend against the dangerous and mysterious Wild Chalklings that threaten society.
Brandon Sanderson’s Underrated 2013 Book Deserves So Much More Love
The Rithmatist Has Thrills For Teens & Adults
As Sanderson came to prominence as co-writer of the very adult The Wheel of Time series, it’s easy for diehard and casual fans alike to skip over his young adult work. With so many strong arguments for a Mistborn movie still circulating, even despite its recent cancelation, the general conversation around Sanderson is dominated by little else. However, even as a young adult novel, The Rithmatist deserves so much more attention due to its stark originality. For older readers, it may faintly recall the utterly weird and childlike terror of Coraline.
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All 9 Cosmere Stories In Arcanum Unbounded, Ranked
Brandon Sanderson’s essay and short story anthology provides a series of wonderful glimpses at the marginalia of his beloved Cosmere multiverse.
Neil Gaiman’s dark fantasy highlights elements of a child’s world taking on dark significance and power. Similarly, as the Rithmatists learn their way through their power, they come to understand how their own innocence can be preserved, weaponized, or lost. Stories like this, exploring the hinterland between childhood and adulthood, are so much more relevant to everyone than many would care to admit. Even the Mistborn books don’t link childhood so clearly to adult trauma, despite their impressive scope. Thus, the magic of The Rithmatist offers Brandon Sanderson at his best.