witcher book review reddit

Novel Notions

Book review: the last wish (the witcher, #1) by andrzej sapkowski, march 25, 2022 petrik leo comments 0 comment.

Review copy was provided by Gollancz in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by Tommy Arnold

Cover designed by Lauren Panepinto

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series:   The Witcher (Book #0.5 of 5)

Genre:  Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages : 352 pages (Illustrated edition)

Published: 7th December 2021 by Orbit (US) and Gollancz (UK)

The Last Wish made me feel like I was reading Geralt doing his side quests in the game.

Similar to millions of gamers—now readers—around the world, I heard about The Witcher book series through the video games adaptation. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remains one of the best open-world role-playing games I’ve played, and even though it has been years since I finished the game, I still think about my 100+ hours of adventure with the game. More than six years have passed since I first finished The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , and I’ve wanted to know more about the characters, magic, and world I felt invested in. It’s not until The Last Wish Illustrated Edition published by Orbit Books and Gollancz came out a few months ago that I finally took the plunge to start reading the series. As someone who loves the game a LOT, and considering that this is a different medium of storytelling compared to the books, I honestly don’t expect the books (this time) would be able to live up to the satisfaction and escapism I got from playing the games. I’m not saying the books can’t achieve that; from my experience, books (original material) are often superior to their adaptations. But compared to Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , I don’t think the books can match the quality of storytelling and experience from playing the game. However, the video games adaptation is supposedly a continuation of the books series. And I fully expect I would love reading the books, too. If not, why even bother reading, right? I will be reviewing The Last Wish based on my thoughts on the overall book instead of a specific review for each short story. And at the end, I will also be giving my thoughts on the illustrated edition and whether you should buy it or not.

Picture: The Last Wish by Navar

The Last Wish is—chronologically—the first set of short stories in The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski, but publication wise, The Last Wish was published after Sword of Destiny . It has frequently been mentioned, The Last Wish worked so well as an introduction to the characters and world of The Witcher Saga , and as far as a reading-guide goes, I think The Last Wish indeed worked nicely as—technically—the first book of the series. There are seven short stories in The Last Wish , and one of the short stories, titled The Voice of Reason , takes place in the present timeframe. Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher. After being injured in battle, he’s resting in a temple during the present timeframe. He’s recounting some of the recent events he encountered, and these flashbacks are told in a short story format, but there’s one exception. The present timeframe is a short story/novella interspersed throughout the novel. I read Hyperion by Dan Simmons last month, and the relatively unconventional format of The Last Wish reminded me of that.

“People,” Geralt turned his head, “like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.”

If you know my reading taste, then you’ll probably know that I’m not a fan of short stories in fantasy. I tend to find them underwhelming due to their short length. The Last Wish , and probably Sword of Destiny , have this working against their favor. Or at least that’s what I thought, but that’s certainly not the case. I’ve watched the two seasons available so far in the TV series adaptation of The Witcher , this means I knew the events in this collection of short stories already. That’s why it’s so surprising to me that I still found myself intrigued by the narrative. Other than The Edge of the World , which was underwhelming, I enjoyed every other short story here. My thoughts on the characters are, undoubtedly, influenced by my feelings on the characters of the games. I don’t think I can change this no matter how hard I try. I read this collection of short stories, my thoughts and imagination treat the narrative as a prequel to the video games. Whether they’re actually canon or not, at this moment, they are canon in my head. And because of this, I am slightly more receptive and biased towards the characters and the world. Even if we only get to see glimpses and an introduction to them here, it felt like I was reading the origin story of The Witcher video games characters I came to love. A Grain of Truth , The Lesser Evil , and A Question of Price , were my favorite short stories in The Last Wish .

“Evil is evil, Stregobor,” said the witcher seriously as he got up. “Lesser, greater, middling, it’s all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I’m not a pious hermit. I haven’t done only good in my life. But if I’m to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”

I didn’t have much of an issue reading The Last Wish . Themes of morality and ambiguous characters’ actions were discussed well in a relatively short novel. That being said, as I mentioned earlier, having watched the TV series already definitely decreased my satisfaction. Only alternate reality Petrik could confirm this, but I would’ve enjoyed The Last Wish more if I hadn’t watched the TV series adaptation. Also, this has been talked about many times, but prose-wise, some sentences here and there felt a bit awkward. I personally didn’t mind them too much. Plus, I heard from many sources that this issue is caused due to the quality of translation rather than Sapkowki’s prose. Other than these, I think this is a solid collection of short stories. It somehow felt like I was watching Geralt doing side quests in the game. I had a great time reading it, and I look forward to reading Sword of Destiny next month.

“They weren’t lying. They firmly believed it all. Which doesn’t change the facts.”

Now, I will review the illustrated edition. Published by Orbit Books in US and Gollancz in the UK, I am more than fortunate enough to receive both US and UK editions of the book to make a comparison. But as far as the comparison between the two goes, the illustrated edition looks almost exactly the same. The new cover art by Tommy Arnold looks gorgeous, and the stunning hardcover edition featured a special naked hardcover appearance with a quote from the book. Both editions have a slight difference in the design of the naked hardcover, and the color on the cover art looks different as well; the US edition is red, the UK edition is maroon. Also, the US edition has a thinner paper than the UK edition, but the US edition is floppier than the UK edition.

Picture: The Last Wish Illustrated Edition by Tommy Arnold Plus the Naked Hardcover

That’s pretty much where the differences between the two ended. In addition to the beautiful red and black hardcover, the illustrated edition also featured beautiful endpapers, AND the main course of it all, eight exquisite interior illustrations by a range of award-winning artists. The artists involved in this edition (in order of appearances for their work) are Tommy Arnold, Kiri Østergaard Leonard, Bruce Brenneise, Jeremy Wilson, Jen Bartel, Allen Williams, Martina Fačková, and Winona Nelson. I think every artist did a spectacular job for the story they got to do, but my favorites will have to be Tommy Arnold’s art on The Grain of Truth , Bruce Brenneise’s art on The Lesser Evil , and Martina Fačková’s art on The Last Wish .

Picture: The Last Wish by Martina Fackova

You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

I also have a Booktube channel

Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!

My Patrons: Alfred, Andrew, Amanda, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Diana, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Ellis, Gary, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Meryl, Mike, Miracle, Neeraja, Nicholas, Oliver, Reno, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawna, Xero, Wendy, Wick, Zoe.

View all my reviews

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Wednesday, Dec 18

How to read the witcher books in order (2024 update).

Since the release of Netflix’s 2019 adaptation of The Witcher, everyone's been buzzing with the same age-old question: are the books better?

We're biased towards books ourselves, of course. But we'll let you decide for yourself — and we'll be here to help you the entire way with the best reading order for The Witcher books.

But first, for anyone new to the series, here's a quick refresher: the origins of The Witcher books actually go all the way back to the 1980s, when Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski entered a short story called The Witcher into a contest run by the magazine Fantastyka . Placing third, that entry spawned a collection of short stories that then inspired the publication of a five-novel series, the Witcher Saga — which then became an entire franchise.

The Witcher focuses on Geralt of Rivia, a man with supernatural abilities that enable him to fight beasts and monsters . The novels primarily revolve around his goal to protect Ciri, a young princess of a recently conquered country who has a great prophecy hanging over her head — but the series is also so much more than that. These are stories that hit hard , by turns sweeping you up in the adventure of slaying monsters, wringing you through the epic tragedy of war, and breaking your heart with the perfect redemption romance.

Here’s a quick look at the series in their recommended reading order, so that you know what you’re in for:

• The Last Wish (2007)
• Sword of Destiny (2015)
• Blood of Elves (2008)
• The Time of Contempt (2013)
• Baptism of Fire (2014)
• The Tower of Swallows (2016)
• The Lady of the Lake (2017)
• Seasons of Storms (2018)

Without further ado, let's dive in!

Looking for something new to read?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an email address

1. The Last Wish

While it may be tempting to jump straight into the novels, you should really start here. This short story collection contains the roots of the Witcher books, and will provide you with background information and character details that will be important once you get into the full-length books.

The Last Wish contains seven stories. The first one serves as a framing device, showing an injured Geralt seeking shelter in a temple; as such, it’s actually broken up into smaller sections and scattered between all the other stories. The remaining six are memories that he flashes back to while recuperating, each one with its own narrative arc. Together, they allow us to really get to know Geralt in all his complexity. The stories are clever, epic, and daring — perfectly setting the stage for the novels to come.

2. Sword of Destiny

While the English edition of Sword of Destiny was published after the first few novels were released in English, the stories within actually take place before the events of the series. That’s why we’d recommend you pick up this one next.

Unlike the first collection, Sword of Destiny follows a much more straightforward timeline: we’re treated to six more amazing stories in roughly chronological order. Many of them provide context for major characters in the main Witcher Saga, including the introduction of Ciri. In fact, one of the stories serves as a direct prequel to Blood of Elves , showcasing events from shortly before that book begins. If you’re looking for a full picture of the Witcher storyline, this is a vital book to add to your list.

3. Blood of Elves

With Blood of Elves, the main saga begins in earnest. Blood of Elves is set about a year after the downfall of Ciri’s kingdom. This tragedy sets off a hunt for the missing princess, with factions on all sides vying to get their hands on her. Unfortunately for them, young princess Ciri has fallen under the protection of one of the most famous witchers alive.

Taken to safety to learn how to hone her skills, the rambunctious and headstrong Ciri wants nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of Geralt, the man she admires so much. But as her powers grow, Geralt is compelled to mend bridges with his long-lost love, Yennefer of Vengerburg, for help. Yennefer’s skills as a witch are exactly what Ciri needs to hone the power she’s destined to wield — but as Yennefer and Ciri’s bond grows, so too does the evil that seeks Ciri out.

After the breakneck pace of the short story collections, some readers might find this book a bit of a slow start — but don’t let that fool you. There is plenty of adventure to be found in Ciri’s struggle to grow up, and in the subsequent books, the payoff for all this setup will absolutely be rewarded.

4. The Time of Contempt

Time of Contempt picks up where Blood of Elves left off. Ciri and Yennefer set off for the city of Gors Velen. Yennefer hopes to enroll Ciri in a magical academy there — but of course, even the best-laid plans can go awry. Between an incident involving a Wyvern, Ciri’s own rebellious escapades, and a long-overdue reunion with Geralt, there’s more than enough for Yennefer to keep track of as she attempts to protect the wayward princess.

But the book is also much larger than that. Here, the pace of the series jumpstarts, as all the major plot threads in the rest of the series ignite. This huge book is a wild ride, with everything from spies and betrayals, to seductive sorceresses and unicorns, to the very real danger of a war erupting. It’s a story about vulnerability and control, about humility, about chaos breaking out across the world. The pacing leaves you breathless, unable to escape the need to find out what happens next.

5. Baptism of Fire

This is the midpoint of the series, and Geralt is certainly in the thick of things by now. In Baptism of Fire, war continues to rage on, and all sides are growing increasingly determined. In the aftermath of events from the previous book, Geralt is recovering from injuries — but how can a protector protect if he’s unable to fight?

Geralt’s determination drives much of this book, as he rallies and gathers allies in an effort to reach Ciri before the rumors of her impending marriage can come true. It’s a complex, nuanced book that explores what it means to be a “monster.” It tears old bonds apart as Ciri takes a turn down a darker path, and it throws Yennefer against terrible odds as she’s imprisoned and struggling to reunite with her family. The slow tension draws you along, never once allowing you to let your guard down.

6. The Tower of Swallows

Ciri returns to center stage in The Tower of Swallows. Everyone is hunting her, but she’s retreated into an anonymous life of banditry and killing... until fate intervenes, and her life is changed once again.

Much of Ciri’s recent story is told in recalled flashback, similar to the framing story of The Last Wish . Some of what she experiences at the hands of a chilling new villain may be difficult to read, but they’re important to understand the depths of her torment and the lengths she will later go to for exacting revenge.

Meanwhile, Yennefer and Geralt deal with situations on their own: she’s seeking out old allies in her quest to find Ciri, and he ends up seduced by someone he probably shouldn’t have allowed himself to fall for. The pacing here returns to the slower setup of a few of the previous novels, building for the payoff of the final book. But it’s still thoroughly engrossing, as Ciri processes her recent past and learns what she’ll need to in order to strike out at those who’ve caused her pain.

7. The Lady of the Lake

All good things must come to an end. For many authors, it’s a struggle to figure out how to write an ending to such an epic fantasy series, but Sapkowski is more than up to the task.

The Lady of the Lake finds Ciri trapped on an elven world, alone and cut off from the people she loves. But where others may fall into desperation, Ciri faces her challenge with the determination we’ve grown to expect from the former princess. Meanwhile, Geralt and Yennefer continue in their adventures as they search for the young woman they’ve grown to see as a daughter. Readers will ache to see if the “family” will ever be reunited and get the happy ending they so richly deserve.

We’re not going to say more for risk of spoiling the many surprises this concluding book takes. What we will say is that it’s loaded with cleverly plotted twists and turns, and features appearances by pretty much every character that’s been introduced so far. This book is a thrilling wrap-up to a beloved series.

8. Season of Storms

Although Season of Storms was one of the last Witcher books to be published, it actually takes place after most of the stories in the first collection, but before the novels.

So why did we list it last? Simple: although the timeline is earlier, it ties directly into a major conflict that takes place in the previous five novels. Reading it beforehand will be less interesting without the context — and it spoils several moments from the other books.

For those who have read the rest of the series, however, this standalone prequel will be a welcome dip back into the world of The Witcher , as we follow Geralt on a quest to regain his lost signature weapons. A satisfying dessert to follow the incredibly rich meal that was the rest of the Witcher books.

9. Bonus: The comics adaptations!

Last, in addition to the Netflix series and video game franchise, The Witcher has also been adapted into graphic novels. A couple of times, in fact! And while the earlier series have not been translated to English, Dark Horse Comics started a Witcher series in 2014 based on the storyline from the video games.

Written by Paul Tobin, with art by Joe Querio, this comic series has covered four different story arcs so far. They’re currently available in a trade pub bind up (as well as a single-volume collection of the first three arcs), and make the perfect addition if you finish the books and find yourself wishing to spend just a little more time in the Witcher universe.

The Witcher Volume 1: House of Glass

The Witcher Volume 2: Fox Children

The Witcher Volume 3: Curse of Crows

The Witcher Library Edition Volume 1

The Witcher Volume 4: Of Flesh and Flame

And there you have it — everything you need to know to dive into the rich and engrossing world of the Witcher books. Pick them up today, and you’ll be ready to laud your spoilery knowledge over all your friends as they wait for season two to drop on Netflix.

Can’t get enough fantasy stories? We’ve got you covered! Check out our list of the Best Fantasy Books of All Time , or find a new favorite with our guide to all the different Fantasy Subgenres .

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

Magical Realism 101: Definition and 15 Essential Classics

Magical realism is a literary style that weaves threads of fantasy into a depiction of everyday life. Its heroes aren’t fairies or sorcerers, they’re ordinary peop...

Kindle Cloud Reader 101: What It Is and How to Use It

Much has been made of the eBook’s rise this decade. More of them are being published than ever, and the vast majority are sold through Amazon, the dominant player in online book and eBook retailing. From self-published titles to New York Times bestseller...

70 Best Game of Thrones Quotes from the Books and TV Series

Well, whether you loved or hated the hotly contested final season of HBO's Game of Thrones series, we can bet on one thing: you're sad to say goodbye to Sunday nights spent watching the Seven Kingdoms battle it out for the Iron Throne. True, we do have <...

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Bring your stories to life

Our free writing app lets you set writing goals and track your progress, so you can finally write that book!

The Witcher books reading order: where to start with the short stories and novels

Reading order recs for starting your Witcher novels journey.

• Reading order
• Other books and comics
• Should you read them?

The world of The Witcher is more popular than ever and if you're keen to go back to the source material, you'll need to know where to begin with The Witcher books. The videogames, and the many new TV show adaptations, take the broad strokes of their plots directly from the Witcher stories written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.

The Witcher books include lots of stories, but the central arc follows the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia as he protects Ciri, a princess whose country has been conquered. If you want sword-wielding action, romance, family ties and grotesque monsters, you're in the right place.

Witcher books reading order

It's not the most complicated fantasy series ever, but because the stories weren't released in chronologic order, release date won't be your best guide . The Witcher started in the '80s as a series of short stories written by Sapkowski for a fantasy magazine. In the '90s, the stories were published in two collections, which were followed by five novels, all published throughout the same decade. The books were released in English in 2007, with Danusia Stok translating the first two and David French taking over duties from the third book.

Let's get down to business: what order should you read the books in?

The Witcher books reading order

PC Gamer's got your back Our experienced team dedicates many hours to every review, to really get to the heart of what matters most to you. Find out more about how we evaluate games and hardware.

• The Last Wish
• Sword of Destiny
• Season of Storms (optional; explained below)
• Blood of Elves
• Time of Contempt
• Baptism of Fire
• The Tower of the Swallow
• The Lady of the Lake

You'll want to start with The Last Wish . While it was published second, it's the start of the series, introducing Geralt and establishing the Continent as a backdrop. 

The Last Wish introduces everything you'll see in the games. Sapkowski sets the scene beginning with the importance of Geralt's silver sword with which he kills the monsters. He also depicts the often-corrupt governments around the world, and we meet an ensemble of colourful characters many of us have come to know and love. These include Jaskier (Dandelion, in the games), a poet friend of Geralt who is hearing these tales we’re experiencing, and Yennefer, a sorceress with whom Geralt begins a turbulent relationship. 

The story A Grain of Truth, which features in this collection, kicks off the second season of the Netflix show, telling the story of Nivellen. The rest of the stories in The Last Wish make up most of the show's first season, though it also draws from the book you should read second: Sword of Destiny . It's in Sword of Destiny that we get to know Ciri, and each story takes place directly before the main novels.

The Witcher 4 : What we know The Witcher season 3 : Trailers and cast Witcher 3 mods : Good hunting

A recent release, Season of Storms , takes place within the stories of The Last Wish. While its events aren't integral to the main arc, it's a lore-heavy entry that's worth reading. After that, read the books in the order they were released.

Below are the best prices for these books individually, but they do get sold together on Amazon—the first six books all together on Amazon US and the first seven bundled together on Amazon UK .

How many Witcher books are in the series?

As counted above, there are eight books in the Witcher series —six novels, and two short story collections. Some lists will count the series at nine books, including The Witcher, the original 1990 publication of the first five Witcher short stories. Because those stories were all republished in The Last Wish when the series jumped publishers, and because the original book is now out of print, it's not really worth considering as a separate title.

Other Witcher books and graphic novels

The Witcher graphic novels

Aside from the short stories and novels, Dark Horse Comics have released a lot of Witcher graphic novels. The majority of the comics are based on CD Projekt Red's videogames, not directly on the novels. While not written by Sapkowski, the comics do a great job of adding extras to already released stories, plus they look great as the art evokes the nasty themes of the books and games.

Some of the earlier volumes are difficult to find as standalones in print, so you'll want to find their respective omnibus editions as detailed below.

The Witcher Omnibus

• Volume 1: House of Glass
• Volume 2: Fox Children
• Volume 3: Curse of Crows
• (One-shot) Killing Monsters

The Witcher Omnibus #2

• Volume 4: Of Flesh and Flame
• Volume 5: Fading Memories
• Volume 6: Witch's Lament

The Witcher Volume 7: The Ballad of Two Wolves The Witcher Volume 8: Wild Animals The Witcher Volume 9: Corvo Bianco (issues still releasing as of 2024)

Dark Horse has also produced a couple comics specifically adapting stories from The Last Wish: The Witcher: A Grain of Truth and The Witcher: The Lesser Evil .

Lastly, there's The Witcher: Ronin which is a manga reimagining of Geralt's story, also by Dark Horse, in which Geralt travels to a world inspired by Edo-period Japan to tail a mythical Lady of Snow.

Are there other Witcher books?

Away from the novels, it's also worth reading The World of the Witcher , which is a compendium of information created directly by CD Projekt Red. It's a beautifully illustrated addition to the series that contains everything you'll want to know about monsters, weapons, people and places. Be warned, though, it does feature spoilers for the games and the books. Read it, and you too can call yourself Geralt of Trivia.

There is a designated Witcher 3: Wild Hunt art book but it is pretty rare as it was released only with collector's editions. One to look out for though; I know I always do. And there's yet more artwork available now following the release of the Gwent game, as it too now has its own art book: The Art of the Witcher: Gwent Gallery Collection . And to finish the art side of things off, there's a Witcher Adult Coloring Book that will keep you occupied long into the night, giving your favourite characters unique outfits and painting your own Witcher pictures.

Should you read The Witcher books?

Why should i read them if i’ve played the games.

Because you are obviously desperate for more Witcher content, that's why! One joy I took from rereading the series was reading them with the voices of the games' characters in mind. I could hear Doug Cockle's dulcet tone every time Geralt spoke, which adds a greater depth to the stories. 

They are wonderful books to read with complex political narratives, plenty of backstabbing, magic and love. They aren't just for fantasy nerds, either; they are accessible to lovers of all genres who just want a good series to read. Once you've read them all, you can finally take part in the "What's better: the books, Netflix series or games?" discourse. Come with your notes prepared.

Reading the books will give you a better sense of the world, flesh out more of the cast and create a stronger bond between yourself and the situations in the lore. Characters are drawn with more depth, and although much of the plot will be known to you if you played the games, the books fill in small gaps here and there.

How faithful are The Witcher games to the books?

Very, though only so much of the books was directly brought to the games. CD Projekt Red went to great lengths to bring Sapkowski’s witty, wry and strong Geralt of Rivia to players of the games. Due to the branching narratives of the games, the plot is based on the books, rather than a direct retelling of every story. Everything you’ve seen in the games, however, from runes to weapons and monsters are featured in the series of novels. 

There’s an interesting divide between how Sapkowski sees his world and how it was translated to games, but readers will notice only small differences here and there. Coming to the books from the games brings a certain spark of life to the battles and fights.

It's worth noting though that the games, especially ones of such quality, are designed to bring excitement and danger. This can make some sections of the book—mainly the political discussions—rather dull in comparison. The games, because they deliver the story in bite-sized chunks between the killing and hunting, offer the most interactive way to experience part of Geralt's story.

How faithful to the books is the Netflix Witcher series?

A lot more than the games, by design. Officially, the Witcher show is based directly on the books, not the games. That said, the show takes some liberties, particularity with timing. To more naturally introduce viewers to Geralt and the world around him, Season 1's story is a combination of The Last Wish's short stories and the beginning of Ciri's arc in Sword of Destiny.

The first season was confusing for some folk, so Netflix put together a gorgeous timeline map to keep it all straight (spoiler warning for the books, obviously).  The second season is much more linear and easy to understand, with a few adaptations to stories here and there.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

• Lauren Aitken Guides Editor
• Tyler Wilde Editor-in-Chief, US

Secret Level's turning 15 games into animated shorts, but all we want to know is if that's actually Keanu Reeves piloting a mech

The Borderlands movie was so wretched that someone's made a 3-minute song just from the bad reviews

Steam just updated its reviews system to show when a user has 'played primarily on Steam Deck'

Most Popular

• 2 Best 14-inch gaming laptop in 2024: The top compact gaming laptops I've held in these hands
• 3 Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2024: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I've tested
• 4 Best RAM for gaming in 2024: I've tested the best DDR4 and DDR5 RAM to find the right kits for you
• 5 Best ultrawide monitor for gaming in 2024: the expansive panels I recommend for PC gamers
• 2 PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter review
• 3 MSI Crosshair 16 HX review
• 4 Tactical Breach Wizards review
• 5 Geekom AX8 Pro review

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Take action

• Report an antitrust violation
• File adjudicative documents
• Find banned debt collectors
• View competition guidance
• Competition Matters Blog

Slow the Roll-up: Help Shine a Light on Serial Acquisitions

View all Competition Matters Blog posts

We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition.

View Policy

Search or browse the Legal Library

Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law.

Browse legal resources

• Find policy statements
• Submit a public comment

Vision and Priorities

Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC.

Technology Blog

Avoiding outages and preventing widespread system failures.

View all Technology Blog posts

Advice and Guidance

Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business.

• Report fraud
• Report identity theft
• Register for Do Not Call
• Sign up for consumer alerts
• Get Business Blog updates
• Get your free credit report
• Find refund cases
• Order bulk publications
• Consumer Advice
• Shopping and Donating
• Credit, Loans, and Debt
• Jobs and Making Money
• Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts
• Identity Theft and Online Security
• Business Guidance
• Advertising and Marketing
• Credit and Finance
• Privacy and Security
• By Industry
• For Small Businesses
• Browse Business Guidance Resources
• Business Blog

Servicemembers: Your tool for financial readiness

Visit militaryconsumer.gov

Get consumer protection basics, plain and simple

Visit consumer.gov

Learn how the FTC protects free enterprise and consumers

Visit Competition Counts

Looking for competition guidance?

• Competition Guidance

News and Events

Latest news, ftc seeks public comments on cooperativa de farmacias puertorriqueñas request to modify final commission order.

View News and Events

Upcoming Event

Horseracing integrity and safety authority evidentiary hearing before administrative law judge dania l. ayoubi.

View more Events

Sign up for the latest news

Follow us on social media

Playing it Safe: Explore the FTC's Top Video Game Cases

Learn about the FTC's notable video game cases and what our agency is doing to keep the public safe.

Latest Data Visualization

FTC Refunds to Consumers

Explore refund statistics including where refunds were sent and the dollar amounts refunded with this visualization.

About the FTC

Our mission is protecting the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and from unfair methods of competition through law enforcement, advocacy, research, and education.

Learn more about the FTC

Meet the Chair

Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021.

Chair Lina M. Khan

Looking for legal documents or records? Search the Legal Library instead.

• Cases and Proceedings
• Premerger Notification Program
• Merger Review
• Anticompetitive Practices
• Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents
• Warning Letters
• Consumer Sentinel Network
• Criminal Liaison Unit
• FTC Refund Programs
• Notices of Penalty Offenses
• Advocacy and Research
• Advisory Opinions
• Cooperation Agreements
• Federal Register Notices
• Public Comments
• Policy Statements
• International
• Office of Technology Blog
• Military Consumer
• Consumer.gov
• Bulk Publications
• Data and Visualizations
• Stay Connected
• Commissioners and Staff
• Bureaus and Offices
• Budget and Strategy
• Office of Inspector General
• Careers at the FTC

Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials

• Consumer Protection
• Bureau of Consumer Protection
• Endorsements, Influencers, and Reviews
• Online Advertising and Marketing

The Federal Trade Commission today announced a final rule that will combat fake reviews and testimonials by prohibiting their sale or purchase and allow the agency to seek civil penalties against knowing violators.

“Fake reviews not only waste people’s time and money, but also pollute the marketplace and divert business away from honest competitors,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “By strengthening the FTC’s toolkit to fight deceptive advertising, the final rule will protect Americans from getting cheated, put businesses that unlawfully game the system on notice, and promote markets that are fair, honest, and competitive.”

The final rule announced today follows an advance notice of proposed rulemaking and  a notice of proposed rulemaking announced in November 2022 and June 2023, respectively. The FTC also held an informal hearing on the proposed rule in February 2024. In response to public comments, the Commission made numerous clarifications and adjustments to its previous proposal.

The final rule prohibits:

• Fake or False Consumer Reviews, Consumer Testimonials, and Celebrity Testimonials: The final rule addresses reviews and testimonials that misrepresent that they are by someone who does not exist, such as AI-generated fake reviews, or who did not have actual experience with the business or its products or services, or that misrepresent the experience of the person giving it. It prohibits businesses from creating or selling such reviews or testimonials. It also prohibits them from buying such reviews, procuring them from company insiders, or disseminating such testimonials, when the business knew or should have known that the reviews or testimonials were fake or false.
• Buying Positive or Negative Reviews: The final rule prohibits businesses from providing compensation or other incentives conditioned on the writing of consumer reviews expressing a particular sentiment, either positive or negative. It clarifies that the conditional nature of the offer of compensation or incentive may be expressly or implicitly conveyed.
• Insider Reviews and Consumer Testimonials: The final rule prohibits certain reviews and testimonials written by company insiders that fail to clearly and conspicuously disclose the giver’s material connection to the business. It prohibits such reviews and testimonials given by officers or managers. It also prohibits a business from disseminating such a testimonial that the business should have known was by an officer, manager, employee, or agent. Finally, it imposes requirements when officers or managers solicit consumer reviews from their own immediate relatives or from employees or agents – or when they tell employees or agents to solicit reviews from relatives and such solicitations result in reviews by immediate relatives of the employees or agents.
• Company-Controlled Review Websites: The final rule prohibits a business from misrepresenting that a website or entity it controls provides independent reviews or opinions about a category of products or services that includes its own products or services.
• Review Suppression: The final rule prohibits a business from using unfounded or groundless legal threats, physical threats, intimidation, or certain false public accusations to prevent or remove a negative consumer review. The final rule also bars a business from misrepresenting that the reviews on a review portion of its website represent all or most of the reviews submitted when reviews have been suppressed based upon their ratings or negative sentiment.
• Misuse of Fake Social Media Indicators: The final rule prohibits anyone from selling or buying fake indicators of social media influence, such as followers or views generated by a bot or hijacked account. This prohibition is limited to situations in which the buyer knew or should have known that the indicators were fake and misrepresent the buyer’s influence or importance for a commercial purpose.

As the Commission noted previously, case-by-case enforcement without civil penalty authority might not be enough to deter clearly deceptive review and testimonial practices. The Supreme Court’s decision in AMG Capital Management LLC v. FTC has hindered the FTC’s ability to seek monetary relief for consumers under the FTC Act. This rule will enhance deterrence and strengthen FTC enforcement actions.

The Commission vote to approve the final rule and accompanying statement of basis and purpose was 5-0. The rule will become effective 60 days after the date it’s published in the Federal Register.

The primary staff members on this matter are Michael Ostheimer and Michael Atleson in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. 

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers .  The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov , or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at  ReportFraud.ftc.gov . Follow the FTC on social media , read consumer alerts and the business blog , and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts .

Press Release Reference

Contact information, media contact.

Mitchell J. Katz Office of Public Affairs 202-326-2161

The makers of ‘Alien: Romulus’ defend their AI-resurrected Ian Holm: ‘We did it all with a lot of respect’

• Copy Link URL Copied!

(Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen “Alien: Romulus” — or, for that matter, the original 1979 “Alien” — consider holding off on this one.)

A familiar face appears unexpectedly a third of the way into “Alien: Romulus,” the gruesome new interquel in the “Alien” franchise currently in theaters.

The inclusion of a new “synthetic” (a humanoid android) bearing the likeness of the late actor Ian Holm has already sparked impassioned online reactions. Social media users have questioned the ethics of the multiple-scene cameo, with some calling it “digital necromancy.” Holm, who acted in “Chariots of Fire,” “Brazil” and “The Sweet Hereafter,” died in 2020 at age 88.

For Ridley Scott’s original 1979 sci-fi-horror classic “Alien,” Holm played Ash, a secretly synthetic crew member with ulterior motives. And now his face and voice have been resurrected as a new character named Rook, also synthetic. While “Alien: Romulus” director Fede Alvarez admits to using AI to create the illusion, he hopes viewers will consider the film’s larger intent.

“We were not trying to do what can’t be done, which is to reproduce that person’s talent as an actor, because this is another character,” Alvarez, 46, tells The Times. “The only thing they have in common is the likeness.”

Meet Fede Alvarez, the Uruguayan director whom Hollywood trusts with its horror babies

After rebooting ‘Evil Dead’ and following up with ‘Don’t Breathe,” the filmmaker returns with ‘Alien: Romulus,” which he approached as a Ridley Scott fan first.

Aug. 7, 2024

Among many other callbacks to both “Alien” and James Cameron’s 1986 sequel “Aliens,” the appearance of a half-destroyed android torso interacting with passengers was always part of the new narrative — even before deciding what it would look like.

“We knew we were going to create an animatronic,” says Alvarez, using the term for an on-set lifelike robot, “and that later we were going to do CGI enhancements in the mouth and in the eyes depending on the shots. “Then the question arose, ‘What face does it have? Who is it?’”

Alvarez says his team considered the whole range of synthetics in “Alien” films over the years: Lance Henriksen appeared as Bishop in “Aliens” and then again in David Fincher ’s 1992 “Aliens 3” — in the latter as a legless torso on a table like Rook — while Michael Fassbender played David 8 in Scott’s “Prometheus” and Walter One in “Alien: Covenant.”

“The only one who hadn’t reappeared and who we found fascinating was Ian Holm,” Alvarez says.

Alvarez reached out to Holm’s widow, Sophie de Stempel, to explain the idea and to ask for her thoughts. Then he discussed it with Scott, who had remained acquainted with Holm throughout his life. Both parties were enthusiastic about the proposition for “Romulus.”

“In the last 10 years after ‘The Hobbit,’ Ian Holm felt like Hollywood had turned its back on him and his widow felt he would have loved to be a part of this,” says Alvarez. “He loved this character in particular.”

Scott sees the presence of Rook as a way for Alvarez to “dip into some of the artifacts from the very first film,” he says.

“ Ian Holm suddenly appearing as a company on-board robot — that’s bit of an old-fashioned word there — was a great idea,” says Scott, 86. “That’s how ideas work. Grand ideas evolve. The next step is ‘Blade Runner,’ where you get Roy Batty as an evolved replicant, a human who’s not human, but actually in essence, in old terminology, a robot.”

Back in the first “Alien,” Scott recalls, the shocking revelation that Holm’s character Ash was not human was pivotal to the story, since they had to be prudent with how much of the creature they showed. “We were running out of big, quick scares and glimpses of an alien, because in those days I didn’t have these digital effects,” he says.

Review: Bringing things back to basics, ‘Alien: Romulus’ leans into the horror and the goo

Led by an empathetic Cailee Spaeny in action-hero mode, the new sequel owes more to Ridley Scott’s 1979 original than to other installments — for good and ill.

Aug. 14, 2024

For the production of “Romulus,” Rook was designed as an animatronic in the image of Holm, with facial movements that were the work of off-camera human maneuvering.

“It was 80 to 90% done by the puppeteers depending on the shot,” says Alvarez, describing the subsequent CGI enhancements in postproduction as eye work (“so that the animatronic had a little more life”) and in the mouth to make the lip sync better.

He also had British actor Daniel Betts on set in Budapest to record the facial capture with the cast. During filming, the lines were read in real time using the animatronic. Betts’ voice was then transformed to sound more like Holm’s using generative AI and computer modeling.

“We’re not bringing someone back to life and saying, ‘Ian would have done it that way,’” says the director. “He would have obviously done it differently. We had an actor who was on the set, who worked on the dialogue, who worked with the actors. It’s not like we skipped hiring an actor.”

Alvarez doesn’t think it’s feasible for AI to replace actors in the near future. His choice to use those tools to create Rook, he says, was solely specific to this film and this franchise.

“It’s so much more expensive to do it the way we did it — it’s much cheaper to just hire an actor,” Alvarez explains in his defense. “Doing it this way requires a team of so many people and so many parts to get it done that it’s never going to be really convenient.”

Alvarez maintains that Rook is a character with a distinct personality from Ash, and that his motivation for using Holm’s likeness and voice was a genuine desire to honor his place in the franchise’s history.

“We did it all with a lot of respect and always with the authorization of his family, his children and his widow, who said, ‘We would love to see his likeness again,’” Alvarez says.

More to Read

Striking video game actors hit picket lines over AI: ‘The human element is irreplaceable’

Aug. 1, 2024

Can a robot have a soul? In ‘Sunny,’ Rashida Jones and Hidetoshi Nishijima ponder AI’s humanity

July 9, 2024

NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley on AI: ‘We’ve got to get the ethics of it right’

June 21, 2024

Only good movies

Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Michael Madsen’s wife ‘broke into’ Malibu home, actor won’t be charged after arrest, lawyer says

Aug. 23, 2024

Review: ‘The Killer’ brings a Hong Kong action genius back to the site of his own crimes

Review: A cantor and an older student find reciprocity in the playful ‘Between the Temples’

Review: Weighed down by too much muck and not enough myth, a slackly remade ‘The Crow’ flops

How To Read ‘The Witcher’ Books in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The Big Picture

• Netflix's The Witcher series is a hit based on Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, providing an epic fantasy adventure.
• Fans can immerse further in The Witcher 's world by reading the books, offering more depth on Geralt and Ciri's story.
• The best order to read The Witcher books can be in release date order or chronological order for a better understanding.

When Netflix announced in 2017 that they would be making a live-action adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski ’s The Witcher saga, it became clear right away that the streaming giant wanted their own Game of Thrones . An epic, mature fantasy adventure series that takes place in a dark world with a complex mythology, the Polish novel series seemed to be exactly what Netflix was looking for, with the high viewership of the show’s three seasons proving them right.

With a fourth season on the way, some fans may want to further immerse themselves in the world of The Witcher by delving into the novels that started it all. Whether you want to see how Geralt and Ciri’s story differs from the show or want to be prepared for what’s to come in future seasons, the books are a great place for fans, both new and old, to expand their knowledge of the franchise. Now the only question is, what is the best order to read The Witcher books? Well, see below to find out how to read the books in order of release or in chronological order.

The Witcher

Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

'The Witcher' Books in Order of Release Date

Note: Publication dates are of the original Polish language releases.

'The Witcher' Books in Chronological Order

So now you have a roadmap to read each and every book in the series in the order in which they were introduced. However, the first two books, in particular, are structured in an anthology collection of short stories , and the timeline can get a bit jumbled concerning when things take place. Those who would rather read everything as close to the chronological order as possible simply need to refer to the listing below:

'The Last Wish' (1993)

Though it's the second book to be released in the series, The Last Wish features events that come earliest in The Witcher timeline. It also ultimately functions as a much more accessible entry point into the series , with its introductions to the major characters of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Dandelion (known as Jaskier to fans of the show). Rather than being a straightforward linear storyline, The Last Wish takes more of an anthology approach with a series of seven short stories that tease a wider narrative. Fans will also probably recognize the title as being about a critical point in the relationship between Geralt and Yennefer that will intertwine their fates for the rest of the series.

The love story between Geralt and Yennefer is a driving force in both the original book series and the numerous adaptations of the source material. On one hand, you have Geralt of Rivia - a stoic Witcher whose entire life is dedicated to hunting monsters that threaten innocent villages. On the other, you have Yennefer of Vengerberg - a remarkably talented sorceress who used her magical abilities to heal the disfigured form she's had since childhood. In one of Geralt and Yennefer's first meetings, they both encounter an immensely powerful being known as a Djinn , which inevitably binds the fates of the two characters together forever.

'Season of Storms' (2013)

Season of Storms is the most recent and most unusual entry in Geralt's story . Not only is it a standalone spin-off that doesn't relate to the wider storyline, but it's also a bit difficult to tell where exactly this takes place in the timeline. The consensus seems to agree that it takes place sometime during or after the events of The Last Wish , but again, because it's an independent entry, its position in the timeline isn't super important. While not the most popular novel, it's still interesting to see Geralt in a situation where he doesn't have his monster-slaying weapons and has to use his wit and skill to succeed.

'Sword of Destiny' (1992)

The first book to be published in the series, Sword of Destiny , similar to The Last Wish, is a collection of short stories following the many adventures of mutated monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. It continues to chronicle Geralt's adventures but also introduces the character of Ciri, a young princess who is arguably the most important character in the entire saga . The concluding story of the novel perfectly sets the stage for the remaining saga to come.

Ciri grew up as a princess of Cintra until she decided to leave her kingdom behind to forge a new life for herself. Along her travels, she meets Geralt and Yennefer, who ultimately become her guardians against those who wish her harm. Ciri is frequently sought out by the many villains of The Witcher universe, not for her royal lineage, but because she is a descendant of the " Elder Blood ." Since birth, Ciri has been capable of astounding feats of power and magic that even the most skilled sorcerors are unable to replicate.

'Blood of Elves' (1994)

Now is the point where things really start to get rolling in the story of Geralt and Ciri. A more traditional novel with one overarching story, more or less ditching the established anthology format, Blood of Elves sees Geralt and Yennefer squabble over the training of young Ciri , whose awesome powers are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. It's a bit of a slower-paced tale that does take some getting used to after the breakneck pace set up by the shorter stories in The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny , but it still does a great job setting the stage for an epic saga.

War has officially come to the land of Cintra, as the ruthless Nilfgaardian empire has led a full-blown attack on the kingdom. Ciri was able to escape the bloody battles, but that didn't stop the unrelenting emperor of Nilfgaard, Emhyr var Emreis, from sending every resource at his disposal after the all-powerful magical being. Little does var Emreis know that Ciri is already under the protection of Geralt, who is not keen on letting his young ward fall into the clutches of the empire.

'Time of Contempt' (1995)

The adventures of our protagonists continue right where Blood of Elves left off, with the tides of war between neighboring kingdoms and non-human races like elves and dwarves rising to a boiling point. While the previous story focused more on where Ciri's story was going to go , Time of Contempt gives more of a glimpse into the impact that the current political climate is having on the larger world. It plants the seeds for a difficult moral quandary for the main characters, with them having to decide whether it's better to pick a side or remain neutral.

'Baptism of Fire' (1996)

Much like Blood of Elves , Baptism of Fire spends a good portion of its time setting up adventures to come. While this method of writing may be tedious to some, the halfway point for the main saga introduces some of the unique and interesting characters so far , which is saying something given the already complex people that have already been introduced. Geralt, this time around, is once again seeking Ciri after the chaotic events in the previous story, now with a ragtag group of companions to accompany him .

Baptism of Fire also functions as the first "by release date" appearance of Geralt's vampire companion, Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy. Regis circumvents a lot of the stereotypes of other vampires, as the "Higher" variety like him do not consume human blood to survive (though not doing so is not necessarily socially acceptable). Regis is said to make his big live-action debut in The Witcher Season 4, played by Laurence Fishburne .

'The Tower of the Swallow' (1997)

The penultimate chapter of Geralt's quest to protect Ciri sees the world around him in the middle of an all-out war. While Geralt's fellowship is out searching for her, Ciri has adapted to her new life as a bandit , with a taste for violence and bloodlust clinging to her like a malignant parasite. Seemingly not realizing how important both she and her abilities are to the rest of the world, Geralt may be Ciri's only hope to help her find her true destiny .

'The Lady of the Lake' (1999)

The Witcher saga finally reaches its conclusion in The Lady of the Lake , where the fates of practically every major character are ultimately revealed. With war tearing the world apart, with evil leaders and sinister sorcerers at every turn, Geralt and Ciri now face the outcomes of every decision they ever made , leading to a finale that's sure to make fans who were along the ride for this epic journey satisfied.

We daren't spoil the definitive (as of now) ending to The Witcher saga, but it's a conclusion that is filled to the brim with unexpected developments and shocking character deaths. That goes double for the fates of Geralt and Yennefer, as their grand finale may not be what many fans of the series might expect. However, despite these stories not necessarily being canon in the books, the story does actually continue via a somewhat surprising medium - video gaming .

Freya Allan Teases a "Dark Turn" For Ciri in 'The Witcher' Season 4

"I'll be intrigued to see how they translate that to the TV version."

Geralt's Story Continues in the Video Games

When CD Projekt Red acquired the rights to begin a video game series based on The Witcher , they opted to do something a bit different by making the games a continuation rather than a direct adaptation. All three of the main games and the two spin-off games are available on Steam. While the older entries are admittedly a bit dated, the stories are still so gripping that they're worth playing (though that is set to change for at least one of them, as a remake of the first Witcher game is reportedly in development at CD Projekt Red). Plus, decisions made by players in one of the three main games will carry over to the next game in the series , giving hardcore fans who have read the books an amazing opportunity to role-play as Geralt and try to make decisions he would make. Every game in the series can be found below, and, in addition to the remake of Witcher 1 , a fourth chapter in the saga is also in development.

Spinoff Games

Netflix Adaptations of 'The Witcher'

The Netflix series starring Henry Cavill has seen some tremendous success, with The Witcher serving as a much more direct adaptation of the books. Although Cavill will no longer be part of the series, Liam Hemsworth will be replacing him in the role of Geralt in Season 4. In addition to the main show, Netflix has big plans to expand the IP even further. The series has multiple spinoffs, including an animated spinoff following Geralt's mentor Vesemir titled The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and also a live-action prequel series starring Michelle Yeoh titled The Witcher: Blood Origin . Lastly, those who search for The Witcher on Netflix will find some educational lore-centric videos, including the two-part The Witcher Beastiary .

Stream all episodes of The Witcher on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix

• TV Features

Stay up to date with what's new on Bookworm Era!

Are The Witcher Books Good? A Comprehensive Review

Share this post:

Disclaimer: When you buy from links on our site, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.   Learn more

Are the Witcher books good? This is a question that has been asked by many fans of the popular series, especially since the release of the Netflix adaptation in 2019. The Witcher books were written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and have been translated into several languages. They follow the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a witcher, as he navigates a world filled with political intrigue, magic, and danger.

The Witcher books have gained a cult following over the years, with many fans praising Sapkowski’s writing style, world-building, and character development. However, some readers have criticized the books for their pacing, structure, and sometimes convoluted plotlines. So, are the Witcher books good? The answer is not a simple one, as it depends on your personal preferences and what you’re looking for in a book series. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Witcher books and their impact on popular culture, as well as some of the key differences between the books and the Netflix series.

Key Takeaways

• The Witcher books have gained a cult following over the years, with many fans praising Sapkowski’s writing style, world-building, and character development.
• Some readers have criticized the books for their pacing, structure, and sometimes convoluted plotlines.
• Whether or not the Witcher books are good is subjective and depends on personal preferences, but they are worth checking out if you’re a fantasy fan and enjoy complex, character-driven stories.

Overview of The Witcher Books

If you are a fan of fantasy novels, you may have heard of the popular book series The Witcher , written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The series follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a witcher who travels through a world filled with magic, elves, and monsters.

The Witcher series consists of eight books, including two collections of short stories and six novels. The first book, The Last Wish , is a collection of short stories that introduce the main character, Geralt of Rivia, and his world. The second collection of short stories, Sword of Destiny , delves deeper into Geralt’s relationships with the sorceress Yennefer and the young princess Ciri.

The six novels in the series, Blood of Elves , Time of Contempt , Baptism of Fire , The Tower of Swallows , T he Lady of the Lake , and Season of Storms , continue Geralt’s journey as he protects Ciri, who is believed to be the key to the world’s destiny.

The Witcher books are known for their complex characters, intricate world-building, and morally ambiguous themes. The series explores topics such as family, destiny, and the consequences of one’s actions. The books also contain a diverse cast of characters, including sorceresses, knights, and elves, each with their own unique backstory and motivations.

If you are interested in reading The Witcher books, starting with The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny is recommended, as they provide a foundation for the rest of the series. However, the books can be read in chronological order as well.

Overall, The Witcher books offer a captivating and immersive reading experience for fans of fantasy novels. The series has also inspired a popular video game franchise and a Netflix television series.

The Witcher Books and Their Impact

If you’re wondering whether The Witcher books are worth reading, you might be interested in their impact on popular culture. Written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher series has become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring video games, a Netflix adaptation, and graphic novels published by Dark Horse Comics.

The books are set in a fantasy universe and follow the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter with supernatural powers. The series begins with two short story collections, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny , which introduce Geralt and his world. The following novels, starting with Blood of Elves , focus on Geralt’s quest to protect Ciri, a young princess with a prophecy hanging over her head.

One of the strengths of the series is its characters. Geralt is a complex and flawed hero, and the supporting cast includes memorable figures like Yennefer, a powerful sorceress, and Ciri, a fierce and determined young woman. The books also explore themes like love, morality, and destiny, making them more than just straightforward adventure stories.

The success of The Witcher books has led to a wider appreciation of Polish fantasy literature, and the series has been translated into numerous languages. The books have also had a significant impact on the video game industry, with CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt becoming one of the most acclaimed games of all time.

Overall, The Witcher books are a must-read for fans of fantasy fiction. They offer a rich and detailed world full of memorable characters, and their impact on popular culture cannot be overstated. Whether you’re a fan of the video games or the Netflix series, reading the books will give you a deeper appreciation for the world of The Witcher.

Character Analysis in The Witcher Books

The characters in The Witcher books are complex and multi-dimensional, which is one of the reasons why they are so beloved by readers. Here are some of the key characters in the series and what makes them unique:

Geralt is the titular character of the series, a Witcher who is known for his white hair and yellow eyes. He is a skilled fighter and monster hunter, but he is also a deeply introspective character who often questions his own actions and beliefs. Geralt is a man of few words, but his actions speak volumes. He is often torn between his duty as a Witcher and his desire to do what is right.

Yennefer is a powerful sorceress who is also Geralt’s love interest. She is a complex character who is often seen as cold and calculating but who also has a vulnerable side. Yennefer is fiercely independent and is not afraid to stand up for herself or others. She is also a master of manipulation, which sometimes puts her at odds with Geralt.

Ciri is a young princess who is also a key player in the series. She is a strong-willed character who is not afraid to speak her mind. Ciri is also a skilled fighter and has been trained in the ways of the Witcher. She has a close relationship with Geralt, who sees her as a surrogate daughter.

Dandelion (Jaskier)

Dandelion, also known as Jaskier, is a bard who is often seen as comic relief in the series. He is a flamboyant character who loves to sing and tell stories. Dandelion is also a loyal friend to Geralt and often accompanies him on his adventures.

Family is a major theme in The Witcher books, and many of the characters have complex relationships with their families. Geralt, for example, was taken from his family at a young age to become a Witcher. Ciri is also separated from her family and is forced to navigate a dangerous world on her own.

Overall, the characters in The Witcher books are well-developed and multi-dimensional. They each have their own unique personalities and motivations, which makes for a compelling read.

The Witcher Books vs. The Witcher Series

If you’re a fan of The Witcher, you may be wondering how the books compare to the Netflix series. While the show is based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, there are some key differences between the two.

Geralt of Rivia

The main character, Geralt of Rivia, is fairly consistent between the books and the series. However, there are some notable differences. In the books, Geralt is portrayed as more of a lone wolf, while in the series he has a close relationship with both Yennefer and Ciri. Additionally, Geralt’s backstory is explored more in the books, particularly his time at Kaer Morhen.

Yennefer and Ciri

Yennefer and Ciri are both major characters in both the books and the series, but their stories differ somewhat. In the books, Yennefer is portrayed as more ruthless and ambitious, while in the series she is more vulnerable and emotional. Ciri’s story is also somewhat different between the two. In the books, she spends more time with the dryads in Brokilon Forest, while in the series she is taken in by a group of bandits.

The Witcher series has also spawned a successful video game franchise, and the games have had an impact on both the books and the series. For example, the design of Geralt’s armor in the series is based on the armor from the games. Additionally, some of the characters from the games, such as Triss Merigold, have a larger role in the series than they do in the books.

The Netflix Adaptation

Overall, the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher is fairly faithful to the books, but there are some differences. Some of these differences are due to the limitations of the medium – for example, the books can explore Geralt’s internal monologue in a way that the series cannot. Additionally, the series has made some changes to the timeline of events in the books.

The Witcher Season 2

The second season of The Witcher has been highly anticipated, and fans of the books are eager to see how the series will adapt the events of the books. While it’s likely that there will be some differences between the two, fans can rest assured that the series will remain true to the spirit of the books.

In conclusion, while there are some differences between the books and the series, both are excellent in their own right. If you’re a fan of The Witcher, you owe it to yourself to check out both the books and the series.

The Witcher Books and Video Games

If you are a fan of The Witcher, you may have wondered which is better – the books or the video games? The answer is not straightforward, as both have their own unique strengths and weaknesses.

The Witcher series began as a collection of short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, which were later compiled into novels. The books follow the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a skilled monster hunter known as a Witcher, as he navigates political intrigue and battles supernatural creatures. The books are known for their complex characters, mature themes, and detailed world-building.

CD Projekt Red, a Polish video game developer, adapted the books into a series of critically acclaimed video games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt . The games follow Geralt as he completes quests, battles monsters, and makes choices that affect the game’s story and ending. The games are praised for their immersive world, engaging story, and memorable characters.

While the books and video games share many similarities, there are also significant differences between the two. The books offer a more in-depth exploration of Geralt’s character and the world he inhabits, while the video games offer a more interactive and immersive experience.

One of the main differences between the two is the level of player choice. While the books offer a fixed narrative, the video games allow players to make choices that affect the story and ending. This means that players can experience different outcomes based on their decisions, which adds to the replay value of the games.

Another difference is the pacing of the story. The books are slower-paced and more focused on character development and world-building, while the video games are more action-packed and focused on completing quests and battling monsters.

Overall, whether you prefer the books or the video games will depend on your personal preferences. If you enjoy immersive worlds and player choice, the video games may be more your style. If you prefer character development and detailed world-building, the books may be more up your alley.

Reading Order of The Witcher Books

If you’re looking to read the Witcher books, it’s important to know the correct reading order. The books were originally written in Polish, but have since been translated into many languages, including English. Here are the books in the order they should be read:

• The Last Wish : This is a collection of short stories that introduce the world of the Witcher and its characters. It’s recommended to start here to get a good understanding of the world and its inhabitants before diving into the novels.
• Sword of Destiny : This is also a collection of short stories that continue to introduce the world and characters of the Witcher. It’s recommended to read this book after The Last Wish.
• Blood of Elves : This is the first full-length novel in the series and continues the story of Geralt of Rivia, the main character. It’s recommended to read this book after the two short story collections.
• Time of Contempt : This is the second full-length novel in the series and continues the story of Geralt and his companions. It’s recommended to read this book after Blood of Elves.
• Baptism of Fire : This is the third full-length novel in the series and continues the story of Geralt and his companions as they navigate a war-torn world. It’s recommended to read this book after Time of Contempt.
• The Tower of the Swallow : This is the fourth full-length novel in the series and continues the story of Geralt and his companions as they face new challenges and enemies. It’s recommended to read this book after Baptism of Fire.
• The Lady of the Lake : This is the final full-length novel in the series and concludes the story of Geralt and his companions. It’s recommended to read this book after The Tower of the Swallow.
• Season of Storms : This is a standalone novel set between the short story collections and the first full-length novel. It’s recommended to read this book after The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny.

It’s important to note that while it’s recommended to read the books in this order, it’s not necessary to strictly follow it. Some readers prefer to read the books in chronological order, starting with Season of Storms and then moving on to the rest of the series. However, this can be confusing as the events of Season of Storms take place before The Last Wish .

Overall, it’s up to you to decide which reading order works best for you. Just make sure to read The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny before diving into the full-length novels to get the full experience of the world of the Witcher.

In conclusion, the Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski are a must-read for fans of fantasy literature. With its richly developed world, complex characters, and enthralling narratives, the Witcher saga has gained a dedicated following.

While some readers may find the books challenging due to their nonlinear structure and complex plotlines, the payoff is well worth it. The Witcher books offer a unique and immersive reading experience that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Moreover, the books offer a different perspective on the characters and the world of the Witcher than the popular TV series and video games. The books delve deeper into the history and mythology of the world, providing a richer and more nuanced understanding of the characters and their motivations.

Overall, if you are a fan of the Witcher franchise, or just looking for a new fantasy series to dive into, we highly recommend giving the Witcher books a chance. With their intricate world-building, complex characters, and gripping storylines, they are sure to provide hours of entertainment and leave you eager for more.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the reading order for the witcher books.

The Witcher books 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 Swallows
• Lady of the Lake

Do The Witcher books improve as the series goes on?

Many readers believe that The Witcher books get better as the series goes on. The first two books are collections of short stories, while the rest of the series is a continuous narrative. Some readers may find the short story format less engaging than the novels, but the series as a whole is highly regarded.

Are The Witcher books available in English?

Yes, all of The Witcher books have been translated into English. They were originally written in Polish by Andrzej Sapkowski.

Are The Witcher books appropriate for all ages?

The Witcher books are not appropriate for all ages. They contain violence, sexual content, and mature themes. They are intended for a mature audience.

Have all The Witcher books been published?

Yes, all of The Witcher books have been published. The series consists of eight books in total, including seven novels and a collection of short stories.

Why are The Witcher books so popular?

The Witcher books are popular for a variety of reasons. They feature complex characters, intricate world-building, and a unique take on traditional fantasy tropes. The series has also gained a wider audience thanks to the success of the video games and the Netflix adaptation.

Victoria Cornell

Victoria Cornell helps women adopt a positive mindset even when the struggles of motherhood feel overwhelming. On her sites, Motherhood Life Balance, Neon Moon and Bookworm Era she writes about ways to reduce stress with mindset, manifesting, goal planning, productivity, and more.

• Victoria Cornell https://bookwormera.com/author/victoria/ Don't Let Your Child Be A Dummy: 15 Reasons to Read to Them Nightly!
• Victoria Cornell https://bookwormera.com/author/victoria/ Was Dr. Seuss Racist? 7 Dr. Seuss Books That Clearly Display Racism
• Victoria Cornell https://bookwormera.com/author/victoria/ 15 Deadbeat Moms of Hollywood People Just Don't Like
• Victoria Cornell https://bookwormera.com/author/victoria/ 15 Of The Most Attractive Names Someone Can Have

Get the Reddit app

The Witcher S4 is currently in production! The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is coming late 2024!

WELCOME TO R/NETFLIXWITCHER Netflix Witcher discussion, pictures, memes, and more. This is a respectful, inclusive place to enjoy and talk together about Netflix's The Witcher Universe. THE WITCHER S3 VOL. 2 – Out Now!

The Witcher Review

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

Review: The Last Wish (Witcher Book Series)

Geralt of Rivia

Author : Andrzej Sapkowski Publisher : Orbit Genre : Fantasy

It is no small secret among the staff in the video game department at Geeks Under Grace that I am incorrigible in my Witcher fandom. The  first game alerted me into the franchise’s universe despite its jank; the second game utterly enthralled me; the thir d   put to rest my vacillating when asked what is the greatest game of all time. As CD Projekt RED escalates its marketing for Cyberpunk 2077, so too have I scheduled my life in anticipation of its release. I invested 120 hours of blissful gameplay with Witcher 3, yet never played its two expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, despite purchasing them, not wanting the excellence of the chronicles to end. Therefore, I decided to prolong my enjoyment by reading the Witcher novels first!

As usual with fans of fiction based upon a book series, they would claim the literature’s superiority. At the time that I learned of a Witcher novel series, they had yet to be translated from Polish to English. Still feeling the burn of reading through George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (pun intended) with no conclusion to that series in the foreseeable future, I waited for the entirety of the Witcher saga to be translated before reading.  As of 2017, all seven of Andrzej Sapkowski’s books have been translated, and I have spent the second quarter of 2018 reading all but the newly-released Season of Storms . Thus, I am able to produce reviews in case there are others interested in reading these excellent manuscripts.

Content Warning

Readers sensitive to mature content should approach the literary Witcher series with caution equitable to how one would approach the video games. Whereas The Chronicles of Narnia is written with children in mind, the target audience for the Witcher series is adults. As each book in the series is over 300 pages, I will leave certain details undisclosed both intentionally and unintentionally; an exhaustive catalog of all content worth mentioning in every novel would warrant this guide extending to a full-page alone! To supplement potential gaps, I recommend reading the content guides of our reviews of   The Witcher ,  The  Witcher 2 ,  and  The Witcher 3   for additional insight concerning the mature nature of this franchise.

“Tell that to Hereward. No, not Hereward. Tell that to his wife, the noble Ermellia, adding that if she wants to continue receiving an uninterrupted supply of aphrodisiacs from my pharmacy, she’d better calm her duke down. Let her curb his humors and whims, which look ever more like symptoms of idiocy. ” (84)

Sexuality : “…with a light but decisive movement of her hips…”  The Last Wish opens with a sex scene within its first four pages.   Therefore, expect sex to be a topic far removed from taboo. It is so frequent, in fact, that every story includes a reference to sexuality, including incest (9), rape (60), one-night stands (2, 120), virgins “popping cherries” (185), and some casual, likely post-coital, nudity (257).  

And as far as bed is concerned, well…Pox on it, virtue is rarer today than a rock dragon” (66).

Language and Crude Humor : To the credit of Sapkowski, the language in this book adapts according to the audience and speaker. This means that at a king’s court, one is admonished for using coarse language. But among commoners, uncouthness is the common tongue.  The full gamut of four-letter bombs can be experienced here, though they are placed strategically through the narrative so as to tread into excessive vulgarity. E uphemisms are also popular. For example, one character says that “I became a man,” to describe his first sexual encounter, which is a rape. “Pox on it,” as quoted above, is a popular curse from the Middle Ages. Alcohol and Drug Use : Beer in the world of the unnamed continent is more plentiful than water on earth. Verily, I found myself googling how harmful diuretics could be, wondering if characters would perish from dehydration, for no one seems interested in any other beverage, with the exception of one who demands juice.  Geralt himself consumes special elixirs to enhances his combat abilities. Though I would consider neither combat enhancers nor the ancient medicinal techniques practiced in the temple of Melitele a content concern , they are nevertheless worth mentioning here. Spirituality : The world of the Witcher acknowledges pagan influences. Prominent here is the cult of  Melitele  (41), where “The Voice of Reason” takes place.  Phrases such as “by the gods!” are popular . Note that when a character says “god d—n it!” they are not referencing any of the trinitarian godhead, but pagan ones. Earthly religions are completely absent here; fatalism, in fact, is more popular, peddled in the form of a “destiny” motif. Still, despite Geralt’s devout atheism, Sapkowski provides this dialogue as a punchline:

     “Don’t you think” — he smiled — “that my lack of faith makes such a trance pointless?” “No. I don’t. And do you know why?” “No.” Nenneke leaned over and looked him in the eyes with a strange smile on her pale lips. “Because it would be the first proof I’ve ever heard of that a lack of faith has any kind of power at all.” (44)

This text was written before “mic drops” became a thing.

Violence : Usually, violence is the first category in our content warnings here at GUG, but I am listing it here because though it is pervasive in the text, it is positioned as a necessity for survival rather than a means to an end—the natural end result of the character and plot mechanisms deployed up to that moment. Of course, this runs alongside Geralt’s vocation to slay monsters to make a living, he also acknowledges that some monsters are actually human (132).  Expect descriptions of disembowelment, decapitations, and the like during finales as this is an adventure series. In the event that the blood is spilled, it will come in the form of a flood.

Everyone agrees that the US covers of the Witcher saga suck, to put things plainly. Publishers thought it would be a good idea to generate hype for the literature by using imagery from the video games. For the GUG reviews, I will be using the artwork Alejandro Colucci curated for the editions published in the United Kingdom.

The Last Wish is the first of a long series of texts in the Witcher saga, a collection of seven short stories. The first, “The Voice of Reason,” functions as a Frame Story, whose chapters appear between each non-chronological short story as a lead-in. The first whole story, “The Witcher,” is the text that inspired the introductory cutscene to The Witcher video game. No other tale in the entire Witcher franchise is as cogent as this introduction of Geralt of Rivia as a deadly machine mutated via alchemy for the purpose of hunting monstrosities. As King Foltest accurately points out, he is capable of suppressing thuggery without lethal force (24), but he arguably does so as a demonstration of his lethal skill. Importantly, “The Witcher” reveals that Geralt is not invulnerable, and it is in fact, necessary that he heals faster than humans because frequent mortal injuries are an occupational hazard. 

“This talking has made me tired, Geralt. Briefly: there were two after Primula, Ilka, and Venimira. Everything happened in the same way, to the point of boredom. First, a mixture of fear and reserve, then a thread of sympathy they reinforced by small but precious gifts, then ‘Bite me, eat me up,’ Daddy’s return, a tender farewell and an increasingly discernible depletion of the treasury.” (65) 

The Last Wish returns to “The Voice of Reason” and Geralt during his stay at the Temple of Meli tele , where he recovers from his wounds from battling the striga in “The Witcher.” He debates with, or rather entertains a lecture from, head priestess Nenneke on the grounds that his lack of faith in anything is a weakness. This makes sense after reading “A Grain of Truth,” a story where Sapkowski showcases his mastery of hospitality, decorum, and good conversation, but not before exhibiting Geralt’s forensic skills which set him on the path to encounter a creature that is monstrous, but does not transgress his code as to what qualifies to be slain. This narrative reveals some limitations in Geralt’s abilities as a monster hunter and tops things off with a Disney-like ending.

X-Men fans will remember the Friends of Hu manity , and not for good reason. The Order of the White Rose is the Witcher saga’s equivalent, and two knights show up at the Temple of Melitele to give Geralt the boot from town in the next segment of “The Voice of Reason.” By this time, readers will have grown wise to the fact that Sapkowski likes to directly reference the titles to his stories; here Geralt explicitly requests that the knights listen to the voice of reason (83) and leave, but they only heed Nenneke’s threats. This frame story appropriately leads to “A Lesser Evil,” where Geralt is asked to choose between two evils: murder and murder. Geralt regretfully chooses murder; it is here where Geralt earns epic epithet, the Butcher of Blaviken, after where this story takes place.

“Evil is evil, Stregobor,” said the witcher seriously as he got up. “Lesser, greater, middling, it’s all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I am not a pious hermit. I haven’t done only good in my life. But if I’m to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer to not choose at all.” (104)

In the next “Voice of Reason” segment, Geralt decides to speak to Iola, the girl who seduces him in The Last Wish ’s introduction. While the entire book provides glimpses into Geralt and the lifestyle of a witcher, he lays things out plainly to the girl who has taken a vow of silence, particularly why he practices a code of neutrality in the matters of politics and everyday human life. This code is challenged in “A Question of Price,” the first short story in this collection that I found taxing to read. Admittedly, this might be attributed to the fact that the conflict here is resolved without violence even though Queen Calanthe of Cintra enlists Geralt as an enforcer to ensure that her daughter Pavetta chooses the correct suitor at a feast. Though this is my least favorite story in The Last Wish , it is arguably the most important in the entire Witcher saga, for it is here where Geralt evokes the Law of Surprise, where in six years he will return for a child who has yet to be born, setting in motion his perpetual struggle with destiny, a theme persistent all the way through even the Witcher games. I was only able to appreciate “A Question of Price” after several additional reads.

“I visited towns and fortresses. I looked for proclamations nailed to posts at the crossroads. I looked for the words ‘Witcher urgently needed.’ And then there’d be a sacred site, a dungeon, necropolis or ruins, forest ravine or grotto hidden in the mountains, full of bones and stinking carcasses. Some creature which lived to kill, out of hunger, for pleasure, or invoked by some sick will. A manticore, wyvern, fogler, aeschna, ilyocoris, chimera, leshy, vampire, ghoul, graveir, werewolf, giant scorpion, striga, black annis, kikimora, vypper…so many I’ve killed. There’d be a dance in the dark and a slash of the sword, and fear and distaste in the eyes of my employer afterward.” (133)

Sapkowski unleashes come comic relief through infamous poet and unfaltering  friend Dandelion in the next segment in the fifth chapter of “The Voice of Reason.” He appears coincidentally, as many encounters take place in the Witcher saga; here, however, Dandelion arrives to the chagrin of Nenneke, but to the delight of Geralt. Lifting the spirits of the latter, who had been wrestling with the existential crisis of being a sterile mutant who hunts monsters for a living where if there are fewer monsters, he has less work, and thus his existence becomes unnecessary if not terminal. They recall how they became friends, and traveled together to the Valley of Flowers, where “At the Edge of the World” takes place. In this misadventure, Geralt is recruited to discourage a trickster sylvan from dwelling near a hovel, but he and Dandelion end up in a situation where they suddenly find their very lives at the mercy of a certain race on the brink of extinction.

“Coodcoodak, on his knees, was strangling Draig BonDhu’s bagpipes with his hands, while, with his head thrown back, he shouted over the monstrous sounds emerging  from the bag, wailed and roared, cackled and croaked, bawled and squawked in a cacophony of sounds made by all known, unknown, domestic, wild, and mythical animals.” (171)

In the sixth chapter of “The Voice of Reason,” Geralt tries to leave the temple, but Nenneke calls his bluff and says that he need not try and avoid his lover, who had already visited earlier. She eventually asks how they met, which prompts the book’s titular short story, “The Last Wish.” This begins with another blunder where Dandelion and Geralt are fishing for lack of food and money—their everlasting poverty being a common theme. Rather than a fish, they catch a jar resembling an amphora, and within lives a djinn, who strikes down Dandelion and escapes after Geralt exclaims to it a certain “incantation.” Riding post-haste to the nearest town, Geralt demands to see the wizard living there so that he may heal his troubadour friend. The wizard turns out to be a sorceress named Yennefer of Vengerberg, who, after Geralt relays the story to her, formulates her own plans for the djinn. Things get out of hand, necessitating an unconventional solution, but one that will have a lasting impact throughout the Witcher saga.

“She leaned over him, touched him. He felt her hair, smelling of lilac and gooseberries, brush his face and he suddenly knew that he’d never forget that scent, that soft touch, knew that he’d never be able to compare it to any other scent or touch.” (306)

The Last Wish concludes with the seventh and final chapter of “A Voice of Reason.” As Geralt prepares to leave the temple, the knights of the Order of the White Rose await him, with the offended knight prepared for a duel. The caveat is that if Geralt defeats him, he will be arrested; if he refused the duel, he will be hanged. Well, this short story collection has by now taught the reader that conflict resolution in the Witcher series is often not what one will expect, and things are no different here. I will confess that The Last Wish is my second-favorite text in the Witcher saga, but important to potential readers is how it molds its world filled with towns, kings, and even metaphysical properties that the priest Neville reluctantly but pridefully denotes in The Last Wish . Sapkowski avoids overburdening the reader with his worldbuilding; he devotes a whole chapter to Cintra while barely mentioning is geographical position compared to other important places in the northern kingdoms such as Vizima, Temeria, or Skellige, but there is enough to establish that these are important places to keep in mind for later texts.

There are no throw-away characters to be found in this book. Fans of the video games will recall Dandelion and Yennefer, of course. But even the members of Shrike’s band in “The Lesser Evil” can be remembered for their joke about Geralt’s maternity. Characters who play bigger roles, such as Neville or Nivellen, contribute substantially in ways that one will be able to recall for years. The parallel Sapkowski draws between the Aen Seidhe and Native Americans could hardly be more poignant.

I wish to remain objective in all media I consume—digital, or in this case, hard copy. However, it is nigh impossible to not descend completely into “fanboy mode” over this outstanding collection of short stories. Mark my words: by the time the  Witcher series on HBO is done filming, Sapkowski will be a household name like C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, or George R. R. Martin, and J. K. Rowling. The shows (plural because The Hexer was once a thing), the games, and everything else, however, all begins here with The Last Wish .

Stay tuned for further reviews of our adventures with Geralt of Rivia.

[amazon template=iframe image&asin=0316029181]

The Bottom Line

Maurice Pogue

I’m wondering how you reconcile the sexual aspect of this book with your faith. Doesn’t reading it cause you to think sinful thoughts? In the games you can just skip over the nudity and don’t have easy access to it, with a book it’s always there. Just wanted to know how you’re able to read it as a Christian.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

GDPR & CCPA:

Privacy overview.

• Movies & TV
• Big on the Internet
• About Us & Contact

All ‘The Witcher’ Books, Ranked Worst To Best

I’m still salty about  Henry Cavill’s departure from  The Witcher . It’s hard to picture anyone else being the perfect Geralt of Rivia (sorry, Liam Hemsworth). Looking on the sunny side, when we jump back into the pages of  The Witcher  books, we can effortlessly conjure up the image of Cavill gallantly vanquishing those awful beasts. And for those who had the audacity to watch the TV adaptation before reading the books (myself included), I highly recommend embarking on the literary adventure, too. It’s like upgrading from a microwave dinner to a gourmet feast for your imagination. 

Author Andrzej Sapkowski meticulously shapes  the tale of Geralt of Rivia, a monster-slaying witcher  who trades his sword for some shiny coins, only to discover that life’s moral dilemmas are far more twisted than any creature he’s encountered. The stories hit home because they are more than just adventures in swordplay; they are perceptive explorations of the human (and non-human) psyche.  As impressive as all  The Witcher  novels are , some are unquestionably better than others. To determine which of these works deserves to be called “the best,” we’ve ranked them from worst to finest. 

8. Blood of Elves  ( The Witcher Saga Book 1)

Blood of Elves , the inaugural full-length novel in Andrzej Sapkowski’s enchanting  Witcher  series, steps out of the shadow of its short story predecessors with the grace of a cat and the occasional stumble of a newborn fawn. This book marks the transition from the episodic escapades of Geralt of Rivia, our beloved monster-slaying hero with a heart as golden as his eyes, to a more expansive narrative. 

In this installment, Sapkowski invites us to the illustrious halls of Kaer Morhen, where witchers are brewed stronger than their potions, and then sweeps us across the richly imagined Continent from the bustling streets of Oxenfurt to the enigmatic ruins of Shaerrawedd. Unfortunately, the pacing of  Blood of Elves  sometimes resembles a wagon navigating a cobblestone road—jarring yet determined. And yes, the ending might leave readers feeling like guests at a banquet where dessert was promised but not served. 

7. Season of Storms  ( The Witcher Saga Book 6)

Season of Storms  is a prequel that playfully gambols around the timeline. Here, we rendezvous with Geralt in his vibrant, younger years, when his silver hair had a few less battle-worn tangles. The familiar and the novel coexist in this book, which serves up a delicious medley of Witcher staples like corrupt mages, horrific encounters, and social commentary served over a bed of medieval fantasy. 

Still,  Season of Storms  saunters along its own winding path, meandering through lengthy dialogues that sometimes stretch like a lazy cat in the sun. Sapkowski’s penchant for, shall we say, an appreciative eye towards his female characters takes a front-row seat, at times eliciting an eye-roll or two. Though it may lack the deep connective roots that intertwine the other books,  Season of Storms  is a nice enough detour offering a glimpse into the untold chronicles of our favorite silver-haired Witcher.

6.  Baptism of Fire  ( The Witcher  Saga Book 3)

The third installment is where the plot thickens. Here, Geralt of Rivia embarks on a quest reminiscent of an epic road trip, minus the cheery sing-alongs but brimming with enough swordplay and sorcery to keep things lively. In this volume, Geralt, ever the reluctant hero, assembles a crew—a hansa, if you will— including a sharp-shooting archer, a philosopher vampire, and the ever-loquacious bard Dandelion. Together, they traverse the Continent, which is rife with political intrigue.

Sapkowski writes a story rich in character development and ideological debate. The conversations among Geralt’s crew are full of wit and wisdom, often diving into the deeper end of life’s pool. Yet, not all is smooth sailing;  Baptism of Fire , like a spirited steed, occasionally bucks and rears, particularly when it shifts to Ciri’s less compelling escapades with the Rats. 

5.  Sword of Destiny  ( The Witcher  Short Stories Book 2)

Sword of Destiny  is   the second scintillating string of short stories in Andrzej Sapkowski’s  Witcher  universe. Like a well-aged potion, this collection effectively combines the bizarre and the philosophical without letting go of its sense of humor. Here, Geralt of Rivia finds himself entangled in various twisted scenarios. Sapkowski writes tales ranging from dopplers in distress to melancholic mermaids, each story highlighting a more decadent backdrop to the Witcher’s world. 

Sword of Destiny  is less about slicing through beasts and more about dissecting the complexities of fate, love, and the often-blurry line between monsters and men. Here, the relationship between Geralt and Yennefer dances with the instability of a cyclone. Ciri’s destiny also entwines with that of our stoic hero in a turn of events that is as inevitable as a prophecy. 

4.  The Tower of Swallows  ( The Witcher  Saga Book 4)

The Tower of Swallows  takes a sharp turn into the darker corridors of the series, where the shadows are as deep as the lore and just as intriguing. Here, we find our protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, a knight not so much in shining armor as in weathered leather and sarcasm, continuing his search for Ciri, his protégé. 

The story revolves around Ciri’s ordeal, which is both terrifying and thrilling in equal measure. Her journey, hampered by meetings with the heartless mercenary Leo Bonhart, unfolds with a storm’s intensity. Amid everything, Geralt’s quest swirls like a river, sometimes strong, other times slow, replete with close encounters and near misses that leave the reader perched on the edge of their seat.

3.  The Last Wish  ( The Witcher  Short Stories Book 1)

With a fusion of the magical and the satirical, Andrzej Sapkowski’s  The Last Wish , his initial foray into the world of Geralt of Rivia, serves as an entrée to the magnificent banquet that is  The Witcher  series. This collection of short stories introduces us to our silver-haired, monster-hunting hero. 

Each story carries dark humor and moral complexity, all written in Sapkowski’s inimitable style. Within these pages, we see Geralt tangling with not just creatures of the night but also the often more perplexing intricacies of human (and inhuman) nature. The tales, from a morally ambiguous altercation with a Striga to the titular “Last Wish,” showcasing a budding, tumultuous romance with the enigmatic Yennefer, are as varied as the potions in Geralt’s kit. 

2.  The Time of Contempt  ( The Witcher  Saga Book 2)

The story really starts to heat up in  The Time of Contempt , where tensions rise like steam from a dragon’s nostrils. In this installment, Geralt of Rivia must face terrible creatures, sorcery, and politics, a challenge that may be even greater than taking on a basilisk without his silver blade.  The Time of Contempt  is the series’ culminating novel, and its characters and plots go all out for the ball by engaging in a dangerous dance of intrigue and betrayal.

Sapkowski, like a master chef of storytelling, knows just how to spice up a tale. The Isle of Thanedd coup, a centerpiece of the novel, unfurls, revealing layers of conspiracy and shifting allegiances. Amid this, we witness the young Ciri, Geralt’s ward, stepping into her power, an arc as compelling as it is full of danger. It’s a book where every character, from sorcerers to kings, plays a high-stakes game, and Geralt, the reluctant participant, finds himself at the heart of the storm. 

1.  The Lady of the Lake  ( The Witcher  Saga Book 5)

With all the magic of a climactic scene in a big play, Andrzej Sapkowski’s  The Lady of the Lake  shines as the crowning jewel of his Witcher saga. This installment is where the fates of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri culminate. Ciri’s ability to navigate space and time takes center stage, and the journey is bursting with tales, from the serene Duchy of Toussaint to the climactic face-offs that fans have eagerly awaited. 

The Lady of the Lake  isn’t just an ending; it’s a culmination of myth, a convergence of paths long traveled. The resolution is as satisfying as a well-timed spell, tying up loose ends with the precision of a master witcher’s blade. Yet, in true Sapkowski fashion, it leaves room for pondering.

(featured image: Netflix)

The Witcher Book Review: ‘The Last Wish’ by Andrzej Sapkowski

Share this:

In a world where fairy tales are born and monsters are real, lives a man who denies the first and kills the second. His name is Geralt and he is a witcher. From childhood he has been raised with one purpose: to destroy monsters at every turn. But just because something looks like a monster doesn’t make it evil, and appearing to be good is no guarantee of kindness. It’s up to Geralt to determine what is right or wrong and protect the world from the real monsters. Meet this last great warrior in Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Last Wish (Translated into English by Danusia Stok ).

[ Warning : My review of The Last Wish contains some spoilers !]

The beginning of the witcher’s tale

Witchers are taken from their families at a young age and trained to be ruthless assassins. They are subjected to horrible magical and medicinal transformations to make them into the perfect killing machines. Few candidates (the safe way of saying children) make it through the trials alive to become witchers.

Of those that have made it, none have undergone as many mutations as Geralt of Rivia (played by Henry Cavill in Netflix’s The Witcher series). He executes his work with amazing grace and skill. Songs are sung about him throughout the land. 

Yet most of the time he is alone. Most people are afraid of witchers. Not only are they highly skilled fighters but the many trials they go through also rob them of their emotions. This is supposed to make them better warriors. But something went wrong with Geralt. He claims to have no emotions, and he doesn’t seem to have quite the responses that most humans have, but there is no denying that he does have some feelings and attachments.

The Last Wish shows attachments aren’t weaknesses

One of these attachments is to his friend Dandelion. Dandelion is a wandering troubadour. He and Geralt have many chance meetings during their travels. And whenever they meet up they travel together for a while. Dandelion helps to bring some humanity to Geralt, and mischief. Geralt always seems to end up in some kind of trouble when Dandelion is around. Sometimes it is the poet’s fault and sometimes he just seems to attract trouble.

Geralt’s other attachment is to Yennifer (yes with a Y). Yennifer is a sorceress. Like Geralt, she underwent numerous magical changes to become what she is. Those changes left deep scars that can’t be seen. But Geralt sees them. And he falls in love with her, although he denies even being able to feel love. Their weird on-again off-again romance is heartbreaking. Both are so afraid that they aren’t enough and that they can’t really be happy that they sabotage their own best chance at happiness before they can really even get started.

A different style for this Andrzej Sapkowski novel

The Last Wish isn’t your normal adventure book with one large exciting story tying the chapters together. It’s more of an anthology or even just an accounting of Geralt’s life. There is no overarching goal that Geralt is trying to achieve. No big adventure, war, treasure hunt, or promise to fulfill. Even the title doesn’t come in until the last story, and it is only related to that one story.

It’s also interesting to me that each story didn’t fit neatly into one chapter. Some stories had multiple chapters, some stories shared chapters. It was almost more of a journal but presented as a normal, third-person narrator novel. 

What it really reminded me of is a monster-of-the-day television show. Fans of early Supernatural seasons or X-Files will enjoy and appreciate the format. I actually enjoyed the lack of a higher purpose. I’ve always wondered something about heroes that have big adventures: what do they do when it’s over? I mean you save the world and then what? I felt like The Last Wish gave me a glimpse of the answer. They just keep going. 

Now Geralt doesn’t save the world (that’s the point I was making a couple of sentences ago) but he does have some really harrowing battles. And he just gets up the next day and goes to the next village and does it all over again. This made him seem more real because The Last Wish was just his daily grind. He wasn’t someone fantastic who did something incredible and then disappeared. He was there day in and day out just working to make things better when he was. It was a really different approach to the hero genre and I really enjoyed the change.

Multiple media forms try to tell Geralt of Rivia’s tale

Geralt’s exploits as a witcher are so exciting that one form of media just wasn’t enough for them. The Witcher has been transformed into a video game and a Netflix series of the same name. The first season of The Witcher was based on The Last Wish and Sapkowski’s second book Sword of Destiny (that review is coming soon). The second season was based on The Blood of Elves. The newest season, coming out June 29th and July 27th will be based on Time of Contempt. And hypothetically the fourth season will be based on Baptism by Fire when it is released. The video game is set in the future after the books and is its own story.

Now all these adaptations are fine. Plenty of people like them (I enjoyed the Netflix series). But for me, the best form will always be the books. The detail is so much richer and the internal thoughts are just too difficult to translate to the screen. So if you already have experience with The Witcher  through these other outlets, I highly recommend checking out the source material. 

The Last Wish has a bunch of exciting mini-adventures. Part of what made the book so fun to read was the number of fairy tales that Sapkowski weaves into Geralt’s exploits. I have always loved fairy tales so seeing Sapkowski’s twists on these stories made my day. As he says “in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth” and it was fun to see the “truth”. 

My Rating: 8/10

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski (Translated into English by Danusia Stok )   is available now!  Will you be checking this novel out? Let us know on Twitter or in The Cosmic Circus Discord.

Review: The Witcher: Blood Origin

Luna Gauthier

I've always been a bookworm and fantasy is my favortie genre. I never imagined (okay, I imagined but I didn't think) that I could get those books sent to me for just my opinion. Now I am a very happy bookworm! @Lunagauthier19 on Twitter

Luna Gauthier has 234 posts and counting. See all posts by Luna Gauthier

• Login / Sign Up

The Witcher is getting a new book in the series

Andrzej Sapkowski is working on a new novel, but it might be a while

by Austen Goslin

If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

The Witcher season 3 may have just come to an end on Netflix , but it’s elsewhere in the Witcher universe that the latest big news is coming from. On a new livestream Thursday, Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski said that he’s working on another book in the series, which would be the first one in a decade.

The livestream was an interview with Sapkowski and Ukrainian fans organized by Fantastic Talk(s) . Sapkowski’s comments on the stream, as translated by Witcher fan site Redanian Intelligence , reveal that he’s been hard at work on the new story for some time now.

“Yes, I’m working on a new Witcher book and quite diligently,” Sapkowski said.

As for the story, Sapkowski didn’t give any hints. The good news is that he’s talked about follow-up stories before, so we have a few clues to go on. As he has said many times, the main Witcher story came to an end with The Lady of the Lake — which was published 24 years ago. Just like the books Sapkowski has released since then, anything else in the Witcher’s story will continue to be either a side story or a prequel, according to Sapkowski. So don’t get your hopes up for a sequel to the main series.

The good news is, the book doesn’t seem far away. Sapkowski seemed optimistic about the timing, saying that “it may take a year, but no longer.” So we can hope for a new entry in The Witcher’s story by 2024 — though there’s no telling when an English translation might arrive.

• Entertainment
• The Witcher

Most Popular

• Inside Out 2, Longlegs, Netflix’s Incoming, and every movie new to streaming this week
• Star Wars Outlaws might fulfill the promise of multiple Star Wars failures
• Logan Lucky just keeps getting funnier the longer we wait for The Winds of Winter
• The slickest superhero RPG I’ve ever seen is on sale for $20
• The best movies leaving Netflix, Max, and Prime at the end of August 2024

Patch Notes

The best of Polygon in your inbox, every Friday.

This is the title for the native ad

More in News

The Latest ⚡️

Screen Rant

Every the witcher book ranked (according to goodreads).

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

“I Feel Sorry For Him”: Liam Hemsworth’s The Witcher Geralt Recasting Backlash Addressed By Ciri Actor

If this is henry cavill’s geralt replacement, i’m happy he left the witcher, how liam hemsworth's geralt look compares to henry cavill in the witcher season 4.

Have you binged all eight episodes of  The Witcher  on Netflix yet? If not, there's still time to stay ahead of the cultural touchstone the show is about to become. If you have seen the show and are confused, clarity is available in the books. If you want more details than the show already provided information is available, in the books. If your impatient and don't want to wait until the next season comes out to find out what happens to Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer, there are the books.

RELATED: The Witcher: 10 Best Fight Scenes on the Show, Ranked

There are eight books, now all translated from Polish into English, available. Two of the books are short story collections following all your favorite characters, one is a standalone about Geralt, and five are the greater overarching story of Geralt and Ciri and their destiny. Reading the books in chronological order always makes the most sense (even if the show didn't really go in chronological order) but below we look at the books in order of their popularity from least loved to most adored.

Season of Storms - 3.95 Stars

Season of Storms  is the most recent  The Witcher  novel and, according to Goodread, the least beloved.  Season of Storms  is the least connected of the eight novels, being a standalone story all about Geralt and the loss of his weapons. Chronologically the novel is set sometime during the short story collection  The Last Wish (so about the same time as the first season of the show on  Netflix ), but its plot leaves it sitting off on a shelf by itself in a way none of the other books seem to. Part of  The Witcher 's popularity comes from how its sometimes disparate storylines later come together, and this book (while still popular) can't quite compete with its siblings.

Blood of Elves - 4.17 Stars

Blood of Elves is technically the third book in  The Witcher  series, but it is the first sort of saga novel, its two chronological predecessors being the short story collections (along with the new  Season of Storms ). It is very impressive that of eight books all but one in the series are rated at four stars or higher. This story is really where Geralt and Ciri's relationship actually takes off (so connected in its way to the first season of the Netflix show).

RELATED: 5 Reasons The Witcher Geralt Will be a Better Dad Than the Mandalorian (& 5 Reasons He Won't)

It is well-loved though, obviously as an early book in the series, has to do a lot of heavy lifting in terms of setting up the story, which may explain its lower rating.

The Last Wish - 4.19 Stars

The Last Wish  may sound familiar to Netflix viewers as the short story for which this first collection is named does make up one of the most prominent episodes in season one (where Geralt and Yennefer first meet). If you are looking for some of the major source material for the first season of  The Witcher  on television, this is the book for you. One of the two short story collections in  The Witcher  series, this book is home not only to Geralt and Yennefer's first meeting, but also the season premiere episode in which viewers are introduced to Geralt as the Blaviken.

Lady of the Lake - 4.24 Stars

The Lady of the Lake  is the final book in  The Witcher  series by Andrzej Sapkowski, though it's the last book chronologically, which means there could still be other Geralt and Ciri stories to tell in other collections. Anyway, the grand finale of the sage comes in right in the middle of the list. It obviously means the ending to the long story is at least satisfactory to most, though not their favorite adventure overall. If you're a Ciri fan this book gives you the most Ciri screentime, no contest, so that's something to look forward to if you are planning to take on all of the books.

The Time of Contempt - 4.26 Stars

The Time of Contempt  i s the second book in the saga (so again, behind two short story collections as well as The Blood of Elves ). Having set up the world already it seems readers enjoy being able to slip right back into the war on the continent rather than having to learn about it as they go. This is where things get serious and scary (not that there wasn't action and chaos in  The Blood of Elves ). Here Geralt and Ciri really begin to understand how unstable the world around them really is and what being important to the fight might actually mean for them.

The Tower of Swallows - 4.32 Stars

The Tower of Swallows  again puts the reader right in the middle of the Geralt/Ciri story. War is real and spreading and (spoiler alert) Ciri has disappeared. She's not dead, but she's certainly not at Geralt's side, or even with Yennefer. Here the stories of the main trio once again diverge, though they desperately fight to find one another again. The Tower of Swallows  is the penultimate book in the saga series and, it seems, does such an excellent job setting up for the finale of the series that it is a more well-loved story.

Baptism of Fire - 4.34 Stars

Baptism of Fire  is the third novel in  The Witcher  saga stories: Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of Swallows, and Lady of the Lake . That means it is the very center of the saga story and, apparently, the most popular of all five books. Again, Ciri and Geralt are separated, and rumor has it Ciri has finally been taken by Nilfgaard and resides in its court.

RELATED: The Witcher: 10 Things You Didn't Know About the Nilfaardian Empire

Geralt will try and rescue her. She may be his destiny, but Ciri is also far from Geralt's only problem. These problems make  Baptism of Fire  all the more popular as a story.

Sword of Destiny - 4.35 Stars

Just squeaking by to take the top spot from  Baptism of Fire  is  Sword of Destiny,  the second of  The Witcher  short story collections, after  The Last Wish . This collection is actually where Ciri first appears (chronologically) in the pages of the series. The fall of the Kingdom of Cintra, as seen in season one of the Netflix show, appears in this collection.  The Sword of Destiny  may be a favorite because it does an excellent job setting up the wider world of  The Witcher  while also introducing characters and plot points that will play large roles in the greater saga to follow.

NEXT: The Witcher: 10 Questions the Netlfix Series Needs to Answer in Season 2

• The Witcher

• Your Profile
• Your Subscriptions
• Your Business
• Support Local News
• Payment History
• Sign up for Daily Headlines
• Sign up for Notifications

Book Review: The Witcher - an engaging fantasy series

• Share by Email
• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share via Text Message

Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series is coming to Netflix starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, so now is the time to get caught up with the books.

The Witcher’s world is a collision of ancient European history and a fantasy world filled with monsters and magic. Literally so, humans have somehow crossed into the magical world and have to contend with beasts and magic all rooted in eastern European myth.  Our hero, Geralt of Rivia, is the product of this collision.  A ritual performed on select young men mutates them and gives them special magical abilities.  These men are called “witchers”, and their job is to battle creatures and protect those who need protecting, but only if they can pay.  They are a sort of mercenaries, shunned and reviled by the same communities that hire them for protection, a sort of necessary evil.

Blood of Elves  is the first full-length novel and comes after the lead character, Geralt of Rivia, has already been established in a previous series of short stories. Those stories are a great setup for an epic like Game of Thrones, but really reveals itself to be a much smaller and more personal story. This isn’t an action story despite being filled with magic and grand conflicts. The appeal really lies in the characters themselves. Geralt is a pragmatic man, a mercenary who tries not to get too involved in other people’s trouble.  Ciri is young girl stuggling to cope with a life thrown into chaos when her parents are killed and falls into the care of an unprepared Geralt.  She’s young but shows potential to be a major disruptive force, both magically and politically. 

Blood of Elves  has two action scenes in its 400-page run.  Everything else is conversation.  The writing, the characters, and the translation all make it worth while.  This is a deep, complicated world, but its story is told by the individuals and the setting as much as any action that does or doesn’t happen in it.   

Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher series was well-established in his native Poland when a Polish video game company created a game to follow up on the novels.  The game’s popularity propelled the series to great heights with 2015’s The Witcher 3, a gaming masterpiece.  But make no mistake, the books came first and deserve their acclaim in their own right. 

Steven McCreedy is a library technician at the Cambie Branch of the Richmond Public Library

This has been shared 0 times

More opinion.

Featured Flyer

Advertisement

Supported by

Review: ‘The Witcher,’ a Netflix Heavy Hitter, Finally Returns

Still ranking in the service’s Top 5 in viewership, the medieval fantasy is back for a second season after a two-year hiatus.

• Share full article

By Mike Hale

Before “Squid Game,” before “Bridgerton,” there was “The Witcher.”

In late 2019, it was by some measures the most popular television show in the world, and it was Netflix’s second most-viewed TV debut to that point. Then Covid-19 set in, and two years passed without more “Witcher.” A few shows, notably “Squid Game,” overtook it in the all-time Netflix rankings. But Season 1 of “The Witcher” is still hanging in there , comfortably in fifth place.

That’s impressive, and a little surprising, for a “Game of Thrones”-on-a-budget sword-and-sorcery adventure whose visual and dramatic quality ranged from “hey, not bad” to “[helpless giggle].” Maybe it was a testament to the popularity of the source material, a cycle of stories and novels by the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski that has also inspired a successful video-game franchise. Maybe the audience for sprawling medieval fantasy, even when it’s medium grade, is simply that large.

Or maybe people were just drawn in by the show’s charms, of which it had several: a playful sense of humor (an area in which it scored quite a bit higher than “Game of Thrones”); a refreshingly straightforward episodic structure; and an amusing, minimalist performance by Henry Cavill as the witcher, Geralt, a mutant mercenary charged with hunting down all manner of C.G.I. beasts.

Now the show’s pandemic-delayed second season is here, premiering Friday on Netflix, and based on six of the eight episodes, a lot of what made the series charming has been set aside. But that may not stop it from racking up equally impressive viewership numbers this time around.

Picking up in the wake of the scorched-earth battle between kingdoms that ended Season 1, the show takes Geralt away from peripatetic monster-slaying for hire and puts him on a narrower path, as bodyguard and teacher to Ciri (Freya Allan), the refugee princess with mysterious powers. The third major character, the mage Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), has lost her magic and is also on the run. Jaskier (Joey Batey), the traveling bard — the 13th century’s version of a fabulous cabaret star — who was responsible for much of the sniping humor is offstage in the early episodes.

It feels as if, after the good times of Season 1, the series’s creator and showrunner, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, decided it was time to get serious — to start incorporating more of the elaborate mythology and terminology of Sapkowski’s books.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

The 20 Best Fantasy Books Like The Witcher Saga

With a popular video game and hit Netflix series, almost everyone has at least heard of The Witcher . But this fantasy world was gracing bookshelves long before it came to life on screen. Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski wrote the brilliant book saga in the 1990s. 

If you’ve read the series, you know how quickly this fantastical world and riveting characters capture your imagination. It is surprisingly lighthearted in tone for a tale filled with sorcery, mythical creatures, monster hunters, and war. The witty banter and deep connections between the characters deliver an emotional yet funny story of humanity amidst the sword-wielding battles and monsters.

Andrzej Sapkowski created a must-read series for any fantasy fan, but there are plenty of fantasy books with similar themes and elements if you’ve already finished The Witcher. Read on to discover the 20 best fantasy books like The Witcher saga.

The Red Knight (The Traitor Son Cycle #1) by Miles Cameron

Miles Cameron is the pen name of prolific author Christian Cameron, which he uses for his fantasy novels . The Red Knight is the first book in his debut fantasy series, The Traitor Son Cycle .

The Red Knight (a.k.a. Captain) and his mercenaries are hired to protect an Abbess and her nunnery from a monster. Little does Captain know that defending the fortress is more than just another job: it’s the tipping point for war.

The phenomenal world-building and intricate story will enthrall fans of The Witcher saga. Buy The Red Knight here .  

Assassin’s Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy #1) by Robin Hobb

Award-winning fantasy writer Robin Hobb has been writing professionally for over 30 years, but she is best known for her work The Farseer Trilogy, a perfect pick for any fan of The Witcher.

In the first book , Assassin’s Apprentice , you’ll meet royal bastard Fitz, who possesses the Wit, a magical link with animals. Unlike other magic, the Wit is despised by nobility. So Fitz is forced to give up his gift when he enters the royal household to train to become a royal assassin.

Robin Hobb delivers a unique, action-packed world full of intense, emotional moments. Buy a copy here .

The Rage of Dragons (The Burning #1) by Evan Winters

Named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, The Rage of Dragons by award-winning author Evan Winter is the first book in The Burning series.

Some of the Omehi people are born gifted. One in every hundred men can become more powerful and more deadly, while one in every two thousand women can summon dragons. These are the lucky ones in the hopeless war the Omehi people have been fighting for almost two hundred years. Everyone else will die, including Tau, who plans to escape. But before he can, a betrayal leads to the death of those he’s closest to, so Tau does the impossible: he becomes the greatest swordsman ever to live.

Don’t miss this thrilling fantasy series. Buy a copy of The Rage of Dragons here to get started.

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

This debut novel from author Jennifer Giesbrecht is an equally captivating and horrifying book that fans of dark fantasy will sink their teeth into.

Nominated for the Goodreads 2019 Best Horror, this book follows the story of Johann, a murderous monster in the plague-ridden city of Elendhaven. When Johann first meets Florian, he plans to kill him, but Florian has powers of his own, and Johann finds himself under the man’s spell. Now Florian is using Johann to get revenge on those who wronged him,

This gothic horror of a novel is the perfect quick read after you finish The Witcher. Get a copy here .

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

New York Times bestselling author S. Jae-Jones debuted onto the literary scene with Wintersong , a gripping fantasy novel steeped in magic, music, and romance.

Liesl grew up with tales of the Goblin King, stories that inspired and captivated her throughout her young life. But now that she’s eighteen, she must trade her childhood fantasies for the responsibilities of helping her family run their inn. But then the Goblin King takes her sister, and Liesl must embark on a trek to the Underground to save her.

This exquisite coming-of-age tale is perfect for fans of The Witcher . Purchase a copy here .

Fledgling by Octavia Butler

You know it will be a fantastic story when it’s written by Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Octavia Butler . In her fantasy novel Fledgling , she spins a masterfully plotted yarn filled with darkness and humanity.  

Although Shori appears to be ten, she’s actually a 53-year-old vampire who wakes up in a cave burned, blind, and amnesiac. Now she’s on a mission to remember who she is and why someone attempted to kill her.

Buy a copy of Fledgling here .

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Naomi Novik brings you Spinning Silver, a phenomenal and vivid spin on Rumpelstiltskin, perfect for any reader who enjoyed The Witcher saga.

Determined to keep her family out of poverty, Miryem takes over the collection of debts for her money-lending father, landing her the reputation of being able to turn silver into gold. But when the king of the Staryk gets wind of her, she’s challenged with the impossible, leading her into a plot of deadly choices and a quest for power and love.

Buy this atmospheric and enchanting tale here .

City of Lies (The Poison Wars #1) by Sam Hawke

Sam Hawke’s debut novel, City of Lies, has won numerous awards and is a must-read for all fans of The Witcher .

Young noble siblings Jovan and Kalina live in the city-state Silastra. Jovan is an apprentice poison master and assistant to Tain, the nephew and heir to the Chancellor. When the Chancellor is mysteriously poisoned at the same time an army attacks Silastra, it is up to Jovan and Kalina to protect Tain and save their city-state.  

This fantastic book explores gender, disability, class, and race issues while enveloping readers in a fantastical world of mystery and suspense. You can get a copy here .

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

In Black Leopard, Red Wolf , New York Times bestselling author Marlon James brings you a rich and captivating fantasy novel that will stay with you long after you finish.

Tracker is a man who lives up to his name: A skilled hunter who works alone. But when he’s charged with finding a boy who’s been missing for three years, he ends up with a motley crew of characters to help. As he tracks the boy, he and his crew find themselves being hunted, leading Tracker to ask questions about who the boy is and why some people want to ensure he’s not found.   

Black Leopard, Red Wolf was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time and won the L.A. Times Ray Bradbury Prize. Buy your copy here .  

Queen of the Conquered (Islands of Blood and Storm #1) by Kacen Callender

Another one of TIME’s Best Fantasy Books of All Time, Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender will be beloved by anyone who couldn’t get enough of The Witcher saga.

In the wake of a massacre by colonizers, a young Sigourney Rose became the sole survivor of noble lineage of the Hans Lollik islands. Now she is ready for revenge, and she will use her power to control minds to do it. But she soon finds she and the ruling families are the targets of dangerous magic being used to wipe them all out, and it’s up to Sigourney to stop it.

This brutal and haunting novel is available here .

Hawkspar: A Novel of Korre by Holly Lisle

This gripping fantasy novel by master world-builder Holly Lisle will keep you intrigued and on the edge of your seat until the end.

Hawkspar is the Oracle of War, the most powerful of the avatars of the stone Eyes. She can see into the past and the future and the secrets and evil of the Eyes. Before she dies, another avatar must be chosen, but Hawspar has a plan to help free the enslaved and destroy the Eyes.

Buy a copy of Hawkspar: A Novel of Korre here .

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

A band of retired mercenaries plus an impossible mission equals one gritty and epic tale in this debut novel from Ontario-born writer Nicholas Eames.  

Gabriel’s daughter, Rose, has a natural talent for her dad’s former occupation as a mercenary. So it’s no surprise when she answers the call for mercenaries from the Republic of Castia to confront a horde of monsters. But then she’s trapped in a siege, and her only hope might be her father, hellbent on getting his old gang of mercenaries back together.

This award-winning epic fantasy has all the elements of a great fantasy novel. Get it here .

Mystic and Rider (Twelve Houses #1) by Sharon Shinn

Sharon Shinn is a prolific writer with several fantasy books to her name. Mystic and Rider is the first of the five-book series Twelve Houses and is sure to be a favorite for readers who enjoyed The Witcher .

Fire mystic Senneth is on a reconnaissance mission in the southern provinces of Gillengaria for the king, who fears treachery in the area. She travels with two shape changers, Kirra and C+Donnal, a young mystic, Cammon, and two of the King’s Riders, Justin and Tayse. The more places they visit, the more they find disturbing evidence of devious plots and fanaticism for the anti-mystic religion of the Pale Goddess.

Get this outstanding fantasy book here .

Camber of Culdi (The Legends of Camber of Culdi #1) by Katherine Kurtz

New York Times bestselling author Katherine Kurtz delivers a rich medieval historical fantasy filled with magic and mysticism in her novel Camber of Culdi.

The Deryni are a magical race of the Gwynedd Kingdom. Under the rule of King Imre, the human population of Gwynedd is oppressed, a fact that weighs heavily on Camber, a Deryni noble. Though he has little choice but to serve the Festils, the Deryni tyrants who came to power through the use of dark magic, after the unimaginable death of his son, he embarks on a quest to find the last true heir to the throne.

Purchase this masterfully written novel here .

Jirel of Joiry by C.L. Moore

Jirel of Joiry is the phenomenal medieval fantasy novel from Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Famer C.L. Moore, sure to be a favorite of fans of The Witcher saga.

The land of Joiry has just been conquered by Guillaume, who has the Joiry commander brought before him. Surprised to find it is Lady Jirel, a woman, he has Jirel thrown into the dungeons. But, using her strength and cunning, she is soon free from captivity and goes to the chapel to find Father Gervase. Despite his warnings against it, Jivel reveals her plans to descend a secret staircase into the hellish world to find a weapon worthy of her revenge.

This dynamic and rousing fantasy novel of the pulp era can be purchased here .

The Ladies of Mandrigyn (Sun Wolf and Starhawk #1) by Barbara Hambly

Author Barabara Hambly has a gift for writing lavish worlds, rich characters, and exciting plots. Her book The Ladies of Mandrigyn will surely be a hit with people who enjoyed The Witcher .

A power-hungry wizard has conquered the city of Mandrigyn. All the men have either been killed or captured, so it’s up to the women to form a resistance. They seek out captain Sun Wolf, a mercenary who refuses to fight their battle. But the ladies of Mandrigyn will not take no for an answer.

This sword and sorcery fantasy novel can be purchased here .

Lens of the World (Lens of the World Trilogy #1) by R.A. MacAvoy

Highly acclaimed and award-winning author R. A. MacAvoy is known for creating absorbing worlds filled with adventure. Fans of The Witcher Saga will love getting lost between the pages of Lens of the World .

After being kicked out of military school, Nazhuret is taken in by Powl, an oddball master of optics, who will mentor the young orphan. Nazhuret has much to learn from Powl, including how to be a killer and an optician.

Get a copy of this unique and dark fantasy book here .

Incursion (The Necromancer’s Key #1) by Mitchell Hogan

Winner of the Aurealis Award, author Mitchell Hogan created a chilling and mysterious dark fantasy series, The Necromancer’s Key , which begins with the book Incursion .

Ansker DeVantte is about to undergo the ruthless initiation required to become a knight-sorcerer for the Order of Eternal Vigilance. But as he climbs the ranks, he becomes skeptical, and power begins to rise within him, drawing division between him and the Order. Then the long-gone Necromancer Queen’s fanatics take notice of Ansker, and he must choose which side he is on in a raging war.

Incursion is perfect for any fan of The Witcher saga. You can purchase it here .

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristin Cashore

Graceling is a phenomenal, award-winning novel from the mind of bestselling author Kristen Cashore. Fans of The Witcher do not want to miss this riveting fantasy tale.

In the Seven Kingdoms, some people are born with a unique talent, a Grace. Katsa’s is killing, and, as the king’s niece, her Grace is exploited to be his enforcer. Then combat-skills-Graced Prince Po comes into her life, and Katsa learns new things about her Grace and a terrible secret about the Seven Kingdoms that threatens to destroy them all.

Kristin Cashore’s exciting and gripping novel will have you hooked from page one. Get a copy here .

A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle #1) by Ursula K. Le Guin

No fantasy novel list is complete without beloved and award-winning author Ursula K. Le Guin. Renowned for tackling issues of gender, politics, and otherness, she has been an inspiration to some of the greatest modern authors, such as Neil Gaiman and Margaret Atwood.  

Her novel, A Wizard of Earthsea , follows the adventure of Ged as he transforms from Sparrowhawk in his youth to the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea.

If you enjoyed The Witcher , A Wizard of Earthsea is an absolute must-read. Put it at the top of your TBR pile with your own copy, which you can get here .

Final Thoughts

The Witcher saga is a superb dark fantasy series that has captured the imaginations of its readers. And while Geralt’s tale may be complete, there are plenty of other fantasy books to dive into. We hope this list of the 20 best fantasy books like The Witcher saga will get you started. Happy reading!

What D&D class is Geralt?

This has been a subject of debate in the D&D world. Some say he’s a Rogue. For others, Cleric is more fitting. He’s also been called a Ranger, a Blood Hunter, and an Eldritch Knight. But no matter how you classify him, you don’t want to be in his path when his player rolls a natural 20.

What type of fantasy is The Witcher saga?

The Witcher saga is an epic fantasy, a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot. Because of its darker nature, it is also considered a dark fantasy.

What is considered dark fantasy?

Dark fantasy is gloomy and deals with more disturbing elements and frightening themes. It is often a combo of fantasy and horror.

Who is the father of fantasy?

No question about it: J. R. R. Tolkien is the father of fantasy, writing the beloved trilogy The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit , both of which are given credit by most fantasy authors for influencing their work and inspiring their writing careers.

What is the oldest fantasy series?

Considered by many to be the first book in the modern fantasy genre, The King of the Golden River is a fairy tale you can find in The Victorian Fairy Tale Book , edited by Michael Patrick Hearn.

What is the largest fantasy series?

That honor belongs to the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, with a walloping 45 novels in its universe — a tip of the hat to the late Mr. Pratchett, a master of the fantasy genre.

What is the Sword & Sorcery fantasy book genre?

Sword & Sorcery is a genre of fantasy literature that typically features a hero of humble origins who is thrust into an epic conflict involving supernatural forces and fantastic creatures. This hero is often armed with a magical sword or another mythical weapon which they use in battle against their enemies.

These books often center around themes of good versus evil, with the hero ultimately emerging victorious and overcoming daunting odds. Sword & Sorcery books often contain elements of myth and folklore, as well as elements of horror and romance. The sub-genre genre is often seen as a predecessor to modern fantasy literature.

• Recent Posts
• Fall in Love: The 20 Best Single Dad Romance Books - March 9, 2023
• The 20 Best Books Like Kingdom of the Wicked (YA Fantasy) - February 27, 2023
• The 20 Best Books Like The Bell Jar (Modern Classics) - February 21, 2023

Related Posts:

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

The witches.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 3 Reviews
• Kids Say 3 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Boy and his grandma fight scary witches in classic tale.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Roald Dahl's 1983 book The Witches is a highly entertaining fantasy novel with scary and suspenseful scenes. A young orphaned boy goes to live with his grandmother in Norway, and she tells her grandson true (in the world of the book) facts about witches. Dahl's superior inventiveness…

Why Age 9+?

For a book without much graphic violence, The Witches is pretty scary. The witch

Grandmamma smokes cigars.

No profanity, but the witches talk about kids smelling like "poo" or "dog's drop

Any Positive Content?

Even the tiniest creature can be a hero.

The little boy uses his intelligence and problem-solving skills to beat the witc

Youngsters will learn a little about the physiology of mice. For example, their

Violence & Scariness

For a book without much graphic violence, The Witches is pretty scary. The witches -- who are known to make kids disappear -- discuss chopping off mouse tails and heads. A restaurant cook chops off two inches of a mouse's tail, and it hurts and bleeds for a while afterward. Two other mice are thrown against a wall. Additional scenes keep the reader on edge with the threat of danger and suspense.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

No profanity, but the witches talk about kids smelling like "poo" or "dog's droppings."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Positive role models.

The little boy uses his intelligence and problem-solving skills to beat the witches with their own tricks.

Educational Value

Youngsters will learn a little about the physiology of mice. For example, their hearts beat 500 times per minute -- so fast that it's impossible to distinguish the sound of individual heartbeats.

Parents need to know that Roald Dahl 's 1983 book The Witches is a highly entertaining fantasy novel with scary and suspenseful scenes. A young orphaned boy goes to live with his grandmother in Norway, and she tells her grandson true (in the world of the book) facts about witches. Dahl's superior inventiveness as a storyteller is on full display in the tales Grandmamma tells, and in her descriptions of the physical characteristics that distinguish witches from humans. As in so many of his wonderful works, Dahl also depicts a special, loving relationship between a child and an adult who's not his parent. Grandmamma is a doting caretaker with some singular quirks. She smokes cigars, for example. There's a little violence in the book, especially against mice: A tail is partially sliced off, and two mice are hurled against a wall. However, the threat that the witches will use their evil sorcery against children is what makes the book scary -- perhaps too scary for some kids.

Where to Read

Parent and kid reviews.

• Parents say (3)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 3 parent reviews

Way to scary for little kids (I have read it when I was 4 Year,s old)

What's the story.

The little orphan boy in Roald Dahl's THE WITCHES lives with his Norwegian grandmother, who tells him scary facts about witches. It's a good thing she knows these things, because the boy is prepared to protect himself the first time he encounters one. Grandmother and grandson are informed that his parents' will requires that they live in England. Though they are both loath to leave Norway, they move to England, and the boy attends school there. They plan to return to Norway during his summer holidays. However, Grandmamma becomes ill, and her doctor insists that they not travel until she's recovered. They choose a seaside hotel in England for their vacation instead, and there the boy happens upon a sinister meeting of witches. He listens in and is alarmed to hear the witches plot against all the children in the country. With help from Grandmamma, the little boy must find a way to evade the witches and stop their nefarious plans.

Is It Any Good?

This entertaining novel is full of surprises for young readers, though some are pretty scary. As in so many of his books, Dahl creates a fantastical world in which an innocent child sees right and wrong, and solves problems, more effectively than many adults. Dahl also has a knack for inventing original, compelling characteristics, so that his witches aren't just mean and scary, they're uniquely weird. Fortunately, the witches' creepiness is counterbalanced by the warm, charming relationship between the young boy and his cigar-smoking Grandmamma; they make a great team. Kids who have enjoyed other Dahl novels will certainly enjoy The Witches, especially if they like the thrill of getting a little scared.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the way the witches look and behave in The Witches . How are they similar to, or different from, witches in other stories you've read or watched?

Have you read other books by Roald Dahl? How does this book compare to his other novels, such as James and the Giant Peach or Matilda ?

Did you think this book was scary? What were the scariest parts?

Book Details

• Author : Roald Dahl
• Illustrator : Quentin Blake
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Puffin Books
• Publication date : January 1, 1983
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
• Number of pages : 224
• Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
• Last updated : March 27, 2020

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to read next.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Witch's Boy

The Witch's Curse

Fantasy books for kids, classic books for kids, related topics.

• Magic and Fantasy

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.