Dark One, Book 1

Quick Answer

Start with "Dark One, Book 1" to begin the Dark One. It is the essential series starter and provides the necessary foundation for the rest of the books.

Quick Verdict

✅ Safe to read now (Series Entry Point)

❓ Can I skip this book?

❌ No — Required

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Verdict Insight: This is the essential series starter that introduces the Brandon Sanderson's core world and character arcs. It is required reading for all new fans.

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2021224 ppSeries Starter

From #1 New York Times Bestselling, Hugo Award-winning author, Brandon Sanderson, comes DARK ONE - an action-packed fantasy adventure exploring good and evil. Paul Tanasin is haunted by visions of a dark, fantastic world. A world called Mirandus. A world he must shatter. SOME WORLDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN. From #1 New York Times bestselling, Hugo Award-winning author, Brandon Sanderson (The COSMERE Univserse, The MISTBORN TRILOGY, The STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE series, co-author of The Wheel of Time Vol. 12-14 with Robert Jordan, consulting producer on The Wheel of Time series from Amazon Studios ), along with Nathan C. Gooden, Jackson Lanzing, and Collin Kelly, comes DARK ONE, the first book in a series of original graphic novels from Vault Comics. NOW IN TRADE PAPERBACK! Paul Tanasin is a young man haunted by visions of a dark and fantastic world—visions he initially believes are hallucinations. But when he discovers they are prophecies from Mirandus, a world in which he's destined to become a fearsome destroyer, he'll have to embrace the fear, rise up as the Dark One, and shatter everything. DARK ONE examines the dual roles we often take on in life-the ability to be a savior as well as a destroyer. "A dramatically dark fantasy that will leave readers eager for the sequel." - KIRKUS Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Graphic Novels and Comics (2021) #1 Fantasy title in Kindle eBooks! “(Dark One) is a thought-provoking interpretation of epic fantasy from a villainous point of view.” – Screen Rant “Dark One is a great read for fantasy lovers…” – Wandering Nerd Girl “The art is beautiful, dark, and violent.” – Screen Rant “[DARK ONE is] a brilliant graphic novel that has some amazing themes delving into the duality of man and light and dark. The creative team tells Paul’s story beautifully, making sure that this novel will leave an impact.“ - But Why Tho? “Brandon Sanderson’s DARK ONE is the realization of a supremely ambitious Vault Comics ideal. It’s a literary comic that blends high concept storytelling interests across genres without sacrificing any of the craft, structure, or character development needed to make narratives compelling and immersive.“ -- Comics Bookcase

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Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for deep lore fans.

Order Confidence

high Confidence

Why this order?

Our team of curators analyzes publication history, author interviews, and internal narrative continuity to establish the definitive reading sequence. This ensures zero spoilers and maximum narrative impact.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Dark One conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.