The Witcher Reading Order: Short Stories First, Then the Saga
The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski has a reading order trap that catches a lot of newcomers: the novels are not where the series starts. Two short story collections come first, and skipping them means missing the foundation that everything else is built on. Get that right and you're set.
Updated April 17, 2026
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Start with the Short Story Collections
Before you pick up any of the five main novels, read these two collections: 1. The Last Wish (originally published 1993), 2. Sword of Destiny (originally published 1992, but read second). The Last Wish introduces Geralt of Rivia, establishes the tone and world, and contains several stories that are directly referenced in the novels. Sword of Destiny continues Geralt's adventures and introduces Ciri, who becomes the central character of the main saga. Skipping these two books and jumping into Blood of Elves is like starting a TV series at season two: technically possible, but you'll feel disoriented and miss a lot of emotional context.
The Main Witcher Saga
After the short story collections, the five novels tell one continuous story: 1. Blood of Elves (1994), 2. Time of Contempt (1995), 3. Baptism of Fire (1996), 4. The Tower of the Swallow (1997), 5. The Lady of the Lake (1999). These are best read in order; each book ends at a deliberate point in the larger narrative, and jumping around won't work. The saga shifts focus significantly from Geralt to Ciri as it progresses, which surprises some readers but is entirely intentional on Sapkowski's part.
Where Does Season of Storms Fit?
Season of Storms (2013) is a standalone novel set during the events of The Last Wish, chronologically a prequel placed between short stories. However, Sapkowski wrote it many years after the main saga concluded, and it contains references and jokes that only make sense if you've already finished the series. Read it last. Think of it as a bonus story for fans who've completed the main run rather than as an entry point or midpoint detour.
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The Witcher 3 and the Netflix Show
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is set after the events of the novels and is effectively a continuation of the story in game form. Many players come to the books through the game rather than the other way around, which works fine. You'll recognize characters and their histories with much more depth once you've read the books. The Netflix show, by contrast, loosely adapts the short story collections (primarily The Last Wish) across its first season, with later seasons incorporating elements from the novels. The show takes substantial liberties with the source material, so don't treat it as a substitute for reading.
A Note on Translations
The original books are written in Polish, and for years English readers had only a partial translation by Danusia Stok. David French's newer translations (published by Orbit from 2018 onward) are widely considered superior: more accurate, more readable, and truer to Sapkowski's tone. If you're starting fresh, get the Orbit editions. The older translations are passable but noticeably rougher in places.
Complete Reading Order at a Glance
1. The Last Wish (1993 / Orbit translation 2007), 2. Sword of Destiny (1992 / Orbit translation 2015), 3. Blood of Elves (1994 / Orbit translation 2008), 4. Time of Contempt (1995 / Orbit translation 2013), 5. Baptism of Fire (1996 / Orbit translation 2014), 6. The Tower of the Swallow (1997 / Orbit translation 2016), 7. The Lady of the Lake (1999 / Orbit translation 2017), 8. Season of Storms (2013 / Orbit translation 2018).
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