A reading guide · Andrzej Sapkowski · No ending spoilers
The best place to start the Witcher books is The Last Wish, followed by Sword of Destiny. Then read the five novels about Geralt and Ciri before moving on to the two standalone adventures. Here is the full route, what each book adds, how the games connect, and what to look for when choosing an edition.
Your first trip through the Continent
What Order Should You Read the Witcher Books In?
- The Last Wish
- Sword of Destiny
- Blood of Elves
- The Time of Contempt
- Baptism of Fire
- The Tower of Swallows
- The Lady of the Lake
- Season of Storms
- Crossroads of Ravens
Start with the short stories, even if you are eager to reach the novels. They build the relationships that hold everything else together. Blood of Elves is the first novel in the central saga, but it is the third stop on this reading list.
Our placement of the standalone books is an editorial recommendation. It lets you follow the main story without interruptions and return to Geralt’s earlier adventures afterward. You do not have to reconstruct every event in chronological order to enjoy a first read.
How many Witcher books are there? This guide covers nine principal titles by Sapkowski: two short-story collections and seven novels, five of which make up the central saga. The Spanish collection Camino sin retorno, discussed below, is supplementary. An older eight-book set may leave out Crossroads of Ravens, and counting physical volumes can be misleading when one work has been split into two.
All Nine Books: What They Cover and How They Connect to the Games
These connections involve background, characters, and references. None of the three games adapts an entire novel. The descriptions below avoid the endings, although they do explain each book’s premise.
The Last Wish
Geralt makes his living hunting monsters, but settling a contract often takes more than a sword. These stories introduce his outlook, his friendship with Dandelion, and his relationship with Yennefer. They also explain how he became known as the Butcher of Blaviken.
Sword of Destiny
Geralt’s contracts become increasingly tangled up with his personal life. Yennefer takes on a larger role, and Ciri enters his life directly. The collection’s closing stretch sets up the story that continues in Blood of Elves.
Blood of Elves
Geralt protects Ciri as competing powers begin to take an interest in her. Her training at Kaer Morhen and her magical education bring the witchers, Triss, and Yennefer into sharper focus. Politics starts to matter as much as monsters.
The Time of Contempt
Ciri’s apparent safety begins to unravel as tensions among the mages and kingdoms reach a breaking point. Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri must navigate a world in which every alliance comes with consequences.
Baptism of Fire
Geralt sets out on a search through a country at war, gathering companions who change the way he travels and tackles problems. Milva, Cahir, and Regis become particularly important. Meanwhile, Ciri’s story follows its own path.
The Tower of Swallows
Ciri moves to the foreground. Her pursuers, her struggle to survive, and the choices she has made drive the story. Memories and testimony piece together some of what happened while Geralt continues his search.
The Lady of the Lake
The stories of Ciri, Geralt, and Yennefer reach their conclusion amid war, travel between worlds, and the consequences of their decisions. This is the end of the central narrative Sapkowski developed throughout the 1990s.
Buying a Spanish edition? Some divide La dama del lago into volumes 1 and 2. You need both halves, or an edition labeled “obra completa.” That split does not make them two separate novels.
Season of Storms
Trouble involving his swords draws Geralt into contracts, sorcery, and intrigue in the kingdom of Kerack. Most of the adventure takes place during the short-story era, before Ciri’s central saga.
Save it until after book seven. Its epilogue looks back toward the main story’s conclusion. Placing the whole novel according to when its main adventure happens can spoil that reading experience.
Crossroads of Ravens
An eighteen-year-old Geralt leaves Kaer Morhen and starts learning what being a witcher means beyond the fortress. The veteran Preston Holt accompanies him through a period of inexperience, prejudice, and difficult early decisions.
Our recommendation: read it last to compare this young Geralt with the man you already know. The English publisher also presents it as a standalone entry point. Ninth place is our suggested route, not an official requirement.
Chronological Order: Where the Prequels Fit
Use this as a broad map for a reread. The short stories jump around in time, so treating each collection as one uninterrupted block cannot produce an exact chronology.
Geralt’s youth
Crossroads of Ravens.
Life as a wandering witcher
The stories in The Last Wish. The main adventure in Season of Storms falls within this period, while its epilogue sits outside it.
The bond with Ciri
Sword of Destiny.
The central saga, in sequence
Blood of Elves, The Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of Swallows, and The Lady of the Lake.
CD Projekt RED’s continuation
The Witcher → The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings → The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The years above refer to the original Polish books, not their English release dates. That is why Sword of Destiny is dated 1992 even though we recommend reading it after the 1993 collection The Last Wish.
How Do the Books Connect to The Witcher 1, 2, and 3?
Where the stories meet
The books establish the history. The games create a continuation. CD Projekt RED takes Sapkowski’s characters, locations, and conflicts and builds new adventures around them. Story director Marcin Blacha discusses that approach in this interview. The games’ choices belong to their own continuity and do not rewrite the books.
Game 1 · 2007
The Witcher
Geralt returns with amnesia and becomes involved in a new story centered on Kaer Morhen and Vizima. Knowing Triss, Dandelion, and the witchers helps, but the game introduces its own conflict.
The clearest connection: the striga story from The Last Wish, recreated in the opening cinematic. The campaign itself happens after the books.
Game 2 · 2011
Assassins of Kings
Geralt is caught up in royal assassinations, conspiracies, and struggles for power. The tensions among humans, nonhumans, and sorceresses become especially important.
What adds to it: the central saga, with its politics and shifting alliances. There is no Sapkowski novel called Assassins of Kings that the campaign follows.
Game 3 · 2015
Wild Hunt
The search for Ciri brings the books’ family relationships into a new adventure. Yennefer, the Wild Hunt, and Ciri’s past play much larger roles than they do in the first two games.
What adds the most: the first seven books. Baptism of Fire and The Lady of the Lake also provide context for Regis and Toussaint in Blood and Wine.
Do you need to read before playing? No. If you want to discover the literary story first and avoid learning its consequences through the games, finish the first seven books and then play 1 → 2 → 3. The two standalone novels can wait. If you have already played, The Last Wish is still the place to start reading.
Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are expansions for the third game, not missing Sapkowski novels.
Which Witcher Editions Should You Buy?
For a first read in the United States, start with one copy of The Last Wish. Choose a paperback, ebook, or library copy that suits the way you read. There is no need to buy a complete matching set before finding out whether you enjoy Sapkowski’s writing.
Orbit publishes the U.S. editions; Gollancz is the familiar U.K. imprint. English editions credit Danusia Stok and David French. Check the individual book’s credits rather than assuming that every title has the same translator or that a different cover means a different translation.
| Edition | What to Check | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit trade paperbacks | Individual English books with several cover designs across printings. Match ISBNs and dimensions if a uniform shelf matters to you. | Reading the series without paying extra for a collector’s binding. |
| Orbit five-novel boxed set | ISBN 9780316498845 contains Blood of Elves through The Lady of the Lake. It leaves out the two opening story collections and the two standalone novels. | Readers who already have the collections or know exactly which five books they need. |
| Illustrated hardcovers | Orbit’s illustrated The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny include interior art. Check each listing: an illustrated dust jacket alone does not promise an illustrated interior. | A gift or a collection you want to keep in hardcover. |
| Gollancz editions | U.K. editions may have different covers, dimensions, and title wording. Compare the delivered cost if importing. | Readers looking for a particular British design or matching an existing set. |
| Ebooks and audiobooks | Check language, narrator, and whether the recording is unabridged. Booktrack editions add a soundtrack; they are a listening format, not an additional novel. | Reading on a device or listening without collecting physical volumes. |
| Netflix or game cover editions | A promotional cover does not, by itself, make the text a novelization of the show or game. | Readers who like that presentation. Choose the format and contents before the artwork. |
Publisher references: The Last Wish formats, the five-novel set, and Orbit’s hardcover guide. Formats checked October 24, 2026; stock and prices vary.
Spanish-Language Editions: Bibliópolis, Alamut, and Artifex
If you also read Spanish, these are separate editions worth distinguishing. José María Faraldo translated the original seven-book sequence for Bibliópolis, later reissued by Alamut. Estación de tormentas has different translation credits: Fernando Otero Macías appears in edition listings, with some also crediting Faraldo. Check the copy’s copyright page.
| Edition | What Makes It Different | Who It Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Bibliópolis Earlier Spanish editions | Historical printings and older designs. Some split La dama del lago into two volumes. | Collectors or readers who find a complete used copy in good condition. A first printing is not required to enjoy the story. |
| Alamut paperback | Softcover editions in different designs and printings. “Rústica” does not automatically mean pocket-size. | Everyday reading when the delivered price and availability work for you. |
| Artifex paperback | A related imprint, with editions featuring cover flaps. Cyberdark identifies its El último deseo and Alamut’s hardcover as sharing the same text. | Readers who want the story rather than a collector’s binding. Check the specific series for matching spines. |
| Alamut collector’s hardcover | A binding intended for a permanent collection. Several editions use Alejandro Colucci covers; extras depend on the title and printing. | A hardcover library. Do not assume every book has interior illustrations because its cover is illustrated. |
| The Witcher 2 cover | The publisher announced an El último deseo edition with game artwork in 2011. | Fans of that cover. It is still the first story collection, not the second game’s novelization. |
| Announced Alamut illustrated set | The listing consulted for the October 21, 2026 report described four double volumes, 62 Colucci illustrations, and four Faraldo essays, with a projected 2028 date. | Following a future release. That dated listing is not proof of current stock or a guarantee that the ninth book is included. |
Spanish-edition references: Alamut and Artifex comparison, the publisher’s 2011 game-cover announcement, and the announced illustrated set. These details identify the editions discussed, rather than promising U.S. availability.
Three Checks Before You Order
1. Language and translator
A store may translate the listing’s title even when the book itself is in another language. Read the edition details and credits.
2. The complete work
For a split Spanish La dama del lago, look for both volumes or “obra completa.” A photo of volume one does not establish that volume two is included.
3. The actual contents
Ask for the title list. “Complete saga” may mean only the five central novels, or a set assembled before the newest book.
Useful format identifiers: Orbit’s The Last Wish trade paperback is ISBN 9780316452465. For Spanish copies, Alamut’s hardcover El último deseo is 9788498890372 and the Artifex paperback is 9788498891041. The complete Alamut hardcover La dama del lago is 9788498890624; the Artifex paperback is 9788498891102. These are specific examples, not the only published editions.
Compare the total delivered cost when importing. If you are ordering from Colombia, include shipping and any applicable import charges in that comparison. There is no universally best edition: a complete text matters most for reading, while size, paper, extras, and matching designs also matter to collectors. An out-of-stock listing does not make any resale price a good deal.
Comics, Early Collections, and Companion Books
The nine-book route covers Sapkowski’s principal Witcher narrative. The wider publishing world includes useful extras, but they are not additional novels to insert into that sequence.
Camino sin retorno
This Spanish Sapkowski anthology collects stories from different worlds. It includes a tale connected to Geralt’s origins and Something Ends, Something Begins, a wedding story outside the saga’s continuity.
When to read it: after The Lady of the Lake. It is not an alternate ending that replaces book seven.
Wiedźmin, the 1990 collection
This early Polish collection predates the modern arrangement of the short stories. Much of its material was collected again elsewhere.
For newcomers: you do not need to hunt it down as a tenth book containing an entirely new adventure.
Dark Horse comics
The line includes original adventures and adaptations such as A Grain of Truth, The Lesser Evil, and A Question of Price. The Witcher: Ronin reimagines the setting with a Japanese influence.
When to read them: as additional stories. Adapting one short story does not replace the full collection it came from.
The Witcher: Classic Collection
Maciej Parowski and Bogusław Polch’s Polish comics adapt stories and add material of their own. Their work is collected separately from the modern comics, including in an English edition.
Who it suits: collectors and readers interested in some of Geralt’s earliest visual adaptations.
The modern comics include House of Glass, Fox Children, Curse of Crows, Of Flesh and Flame, Fading Memories, Witch’s Lament, The Ballad of Two Wolves, Wild Animals, and Corvo Bianco. Norma’s Spanish editions have their own numbered series. A comic labeled volume 3 is not the third prose novel. The Norma catalog distinguishes those Spanish publishing branches.
| Book | What It Offers | When It Is Useful |
|---|---|---|
| The World of the Witcher Dark Horse | An illustrated reference to the games’ world. | After getting to know the setting; it can reveal character information. |
| Gwent: Art of The Witcher Card Game Dark Horse | Artwork from the card game. | For the illustrations, rather than a continuation of Geralt’s story. |
| The Witcher Official Cookbook | Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka’s recipes inspired by the Continent. | A themed companion, not part of the narrative reading order. |
References: Camino sin retorno, Classic Collection, and the official cookbook’s U.S. edition. Minotauro publishes the Spanish cookbook.
Witcher Books: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Start with Blood of Elves?
You can, but you will miss the development of Geralt’s relationships with Yennefer and Ciri. For a first read, we recommend The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny before that novel.
Should Sword of Destiny Come First Because It Was Published in 1992?
Not on our recommended route. The Last Wish appeared as a collection in 1993, but it brings together earlier adventures and works as an introduction. A collection’s release year does not determine where every story belongs.
Are There Seven, Eight, Nine, or Ten Books?
Seven make up the original reading sequence. Season of Storms brings the count to eight, and Crossroads of Ravens makes nine. Adding the Spanish anthology Camino sin retorno gives you ten related titles, but that book mixes Witcher material with other stories. The two-volume Spanish La dama del lago is one work split in half.
What Is the Newest Witcher Novel in This Guide?
Crossroads of Ravens, published in Polish in 2024 and in English in 2025. It is a prequel about young Geralt. Do not confuse it with Season of Storms, originally published in 2013.
Are the Games Canon to the Books?
Sapkowski’s literary story and CD Projekt RED’s continuation are distinct. The games build on the books’ world to create their own version of later events. Their choices and endings are not extra chapters written by Sapkowski.
Does a Netflix or Video Game Cover Change the Story?
A promotional cover alone does not indicate a new version of the text. Check the language, translator, ISBN, and contents. A Netflix cover does not automatically turn the book into a novelization of the television series.
What Should I Buy If I Just Want to Try the Series?
The Last Wish, without committing to the whole boxed set. Its stories introduce the tone and the character. If you enjoy it, continue with Sword of Destiny.
Your next read
Start with The Last Wish
Follow it with Sword of Destiny, then read the five central novels. Save the two standalone adventures for later and choose complete editions that fit your budget.
Find more game guides and pop culture stories in ArcadeBot’s Entertainment section.
Sources and Editorial Approach
The publisher pages linked above identify the books and editions. The reading route, buying recommendations, summaries, and game connections reflect ArcadeBot’s editorial approach. Polish publication dates are kept separate from English edition dates.
- Hachette’s Witcher catalog.
- Orbit: Crossroads of Ravens.
- Marcin Blacha on writing the games.
- CD Projekt RED: The Witcher 3 and the Blood and Wine developer diary.
- Cyberdark: Spanish formats and ISBNs.
- Minotauro’s Spanish cookbook.
Original editorial review: October 21, 2026. U.S. edition details checked October 24, 2026. Prices are not fixed here, and an announced edition is not presented as current stock.