10 books to read if you’re a fan of The Witcher games

If, like me, you’ve replayed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt more than half a dozen times already, you know that there is only so much Geralt of Rivia can do to quench your thirst for fantastical fictional worlds and epic dragon-slaying protagonists.

The obvious choice at that point is to pick up The Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski. These were, after all, what introduced the world to Geralt and his unforgettable companions. You begin with The Last Wish and continue that journey with Sword of Destiny, two collections of short stories detailing Geralt’s earlier years as a feared monster hunter. 

Then it’s off to the main saga, consisting of five novels revolving around Ciri’s trials as the Lady of Space and Time. Only then do you realize you’re back at the beginning and have to play the CD Projekt trilogy again to see the “proper” ending to the story.

It’s a vicious cycle, and it always ends with you wanting more. So, what if you did the unorthodox thing and decided instead to read other fantasy novels that give off the same general feeling and vibe? In that case, these are the best books like The Witcher series.

10. Assassin's Apprentice

The first book in the acclaimed Farseer trilogy, Assassin’s Apprentice takes readers to the world of the Six Duchies and introduces them to the royal line of Farseers. Our main character is a bastard named FitChivalry Farseer, who gets entangled in a deep web of political intrigue and has to fight to the last ounce of his being for the very right to exist. Assassin’s Apprentice is intimate, brutal, and unforgiving, making it the perfect story for fans who love the darker aspects of The Witcher novels. Just like Ciri, Fitz is the wild card in the schemes of nobles and politicians, and just like Ciri, Fitz has to maneuver his way through untold dangers and treacheries to survive.

9. The Lies of Locke Lamora

This book tells the story of Locke Lamora, a charismatic con artist who forms and leads a group of thieves called the Gentlemen Bastards. The story takes place in a fictional city called Camorr, reminiscent of Venice in Italy with its canals. There is also a criminal underworld, and most of the book deals with Locke Lamora’s intricate heists. The Lies of Locke Lamora has brilliant prose, witty dialogue, and great twists. And besides, who among us wouldn’t want to relive the time when Geralt orchestrated a heist in the Hearts of Stone DLC?

8. The Red Knight

The Red Knight takes place in a fictional Medieval world where monstrous creatures roam the land, leaving the common people at their mercy. Unless, of course, you have enough coin to hire the services of the Red Knight, a professional fighter who makes a living out of killing these monsters, some of whom happen to be wyverns, ogres, and manticorns. Need I say more? If you love the Witcher-y aspect of Geralt’s life on the Continent, then picking up The Red Knight might just scratch that particular itch.

7. Graceling

The story of Graceling takes place in a world where certain people are born with Graces; innate special abilities that make them stand out from the rest of the people. But a Grace can just as easily be a curse, especially if it makes you a freak of nature. Sound familiar? Graceling centers around the story of Katsa, who is born with the Grace of killing, and thus manipulated by her uncle the king to do his bidding. Graceling is a story about responsibility, identity, and social justice, and its standalone nature can be a huge advantage if you don’t wish to get into another long fantasy series.

6. Prince of Thorns

When he was nine, Prince Jorg watched the deaths of his mother and brother, which left him traumatized and cold, bent on a path of revenge and destruction. Jorg now leads a band of ruthless mercenaries and has to meander his way through a post-apocalyptic world where civilization has regressed to a Medieval state, and where only remnants of a technologically advanced race serve as a memoir of humanity's glorious past. Prince of Thorns is gritty, violent, and realistic, being the first book in a trilogy of acclaimed and popular dark fantasy novels by Mark Lawrence called The Broken Empire.

5. The Last Kingdom

This might be a controversial inclusion, but there are a lot of unexpected similarities between Uhtred and Geralt’s respective stories. Sure, The Last Kingdom is mostly historical fiction and takes place in pre-Medieval England, but where do you think the inspiration for Andrej Sapkowski’s Continent came from? Uhtred and Geralt are both excellent warriors whose involvement in any political plot, any skirmish, and any conflict can help turn the tide.

They’re also very reluctant to get involved in things that don’t interest them, even if they inadvertently do every time. Geralt struggles with the meaning of destiny, while Uhtred is obsessed with it every step of the way. But most importantly of all, The Last Kingdom and The Witcher are both books that offer character-centric studies of their protagonists.

4. The Gunslinger

The Gunslinger is the first novel in an eight-book dark fantasy series by Stephen King. It tells the story of Roland Deschain, the last of a group of knightly gunslingers hailing from the fictional world’s analogous King Arthur. Roland is on an unclear mission that takes him closer and closer to the Dark Tower, a mysterious building assumed to be the nexus of all creation. It’s unclear what Roland is looking after, but as the story progresses, we learn more about the protagonist and what his quest entails. The Dark Tower combines elements of dark fantasy, horror, and science fantasy to tell a deeply complex story about humanity, morality, and the fate of the world. We’re not saying the Dark Tower is strictly like the Tower of the Swallow in The Witcher books, but you can’t ignore the coincidental similarities.

3. The Black Company

The Black Company by Glen Cook is often cited as one of the most inspiring works of gritty dark fantasy, and a book that, in time, defined most of the tropes usually associated with dark fantasy and military fantasy. The story follows a legendary mercenary group called the Black Company and chronicles their story as they go up against powerful forces in their fictional world. The Black Company features a host of morally ambiguous characters and boasts a very realistic story, both of which are the bread-and-butter of the fans of The Witcher.

2. The Tower of Fools

How better to relive the experience of reading The Witcher books than picking up another novel by Andrej Sapkowski himself? The Tower of Fools is the first entry in the Hussite Trilogy, detailing the story of a protagonist called Reinmar of Bielau. The story takes place in the 15th century, during the Hussite Wars, in the Kingdom of Bohemia, and incorporates elements of fantasy (like mythical creatures and paranormal occurrences) into a well-rounded historical tale. If you loved Geralt’s party (or Hansa) in The Witcher books, you’re definitely going to love The Tower of Fools and the dynamic it introduces between its characters.

1. The Mists of Avalon

Like many other fantasy stories out there, The Witcher has taken many inspirations from the Arthurian Legend, going so far as to even feature one of the Knights of the Round Table, Sir Galahad, in the final book, The Lady of the Lake. (The title itself refers to Ciri, who embodies aspects of the Lady of the Lake from the Matter of Britain.)

As such, The Mists of Avalon might also prove to be a great read, since it retells the Arthurian legend from the perspective of Morgan le Fey — or Morgaine — who is Arthur’s half-sister and a priestess of Avalon. Author Marion Zimmer Bradley deftly combines her lyrical prose with a deep understanding of mythology to give you a taste of the Arthurian romance unlike anything that has come before it.

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