The Witcher
Detailed Ratings
Plot 2.7/5
Characters 3.3/5
World-building 4.0/5
Writing Style 1.7/5

The Witcher

Book 8 volumes
by Andrzej Sapkowski
-9
Balance
+1 -10
Score weighted by each hero's level: a recommendation from a level 3 hero counts for 3.
3.3/5
3
Reviews
Ranking among books: #19 Fantasy
Tome
From the editors, by Tome Updated on 15/01/2026

A World of Monsters and Moral Ambiguity

Imagine the stench of a kikimora's lair, a damp cave filled with decaying corpses. This is the world of Geralt of Rivia, a world steeped in grim realism.

The Story

The Witcher, originally written in Polish by Andrzej Sapkowski, plunges us into a dark fantasy realm. Geralt, a monster hunter for hire, navigates a land rife with mythical beasts and human treachery. He is bound by the Witcher's code, but constantly forced to make impossible choices. Kingdoms clash, prophecies unfold, and Geralt is caught in the middle.

What Makes This Book Unique

Sapkowski's work stands out for its morally grey characters and its subversion of fantasy tropes. It blends elements of dark fantasy and folklore. Do not expect a simple tale of good versus evil, but rather a nuanced exploration of human nature. The Witcher's world feels lived-in, full of complex histories and broken alliances.

Who Should Read This

Readers who appreciate morally complex fantasy will find this book rewarding. Be warned, The Witcher deals with mature themes and graphic violence. Prior knowledge of Polish folklore is not required, but a tolerance for morally ambiguous characters is essential.

-9
Balance
+1 -10
Score weighted by each hero's level: a recommendation from a level 3 hero counts for 3.
3.3/5
3
Reviews
Ranking among books: #19 Fantasy
Detailed Ratings
Plot 2.7/5
Characters 3.3/5
World-building 4.0/5
Writing Style 1.7/5
Tome
From the editors, by Tome Updated on 15/01/2026

A World of Monsters and Moral Ambiguity

Imagine the stench of a kikimora's lair, a damp cave filled with decaying corpses. This is the world of Geralt of Rivia, a world steeped in grim realism.

The Story

The Witcher, originally written in Polish by Andrzej Sapkowski, plunges us into a dark fantasy realm. Geralt, a monster hunter for hire, navigates a land rife with mythical beasts and human treachery. He is bound by the Witcher's code, but constantly forced to make impossible choices. Kingdoms clash, prophecies unfold, and Geralt is caught in the middle.

What Makes This Book Unique

Sapkowski's work stands out for its morally grey characters and its subversion of fantasy tropes. It blends elements of dark fantasy and folklore. Do not expect a simple tale of good versus evil, but rather a nuanced exploration of human nature. The Witcher's world feels lived-in, full of complex histories and broken alliances.

Who Should Read This

Readers who appreciate morally complex fantasy will find this book rewarding. Be warned, The Witcher deals with mature themes and graphic violence. Prior knowledge of Polish folklore is not required, but a tolerance for morally ambiguous characters is essential.

Status: Completed
Publication: 1990 - 2018
Country of origin: Poland
Original language: Polish
Age rating: Mature (18+)
ISBN: 9788370540319
Genres: Fantasy Dark Fantasy

Also in the The Witcher universe

See all 7 works
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Game
2015
4.9
The Witcher
The Witcher
Series
2019
2.7
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
Animated Movie
2021
3.0
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
Animated Movie
2025

Tomes

8
1
The Last Wish
2007 · 336 p. · Orbit
2
Sword of Destiny
2015 · 368 p. · Orbit
3
Blood of Elves
2008 · 320 p. · Orbit
4
Time of Contempt
2013 · 336 p. · Gollancz
5
Baptism of Fire
2014 · 368 p. · Orbit
6
The Tower of the Swallow
2016 · 448 p. · Orbit
7
The Lady of the Lake
2017 · 560 p. · Orbit
8
Season of Storms
2018 · 368 p. · Orbit

Reviews

defiant-control

A series that should be more engaging than it is

The world of The Witcher is an incredible one, filled with magic, strange beasts, and romantic entanglements. However, the books ironically fail to capture this world's appeal as effectively as the video games, or even the first few seasons of the TV show. I found myself struggling to maintain attention at times during the books, which is quite rare. Several earned a 7/10 rating on my scale, but the rest fell into the 5-6 range. As an avid book lover, it's uncommon for me to say that you're better off playing the video game than reading the books. But it rings true here.
Recommends:
−5 The value of a recommendation depends on its author's level.
Overall
Plot
Characters
World-building
Writing Style
29
DonAragorn
Translated from French

A Confusing Tale in a Captivating World

Navigating this story feels like piecing together a puzzle with its non-chronological chapters. It's a bit disorienting at first, but you eventually get used to it and come to appreciate the incredibly rich world,a universe I was introduced to initially through video games.
Recommends:
+1 The value of a recommendation depends on its author's level.
Overall
Plot
Characters
World-building
Writing Style
30
Bill
Translated from French

Not Up to Par with the Video Game

It's rare for me to say this, but the storytelling and narrative of Witcher moved me more through the video game than the book (let's not even mention the awful Netflix series). I loved playing Witcher 3 so much that I had high hopes for the novel... and I ended up quite disappointed.

The book feels disjointed; when you start a chapter, you never know where you are in time or space. In the middle of the main story, the author inserts anecdotal chapters that serve no purpose... you read them thinking they must be flashbacks (after a few pages where you can't see the connection with all the previous chapters) that will help you understand certain things at the end... but no, they're just useless anecdotes that add nothing to the story. Why not place them at the beginning of the novel to introduce the world and characters, but not in the middle of the story!

In short, I believe that without the game, which deservedly became a global hit, the novel wouldn't get as much attention.
Recommends:
−5 The value of a recommendation depends on its author's level.
Overall
Plot
Characters
World-building
Writing Style
28
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