Book · in order
The Witcher Books in Order
Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher books read best with the short-story collections first (The Last Wish, then Sword of Destiny), followed by the five-novel Saga. The standalone Season of Storms and the 2024 prequel Crossroads of Ravens are best saved for after the main run.
The Witcher Books in Order — complete list
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Why this order?
The Witcher began as short stories before Andrzej Sapkowski expanded it into a full novel saga, which is why the recommended reading order does not match publication order. The stories introduce the witcher Geralt of Rivia, the sorceress Yennefer, and the bard Dandelion in self-contained adventures, then the five connected novels follow Geralt and the prophesied child Ciri across a war-torn Continent.
The recommended reading order starts with the two short-story collections: The Last Wish, then Sword of Destiny. These set up the relationships and lore the Saga assumes you already know. From there you read the five novels in sequence: Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and The Lady of the Lake. After the Saga come the two standalones. Season of Storms (2013) is set during the early short-story era but was written decades later, so it reads best once you know Geralt's world. Crossroads of Ravens (2024) is a prequel to Geralt's youth; it is chronologically the earliest story but, like Season of Storms, rewards prior knowledge and lands best at the end.
The key gotcha is the collections. Sword of Destiny was actually published first in Polish (1992), with The Last Wish following in 1993, but English readers and Sapkowski's own internal chronology favor reading The Last Wish first. The publication order offered as an alternate flips that pairing and sorts everything strictly by release year, ending with Crossroads of Ravens.
If you came from CD Projekt Red's video games (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) or the Netflix series starring Henry Cavill, note that the games are a sequel set after the novels while the series adapts them loosely. Either way, the books are the source, so reading them first reframes everything the adaptations and continuations build on.
Timeline 1992–2024
Every entry plotted by release year — see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Cameos & crossovers
Characters from The Witcher who also show up elsewhere — see the full character atlas →
- Ciri
Cintra's Child of Surprise with world-jumping Elder Blood; central to both Witcher books and games.
Also in The Witcher - Dandelion (Jaskier)
Boastful bard and Geralt's traveling companion; features in both Witcher novels and games.
Also in The Witcher - Geralt of Rivia
The White Wolf, monster-hunting witcher; the same Geralt anchors both Sapkowski's books and CD Projekt's games.
Also in The Witcher - Triss Merigold
Red-haired sorceress and loyal ally; recurring in both Witcher books and games.
Also in The Witcher - Yennefer of Vengerberg
Powerful sorceress and Geralt's great love; shared across the Witcher novels and games.
Also in The Witcher
Frequently asked questions
What order should I read The Witcher books in?
Start with the short-story collections The Last Wish then Sword of Destiny, which introduce Geralt and the world. Then read the five-novel Saga in order: Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and The Lady of the Lake. Finish with the two standalones, Season of Storms and the prequel Crossroads of Ravens, last.
How many Witcher books are there?
There are nine main Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski: two short-story collections (The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny), the five-novel Witcher Saga, the standalone novel Season of Storms, and the 2024 prequel Crossroads of Ravens.
Should I read The Last Wish or Sword of Destiny first?
Read The Last Wish first. Sword of Destiny was published earlier in Polish, but The Last Wish works better as an introduction and is the recommended entry point in English.
Where does Season of Storms fit in the reading order?
Season of Storms is a standalone novel set during the early short-story era, before the main Saga. It was written decades later, so it reads best after the Saga, once you already know Geralt's world.
What is Crossroads of Ravens and where does it fit?
Crossroads of Ravens (Polish: Rozdroże kruków) is a 2024 standalone prequel set in Geralt's youth, the ninth main Witcher book. Chronologically it is the earliest story, but because it was written last and rewards prior knowledge, most guides recommend reading it after the main series.
Do I need to read the books before playing the games or watching the Netflix series?
No, but it helps. CD Projekt Red's games (including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) are a sequel set after the books, and the Netflix series adapts them loosely, so reading first adds depth without being required.
Is reading order different from publication order?
Yes. Publication order opens with Sword of Destiny (1992) before The Last Wish (1993) and then runs by release year, ending with Crossroads of Ravens (2024). Recommended reading order flips the collections and saves the standalones, Season of Storms and Crossroads of Ravens, for last.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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