The Witcher Books in Order: 2 Ways to Read

If you’re trying to figure out The Witcher books in order, you’re in the right place.

Whether you found your way here because of the TV show, or are a huge fan of The Witcher video games, like I am, you may have logically wanted to read the books that started it all.

But if you’re also like me, you quickly realized there were more books than you expected, and The Witcher reading order wasn’t immediately obvious at first.

The good news is there are two solid ways to read The Witcher books in order, and I’ll walk you through both.

Jump to:

The Witcher Books in Order of Publication
The Witcher Books in Chronological Order
Which Witcher Book to Read First?
The Witcher Adaptations
The Witcher Books FAQ

The Witcher Books in Order of Publication

This Witcher reading order uses the original Polish publication order, not the English translation release order.

That distinction matters because the English translations were published much later than the original Polish books, and the English release timeline doesn’t perfectly mirror when the books were first written and published.

For example, The Last Wish was the first book translated into English, even though Sword of Destiny was published first in Polish. That’s where a lot of the confusion comes from. We’ll cover this more in a little bit.

For now, here’s The Witcher books in publication order:

Sword of Destiny (1992) — Short Story Collection
The Last Wish (1993) — Short Story Collection
Blood of Elves (1994)
The Time of Contempt (1995)
Baptism of Fire (1996)
The Tower of Swallows (1997)
The Lady of the Lake (1999)
Season of Storms (2013) — Standalone
Crossroads of Ravens (2025) — Standalone

The Witcher Books in Chronological Order

This Witcher reading order works best as a re-read.

Now that there’s an earlier prequel in the timeline, a chronological read is even less ideal for first-time readers. It may look cleaner on paper, but it changes how the world, characters, and key reveals are introduced.

For most readers, the publication order is still the better experience. But if you already know the series and want to follow the story timeline as closely as possible, here’s The Witcher books in chronological order:

Crossroads of Ravens — Standalone
The Last Wish — Short Story Collection
Season of Storms — Standalone
Sword of Destiny — Short Story Collection
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Tower of Swallows
The Lady of the Lake

Which Witcher Book to Read First?

With multiple Witcher reading orders, the biggest question for most readers is where to start.

Here are the three books people usually compare first, and which one I recommend for beginners.

The Last Wish

This is the best starting point for most first-time readers, even though it is not listed first in either reading order above.

That’s because those lists answer different questions. The publication list shows the original Polish release timeline, and the chronological list follows the story timeline.

The Last Wish works best because it introduces Geralt, establishes how the Witcher world works, and sets up key characters and relationships early. It gives you the strongest foundation for what comes next without starting too early in the timeline or in a less reader-friendly spot.

For most readers, this is the best balance of clarity, context, and payoff.

Crossroads of Ravens

Crossroads of Ravens is an early Geralt prequel set near the beginning of his path as a witcher.

Because it takes place earlier in the timeline, some readers will naturally wonder whether it should be the first book to read. It can work that way for a re-read, but it is usually not the best entry point for new readers. Starting with an early prequel can change how the world and characters are introduced, and that can weaken some of the buildup that makes the series work so well.

It is an important book to know about, but not the default starting place I’d recommend.

Sword of Destiny

Sword of Destiny is the first book in the original Polish publication order, which is why it appears first in the publication list above.

That makes it important in terms of how the books were originally released, but it is still not the best first read for most new readers. Starting with The Last Wish usually gives better context before moving into Sword of Destiny, which helps the character moments and story beats land better.

So yes, Sword of Destiny is essential, but for most readers it works better as an early follow-up than as the starting point.

The Witcher Adaptations

The Witcher has been adapted into video games by CD Projekt Red and a live-action TV series on Netflix.

Those adaptations are often the version of The Witcher that people know first, but there are some significant deviations from the source material.

Are The Witcher Adaptations Similar to the Books?

Yes and no.

The books, games, and TV series all share the same core characters and world, but they do not tell the story in exactly the same way. Character portrayals, timelines, and story details can differ depending on the medium.

The TV series adapts material from the books, but it also makes changes in structure and storytelling. The games are better thought of as stories inspired by Sapkowski’s world rather than direct book adaptations, and they take more creative liberties as a result.

So if you started with the games or the show, it’s best not to assume the books will unfold the same way. Treat the adaptations as their own versions of The Witcher, and use the book reading order above for the best reading experience.

The Witcher Books FAQ

Do I need to read The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny before Blood of Elves?

Yes, I strongly recommend it.

Those two short story collections set up Geralt’s world, introduce key characters, and provide important context before the main saga begins with Blood of Elves. Skipping them can make the early saga feel less clear and less impactful.

Is Season of Storms part of the main Witcher saga?

Season of Storms is a standalone Witcher novel, not one of the five main saga books.

It takes place around the short story era, but many readers treat it separately from the core saga reading experience. That’s why you’ll often see it handled differently depending on the reading order.

Do I need to play the games or watch the Netflix show before reading the books?

No. The books stand on their own.

A lot of readers discover The Witcher through CD Projekt Red’s games or Netflix’s adaptation, but you do not need either one to understand or enjoy the books.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.