All The Witcher novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, ranked

The Witcher is now a multimedia franchise consisting of an extremely popular and acclaimed video game series and a live-action television adaptation by Netflix, but the story of Geralt traces its roots back to more than three decades ago, and in book format, no less.

Reading the books is a must if you’re a fan of The Witcher games. The Netflix show also doesn’t do any of the stories justice by a long stretch, so forget everything you’ve seen from the Henry Cavill-led ensemble so far. Below are all The Witcher books ranked worst to best.

Warning: The following paragraphs contain spoilers for the overall plot of each book.

8. The Lady of the Lake (book 5)

The last book in The Witcher saga is arguably the worst-paced entry in the series. The writer seems to have given up on the idea of a satisfying conclusion halfway through, opting to depict a drawn-out battle between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms that doesn’t really have anything to do with the main story. Geralt is absent for most of the tale, and Ciri doesn’t experience any more palpable character growth. The ambiguous and open-ended nature of those final chapters is also something that many fans might find confusing or disappointing, especially since all it does in effect is make allusions to the Arthurian legend.

It’s a great thing CD Projekt Red decided to continue Geralt’s tale in the video game trilogy because as far as satisfying endings go, The Lady of the Lake is subpar. That said, the final confrontation between Geralt and Vilgefortz, and Ciri and Leo Bonhart, is always a joy to read, paying off 3 books worth of buildups in an explosive action sequence.

7. Season of Storms (prequel)

The reception to Season of Storms has always been mixed in the fandom. This spinoff prequel is set somewhere between The Last Wish and stars Geralt of Rivia as he takes on a contract with none of his conventional weapons at hand. Yennefer of Vengerberg is also a character in the story, but other than the familiarity of Geralt getting down to the task of hunting and killing monsters — what he does best — there isn’t much that makes Season of Storms stand out.

If you’re finished with the main saga and want to see a Geralt side quest with all of the usual charms of the series, then reading Seasons of Storm is recommended. Just go in expecting Andrzej Sapkowski’s prose and storytelling chops to be a little flimsier than they usually are.

6. The Tower of Swallows (book 4)

The story of The Tower of Swallows mostly centers around Ciri, who is living a new life under the care of the Rats. The mercenary group is being tracked by a vicious killer named Leo Bonhart, who eventually finds and slaughters them all, taking Ciri as a prisoner. Geralt and Yennefer are still looking the Continent over for Ciri, with the former’s hansa getting entangled in a war in Rivia and the latter confronting Vilgefortz but failing to overpower him.

The Tower of Swallows ends with Ciri reawakening her powers and besting the people who are looking to capture or kill her. She enters the mystical Tower of the Swallow and begins to travel across time and space, thus setting up the events of The Lady of the Lake. The story in this installment can feel dragged out at times, but the overall narrative is riveting in scale and rife with epic moments.

5. Blood of Elves (book 1)

The first book in the Witcher saga after the two collection of short stories, Blood of Elves begins with the entire Continent in upheaval over the destruction of Cintra and the death of Queen Calanthe. Ciri is undergoing Witcher training at Kaer Morhen under the guidance of Geralt, Vesemir, and the rest of the monster hunters when Triss Merigold arrives to help with the ward’s magical training. She learns that Ciri is a “Source,” and asks Geralt to find her old flame Yennefer so that she can properly train Ciri to control her powers.

The company sets out for the temple of Nenneke in Ellander, their forebodings reaching a treacherous degree as they learn that all is not well in the world, and a “time of contempt” is nigh. Blood of Elves also marks the first time Ciri meets Yennefer, and the two develop a mother-daughter attachment. There’s political intrigue, there’s great action sequences, and there’s amazing character work in Blood of Elves, but most importantly of all, there’s a whole lot of Geralt badassery which fans of the saga will find most gratifying to read through.

4. Baptism of Fire (book 3)

Baptism of Fire picks up the story after the disastrous events of the Thanedd coup, where Geralt was mortally wounded in his fight with Vilgefortz. Our main protagonist is recovering from his physical traumas in Brokilon Forest, but one of the great things about this turn of events is that he’ll never be the warrior he used to be. Fantasy has always been about heroes who only grow in power, so having Geralt, once a mountain of resoluteness in the face of adversity, brought down to an almost broken warrior who needs to rely on the help of others, was a great twist for the character and his future in the world.

Baptism of Fire is the book where Geralt’s hansa forms for the first time, consisting of Dandelion, the archer Milva, the vampire Regis (whom you’ll recognize from the Blood & Wine DLC) and the Nilfgaardian who isn’t a Nilfgaardian named Cahir.

3. Time of Contempt (book 2)

This is my favorite book in the novel series, because the build-up of tension as soon as Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri walk into Aretuza is done exquisitely well. It all boils over by the end of the novel, and every faction in the Northern Kingdom and beyond starts fighting with one another in a bid to take power, all orchestrated by Vilgefortz and Emhyr var Emreis.

It also gives us more time with this unconventional family before they’re separated until the end of the story. Having Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer interacting in the same space tugs at everyone’s heartstrings, making you shed tears for the things that could’ve been had Ciri been a normal child, Geralt an inconsequential player in the politics of the Continent, and Yennefer not a part of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers.

2. The Last Wish (anthology 1)

The Last Wish introduced the world to the story of Geralt, a stoic monster-hunter with a proclivity for philosophizing unbidden. It introduced fans to the world of the Continent, where monsters roam freely and it is up to mutated warriors like Geralt to stop them from killing innocent people, the same people who would shun these protectors, calling them “freaks.” Lastly, it introduced us to unforgettable characters like Julian Alfred Pankratz aka Dandelion and Yennefer of Vengerberg.

I believe Andrzej Sapkowski was at his best when he didn’t write elaborate narratives that span several books. Every short story in The Last Wish is self-contained and a joy to read, not to mention quite effective at building up this fictional world and the character of Geralt as unforgettable additions to fantasy literature.

1. Sword of Destiny (anthology 2)

The second batch of short stories featuring Geralt, Sword of Destiny introduces Ciri as Pavetta’s daughter (from “A Question of Price” in The Last Wish) and knits her fate tightly together with her ward. The collection features some of the best and most emotionally potent stories from The Witcher world, like “Shard of Ice” dealing with Geralt and Yennefer’s strange bond, “A Little Sacrifice” discussing the unrequited love of Essi Daven, and “Something More” reuniting Geralt and Ciri at a time where they need each other the most.

It might not be much of a compliment to say Sapkowski peaked here, but it is nevertheless the bitter truth about The Witcher saga. This story was originally conceived as a series of interconnected short stories, and it’s no surprise to see it works best when it sticks to that formula.