Move over, Tolkien: Brandon Sanderson is rapidly becoming the face of modern fantasy

• Sanderson achieved success in 2005 with the publication of his debut novel, "Elantris."
• In 2007, Robert Jordan's widow selected Sanderson to complete the final books in Jordan's epic "Wheel of Time" fantasy series.
• Most of Sanderson's works – including "Mistborn" and "The Stormlight Archive" – are set in a fictional universe known as the Cosmere.

For anyone with even a passing interest in fantasy fiction, the works of Brandon Sanderson essentially amount to required reading.

The prolific author, who churns out thousand-page tomes seemingly as easy as breathing, has in recent years taken the fantasy world by storm. Peruse your local bookstores' fantasy sections, and you're more than likely to see displays dedicated entirely to Sanderson (and don't be surprised if those shelves are cleaned out.)

From "Mistborn" to his opus, the "The Stormlight Archive," Sanderson has authored dozens of books and multiple series – most of which take place in a shared universe he's dubbed the "Cosmere." But no matter how many books Sanderson puts out, his ever-growing legion of loyal fans can hardly ever seem to wait for the next one.

His massive fanbase includes stars like San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama and actor Henry Cavill – and on social media, Sanderson has amassed followings surpassing 300,000.

Not bad for a guy who rose to prominence wrapping up another author's series – Sanderson was tapped to finish the acclaimed "The Wheel of Time" books following Robert Jordan's death.

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Perhaps you're already a fan, or maybe you've only just heard of Sanderson and his record-breaking Kickstarter campaigns. For those who need an explainer, here's what to know about Sanderson, his work and how he became the face of modern fantasy fiction.

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Table-top game:Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson breaks another Kickstarter record with Cosmere RPG

What to know about Brandon Sanderson

Sanderson, 48, wrote 13 books before Tor Books bought "Elantris," which in 2005 became his debut fantasy novel.

While the standalone book established Sanderson as a promising fantasy voice, it was his next project, the "Mistborn" original trilogy, that catapulted him to success. The series about powerful Allomancers who wield metals to perform magic served as Sanderson's calling card, and is still one of his recommended places to start for newcomers to his work.

Of course, Sanderson also recommends "Elantris" as an entry point, especially for those new to the fantasy genre altogether, as it's a nice display of the world-building and complex magic systems that have come to define his style.

In 2007, Robert Jordan's widow selected Sanderson to complete the final books in Jordan's epic "Wheel of Time" fantasy series, which in 2021 was adapted into television series on Amazon Prime.

At any given moment, Sanderson seems to have his hands in a number of projects. In 2022, he turned to Kickstarter to raise more than $41 million for the four secret books, all of which were planned as stand-alone novels through his publishing company, Dragonsteel Entertainment.

But for fans of fantasy, one series stands apart: Sanderson's "The Stormlight Archive." Among fantasy book content creators on TikTok, the series is widely considered peerless – one of the best works of modern fantasy.

On his website, Sanderson himself refers to "Stormlight" as his "big epic" and "most ambitious work."

What is 'The Stormlight Archive?'

How to sum up a series of 10 planned books, each spanning more than 1,000 pages?

Set on the magical planet Roshar, the series beginning with 2010's "The Way of Kings" is a sweeping epic full of an expansive cast of characters, political intrigue and war – all underpinned with Sanderson's signature worldbuilding, intricate magic systems and lore.

Sanderson has published four books in the series so far – as well as two novellas – with the fifth, "Wind and Truth," due out in December. Tor Books just unveiled the cover Thursday of the highly anticipated book.

"This is my best story," Sanderson says on his website, adding this caveat: "It takes a little longer to get going than the others. By design there’s a lot going on, so you might feel a little at sea. But I promise the journey is worthwhile."

What is the Cosmere?

Most of Sanderson's works – including "Mistborn" and "The Stormlight Archive" – are set in a fictional universe known as the Cosmere.

Think of it like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where all the heroes can cross paths with one another between their own movies.

All of Sanderson's books within the Cosmere are interconnected, sharing a single creation myth. While that means certain characters from one series sometimes show up in another, Sanderson insists that readers don’t always need to be aware of that fact to enjoy a book.

Have any of Sanderson's works been adapted for the screen?

Considering Sanderson's growing popularity and renown, it may come as a surprise that none of his books have yet been adapted into films or television series.

But that doesn't mean there hasn't been interest.

On his website, Sanderson said that he's had deals and options for screen adaptions before, but nothing has yet materialized. More often than not, any Sanderson project seems to wind up in development limbo and never gains traction.

As recent as 2020, Sanderson said he was writing the screenplay for a "Mistborn" adaptation. By December 2023, however, Sanderson stated that the film's development was on "pause for now."

"I’d be very excited to someday see one of my properties turn into a film, and I think it’s inevitable that some day, we’ll see it happen," Sanderson wrote. "However, the process of a book becoming a film or television show is a long one."

Contributing: Jordan Culver

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com