The Witcher Books (Polish: Wiedźmin) is a fantasy series of short stories and novels written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The series is known as The Witcher Saga and has amassed a cult following in Poland as well as other European countries.
It has been adapted into a graphic novel series, a trilogy of video games The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, two television series The Hexer and The Witcher, and a film, The Hexer.
Who Is Andrzej Sapkowski?
Before Andrzej Sakowski became popular for writing The Witcher Saga, he first worked as a high-ranking sales representative for a foreign trade company after studying economics at the University of Łódź.
His literary career started when he became a part-time translator of science fiction. His first short story, The Witcher, was written on a whim so he could enter a writing contest hosted by Polish science fiction and fantasy magazine Fantastyka.
Because of marketing knowledge and skills, he bagged the 3rd prize even though it’s his first time joining the said competition. After his short story was published in Fantastyka in 1986, it was met with wide and positive acclaim among critics and readers.
Sakowski’s success with The Witcher compelled him to write a fantasy book cycle based on the original short story, earning him worldwide success.
A Rundown on The Witcher Books
The Witcher Saga revolves around the series’ main protagonist, Geralt of Rivia. He is a witcher, which are beast hunters trained at a young age to develop supernatural abilities to hunt and kill monsters and wild beasts.
He was trained at the stronghold of the Wolf School Witchers, where he endured numerous brutal physical and mental challenges to gain near-superhuman mental and physical abilities.
After the first major war between the Northern Kingdoms and Nilfgaard Empire, Geralt travels across the Continent to kill monsters and protect Ciri, the prophesied child who is said to be born with the power to either save or destroy them all.
The Witcher Saga is known to be one of the best internationally bestselling fantasy series of all time. Geralt of Rivia’s adventure continues even after the book saga. CD Projekt Red developed an action role-playing video game based on the book series, which has sold over 33 million copies worldwide.
Netflix has also adapted the book cycle into an exciting series called The Witcher starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, and Lauren Hissrich as the showrunner.
The Witcher Books Complete Booklist & Summary
Here are all The Witcher Saga books in chronological order for anyone who wants to get started on the book series:
1) The Last Wish (Book One in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: Geralt is a Witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.
But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good…and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
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2) Blood of Elves (Book Two in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over, and now the races are fighting once again. The only good elf, it seems, is a dead elf.
Geralt of Rivia, the cunning assassin known as the Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. This child has the power to change the world — for good, or for evil.As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is hunted for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt’s responsibility to protect them all. And the Witcher never accepts defeat.
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3) Time of Contempt (Book Three in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: Geralt is a witcher: guardian of the innocent; protector of those in need; a defender, in dark times, against some of the most frightening creatures of myth and legend. His task, now, is to protect Ciri. A child of prophecy, she will have the power to change the world for good or for ill — but only if she lives to use it.
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4) Baptism of Fire (Book Four in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times.
But now that dark times have fallen upon the world, Geralt is helpless until he has recovered from his injuries.While war rages across all of the lands, the future of magic is under threat and those sorcerers who survive are determined to protect it. It’s an impossible situation in which to find one girl — Ciri, the heiress to the throne of Cintra — until a rumor places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor.Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.
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5) The Tower of the Swallow (Book Five in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: The world has fallen into war. Ciri, the child of prophecy, has vanished. Hunted by friends and foes alike, she has taken on the guise of a petty bandit and lives free for the first time in her life.But the net around her is closing. Geralt, the Witcher, has assembled a group of allies including Dandelion, Milva, Regis, and Cahir, to rescue her. Both sides of the war have sent brutal mercenaries to hunt her down. Her crimes have made her famous.There is only one place left to run. The tower of the swallow is waiting…
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6) The Lady of the Lake (Book Three in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: After walking through the portal in the Tower of Swallows while narrowly escaping death, Ciri finds herself in a completely different world… an Elven world. She is trapped with no way out. Time does not seem to exist and there are no obvious borders or portals to cross back into her home world.But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher and his companions – and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war.
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7) Season of Storms (Book Seven in the Witcher Books Series)
- Book Summary: Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, one of the few capable of hunting the monsters that prey on humanity. A mutant who is tasked with killing unnatural beings. He uses magical signs, potions, and the pride of every Witcher – two swords, steel and silver.
But a contract has gone wrong, and Geralt finds himself without his signature weapons. Now he needs them back, because sorcerers are scheming, and across the world clouds are gathering.The season of storms is coming…
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