Elantris (3 of 3) [Dramatized Adaptation]

Elantris [Dramatized Adaptation] #1, Part 3 of 3

by Brandon Sanderson, Johann Dettweiler (Adaptor), James Konicek (Narrator)

The city of the gods. Elantris once stood as the symbol of all that is beautiful. A sprawling metropolis of unrivaled grandeur, it was a symbol of power and strength, built to be as imposing as it was magnificent.

The only thing more glorious than the city itself was its inhabitants, Godlike beings, with silvery skin and hair of the purest, flowing white. Able to create powerful magics with a mere wave of their hands, the Elantrians were able to heal mortal wounds and create any object they desired. To be an Elantrian was to be without sickness, without pain and without want.

And anyone could become a god. Through a process known as the "Shaod",a normal person could go to bed one night and awake the next morning to throw away the shackles of mortality and become a being of incomparable power and grace. With Elantris as their beacon, the light inside all humanity was allowed to shine, elevating it to new heights.

But Elantris fell...ten years ago.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Magic, Epic Fantasy, Action, High Fantasy

7 pages, Audio CD

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

I’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.

The release of Wind and Truth in December 2024—the fifth and final book in the first arc of the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series—marks a significant milestone for me. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. Now is a great time to get into the Stormlight Archive since the first arc, which begins with Way of Kings, is complete.

During our crowdfunding campaign for the leatherbound edition of Words of Radiance, I announced a fifth Secret Project called Isles of the Emberdark, which came out in the summer of 2025. Coming December 2025 is Tailored Realities, my non-Cosmere short story collection featuring the new novella Moment Zero.

Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, came out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that saw the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man. These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.

November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. Now that the first arc of the Stormlight Archive is wrapped up, I’ve started writing the third era of Mistborn in 2025.

Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, four of the five Secret Projects, and various novellas, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.

I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, released in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.

Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the three stories in Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. These two novellas are also featured in 2025’s Tailored Realities. There’s a lot of material to go around!

Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart, The Emperor’s Soul, Tress of the Emerald Sea, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.

I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.

Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.

Reviews

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great book by brandon sanderson, made even better with graphic audio.

i am unsurprised that his first book is just as rich in lore and world building as his others. i do personally think i would have benefited from reading physically as i listened to the audio, just to get a better grasp on some characters and their motivations, but thats just me

[TS Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time finishing a Sanderson book in Graphic Audio and it was amazing!

Full review posted in Part 1 of 3

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan] · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a review of this graphic audio adaptation, click here: Elantris Graphic Audio Part I

For a review of the book itself, click here: Elantris

[Fern Gully · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️for the whole series

I honestly might not have finished this series had I been reading it. So, I'm glad I was able to get all these dramatized versions for free! Lots of politics, and I was pretty bored through most of it but also entertained? (Mostly because of its creativity and full cast). Very likable characters, especially Sarene and Raoden.

I hear great things about BS, and I have Mistborn on my shelf waiting for me. So, I hope I can connect with that series more.

[Monera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story get better and better as it unfolds . and the full cast just make it better

At the beginning it took me a while to get used to the names, I think Brandon named his carectures similarly to the weel of time .

I find it funny the priest's poison 😂 and people suddenly turn to elantrians like srieny in her wedding the king in his coronation

Questions /
1_ who was the king' s spy on srieny ?
2_ elantrian could be hurt and bleed so why they did not burn ?

We still do not know about sieons are they really a remanence of a God and could it be the lack is a remanence of a shard .

Theory part / to be added later

[Eric Mesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I'm done. That is one heckuva first-time novel for an author. I have a feeling this Sanderson kid is going places. Joking aside, it was a well-done novel that leaves the world open for a slew of books in the universe, but if we never get another, it's still a great story. I covered a lot of themes for this story in the other two reviews so I'm going to try and stick to new themes as much as possible for this one.

Mr. Sanderson says in his annotations to Warbreaker that he feels bad he hasn't really presented religion very positively in his writing. He makes mention of Hrathen in this novel as well as (I think) a reference to Misborn or Warbreaker. However, I think he's being a bit too hard on himself. What I actually took away from Elantris is that those at the top of religion can often be corrupt or coopt a religion for their own goals, but those at the bottom can make very good use of it. In the case of Shu-Dorath (however it's spelled - I listened to the audiobook), their pope is a self-important jerk. But the local head of the church in Arulan is a compasionate person. He talks to Serene about compassion for the Elantrians. He also treats Hrathen well, if taking a bit of vulgar satisfaction when Hrathen appears to be taken by the Sheode. In previous reviews I mentioned Hrathen's redemption arc and without spoiling anything about the details of this book, I think he is definitely a prime candidate for the idea of someone who can believe in a religion that's being used for evil and not be evil himself.

In this part of the story we find out why Deloth hates Elantris so much. Again, while he has been using doctrine as a reason for his hate, we learn it is in fact because of an interaction with Elantrians that went badly. His wife (or lover? I was so fascinated by the plot that the exact relationship was lost to me) was hurt and when he took her to be healed, it went wrong and she became what we would know as Elantrians in this book. It happened long enough ago (20 years, I think he says) that I wonder if she is the case study that Riyodan finds that leads him to understand why they were stuck in undying bodies.At any rate, his misguided sense of revenge causes him to distort the teachings of Shu-Korath to achieve his goals.

A few other throwaway thoughts:

In part 2, Riyodan finds a Hoid who was one of the original Elantrians. Plot-wise, his biggest purpose is to lead Riyodan to the library where he can learn more of the basics of Aeon-Door. But he does also introduce the dissolving pool to give us a sense of urgency during one scene in part 3. What I find fascinating is that we discover the pool only takes those who are ready to go. This leaves me with so many questions: Who created this pool? Or was it just an element of this planet? When would the gold-like Elantrians use it? If healing went awry? Elantrians are said to be long-lived - one facet of a lot of SF I've read is that if you live too long you get bored and/or suicidal. Would it serve THAT purpose for the Elantrians?

Sanderson reveals the Door to be something anyone can tap into. Not just the Elantrians, but also the not-tai chi that Shudan does at various points in the book, and the power being the uber-monks of Shu-Korath. I like this more than the alternative, because it's not some magical force for good. It's just the universe or planet's force that anyone can tap into. Three different groups on this planet have found different ways to tap into it with different effects.

We never find out where the Saeons come from. I like to think they are Elantrians who tired of having bodies. But who knows.

While the ending is somewhat predictable from the tropes, the way we get there is pretty unique and full of enough twists and turns that I wasn't fully sure what the end state would be and who would be alive. As it is, the leaves the locals in a certain mood, but things are not necessarily resolved. Sanderson has plenty of space here for more novels on this planet or even just this continent if he gets the time to do so. (He has 4 projects currently on his progress bar on his website)

[Melisa Ramonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

El final es un poco apurado, como si se hubiera escrito a contrarreloj y sacrificando tanto de ese detalle tan vívido que caracteriza al resto de la obra, pero no deja de ser un final digno. Muy recomendable.

[Khulood · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Elantris was beautiful, once. It was called the city of the gods: a place of power, radiance, and magic. Visitors say that the very stones glowed with an inner light, and that the city contained wondrous arcane marvels. At night, Elantris shone like a great silvery fire, visible even from a great distance."


I wasn't expecting much when I started this book, as I kept hearing from the Cosmere fans that it's their least favorite book, but honestly, it wasn't that bad ! yes it's not as good as The Mistborn books but the story's concept and its setting were really good and imaginative, I adore Raoden, Galladon, Sarene and of course Hrathen (broken heart emoji), I was going to give it 3 stars becauase the writing made the storytelling boring and confusing in the first half of the books and I found myself lost at some points, but because of the amazing ending I settled on 3.5 ^_^ .

PS: the music used in this graphic audio is breath taking.

[viih · Rating 5 out of 5]

Releitura dessa obra fantástica do Brandon Sanderson, mas dessa vez resolvi encarar a versão em inglês na edição especial de 10 anos de Elantris.

Devo começar a dizer que foi uma releitura com cara de lendo pela primeira vez. É surreal quantos detalhes deixamos passar quando lemos pela primeira vez as obras de Brandon Sanderson, notei isso ao reler Warbreaker, e se repetiu com Elantris, que foi a primeira obra do autor.

Outra forma de ler os livros do Brandon e que é muito bom, é ler em leituras coletivas, com outras pessoas, tendo discussões a cada capítulo. Nessa releitura de Elantris, por exemplo, estou lendo dessa forma e tem sido extremamente útil, sempre compartilhamos nossas teorias, tiramos dúvidas uns com outros, e assim um vai auxiliando o próximo, o que torna a leitura muito mais dinâmica e divertida.

Dessa vez também resolvi encarar as versões do Graphic Audio, e achei interessantíssimo, muito divertido as vozes dos personagens, realmente pareceu que estava dentro de um filme ou uma série. Achava que esses tipos de audiobooks contavam muitas partes dos livros, mas realmente me surpreendeu positivamente, achei uma delícia acompanhar o texto e poder ouvir o áudio na versão dramatizada.

Quando li pela primeira vez, os capítulos do Hrathen me irritaram bastante, agradecia que eram os menores capítulos do livro, mas nessa releitura isso mudou, dessa vez, os capítulos da Sarene conseguiram me deixar um pouco entediada no início e no final, os capítulos do Hrathen e todo seu desenvolvimento foi o que mais me agradou. Já os do Raoden, continuei com a mesma opinião da primeira vez que li, é um dos meus personagens favoritos.

Lembro que cheguei a dizer na minha primeira resenha do livro, que a escrita, mesmo sabendo era o primeiro livro do autor, tinha me incomodado bastante, mas aí reler com a versão em inglês, não senti isso em nenhum momento, logicamente é nítido que temos um autor iniciante mas nada que me irritasse como me irritou na versão em português, acredito então, que a culpa se deu pela tradução e não pelo autor, então, me retifico nessa crítica que realizei anteriormente.

Foi um leitura que assim como a primeira vez, não perdeu seu brilho, cada vez mais interessante, intrigante, com temas políticos e religiosos, uma contrução insana de universo, de magia e principalmente de personagens, um verdadeiro prato cheio para quem é fã de uma fantasia épica e/ou alta fantasia.

Como disse, decidi ler em inglês dessa vez, e escolhi a versão especial de 10 anos. Nessa versão, Sanderson colocou alguns capítulos extras e, ao final, explicou o motivo de terem sido retirados da versão final. São capítulos curtos, bem interessantes.

Enfim, "Elantris" continua sendo um dos meus favoritos do Sanderson, continua tendo um lugar muito especial no meu coração, por ser a primeira leitura que realizei do autor, minha porta de entrada nesse universo que é uma verdadeira obra de arte. E continuo indicando e recomendo para aqueles que querem iniciar nessa série de livros do universo da Cosmere ou do Brandon Sanderson no geral.




• SPOILERS | Quotes, Notes & Highlights •

"Elantris was beautiful, once. It was called the city of the gods: a place of power, radiance, and magic."

“This is Elantris, sule. There’s no such thing as help. Pain, insanity, and a whole lot of slime are the only things you’ll find here.”

"(...) You will find that hate can unify people more quickly and more fervently than devotion ever could."

"(...) it is human nature to believe that other places and other times are better than the here and now."

"As was often the case, the most outspoken man was the least discerning."

“People do a better job when they assume they’re important.”

“(...) I don’t want to ‘lord over’ Elantris. But I do want to help it. I see a city full of people feeling sorry for themselves, a people resigned to viewing themselves as the rest of the world views them. Elantris doesn’t have to be the pit that it is.”

“You made it sound as if we wanted to be in here. Like it was a privilege.”
“And that is exactly the way we should feel. After all, if we’re going to be confined to Elantris, we might as well act as if it were the grandest place in the entire world.”

”This dream you have, this crazy idea of an Elantris where we grow food and we ignore our pain… I want to see you try to create it. I don’t think you can, but I think you will make something better of us in the process.”

“We’re not dead, Galladon, and we’re not damned. We’re just unfinished.”

"Truth is the one thing you can never intimidate."

“A man can force himself to hate if he wishes, especially if he convinces himself that it is for a higher good.”

"Those people gave in to their pain because they couldn’t find purpose — their torture was meaningless, and when you can’t find reason in life, you tend to give up on it."

"All things must progress, and progression is not always a steady incline. Sometimes we must fall, sometimes we will rise — some must be hurt while others have fortune, for that is the only way we can learn to rely on one another."

“Elantris will change,” Raoden said. “If not, then those who come here after us will plant the next season.”

“Remember, the past need not become our future as well.”

“Revenge is always a foolish motivation (...)”

[jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fucking good ahhhhh!!!
The pacing made the action so addictive; there were so many plot twists especially right at the end...
I love everything that was hinted about the other cultures' magics, I love the way the central mystery was solved...
The exploration of societal power structures was valuable too.
And i fucking love the protagonists, they were so endearing!
Beyond that, I really love what was done with the antagonists (/one in particular...) - really explored the complexities behind human motivation (particularly in regards to faith) and constructed complicated characters who felt authentic.
I have been converted !! Catch me reading the entire bran-san-iverse asap 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️😩

[Sab · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this! It was extremely confusing at times as an audio since many of the names and titles sounded similar and it was easy for forget what was what or who was who in the earlier parts of the book. The ending felt stilted and left me wanting more information or more resolution, but I can see how this was picked for Brandon’s first published novel! The magic system is amazing as usual, and I liked all the characters in this! Hard to avoid comparing it to warbreaker, which feels less developed and evolved than this story.

[Podcast bücherreich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hat mir super gefallen.
Die Charaktere waren lebendig und vielschichtig und haben sich auch entwickelt, das Magiesystem, was auf einer Art in die Luft gezeichneter Runen basiert, war auch nice.
Sehr fantasievoll und trotzdem, durch die vielen politischen und religiösen Ränkespiele, sehr realistisch. Kleiner Kritikpunkt: Manchmal zu viel "heile Welt" und alles klappt super, das machte es doch ein wenig unrealistisch. Sonst super.

[Xochiquetzalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much more I can add. Rereading this with Brandon's annotations was a real treat.

I came to appreciate Hrathen so much more this time. Or, more likely, I'd forgotten his 'transformation', and enjoyed the development of his character.

[February · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've rated all three parts, so this write up is in part regarding the audio presentation for the full set.

First, apparent that I've enjoyed these more as time went on (rated 3, 4, and 5 stars respectively). There was a lot of build up for part 1 that didn't pay off (for me at least) until part 2, but part 3 took the action to a whole different level. The last couple of hours saw me clapping my hand over my mouth for everything taking place, the political intrigue, the magic, the twists and turns.

This was Sanderson's first novel? Incredible.

The Graphic Audio players were fantastic, though the sound mixing could prove challenging when in a moving vehicle, and one actor I thought made odd choices with their dialogue. For the most part, it was an excellent way to consume a book and, over all, I'd would give a high recommendation of visiting Elantris in this manner.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well adapted and well performed

[Kirsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up liking this story very much and LOVING the characters, especially Sarene. This audio production was also a pleasure to listen to.

[Alexandros Tsitsopoulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, it was just too long for me. Lots of twists and turns but could’ve had a satisfying ending much sooner.

[Vivian Ingebrigtsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved listening to this, but how will I go back to regular audiobooks after this? Wish the story was longer.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! And that, my friends, is how you finish a book. I've read a lot of Brandon Sanderson's book in the last year and am still amazed at how different each series is. He has an amazing imagination.

[David Sven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first experience with GraphicAudio so I will review the medium first before I review the actual book.

GraphicAudio Review
I was blown away by the quality of the production more so than the actual content of the book. The narration consists of close on thirty different voice actors who could actually act. It felt more like listening to a play than reading a book. With mood music to set the tone from blissful depictions of Elantris to then very tense music in battle scenes with swords clashing and squelching when piercing flesh etc, it felt like cheating. The sounds and music were definitely manipulating the emotions and creating an immersive experience in a way that the narrative couldn’t achieve on its own without the reader’s imagination. I felt lazy – but for the most part it was wonderful.

GraphicAudio vs Audible
Would I prefer this audio production over Audible? Not necessarily. It’s a bit like asking if you prefer audio books over reading. Or is the movie or TV series better than the book? I don’t really prefer one medium over the other per se. It depends entirely on the book and the narrator. For example Steven Pacey’s narration in the Abercrombie books wins hands down over this book in GraphicAudio. I do think that the GraphicAudio production is a little wasted on this story for reasons I’ll explain later. Before writing this review I started listening to the GraphicAudio version of Brent Weeks novella Perfect Shadow and it’s definitely a better audio experience so far than Elantris.

Review of Elantris
The story is set in the land of Arelon. From time to time, certain individuals are “chosen” by the Shaod, a process or force that transforms them into immortal god-like beings with god-like powers. Those so chosen go to live in the city of Elantris – a place of wonder and magic, where the transformed Elantrians spend there time pursuing knowledge and art and dispensing gifts of healing and food and more on the citizens of Arelon.

But ten years ago, something happened. A terrible event referred to as the Reod struck Elantris. For no apparent reason, the Elantrians lost all their powers. Their hearts stopped beating. There skin took on a dead and pallid colour. Yet they continued to live. But their magic was gone. They could not heal and so any wounds they receive and its associated pains persist until they are driven insane. Elantris has gone from paradise to prison. A quarantine zone where anyone who is taken by the Shaod is forcibly removed to.

Sounds intriguing right? Of course it doesn’t! It sounds like crap. I would never have picked this book up reading the blurbs – except it’s Sanderson right? And I loved Mistborn.

To be fair, this is Sanderson’s first published novel so I was already half expecting this to be nowhere near as good as Mistborn. And it isn’t. But still, the story and the plot are actually pretty solid. There’s a structure and order to Sanderson’s writing that holds a certain appeal to me. It’s what drew me into Mistborn. Everything is so meticulously thought out and explained. If you didn’t know how to suck eggs before, you will know by the end of this book.

The world building is simple but solid. The magic system is sparse, which is understandable since the premise of the story is that the magic is broken. Elantrians were able to channel power by drawing Aons. They were symbols very much like the wards in Peter V Brett’s The Warded Man - So much so that I wonder if Elantris’ Aons inspired Brett’s magic system in his Demon Cycle Series.

The weakness in this book that couldn’t totally be overcome by the solid plot and story was the characters. There are three POV characters. The main character(or what I think of as the main character), Raoden, was pretty one dimensional. Sarane, Raoden’s intended was a little better leaving only the bad guy, Hrathen, a High Priest of the Derethi religion as the only truly multidimensional character. And this is where the GraphicAudio fell down a little. Good voice acting for one or two dimensional main characters feels like overacting and gets old.

Anyway, overall I’m glad I read the book. The GraphicAudio version definitely kept me immersed in the story. I’m not entirely sure how I would have gone just reading the book but overall I think I’ll give it...

3 stars.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Quote: Maybe instead of asking why I know these things, you should wonder why you don’t.
- Thoughts: Elantris is, in my opinion, one of the best story from one of the best storytellers of our age.
Truly amazing story.
Also, Graphicaudio version of it was masterfully recorded.
▶◀
These are my personal opinions, you may discord, my final rating of the book is not necessarily linked to this system and may diverge from it.
Book Storyline
- Originality: 5/5 stars
- Development: 5/5 stars
- Enjoyment: 5/5 stars
- Writing stile: 5/5 stars
- Funnyness: 3/5 stars
- Epicness: 3/5 stars
- Scaryness: 2/5 stars
- Smartness: 5/5 stars
- Addictiveness: 5/5 stars
- Plot twists: 4/5 stars
- Pace: 5/5 stars
- Storyline planning: 5/5 stars OR /5 negative stars
- Ending: 4/5 stars OR /5 negative stars
- Holes: -/5 negative stars
- Self contained (Y/N): ✓
- Cliffhanger (Y/N): ×
- Adult (Y/N): ×
- Mystery (Y/N): ×
- Treasure Hunting (Y/N): ×
- Violence level: There's torture, killing and burning people
- Tech level: No firearms, but shipmounted cannons, swords.
- Religion level: High, fictional
- Main genre: Fantasy
- Subgenre: dystopia, dark fantasy
- Point of view: 3 different points of view, each inside it's main character's mind
- Best of it: A really different and rich setting
- Worst of it: ---
- Aftertaste: More! I want more!
Cover
- Quality: 3/5 stars
- Traces: 3/5 stars
- Colors: 4/5 stars
- Style: 3/5 stars
- In a few words: Tenth anniversary author's definitive edifion: By using most of the space for the wall, the artist failed to offer a reference for grandeur and thus failed to impress the supposed size and magnificent if Elantris. Bad choice of scenary.
World
- Originality: 5/5 stars
- Variety: 4/5 stars
- Consistency: 5/5 stars
- Impact on the story: 5/5 stars
- Maps: 5/5 stars
- Real world (Y/N): ×
- Fantasy based on real world (Y/N): ×
- Journey (Y/N): ×
- Main scenario: Elantris and it's neighbor city
Characters
- Total amount: ~30
- Points of view: 3
- Main characters: The prince, the princess and the inquisitor, all three very intelligent and resourceful.
- Secondary: Well crafted and noticeable characters, with very refined personas.
- Overall quality: 5/5 stars
- Main: 5/5 stars
- Secondary: 5/5 stars
- Consistency: 5/5 stars
- Connection: 4/5 stars
- Dialogs: 5/5 Stars
- Interactions: 5/5 Stars
- Underworld Crew (✓/×): ×
- Training (✓/×): ×
- Romance: It starts with and wedding.
- Notable best characters: Almost all of then
- Notable worse characters: --
Setting
- Historical importance: 5/5 Stars
- Historical deep: 5/5 Stars
- Historical score: 5/5 Stars
- Geopolitical importance: 5/5 Stars
- Geopolitical variety: 5/5 Stars
- Geopolitical score: 5/5 Stars
- Setting overall score: 5/5 Stars
- Tension: 5/5 Stars
- Atmosphere: 5/5 Stars
- Classic Supernatural (✓/×): ×
- Superpowers (✓/×): ✓
- Non-human races (Y/N): ✓
- Virtual Reality (Y/N): ×
- Monsters (Y/N): ✓
- About the setting: Very unique, very rich and detailed, also very daring.
Rules
- System: 4/5 stars
- Complexity: 3/5 stars
- System explanation: 4/5 stars
- Impact on storyline: 5/5 stars
- Rulebreaker (Y/N): ×
- Type of Rule: Dor, that stuff that makes the water "want" to flow.

[Diane (I'm moving! And behind! BRB ASAP) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall review of Elantris (all 3 parts).

I thoroughly enjoyed this Graphic Audio version of Elantris. The voice performances were very well done as were the sound effects and music (though on a few occasions the music/ sound effects drowned out dialogue, thankfully, that didn't happen often!). I read Elantris in hardcover when it first came out and although I recall liking it, I only remember it vaguely. This version was more enjoyable than I remember the book being and I strongly recommend listening to this version if you have the option.

Now on to the story itself. I have read reviews of this book and heard a few on BookTube. Mostly people seem to like it with the caveat that it was written very early in Sanderson's career and isn't as polished as his newer books. I agree with that take, although I will emphasize that I really had a good time (mostly) with this book despite a couple of plot holes and less "polish" than the first Mistborn Trilogy (the only other Sanderson books I've read so far).

I generally like the way Sanderson grapples with moral themes, I think these subjects (ex: the use and misuse of power, the responsibilities people have to one another, the importance of friendship, etc...) add depth to his books and find myself mostly agreeing with Sanderson's positions (which is interesting to me in and of itself given that he is a Mormon and I am a VERY left wing Agnostic). In Elantris however, I did strongly disagree with one of his central themes: productivity vs charity. Sanderson wrote, "Pain lost its power when other things became more important." and "When you can't find reason (purpose) in life you tend to give up on it." Context: Elantrians suffer from an inability to heal even the most minor of wounds leading to terrible, debilitating chronic pain. Prince Riyodan (spelling?) takes the position that hard work distracts people from pain and charity causes people to avoid working: "... charity will rob people of their new found sense of purpose leaving them vulnerable to their pain, hunger, and self pity." The book emphasizes that when "handouts" are given out, most people stop working. I strongly disagreed with all of the above. In my experience as a chronic pain sufferer, when pain is severe, goals and priorities, become less important, and perspective/ ambition is compromised or even lost entirely. People who are hungry, in pain, or suffering need to be helped and stabilized before we are able to live up to our potential- focus is very hard to maintain, and determination is very difficult to follow through on when pain is untreated and distracting. I feel like Sanderson's take is not only wrong headed but also plays into desctructive stereotypes about "lazy" welfare recipients who don't bother working because they get government aid. Unfortunately, this philosophy was a crucial plot element, so it undermined my enjoyment of the story overall, though it did not entirely ruin it.

There were other themes that I did appreciate (ex: characters show growth and there is one particularly satisfying redemption arc; women have important leadership positions and are portrayed fairly well; cooperation and responsibility towards others are encouraged; the danger in "creating monsters" as a means to an end is presented well; etc...).

Overall, this was a fun and engaging listen, losing points only because that take on "handouts" really irritated me. "B-"

[S.L. Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Copied from the first part's review

I love Graphic Audio's adaptations of books. They are all extremely well done, and although they call it "A Movie in Your Mind", I liken it more to a "play in your mind", complete with narrator, different people playing different parts of the cast, and great sounds effects to go with it.

I love audiobooks in general, but listening to this format really gets me into the book. So much so that if I close my eyes I can almost "see" the things happening around me. I don't have a very "visual" brain, so when listening to a book I normally catch glimpses of certain scenes if I concentrate enough, but with GA's productions, the sounds, different people voicing different characters, etc... all I have to do is close my eyes and I'm transported into the world in the book. If a person is speaking from the left of the main character for that chapter (or if the book says something like "an explosion happened left of [character]) the sound of the explosion comes from the left headphone.

They also take into account how far away the author says the noise/character speaking/etc... is from the" main" character, and lessens/raises the sound as needed, including being able to hear footsteps walking towards you from the side if a character is approaching from that direction. It's very realistic, as realistic as any Audiobook could be. I normally wear headphones, so I am not sure if the books are recorded in surround sound or not, but with my phones Dolby setting on, it really seems as if I'm sitting in a room of speakers with noises/voices/etc... coming from all directions.

If you are a fan of plays, give a GraphicAudio book a try. They do have to adapt certain things (such as instead of saying "As Mark approached from the left Mike could hear Mark stumbling drunkenly and mumbling to himself", they actually have the voice of Mark stumbling and mumbling to himself as he approaches the character experiencing that. In other words, don't expect a word-for-word retelling of the book as with a traditional Audiobook. The books are adapted to a "play" style, and adjust things as needed to reinforce the "play" aspect of the Audiobook, while leaving all of the pertinent information and dialouge intact.

I 100% recommend that every try out a GraphicAudio book. You will be happy you did.

As for this book/series itself, it was done wonderfully as always. No need to worry about having trouble discerning who is speaking due to a narrator's lack of noticeably distinct voices, each character is brilliantly brought to life by various voice actors, as are the sounds of battles, storms, and even mundane things such as walking back to camp.

Great book by Brandon Sanderson, and the best Audiobook version of this book/series, in my opinion. I will definitely be "re-reading" this series from GraphicAudio again.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, the Graphic Audio format is exceptional for this tale, even if the sound mixing during battle scenes remains an issue. But that can also be considered an afterthought when stacked against the things it gets right. And even on that score, there seems to have been an improvement. The final, more intimate fight between Raoden, Sarene, Hrathen and Dilaf was far easier to follow, and gratifying to have the sounds of the struggle alongside it. Galladon's litany against hope as he takes Raoden's body up to the pool is a tearjerker, and the unveiling (as well as the foreshadowing that was done up until that point) of the Dakhor monks was incredibly well-handled. But, more than anything, it's the final fate of Elantris which makes this entire experience worthwhile.

My first full experience with Graphic Audio and, while it didn't live up to high expectations I've been nursing since my teenage years, it has proved a brilliant experience when adapted for a novel like Brandon Sanderson's. While I could go on about the sound design, the actors' perfomances (superb), the actual pronounciation of some of the names (such as Kiin), the biggest thing that makes a Sanderson novel a perfect candidate for this format: dialogue. And that is a strength that Elantris has compared to other Graphic Audio productions, such as R.A. Salvatore's DemonWars, which has far more description and narration than dialogue (never try to adapt something like The Wheel of Time in this format; it just wouldn't work).

[Matt Dillard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the final "Graphic Audio" set for Elantris. I have to say that I enjoyed the story more this second time than I did the first. I certainly went through it faster this second time, and that probably helped. When I read it a few years ago, I remember the plot dragging. I was especially frustrated at how the novel rotates among three storylines, and it spent too much time with each one. That made the transitions especially jarring. Since I moved through the novel much faster this time (listening during my commute) I wasn't as bothered by it.

The Graphic Audio presentation was nice. I reminds me of old radio shows, with sound effects for doors opening, crowds in the background, and ominous music. I understand that some found it distracting, but I liked it.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic Audio did a fantastic job of this one. Listened to all three parts and loved the story although it's extremely "busy" for an audio book with a huge cast of characters, many with similar names, that were sometimes hard to keep straight.
I wasn't sure exactly how Sanderson was going to manage to pull it all together, but he managed a completely satisfactory conclusion where the bad guys either get redeemed or meet their grizzly fate and the heroes, older and wiser, get the win. This one was not only worth the listen, but I'd listen to it again - the true test of a purchased audio book.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end of a great story and I find it almost bittersweet, on the one hand I've just listened to an amazing production that blows other audiobooks out of the water, but on the other I've finished a story that leaves me craving for more. There were only a few moments that I found myself able to guess what would happen but just as many moments that had me happily surprised to be fooled. Overall this was a great story that makes me want to reread all of Brandon Sanderson's works and probably be done in time for Oathbringer! And I must recommend this book to all fans, of not only Brandon Sanderson, but fantasy fans in general.

4 out of 5 stars

[Sarah Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! My only criticism is that I really wanted to see what happened to Elantris when it was restored. I came to really care about New Elantris, and it would have been good to see the city back in its former glory! I would have especially liked to have seen more detail on those who had 'fallen' in Elantris... Were some of them Elantreans before the Shaod? What is the story behind the lake?? I want to know more about the mysteries of Elantris 😭 hopefully in the Hope Of Elantris and The Emperor's soul, it answers some of those questions. I'd love it if this had been the first book of a bigger series of books, as I think it still has a lot to explore.

[4AM_critter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review valid for all three audiobooks in the seties. A really decent audiobook, Sanderson is quickly becoming one of my fave fantasy authors. This audiobook is with a full ensemble cast of voice actors and ambient audio effects, it reminded me of classic radio plays. This lends it self as a good story to listen to during driving or doing chores. Not so good at faling asleep to. The story is well developed and the premise is strong. It is easy to suspend disbelief. I look forward to the other full cast audiobooks by Sanderson.

[Matthew Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audio production of Elantris is amazing. This version has a full cast, sound effects and soundtrack. The story itself was a bit long-winded in places, especially in parts 1 and 2. Part 3, however, was well-paced and by far the best of the 3 parts. Sanderson has produced an interesting world and magic-system here, though the magic is far less a part of the story than in his Mistborn series. The magic in Elantris is more background and intrigue for much of the book.

Fans of Sanderson will enjoy this and I highly recommend listening to the Graphic Audio as it adds so much more to the book.