Have you already binge-watched the second season of The Witcher, and you can’t wait until the prequel, Blood Origins? You should give the books a try! You can immerse yourself in the world of the Continent for hundreds and hundreds of pages.
There are eight Witcher books currently available. The first two books, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, are collections of short stories. The publication of five novels followed them. The most recent release, Season of Storms, is another collection of stories.
The rest of this article gives details about the Witcher books and the order to read them in, other books about the Witcher, the video games, and the TV show. If you’re obsessed with all things The Witcher and want to know more, keep reading!
The Witcher Books
The Witcher books are written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. They haven’t been released in chronological order, so you shouldn’t necessarily read them in order of their publication. The series began in the ‘80s as a series of short stories that Sapkowski wrote for a fantasy magazine.
These stories were published in the ‘90s in two collections followed by five novels. They should be read in the following order:
- The Last Wish
- Sword of Destiny
- Blood of Elves
- Time of Contempt
- Baptism of Fire
- The Tower of the Swallow
- The Lady of the Lake
- Season of Storms
The books follow Geralt of Rivia, who is a Witcher. In this world, Witchers are mutated humans who possess supernatural abilities and use these skills to battle monsters from the Conjunction of the Spheres. Geralt is a monster slayer for hire and is one of the few Witchers left.
The Last Wish introduces Geralt and establishes the setting of the Continent, so it is the best place to start. The beginning of the Netflix show is based on one of the stories in this collection, “A Grain of Truth.”
Season of Storms is the most recent release. The events aren’t central to the main arc and are largely lore-heavy, so reading is optional, but it does contribute to the setting.
You can buy the first seven books of the Witcher Series on Amazon.com. This collection is only missing the final book: Season of Storms. For this particular collection, the books come in paperbacks with gorgeous covers.
These books aren’t just for fantasy readers; they’re accessible to all kinds of people, and reading them will give you a better sense of the world and the lore that the show is based on. The characters are more in-depth than the show, and the political narrative is more established in the books.
Other Books About the Witcher
Other than the eight Witcher books by Sapkowski himself, there are other books that you may be interested in if you’re obsessed with all things Geralt and the Continent.
The World of the Witcher: Video Game Compendium, put together by CD Projekt Red and available on Amazon.com, is a tour of the world and characters of The Witcher. This is an illustrated guide to the locales, the creatures, and the weapons of the Continent. If you haven’t finished reading the books, you should know that this book contains spoilers.
There’s also a The Witcher Adult Coloring Book on Amazon that is inspired by the video game franchise. The images feature Geralt, Ciri, Triss, Yennefer, Roach, and Shani in various fantastic settings. If you love The Witcher and you love to color, this book has got you covered! The most dedicated fans will color as they watch the show!
There are also graphic novels available from Dark Horse Comics. They are not written by Sapkowski and are instead written by Paul Tobin, but they add something extra to the already released tales, and the artwork is incredible. There is also The Witcher Library Edition Vol. 1 available on Amazon.com.
The Witcher Video Games
If you want even more Witcher content and you’re a gamer, you can give the action role-playing games a try! CD Projekt Red developed these games, and they act as sequels to the action that takes place in the books.
The video game series has three standalone games, two expansion packs, and three spin-offs. As of May 2020, the series had sold over 50 million copies.
In the games, the player controls Geralt. The main series includes:
- The Witcher (2007)
- The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (2011)
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)
The first game was made for Windows and Mac, the second game for Windows, Mac, and Xbox 360, and the third game for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
The expansion packs include:
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt–Hearts of Stone (2015)
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt–Blood and Wine (2016)
The spin-offs are called:
- The Witcher: Crimson Trail (2007)
- Battle Arena (2015)
- Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales (2018)
All of the games have been well-received, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been named one of the greatest video games of all time due to its exemplary design, narrative, and visuals.
The Witcher TV Show
The Witcher series has recently increased in popularity due to the TV show created by Lauren Schmidt Hissirch. The series stars Henry Cavill in the lead role as Geralt of Rivia. The first season was released on Netflix on December 20, 2019, based on the short stories preceding the main saga.
The second season was recently released on December 17, 2021. The series has already been renewed for a third season. Reception of the first season of the show was mixed, with an average score of 6.26/10 on Rotten Tomatoes and 53/100 on Metacritic. The second season fared better, with a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 69/100 on Metacritic.
According toParrot Analytics, The Witcher was the third most “in demand” original streaming series, behind Stranger Things and The Mandalorian. According to Netflix, The Witcher was the second most popular TV show on its platform, with over 76 million viewers of the first season within the first month of its release.
Conclusion
Reading the eight Witcher books that are already out is a great way to tide yourself over until the release of the show’s third season on Netflix and the prequel. Reading the books will also give you insight into the story that will make you more excited to see how the adaptation continues! There is no shortage of Witcher content with eight books, video games, and a TV show to keep you entertained for hours.
