arts and culture | May 17, 2026

What Witcher books should I read?

Here is the order in which The Witcher books and stories should be read:
  • The Last Wish (1993)
  • Sword of Destiny (1992)
  • Season of Storms (2013)
  • Blood of Elves (1994)
  • Time of Contempt (1995)
  • Baptism of Fire (1996)
  • The Tower of the Swallow (1997)
  • The Lady of the Lake (1999)

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In this way, where should I start reading the Witcher books?

The Witcher books: reading order explained

  • The Last Wish.
  • Sword of Destiny.
  • Season of Storms.
  • Blood of Elves.
  • Time of Contempt.
  • Baptism of Fire.
  • The Tower of the Swallow.
  • The Lady of the Lake.

Also, should I read the Witcher books before watching the show? Well, I'm about to say something that might cause scoffing among gamers and avid readers alike, but it's also not essential to play the games or read the books before watching Netflix's The Witcher TV series. In this case, the first two chronological books, The Last Wish and Sword Of Destiny, would be most useful.

One may also ask, are the Witcher books worth reading?

With the Witcher Netflix series out now (and quite good!) and The Witcher 3 seeing more concurrent players than ever, there's a lot of renewed interest in the root of all this: The Witcher books. If you want to fill a Geralt-shaped hole in your life following the show and games, the books are definitely worth a read.

What books does the Witcher cover?

The Witcher

Cover of the UK edition of the first book.
The Last Wish (1993) Sword of Destiny (1992) Blood of Elves (1994) Time of Contempt (1995) Baptism of Fire (1996) The Tower of the Swallow (1997) The Lady of the Lake (1999) Season of Storms (2013)
Country Poland
Language Polish
Genre Fantasy
Related Question Answers

Is it worth playing Witcher 1 and 2?

No, play the first game. It's an amazing game that's worth your time! If you have time I would recommend playing 1 and 2. While the choices will probably be more of a nod to witcher fans and a few minor scenes I would still recommend it.

What was Geralt's last wish?

What was Geralt's third wish? In S1E05 of Netflix's The Witcher, "Bottled Appetites", Geralt is granted three wishes by a Djinn: I just want some damn peace! I want you to burst, you son of a whore.

What was Geralt's first wish?

His first wish was the incantation he used on the genie and his second was the wish for the guard to burst, and thus the genie is still awaiting Geralt's third wish.

Can Witchers die of old age?

No Witcher has ever died of old age in the books or in the games. So it is almost impossible to ascertain when a Witcher will die. Sorceresses can live forever because there is a potion that they can drink that is made by Ortolan that stops the aging process.

Is the last wish the first Witcher book?

The Last Wish (Polish: Ostatnie życzenie) is the first book in Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher series in terms of story chronology, although the original Polish edition was published in 1993, after Sword of Destiny. The Last Wish is read by Peter Kenny.

How old is Geralt?

Geralt is around 90 - 100 years old.

Is The Witcher Netflix series based on the books?

The Witcher is based on a series of fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, which also spawned a series of video games from CD Projekt Red so there is already a lot of The Witcher in the world to dive into.

What is the law of surprise?

The Law of Surprise is a custom as old as humanity itself. The Law dictates that a man saved by another is expected to offer to his savior a boon whose nature is unknown to one or both parties. In most cases, the boon takes the form of the saved man's firstborn child, conceived or born without the father's knowledge.

Is The Witcher 3 hard?

The Witcher 3 is harder than Skyrim but easier than Dark Souls – unless you venture into permadeath territory. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is unusually positioned in the RPG pantheon. But if you're not really keen on RPGs with action gameplay you may be on the fence, and with good reason; this is no Skyrim.

Is The Witcher in chronological order?

Making things confusing for fans unfamiliar with the video games and books of The Witcher, these timelines do not always play out in chronological order. Each of the three central characters' stories takes place over different periods of time.

Is The Witcher book series over?

For now the story has concluded, but Sapkowski has hinted that it may continue… The eight books that make up the Witcher Saga consist of: The Last Wish (1993/2007; a reprint of The Witcher, released in 1990, with new material) Sword of Destiny (1992/2015)

Why does geralt have sword?

Geralt keeps his steel sword by his side, but he usually keeps his silver sword on his horse or with his possessions. The reason the silver sword is saved for special occasions is that it doesn't work on every monster.

Does Ciri become a Witcher in the books?

After her parents' "death," Ciri is taken in by her grandmother, Queen Calanthe, who tries to marry her off to Prince Kistrin. This is detailed in the short story, "Sword of Destiny," from the book of the same title. Geralt rescues Ciri and takes her to Kaer Morhen, where she is trained to be a witcher, too.

Will there be a Witcher 4?

CD Projekt Red CEO Adam Kiciński has already basically confirmed that there will be another Witcher game, it just won't be called The Witcher 4, so it's looking likely the next game is but a few years away. "The Witcher is one of two franchises on which to build the future activities of the company," he adds.

Can you read Blood of Elves first?

But after Blood of Elves you must read the rest in order. The Last Wish, The Sword of Destiny and Season of Storms don't have to be read in order though. So blood of elves is the first book of main story.

Does Geralt die in the bad ending?

Geralt is prophesied to die from his encounter with the last Crone and it's heavily implied he dies too. Ciri doesn't have to be Empress.

Does geralt have two swords in book?

Thanks to the official Witcher Compendium (which I definitely didn't buy for a moment just like this), we also know that every witcher, no matter the school they attended, does indeed carry two swords. In the books, Geralt tells someone: “Two swords, one of silver, one of iron, one for monsters and one for men.

Can I watch the Witcher without reading the books?

This is by no means a professional review of Netflix's The Witcher series. In fact, it is anything but. This is merely the standpoint of the writer who, believe it or not, has not read any of the books nor played the games.

Do you need to play The Witcher 1 and 2 before 3?

Not mandatory, but it'll help you understand a lot, especially even the title of the game. If you can't afford the game, go to the library and read a couple of the books. Witcher 1 and 2 are both great games, so if you are RPG fan you should definitely play them. You have plenty of time before Witcher 3.