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.
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).
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 is 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.
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.
