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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

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The Witcher #0.5

The last wish, andrzej sapkowski , danusia stok  ( translator ).

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 1993

About the author

Andrzej Sapkowski

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“People”—Geralt turned his head—“like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves.”

“In order to become a witcher, you have to be born in the shadow of destiny, and very few are born like that. That's why there are so few of us. We're growing old, dying, without anyone to pass our knowledge, our gifts, on to. We lack successors. And this world is full of Evil which waits for the day none of us are left.”

“Only Evil and Greater Evil exist and beyond them, in the shadows, lurks True Evil. True Evil, Geralt, is something you can barely imagine, even if you believe nothing can still surprise you. And sometimes True Evil seizes you by the throat and demands that you choose between it and another, slightly lesser, Evil.”

“Love and blood. They both possess a mighty power. Wizards and learned men have been racking their brains over this for years...”

“During his life, the witcher had met thieves who looked like town councilors, councilors who looked like beggars, harlots who looked like princesses, princesses who looked like calving cows and kings who looked like thieves.”

- the voice of reason [***] this is okay. not really necessary, but a decent narrative to tie all the stories together. - the witcher [****] a great introduction to geralt and the world of the witcher. very thrilling hunt and story. - a grain of truth [****] i enjoyed this, probably because its new and not included in the netflix adaptation. i love the beauty and the beast vibes. - the lesser evil [****] OMG THE BUTCHER OF BLAVIKEN! - a question of price [*****] i LOVE this because it basically provides the reason for everything. i love a good origin story. - the edge of the word [***] probably my least favourite story. dandelion is a delight, but overall the story is a little boring. - the last wish [*****] geralt and yennefer are my OTP.

“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.”

“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.”

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

“There’s a grain of truth in every fairy tale”

“Nonsense,” said the witcher. “And what’s more, it doesn’t rhyme. All decent predictions rhyme.”

“No. I’ve no time to waste. Winter’s coming.”

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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)

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Every the witcher book ranked (according to goodreads).

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Netflix's New Superhero Series With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score Becomes Global Hit

That ‘90s show season 2’s ending highlights a problem that ‘70s show always avoided, i've figured out what the boys season 4 is really doing with frenchie's story.

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 (2019)

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.

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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.

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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!

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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

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Are The Witcher Books Good? A Comprehensive Review

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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.

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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.

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

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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

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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

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How to Read The Witcher Books in Order

Here’s how to read the witcher books that netflix's henry cavill series is based on..

Now that Netflix’s The Witcher has arrived, this wild world of wonder and weirdness is being introduced to a whole new audience. However, executive producer and showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich’s adaptation of this beloved fantasy world isn’t tied to the massively successful Witcher game franchise developed by CD Projekt Red and which established its significance in the zeitgeist. Instead, the Netflix show is based on the books by author Andrzej Sapkowski. And maybe, just maybe, fans of the show are interested in giving the books a try as well now. Well, let us help you with that!

The Witcher Books In Order

• The Last Wish
• Sword of Destiny

Blood of Elves

The time of contempt, baptism of fire, the tower of swallows, the lady of the lake, season of storms, netflix's the witcher: cast vs. video game characters.

The Last Wish / Sword of Destiny

The Witcher Book 1 The Last Wish

The Witcher Book 2 Sword of Destiny

• See The Last Wish on Amazon
• See Sword of Destiny on Amazon

Once you’ve read The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, you’re ready to move on to the saga. This is comprised of five novels, all of which tell the stories of Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, Triss, Dandelion, and others. They also introduce a range of characters that don’t appear in CD Projekt Red’s adaptations, most of whom are great.

The Witcher Book 3 Blood of Elves

• See Blood of Elves on Amazon

The first book in the saga, Blood of Elves, takes place after the short story collections The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. It introduces Nilfgaardian Emperor Emhyr var Emreis’ pursuit of Ciri, Geralt’s adopted daughter, in order to marry her and attain power over Cintra, the land that is hers by birthright. In an effort to thwart Emhyr’s plans, the Northern monarchs meet and decide to assassinate Ciri, but Geralt of Rivia watches over her in Kaer Morhen, the remote keep inhabited by Wolf School witchers. Meanwhile, a mysterious sorcerer is also trying to locate Ciri.

The Witcher Book 4 The Time of Contempt

• See The Time of Contempt on Amazon

The Time of Contempt picks up where the previous novel finishes. The Northern Kings are still conspiring with one another in an effort to lure Nilfgaard into war, while Ciri is due to be enrolled at Aretuza in order to study magic. Ciri comes into contact with some of the most powerful sorceresses on The Continent. As war becomes inevitable, she finds herself on the run with a bandit group known simply as The Rats.

The Witcher Book 5 Baptism of Fire

• See Baptism of Fire on Amazon

Geralt spends time in Brokilon forest recovering from events in the previous book, which is where he and Dandelion encounter an elven archer named Milva, who decides to join their group. People who have played the games will be glad to know that the dwarf Zoltan Chivay temporarily joins Geralt’s ragtag group too, as well as the vampire Regis. A Nilfgaardian knight named Cahir also tags along because he feels indebted to Ciri. Geralt officially receives his “of Rivia” title after an epic battle while Ciri begins to feel at home with The Rats.

The Witcher Book 6 The Tower of Swallows

• See The Tower of Swallows on Amazon

Ciri is gravely injured after an encounter with Nilfgaardian bounty hunter Leo Bonhart, who was hired by the coroner Stefan Skellen to kill her. A kind old man nurses her back to health while Geralt’s party continues their search for Ciri and Geralt renounces his status as a witcher. The Lodge of Sorceresses attempt to gain control of a country called Kovir while Triss Merigold seeks information on Yennefer of Vengerberg. (Known as The Tower of Swallows in the U.S.)

The Witcher Book 7 The Lady of the Lake

• See The Lady of the Lake on Amazon

Ciri encounters Arthurian knight Sir Galahad who believes she is the eponymous lady of the lake. The story cuts to a dream in which Geralt overhears Skellen and sets out to rescue Yennefer from a faraway castle. Ciri, meanwhile, tells Galahad about her time in the elven world of Aen Elle, home of the Wild Hunt. She begins to jump between worlds in order to escape them, but Eredin Breacc Glas persistently chases her, as she heads towards a final meeting with her surrogate parents Geralt and Yennefer.

The Witcher Book 8 Season of Storms

• See Season of Storms on Amazon

Those are the eight books in The Witcher series — in English, at least. There are two anthologies consisting of Witcher stories penned by guest authors in Sapkowski’s world that were published in 2013 and 2017, but they’re in Polish. If you can read them, go ahead, but they aren’t considered canon and likely won’t have anything to do with Netflix’s show or the games.

However, this collection is also in Polish. You can check out a fan translation of the “Something Ends, Something Begins” story that’s apparently pretty accurate here, but “The Road to No Return” is a little harder to find. Also, it’s important to recognize that “Something Ends, Something Begins,” like the anthologies by the guest authors, isn’t considered canon, so it’s not indicative of any plot direction in the series at large. The rest of the stories in Something Ends, Something Begins have nothing to do with The Witcher series.

With all of that said, you should also check out The Witcher games if you haven’t yet. The series may not have anything to do with them, but some of the characters you meet also exist in the books, so the games could indirectly serve as a primer for encountering or hearing about some of those in the show. They’re also fantastic, with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, holding up remarkably well — even by 2019’s standards. Henry Cavill, who portrays Geralt in Netflix's series, told IGN even he has played through The Witcher 3 multiple times.

Also See: 3 Witcher Statues to Add to Your Collection!

Dark Horse Comics Geralt Figure - Netflix The Witcher

Dark Horse Comics Yennefer Figure - Netflix The Witcher

Dark Horse Comics The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Dandelion Figurine

In this article.

The Witcher Old World Review - Good Even Without Geralt

You've read the books, played the video games, and watched the TV show, now step into Witcher history in our board game The Witcher: Old World review.

Published: October 3, 2023 3:23 PM /

Reviewed By: Adam Potts

The Witcher franchise, which started as a series of books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, was thrown into the spotlight in the rest of the world when CD Projekt Red released their series of The Witcher games. The franchise has since been expanded into media of all kinds, with comics, a Netflix TV series, and further spin-off video games. But despite its popularity, it's only had a single tabletop release (if you don't count the physical Gwent decks that were released) by Fantasy Flight Games several years ago, that is until now. Go On Board successfully released The Witcher Old World via Kickstarter, and it has now been released to wider retail.

We've covered The Witcher franchise extensively on the site, and you can read our review of The Witcher 3 , and the spinoff games Thronebreaker and Gwent .

What Is The Witcher: Old World?

The Witcher Old World is a tabletop board game, set hundreds of years before the events we can read about and watch (though not as far back as The Witcher Blood Origin ). Each player takes on the role of a Witcher from 1 of 5 different schools and race to be the first to collect 4 trophies.

How Do You Play The Witcher: Old World?

The gameplay in The Witcher: Old World  takes place on a map that contains places that fans will recognize, and once the board is set up and populated with some initial monsters, each player picks their Witcher and collects their components. Players then take turns moving around the board, exploring locations, completing quests, and fighting, either monsters or other Witchers.

The aim of The Witcher: Old World is to be the first player to collect 4 trophies, and trophies can be won in 3 different ways, either by defeating monsters or other Witchers or by reaching level 5 of an attribute. Raising attributes is done at Witcher school locations, where players need to pay to raise them and to do that, they'll need to explore and defeat monsters to gain gold.

Combat, against monsters and other Witchers, is done using decks of cards that along with offering attacks and abilities that are played during combat, also work as the player's and monster's life pool. When either takes damage, they discard cards from their decks, reducing their available card pool as well as pushing them closer to defeat.

Witchers also start with a shield value, that's reduced before they start losing cards, and after their deck is depleted, they can also discard cards from their hand when they take damage. Witchers also have the option to combo cards together, playing several linked cards together for devastating attacks.

The combination of deck building, exploring, and training to level up attributes, plays an important part in the race to be the first to collect 4 trophies. The monsters do level up, but rarely enough to give a Witcher trouble later in the game, but the race against the other players means you can't sit back and focus on leveling up.

The Witcher: Old World can be played solo, and it works well, but the sense of urgency isn't there, the same can be said of 2 player games, and I found that 3 or 4 players games had the ideal mix of competitive pace and game time. I had a blast with 5 players, but it did feel like a large time investment, so wouldn't be the regular way to play the game.

Can I Play Geralt In The Witcher: Old World?

Because The Witcher: Old World is set a few hundred years before the stories and tales involving Geralt, he's not a playable character in the game, but there is a Witcher from the School of the Wolf, along with the Bear, Cat, Griffin, and Viper, each with their own special ability.

What's The Difference Between The Witcher: Old World Standard And Deluxe Editions?

The difference between the Standard and Deluxe versions of The Witcher: Old World is the inclusion of 28 miniatures to replace the tokens in the standard edition. Both editions include miniatures for each Witcher school.

What Are Our Final Thoughts On The Witcher Old World?

Most importantly for me, The Witcher: Old World feels like the Witcher . Not just because of the familiar art, places, and details on the cards, but because the world feels like a place that tolerates you because it's full of monsters, and everything feels very cut-throat between the different schools.

The gameplay itself is an interesting mix of board and deck builder, and I've always loved the game mechanic of using your deck for your life total. There's something to be said about the number of players and length of the game, and while it can be played solo, the race nature is best experienced with 3 or more players.

There are some great narrative elements in the quests, and while I would have liked to have seen this expanded more, it would have added to the run time and would be best experienced in solo play. There's a lot of replayability with the different schools, and even though most games play out roughly the same way, it's very enjoyable, but certainly not infinite unless you're a hardcore Witcher fan.

Should I Buy The Witcher Old World?

There's a lot to love in The Witcher: Old World , for fans of the franchise and even those with no prior knowledge. The deck-building mixed with the board game elements offer an interesting game, even outside of the IP. Witcher fans will get more out of the Deluxe edition, with the miniatures helping with the immersion, but those who aren't fans will get the same enjoyment out of the standard edition.

The copy of   The  Witcher: Old World   used to produce this preview was provided by Asmodee UK.

Review Summary

Reviews you can trust: To ensure you're getting a fair, accurate, and informed review, our experienced team spends a significant amount of time on everything we review. Read more about how we review games and products .

• Witcher Adventure Board Game - Digital Version Review
• Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales Review
• Gwent: The Witcher Card Game Review

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

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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

Is The Witcher Any Good? A Complete Review

By Epic Dope Staff

Updated: September 6, 2020

No Comments on Is The Witcher Any Good? A Complete Review

The latest fantasy drama on Netflix squanders the advantage of having a massive pre-existing fan base. Expecting people to be well-versed in the mythology and featuring a monotonous script, the show misses the mark.

An extravagant budget and good acting fuel some promise into the show as it tries to be the next Game Of Thrones .

1. Article Summary

The show suffers from a general lack of information and build-up about the Witcher franchise. The show drops you in the heat of the mythic mumbo-jumbo from the first episode and expects you to figure everything out. When the three plotlines of the protagonists actually converge, the series shows some promise, and the later episodes are enjoyable.

2. Is it Worth Watching?

The Witcher is based on the Polish fantasy novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, which everyone pretends they’ve read and the phenomenal game which almost everyone has played. The massive open world, stunning design, and memorable characters are what made the game so popular.

But, the series with its weak writing and the lack of a deep, complex plot fails to fill the gap left by Game of Thrones. The show still crossed 76 million viewers on Netflix, making it one of the biggest shows on the platform. Read on for a complete review.

The show’s protagonist is a white-haired, muscular hunk named Geralt of Rivia. He is a part of the fading race of Witchers, elite warriors who possess magical powers and have been shunned from society. They travel from town to town, looking for commissions to hunt down mischievous creatures and gruesome monsters in exchange for coin.

His life becomes entangled with Ciri, a princess with mysterious powers. When a group is known as the Nilfgaard Empire sack, Cintra wants to kidnap Ciri and use her powers for their own good; she is forced to escape. She leaves all that she loves behind, and her only directions are “Find Geralt.”

There is also a tormented disfigured witch named Yennefer in another part of the kingdom . Her life quickly changes when she is recruited into a league of sorceresses, and she is destined to come across Geralt.

II. Cast & Performances

Henry Cavill plays the hulking, grunting macho Geralt and gives his all to the character. He has stated in several interviews that this was a dream character for him and being a fan of the games, he wanted to play it. He brings out his gruff menacing side and is always the smartest person in the room with several witty retorts handy.

Anya Chalotra is the breakout star as the British actor gives a stellar performance as Yennefer. She is convincing, gripping, and her scenes with Cavill are the most enjoyable parts of the series. Both of them struggle in the earlier episodes, but when their storylines converge, it brings out the best in both of them.

Freya Allan is left to play the helpless dame as Ciri and is unable to do much with her scenes.

III. Visuals & Music

The massive open-world gameplay that fans of the series love is recreated spectacularly in the series. The massive Netflix budget is put to good use with a brilliant character design on the monsters and great CGI animation in Geralt’s fights against these nefarious beasts.

The makeup and costume departments also recreate all the main characters drawing references from the novel with great accuracy . A good score enhances the wide-angled country shots and the storytelling experience of the show.

IV. Detailed Review

While The Witcher was being compared to GOT ever since its announcement and trailer drop, it wanes in comparison to the HBO classic primarily for two reasons.

The initial episodes of the show follow a fixed format in which Geralt accepts a commission, we get a great deal of information about the monster he is going to fight and kills it by the end of the episode. This makes the show feel like levels in a video game, and the other characters and their storylines develop independently, taking a long time to converge.

The other reason is the absence of a deeper underlying plot and the ridiculously boring writing. There are several exchanges in which various tribes, creatures, and whatnot are mentioned in passing without going into any folklore. Viewers are expected to be well-versed in Witcher trivia and the confusing banter. The first 4 episodes feel like standalone adventures, and then there is no serious political, mythical, or dangerous plot to keep the viewers’ attention.

In all its seasons, GOT had multiple branching storylines and a rich storytelling experience that spanned the Seven Kingdoms, which the Witcher lacks. The actors can only do so much when stuck with such weak writing.

3. Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan of the novels or the game, there is no reason you wouldn’t like this series. The people looking to binge another fantasy adventure will also not be disappointed as the show features solid acting, violent fights, and lots of nudity to keep your attention.

But to compare it to Game of Thrones is a mistake, and the show fails to set itself up as an epic saga and doesn’t even manage to introduce the rich and complex world of Spakowski’s books to those watching for the first time.

Cinematography/Animation: B+

Direction: C

The Witcher

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‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ Review: Silent Beginnings

The chills are more effective than the thrills in this prequel to the “A Quiet Place” franchise.

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By Elisabeth Vincentelli

The cat. It’s all about the cat.

No matter what else happens in “A Quiet Place: Day One,” no matter how sensational Lupita Nyong’o is — and she is — her character’s feline buddy is going to take over the story and, likely, the discourse around it.

Mind you, there also was a cat, Jones, in “Alien,” a movie that’s a major influence on the “Quiet Place” universe — one in which aliens land on Earth and massacre everybody for no reason besides sheer killing instinct. John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place” (2018) and “A Quiet Place Part II” (2021) laid down the basic parameters, mainly that the creatures’ extremely developed hearing makes up for their blindness, and they hate bodies of water.

But Jones was peripheral to “Alien,” the masterpiece that kicked off a franchise revolving around body invasion. Our fearless new hero is very much embedded in the theme running through all three “Quiet Place” movies: the importance of family, whether biological or chosen.

In Michael Sarnoski’s prequel, Frodo (played by both Nico and Schnitzel) is the support cat of Samira (Nyong’o), a New York City poet living in crippling cancer-induced pain in a hospice. She takes Frodo everywhere, including an outing to a puppet show, where the audience members include a man (Djimon Hounsou) whom viewers of the second movie will instantly recognize. When the invasion begins, he is quick to impart the importance of making as little noise as possible to avoid alerting the attackers.

Somehow borne on meteorites (don’t ask), the aliens immediately get down to their gruesome business. The movie allows us a few good looks at the toothy monsters, who made me think of hellish Giacometti sculptures. But otherwise Sarnoski (who made the endearing Nicolas Cage drama “Pig” ) does not add all that much crucial new information to their basic character sheet — “Day One” is refreshingly free of origin story explaining.

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3 July 2024

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Since I became science fiction columnist for New Scientist , I have had to think a lot about what qualifies as sci-fi. Very often, a book could actually be classified as fantasy, which is outside my remit. More and more, I find myself agreeing with the writer Damon Knight when he said: “Science fiction is what I point to [when I say] ‘That’s science fiction’.”

Anyway, for this holiday reading special, I present my list of some of the year’s best sci-fi so far. All that binds these incredibly diverse books…

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It’s the Summer of Pop Girl Reconciliation

From Charli XCX and Lorde to Monica and Brandy, musicians are working it out on the remix

“Girl, So Confusing” is a song about the relationship between Charli and another musician in the industry. The lyrics describe a nameless friend whom Charli thinks is distant and, for reasons unknown, tantalizingly out of her reach. Charli can never quite work out her true feelings toward this woman, whether either of them actually likes the other, and, crucially, who is to blame for their lack of chemistry.

Fans suspected the song was about fellow singer-songwriter Lorde, and this was confirmed when the two artists dropped a surprise remix of the track. With unexpectedly vulnerable lyrics, the collaboration sets a new standard for self-exposure and self-awareness in pop, while also showing the radical power of trusting someone with your insecurities. And it’s part of a growing shift toward female pop stars resolving conflicts on their own terms, in their own way.

Brat initially comes off as a fun album packed with bops about raving in the club—and it is. But it’s also more than that: The album’s lyrics explore the loneliness of fame, the complications of friendship between women, and the challenges of managing conflicting expectations. As a result, it has garnered near-universal critical praise.

The remix of “Girl, So Confusing” is emblematic of Brat’s more vulnerable take on club pop. In Lorde’s verse, the New Zealander describes her surprise at receiving a voice note from Charli disclosing her complex feelings about their relationship. But rather than continue the feud, the pair decided to “work it out on the remix.” Lorde’s lyrics are particularly confessional in a way that is surprising for a song with this sound: “For the last couple years / I’ve been at war in my body / I tried to starve myself thinner / And then I gained all the weight back,” she sings, explaining that she often canceled their plans at the last minute over her insecurities about how she looked. “I was trapped in the hatred / And your life seemed so awesome.”

.css-1pfpin{font-family:NewParisTextBook,NewParisTextBook-roboto,NewParisTextBook-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-size:1.75rem;line-height:1.2;margin:0rem;padding-left:5rem;padding-right:5rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1pfpin{padding-left:2.5rem;padding-right:2.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1pfpin{font-size:2.5rem;line-height:1.2;}}.css-1pfpin b,.css-1pfpin strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-1pfpin em,.css-1pfpin i{font-style:normal;font-family:NewParisTextItalic,NewParisTextItalic-roboto,NewParisTextItalic-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;} Having a nemesis has long been a standard part of being a Main Pop Girl.

There is nothing new about the music industry, and indeed society at large, pitting women against each other. From Madonna and Lady Gaga to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez—the origin story of the eternal “I don’t know her” clapback—having a nemesis has long been a standard part of being a Main Pop Girl. One of the most notorious feuds of the last decade was Taylor Swift versus Katy Perry. The two women fell out years ago in a disagreement that was reportedly about backing dancers they both employed, culminating in the 2014 release of the Swift song “Bad Blood”—which was heavily rumored to be about Perry. In 2019, the singers squashed their beef (dressed, respectively, as fries and a burger) in the video for “You Need to Calm Down,” Swift’s second single from Lover .

More recently, Brandy and Monica—singers who have been feuding for decades—also worked it out on the remix. The beef between them, pegged to their 1998 hit duet “The Boy Is Mine,” dates back over 20 years and includes rumors of a physical altercation backstage at that year’s VMAs. In 2020, they came together for a Verzuz battle on Instagram Live, but it wasn’t until last week that they officially reconciled by joining forces with Ariana Grande for the remix of her latest single (also titled “The Boy Is Mine” ). Now, Monica credits Grande with ending years of animosity. “It’s changed the trajectory of [our relationship] in its totality,” she told Entertainment Tonight . “My son was in the hospital the other day, and [Brandy] was who I was speaking to while he was there, so I think that is what Ariana has done that she may not even realize.”

The rise of female-driven pop reconciliation songs feels even more notable when contrasted with another major musical moment that began this spring and has continued into summer: the ongoing battle between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar. (Last week, Lamar performed “Not Like Us,” his searing takedown of Drake, five times in a single night .) Hip-hop, of course, has its own relationship with diss tracks, but I have to wonder whether there is something here about narrative control. When women in the industry are feuding, it tends to overshadow their artistry. Publications and stans on social media salivate over the possibility of a “catfight,” rather than the level of talent at play. For men, particularly in more male-dominated genres, this doesn’t happen in the same way—if anything, the opposite is true.

The genius of the “Girl, So Confusing” remix lies not only in its awareness of these dynamics, but also in the song’s acknowledgment of its place within them. It’s a far cry from the sickly sweet scene of Swift and Perry hugging in “You Need to Calm Down,” but it’s also much more interesting. “It's you and me on the coin / The industry loves to spend,” Lorde sings. “And when we put this to bed / The internet will go crazy.” She was right: The internet did go crazy—and there is a certain bleakness, I think, in the awareness that even a reconciliation is a part of the #content stream, where so much of what these women do and say is consumed as a product. Still, at least this way they have been able to control the story and profit from it themselves.

Swift might have recently reignited her long-running feud with Kim Kardashian on the unsubtly titled Tortured Poets Department bonus track “thanK you aIMee,” but it is Charli and Lorde’s reconciliation banger that has captivated the zeitgeist. Perhaps this is because, although their song is about two very famous women, their relationship fluctuations feel more relatable. Who among us hasn’t felt tension with a friend because of the low-level hum of jealousy, or something as simple as dinner plans canceled at the last minute? “It’s just self-defense until you’re building a weapon,” sings Lorde. “She believed my projection / And now I totally get it.” Haven’t we all put on a front for someone out of insecurity, and then regretted it?

Maybe we’re entering an era in which today’s female pop stars are no longer pitted against each other—or at least are better able to publicly resist the pressure to feud. Fans of Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan might be warring over which singer owns the sound of summer 2024, but Carpenter purposefully covered Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” at the BBC Live Lounge—a small gesture that might help set the tone. And just this week, Charli called out some of her fans for chanting “Taylor Swift is dead!” at one of the Brat tour shows in Brazil.

I’m reluctant to unironically describe anything as “empowering.” (Seriously, it sticks in my throat.) But Charli and Lorde’s remix clearly has a deeper message—not just about the importance of reconciliation, but also how to reconcile well . It’s a rejection of the winner-take-all approach to conflict. If the original “Girl, So Confusing” is about the contradictions of female friendship, then the remix is about finding a way through, together—and hopefully, creating an era of pop music that’s a little less brutal.

Louis Staples is a freelance culture writer and critic based in London, UK. He writes “Cultural Staples” — a fortnightly culture essay at Bazaar.com. His work is featured in The Cut, The Guardian, Vogue, Rolling Stone, and Variety.  

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