Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling. Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping -- based on their correspondence -- to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god. But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself. A rare epic fantasy that doesn't recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It's also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.

（美）布蘭登·桑德森，1975年12月19日生於美國內布拉斯加州（Nebraska）首府林肯（Lincoln），現居猶他州的歐瑞市（Orem）。

作者的首部小說《伊嵐翠》，2005年甫一齣版即獲得《浪漫時代》（Romantic Times）奇幻史詩大奬，更被美國最大連鎖書店邦諾（Barnes & Noble）列為頭號選書。作者也連續2006、2007年兩年入選美國科/奇幻界最高新人奬項──約翰o坎伯新人奬。作者還陸續齣版瞭"迷霧之子"三部麯，均與全球著名的奇幻齣版社Tor簽約，《齣版人周刊》、《軌跡雜誌》、《美國圖書館協會誌》、《剋科斯評論》都給予該係列高度評價。《哈利o波特》在美國的齣版社Scholastic以高價買下作者其他所有奇幻作品的版權。

2009年10月，桑德森作為已逝奇幻大師羅伯特o喬丹的接班人，齣版瞭"時光之輪"續作《光之迴憶1：風起雲湧》，甚至打敗丹o布朗新書《失落的秘符》，空降紐約時報排行榜冠軍！