You’ve probably seen the show, played the games, or at least heard the word "Toss a coin" more times than you’d like. But standing in a bookstore looking at a shelf of Andrzej Sapkowski’s work is a different beast entirely. It’s a mess. Honestly, the English publishers didn't do anyone any favors with the numbering on the spines. If you just grab "Book 1" and start reading, you might actually be starting in the middle of the story without realizing it.
The problem is that the series didn't start as a serialized epic. It started as a bunch of weird, gritty fairy tale subversions in a Polish magazine called Fantastyka. Because of how these were later collected and translated, the the Witcher books order is famously counterintuitive.
If you want the real experience—the one where the emotional payoffs actually land—you have to ignore the "Volume" numbers on the back of some editions.
The Chronological Order vs. Publication Chaos
Most people assume they should read in the order the books were published. Usually, that’s a safe bet. With Geralt of Rivia, it’s a trap.
In Poland, Sword of Destiny was released in 1992, followed by The Last Wish in 1993. However, The Last Wish contains stories that happen earlier in Geralt's life. To make things even more annoying for us English speakers, Sword of Destiny wasn’t even translated into English until 2015—long after the "main" saga had already started hitting shelves in the West.
This created a generation of confused fans who started with Blood of Elves (labeled as Book 1 in many regions) and had no idea who Yennefer was or why this Ciri kid mattered so much.
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1. The Last Wish (Short Story Collection)
This is your actual starting point. Do not skip it. It’s a collection of stories framed by a narrative called "The Voice of Reason," where Geralt is recovering in a temple. It introduces the "Law of Surprise," Geralt’s complicated bond with the bard Dandelion (Jaskier), and his first meeting with Yennefer.
2. Sword of Destiny (Short Story Collection)
This is technically the second book, though it was published first in Poland. It’s absolutely essential. It bridges the gap between the "monster of the week" stories and the massive world-war epic that follows. This is where Geralt and Ciri’s destiny is truly forged. If you skip this, the first "novel" will feel like you walked into a movie an hour late.
3. Blood of Elves (The Saga Begins)
Now you’re into the meat of the story. This is the first of five novels that make up the "main" saga. It shifts away from short, self-contained adventures into a sprawling political thriller involving empires, sorceresses, and racism.
4. Time of Contempt
Things get dark here. The Northern Kingdoms and the Nilfgaardian Empire are at each other's throats. Ciri is growing up, and everyone wants to use her for her bloodline or her power.
5. Baptism of Fire
This is arguably the fan favorite. Geralt isn't just a lone wolf anymore; he forms a "hanza" (a group of unlikely companions). You meet Regis, a high-order vampire who is easily one of the best characters in fantasy literature.
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6. The Tower of the Swallow
The perspective shifts quite a bit here. It’s a bit more experimental in its storytelling, jumping through time and viewpoints as Ciri tries to survive on her own while being hunted by the most terrifying bounty hunter in the world, Leo Bonhart.
7. The Lady of the Lake
The grand finale. It’s long, it’s weird, it involves Arthurian legend, and it brings the Ciri and Geralt story to a close. Or does it?
What About the Prequels?
This is where it gets tricky. Recently, Sapkowski has returned to the world of the Witcher with books that take place much earlier in the timeline.
Season of Storms (published in 2013) is a "sidequel." It takes place mostly between the stories in The Last Wish. You’d think that means you should read it first, right? Wrong.
Sapkowski wrote it with the assumption that you’ve already finished the main saga. There are epilogues and nods that will completely spoil the ending of The Lady of the Lake if you aren't careful. It’s a great book, but save it for the very end. It’s like a bittersweet dessert after a very long meal.
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Then there is the newest addition, Crossroads of Ravens (2024/2025). This one goes way back to a teenage Geralt. He’s fresh out of Kaer Morhen, trying to figure out if he can actually survive as a monster hunter. It’s a coming-of-age story. While it’s chronologically the earliest, most long-time fans still suggest reading it after the main series. Why? Because seeing a "legend" as a clumsy teenager is more impactful when you already know what he becomes.
The Secret "Non-Canon" Stories
If you’re a completionist, you might stumble upon a collection called Something Ends, Something Begins.
Most of the stories in here have nothing to do with the Witcher. However, two of them do. "A Road with No Return" is a story about Geralt’s mother, Visenna. "Something Ends, Something Begins" is a non-canon "what if" story about Geralt and Yennefer’s wedding. Sapkowski wrote it as a gift for friends, but it’s a lovely, lighthearted read for anyone who needs a break from the relentless misery of the main books.
Why the Order Matters for Discoverability
If you're trying to understand the the Witcher books order to get ready for the new games or the final seasons of the show, remember that the games are technically "fan fiction." They take place after the books end.
The books are the foundation. If you follow the chronological order (starting with The Last Wish), you’ll see the evolution of a character who starts as a cynical mutant and ends as a father figure trying to save the world. If you start with Blood of Elves, you miss the "why" behind every decision Geralt makes.
Actionable Steps for New Readers:
- Check the Title, Not the Number: Don't trust the "Book 1" sticker on Blood of Elves. Look for The Last Wish.
- Don't Skip the Shorts: The short stories aren't "filler." They are the most important part of the character development.
- Watch the Spoilers in Season of Storms: No matter how tempted you are to read the "prequel" first, don't. The epilogue will ruin the ending of the entire saga for you.
- Note the Year: Crossroads of Ravens is the newest release. It's a great "re-entry" point for old fans, but for a first-timer, the original short stories are still the best introduction to the tone of the Continent.
Start with the stories. Move to the saga. End with the prequels. That’s how you actually experience the Continent the way it was meant to be felt.