The Witcher Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide to Andrzej Sapkowski’s Series

Geralt of Rivia has become one of fantasy’s most recognizable characters, but his story began long before The Witcher television series and video games. Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski introduced Geralt in a series of short stories before expanding his world into an epic five-novel saga.

With short-story collections, a main saga and multiple prequels, figuring out how to read The Witcher books can be confusing. Should you begin with Blood of Elves, which is sometimes labeled “Book One,” or start with The Last Wish? Where do Season of Storms and Crossroads of Ravens belong?

This complete guide explains the best reading order for all nine Witcher books, what each book is about and where new readers should begin.

How Many Witcher Books Are There?

There are currently nine main Witcher books available in English:

• Two short-story collections
• Five novels in the main Witcher Saga
• Two prequel novels

The complete series consists of:

1. The Last Wish
2. Sword of Destiny
3. Blood of Elves
4. Time of Contempt
5. Baptism of Fire
6. The Tower of Swallows
7. The Lady of the Lake
8. Season of Storms
9. Crossroads of Ravens

This is the reading order I recommend for anyone experiencing the series for the first time.

Although Crossroads of Ravens takes place earliest in Geralt’s life, and most of Season of Storms occurs during the short-story era, both books work better after readers have completed the original saga.

The Witcher Books in Recommended Reading Order

1. The Last Wish

The Last Wish is the best place to begin reading The Witcher series.

This collection introduces Geralt of Rivia, a genetically enhanced monster hunter known as a witcher. Geralt travels across the Continent accepting contracts to kill dangerous creatures, but he frequently discovers that humans can be more monstrous than the creatures he hunts.

The stories introduce several important characters, including Yennefer of Vengerberg and Dandelion, also called Jaskier in some adaptations. Readers also learn about the Law of Surprise, Geralt’s complicated moral code and the political conflicts shaping the Continent.

Sapkowski draws heavily from European folklore and familiar fairy tales, but he rarely presents simple battles between good and evil. His stories are filled with moral ambiguity, dark humor and difficult choices.

Some editions describe Blood of Elves as the first Witcher novel, but new readers should not start there. The Last Wishestablishes Geralt, his relationships and the ideas that drive the entire series.

2. Sword of Destiny

Sword of Destiny is the second short-story collection and an essential part of the reading order.

The book develops Geralt’s relationships with Yennefer and Dandelion while introducing Ciri, the child whose destiny becomes connected to his own. The final stories directly prepare readers for the events of Blood of Elves.

This is where the series begins transforming from a collection of individual monster-hunting adventures into a larger, emotionally connected narrative. The stories explore destiny, family, neutrality and whether people can truly avoid the roles the world creates for them.

Skipping Sword of Destiny would remove much of the emotional foundation behind Geralt and Ciri’s relationship. It should always be read before the five-novel saga.

3. Blood of Elves

Blood of Elves is the first novel in the main Witcher Saga.

War is spreading across the Continent following the fall of Cintra. Ciri, the kingdom’s surviving princess, is taken to Kaer Morhen, where Geralt and the other witchers begin training her. However, Ciri possesses mysterious powers that neither Geralt nor the witchers fully understand.

As different kingdoms, sorcerers and agents of the Nilfgaardian Empire search for Ciri, Geralt realizes that keeping her safe will require more than swordsmanship.

The novel expands the scope of the series by introducing larger political conflicts, racial tensions and competing factions. Readers coming from the games or television adaptation will recognize many important characters, but their original book versions may be significantly different.

4. Time of Contempt

The political tension established in Blood of Elves erupts in Time of Contempt.

Geralt continues trying to protect Ciri while Yennefer oversees her magical education. Their journey eventually takes them to the island of Thanedd, where rivalries within the magical community threaten to change the balance of power across the Continent.

This is one of the most consequential books in the series. Alliances collapse, characters are separated and the war enters a much more dangerous stage.

Readers should expect the story to become darker and more complex from this point forward. The relatively focused adventures of the early short stories give way to war, political manipulation and personal survival.

5. Baptism of Fire

In Baptism of Fire, Geralt sets out to find Ciri while recovering from the events of the previous novel.

He is joined by an unlikely group of companions, turning the book into one of the series’ most memorable journey narratives. The party includes familiar faces as well as new characters who challenge Geralt’s preference for working alone.

Geralt may insist that he is not a hero, but his choices repeatedly reveal otherwise. The novel also examines the meaning of family and shows how bonds can form between people with completely different backgrounds.

The larger search for Ciri continues, but the strength of Baptism of Fire comes from its characters and their interactions.

6. The Tower of Swallows

The sixth book in the recommended reading order follows Ciri through one of the darkest periods of her journey.

Sapkowski uses a more complicated narrative structure, revealing events through different perspectives and points in time. Geralt continues his search while political and magical forces close in around Ciri.

The novel pushes its characters to their limits and begins positioning them for the saga’s conclusion. It is more intense than the earlier installments and contains some of the series’ most important developments.

Depending on the edition and region, the title may appear as The Tower of Swallows or The Tower of the Swallow. These are different English titles for the same novel.

7. The Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake is the fifth and final novel in the main Witcher Saga.

The separate storylines involving Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer begin moving toward their conclusions as the war reaches its decisive stage. The novel uses shifting perspectives, legends and unconventional storytelling devices to examine how history can transform real people into myths.

This is the proper ending of the original saga and should be read before either of Sapkowski’s later prequel novels. Its conclusion has generated plenty of discussion among readers, but it remains an ambitious and fittingly complicated finale.

The video games take place after the books and offer their own continuation of Geralt’s story. They are not sequels written by Sapkowski and should be treated as a separate interpretation of what happens next.

8. Season of Storms

Season of Storms is a standalone Witcher novel first published in Polish in 2013 and in English in 2018.

Most of the story takes place during the period covered by The Last Wish. After Geralt loses his swords, he becomes caught in a new conflict involving sorcerers, political schemes and dangerous experiments.

Because of its place in the timeline, some readers insert Season of Storms between the two short-story collections. However, I recommend waiting until after The Lady of the Lake. The book assumes that readers already understand Geralt and his world, while its framing material and ending carry more significance after completing the saga.

It works best as a return to Geralt’s earlier adventures rather than as an interruption between The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny.

9. Crossroads of Ravens

Crossroads of Ravens is the newest Witcher novel and takes readers back to the beginning of Geralt’s career.

The story follows a young Geralt shortly after he completes his training at Kaer Morhen. He has not yet become the legendary White Wolf or developed the reputation readers encounter in the original stories. Instead, he is an inexperienced witcher learning how dangerous—and morally complicated—life on the Path can be.

The novel was released in English on September 30, 2025, translated by David French. Its publisher describes it as a standalone story that can welcome new readers, but established fans will gain more from seeing how the younger Geralt differs from the character they already know. Hachette UK confirms its prequel premise and English publication date.

Chronologically, Crossroads of Ravens is the earliest Geralt novel. Even so, I recommend reading it last. Prequels often become more meaningful when readers recognize the person a younger character will eventually become.

The Witcher Books in Chronological Order

Readers who want to follow Geralt’s life according to the series timeline can use this approximate chronological order:

1. Crossroads of Ravens
2. The Last Wish
3. Season of Storms
4. Sword of Destiny
5. Blood of Elves
6. Time of Contempt
7. Baptism of Fire
8. The Tower of Swallows
9. The Lady of the Lake

The placement of Season of Storms is not completely straightforward because it occurs around some of the stories collected in The Last Wish. Its epilogue also reaches beyond its central timeline.

Chronological order can be interesting for a reread, but first-time readers should follow the recommended order instead.

Should You Read the Witcher Short Stories?

Yes. The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny are essential, not optional side stories.

They introduce:

• Geralt and his moral code
• Yennefer and her relationship with Geralt
• Ciri and the meaning of destiny
• Dandelion and other recurring characters
• The Law of Surprise
• The political and cultural divisions of the Continent

Beginning with Blood of Elves is like starting a longer novel several chapters into the story. You may understand the central plot, but many of its relationships will have less emotional impact.

Do You Need to Read the Witcher Books Before Playing the Games?

You do not need to read the books before playing The Witcher games. The games explain enough of the world and characters for new players to follow their stories.

However, the games take place after the events of the books and may reveal important details about characters, relationships and the saga’s ending. Reading the books first provides more context for Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, Triss and the political history of the Continent.

If avoiding book spoilers matters to you, complete the saga before beginning the games.

Are the Witcher Books the Same as the Netflix Series?

The Netflix series is based on characters and events from Sapkowski’s books, but it is not a scene-for-scene adaptation. Storylines are rearranged, characters are changed and the television series sometimes moves in a different direction from the novels.

Readers who have watched the show should still begin with The Last Wish. Familiar events may appear, but the books offer more insight into Geralt’s personality, his philosophical conversations and the moral questions behind his choices.

Where Should New Readers Start?

New readers should start with The Last Wish and then continue to Sword of Destiny.

If you only want to sample the world before committing to nine books, The Last Wish is also the ideal test. Its short-story structure provides several complete adventures while introducing the tone, characters and folklore that define the series.

Crossroads of Ravens can technically serve as a standalone introduction, but it should not replace the two original story collections in a complete read-through.

Final Thoughts on The Witcher Reading Order

The Witcher is one of my favorite fantasy series because its world feels much more complicated than a standard battle between heroes and monsters. Geralt is at his best when he is forced to choose between imperfect options, especially after insisting that he would rather remain neutral.

The short stories contain many of the series’ strongest monster encounters, while the main saga expands into a sweeping story about war, destiny, prejudice and found family. The later prequels give fans additional opportunities to see Geralt at different stages of his life.

For the best experience, read the books in this order: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, the five-book saga, Season of Storms and finally Crossroads of Ravens. That order preserves the major revelations while allowing Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer’s story to unfold naturally.

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