Elantris

Elantris is a standalone fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, first published in 2005. It is set in the world of Sel and centers on the city of Elantris, once a luminous capital for godlike beings whose magic could heal and grant long lives. About a thousand years before the main events, a disaster called the Reod corrupted the city, stripping most Elantrians of their powers and causing Elantris to decay. The magic system centers on the Dor, a form of investiture drawn from symbols called Aons and tenaciously tied to the physical conditions of Elantrians; normal people transformed by Shaod can become Elantrians and gain powers, though after the Reod the survivors’ abilities are unreliable or gone.

Three principal characters drive the narrative. Raoden, crown prince of the kingdom of Arelon, wakes on the Shaod to find himself an Elantrian and is exiled to Elantris, where he strives to rebuild the city from within. Sarene, his fiancée and a princess of Teod, arrives in Arelon with political ambitions and quickly becomes entangled in court intrigue and schemes against the ruling dynasty. Hrathen, a high priest of Fjordell, is sent to convert Arelon and eradicate its rulers, using diplomacy and coercion. As their paths intersect, Elantrian artisans, nobles, and followers of different faiths contend with decay, power, and hope.

Elantris was released to critical acclaim for its world-building, innovative magic system, and character-driven storytelling. It established Sanderson as a leading voice in modern fantasy and remains a frequently cited work for its standalone status and survey of leadership, belief, and resilience.