Elantris
by Brandon Sanderson
★ Top 10 book of 2005 · #9 on Best Books of 2005
Once a city of godlike magic users, Elantris fell into ruin when its power failed. Princess Sarene, the imprisoned Prince Raoden and the zealous priest Hrathen are drawn into a struggle over Arelon's fate.
Best for: Epic fantasy fans who enjoy new magic systems, political intrigue and several viewpoints
Elantris is #9 on BookWard's Best Books of 2005, out of 52 2005 books that cleared our data bar.
What Elantris is about
Elantris was once a shining city of near-gods, whose people drew on a strange gift to help the folk of Arelon. Then, a decade ago, the gift collapsed. The transformed became frail, ashen shadows of themselves, and their home decayed into a dark, crumbling ruin. Close by sits Kae, the kingdom's new capital, where Princess Sarene of Teod arrives expecting to wed Prince Raoden, only to be told she is already his widow. Meanwhile Fjordell, an empire with hungry ambitions, looms over both Teod and Arelon, and its priest Hrathen has come to win the land for his faith and his ruler. Sanderson's 2005 novel blends court politics, zealotry, and the question of what is left when a golden age falls. It suits readers who want an epic fantasy with a hopeful streak.
Elantris on the Best Books of 2005
Elantris came out in 2005. Of the 52 books first published in 2005 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #9 on our Best Books of 2005 list.
Why it made the list: 460 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (101 ratings); 20 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2005 list
- Twilight Stephenie Meyer, #7
- A Feast for Crows George R. R. Martin, #8
- Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro, #10
- Llama Llama Red Pajama Anna Dewdney, #11
See all Best Books of 2005 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2004 Best Books of 2006.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 290 want to read it, 20 are reading it now and 150 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.1 out of 5 from 101 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 77 | 55% |
| Reader love | 83 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 75 | 20% |
Questions about Elantris
When was Elantris published?
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson was first published in 2005.
Was Elantris one of the best books of 2005?
Elantris is #9 on BookWard's Best Books of 2005, out of 52 2005 books that cleared our data bar. 460 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (101 ratings); 20 are reading it right now.
Why is Elantris on the Best Books of 2005 list?
460 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (101 ratings); 20 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 2005
- The Lightning Thief Rick Riordan, #1
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince J. K. Rowling, #2
- The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls, #3
- Looking for Alaska John Green, #4
- Eldest Christopher Paolini, #5
- Freakonomics Steven D. Levitt, #6
See the full Best Books of 2005, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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