In two decades of publishing novels,Mistbornauthor Brandon Sanderson has only one Hugo Award for writing, and it’s for this fantasy story that’s more exciting than ever to revisit. The Hugo Awards are among the most prestigious in speculative fiction writing, and they’ve been granted to legendary authors like Philip K. Dick, Frank Herbert, and Ursula K. Le Guin. While they’ve typically leaned more toward sci-fi in the past, fantasy books likeHarry Potter and the Goblet of Firehave managed to win. Out of all ofBrandon Sanderson’s books, he’s only won once.
Brandon Sanderson is a highly-regarded fantasy author behind titles likeThe Stormlight ArchiveandMistborn, both of which are included in his vastCosmere universe. The only time Sanderson has been nominated for the Hugo for Best Novel is for 2013’sA Memory of Light, the final book ofThe Wheel of Timeseries, which he finished following the original author, Robert Jordan, passed away. Brandon Sanderson has been nominated twice in another category, however, and it’s the one he won for.
The Hugo-Winning Emperor’s Soul Takes Place On The Same World As Elantris
The Emperor’s Soul Is Sanderson’s Best Work On Sel
The Emperor’s Soulis a 2012 novella that earned Brandon Sanderson the Hugo Award for Best Novella, and it’s widely considered to be among his best works. The novella is set on the same planet asElantris, Sel, but it has almost no connections to the 2005 novel and can be enjoyed as a quick-read standalone. Sanderson is known for finding ways to weave his books together, but this is one of the few Cosmere stories that readers can enjoy on its own.
The Emperor’s Soulis more exciting to read now than ever becauseBrandon Sanderson’s upcoming booksinclude two moreElantrisnovels. After so long, Brandon Sanderson’s first published book is finally taking its place as one of the premier theaters of the Cosmere’s future. While I hopeThe Emperor’s Soulremains a standalone, it would be nice to see it at least referenced in the futureElantrisbooks.
Brandon Sanderson also won a Hugo Award for co-hosting the podcastWriting Excuses.
The Emperor’s Soul Showcases Just How Amazing Sel Can Be
Elantrisisn’t an awful book, but it’s far from Brandon Sanderson’s best. Even he has admitted that, while it led to masterpieces likeMistbornandThe Stormlight Archive, it’s not his strongest writing.The Emperor’s Soul, on the other hand,demonstrates the beauty of Sel and the potential the planet has for masterful storytelling. Even though it’s not narratively connected to the upcomingElantrissequels, as far as we know, it’s the perfect window to get an idea of the potential those books might have.
