The Witcher Books Reading Order: Chronologically and by Release Date

Summary:

• Before the release of the first Witcher game in 2007 and the Witcher series in 2019, there were the books.
• The first Witcher story was written in 1985 and was a collection of short stories.
• The Witcher books are really confusing to begin with. So we have made the ultimate Witcher books reading order.

The Witcher games and Netflix’s Witcher series have made Geralt of Rivia a cultural icon. The Witcher 4 game with a new protagonist is set to release soon, and so is The Witcher Season 4. However, if you really want to dive into the world of Witcher, there is also the Witcher book series by author Andrzej Sapkowski.

These are the books that started it all, so if you’re planning to start fresh on them, they might be a bit intimidating. So, we have prepared a list of the best ways to read The Witcher books and how they connect to the games and the Netflix series.

The Witcher Books Reading Order – Chronological

The first Witcher story was written in 1985 when Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski entered a short story writing competition. He wrote a thirty-page short story titled simply The Witcher. The story won third place but got an overwhelmingly positive reaction.

Sapkowski believed that his story was superior to the rest of the submissions and that he only received third place because, at the time, the fantasy genre in Poland was considered to be for children. He then published two short story collections, following it up with the Witcher novel series.

The timeline of The Witcher books is a bit confusing since Sapkowski has written a bunch of prequel books, including the latest prequel book, Crossroads of Ravens. So, here’s the chronological reading order for The Witcher books, including the latest book:

Also Read:

• The Witcher Watch Order Guide

Reading Order of The Witcher Books by Release Date

As is the case with any media, release order is the best way to consume a particular kind of media, unless we’re talking about Star Wars. Ever since the release of the last book (chronologically) in 1999, Sapkowski has been writing prequel novels.

The prequel novels assume you have read the rest of the Witcher saga, meaning if you go by the chronological order, you might miss out on a bunch of references and lore.

If you read The Witcher saga in the order of its release, you won’t miss any references or lore details. Plus, it’s always fun to fill the story gaps as you progress from a prequel to a sequel. So, here’s The Witcher Books in release order:

Here’s your table reordered by original Polish release year (earliest to latest):

Is Netflix’s The Witcher Series Based on the Books

Yes. The Netflix Witcher series is loosely based on the events of the books. However, the situation is a bit tricky. If you ask hardcore Witcher fans, the Netflix series seems to be writing its own story. Sure, the first season does adapt stories from The Last Wish, but many of the characters and plot points aren’t done well.

Are the Witcher Games Connected to the Witcher Books

No. The Witcher games aren’t canon to The Witcher book series. The games technically take place after the books and even feature spoilers, but they aren’t a sequel to the books. CD Projekt Red borrowed characters from the books and wrote their own story, which is continuing. Perhaps the author described it best in a conversation with Eurogamer:

The game – with all due respect to it, but let’s finally say it openly – is not an ‘alternative version’, nor a sequel. The game is a free adaptation containing elements of my work; an adaptation created by different authors.

The Witcher is a well made video game, its success is well deserved and the creators deserve all the splendour and honour due. But in no way can it be considered to be an ‘alternative version’, nor a ‘sequel’ to the witcher Geralt stories.