Love The Witcher? Read these 5 books

“Toss a coin to your Witcher …“

From a bunch of lavish fantasy series aimed at filling the Game of Thrones-shaped void in our viewing schedule emerges Netflix’s The Witcher. A show with solid foundations in the beloved genre conventions of fantasy (i.e. plenty of gruesome monsters and dark magic), The Witcher is the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter for hire with plenty of magical mutations of his own. It’s based on a book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and the hugely popular video games, and has been a hit with audiences across the globe (due in large part, no doubt, to the casting of the be-muscled Henry Cavill as the titular Witcher).

I’d be a very poor content creator indeed if I didn’t immediately consult my high fantasy-loving colleagues and come up with a reading list for you based on the show, so if you loved The Witcher then here are a couple of books you should read …

The Name of the Wind

The Kingkiller Chronicles: Book 1 by Patrick Rothfuss

The first book in the epic Kingkiller Chronicles, The Name of the Wind is the story of Kvothe, a legendary magician, assassin, legend-hunter and dragon-slayer posing as a humble innkeeper, who recounts the deeds of his life to a story collector.

Buy it here

The Final Empire

The Mistborn Series: Book 1 by Brandon Sanderson

In this story set in a land of ash and misery ruled over by a tyrant, a prisoner named Kelsier discovers he has an incredible power and embarks on a vengeful quest to overthrow the despot with the help of the criminal underworld’s worst. A perfect fit for fans of the dark and grimy world of The Witcher.

Buy it here

The Gunslinger

The Dark Tower: Book 1 by Stephen King

Roland of Gilead is the Last Gunslinger, a man travelling the vast deserts of the Mid-World with one purpose: to catch the man in black. This epic dark fantasy comes from the King himself, and is a noted favourite amongst fans of The Witcher online.

Buy it here

Who Fears Death

by Nnedi Okorafor

This book is about to blow up in a huge way – it’s currently being optioned for a HBO series with George R.R. Martin as executive producer. Set in a post-apocalyptic Africa beset by genocidal violence, a girl is born and named Onyesonwu, which means ‘Who fears death?’ Born of rape and rejected as a monster by her people, Onye grows up to realise she is beholden to a unique kind of magic that enables her to visit the spirit realm, in which she learns there is a plot against her life.

Buy it here

Assassin’s Apprentice

The Farseer Trilogy: Book 1 by Robin Hobb

Geralt of Rivia’s powers make him something of an outcast in his world and the same goes for the hero of Assassin’s Apprentice, the first book in Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy. Royal bastard FitzChivalry is gifted with the much-maligned Wit (a telepathic bond with animals), but is forced to choose between his powers and a life as a royal assassin in court, where he must guard the throne against his treacherous uncle.

Buy it here

BONUS ROUND!

The Last Wish

by Andrzej Sapkowski

Andrzej Sapkowski wrote a couple of short stories in the world of The Witcher before the series took off and The Last Wish is a collection of four of them. The Netflix adaptation is based on this book, making it an ideal place to start your discovery of Sapkowski’s world. Follow it up with Sword of Destiny.

Buy it here

Have any suggestions yourself? Tell us in the comments!

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About the Contributor

Olivia Fricot

Olivia Fricot (she/her) is Booktopia's Senior Content Producer and editor of the Booktopian blog. She has too many plants and not enough bookshelves, and you can usually find her reading, baking, or talking to said plants. She is pro-Oxford comma.

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