It’s been a little over seven years now since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released, and the wait for a follow-up game has been excruciatingly long for Witcher fans. If other open-world adventure games just don’t do it for you in the same way, maybe it’s time you turned to the world of high-fantasy books instead.
Many already know that The Witcher games are based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s book saga. Whether you’re looking for a taste of grimdark fantasy or a surly, combative main protagonist, these books hit all the right notes.
ten A Song of Ice and Fire, George RR Martin
If you loved The Witcher games and haven’t tried George RR Martin’s acclaimed A Song of Ice and Fire series yet, it’s time to change that. Of course, unlike The Witcher game, A Song of Ice and Fire bounces between multiple character perspectives, which can get tricky to follow. However, if you enjoyed the bloody violence and medieval politics of The Witcher, with a little less magic, A Song of Ice and Fire is a great series to check out.
9 Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Marlon James
Ultimately, if what brings you back to The Witcher is Geralt’s gruff but generous nature, Marlon James’ first Black Leopard, Red Wolf novel is for you. It even features a plot similar to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Like Geralt, Tracker is hired to find a boy who disappeared three years ago.
While Tracker normally works alone, he recruits an unlikely group of people to join him on the hunt, including a shapeshifter called Leopard. However, there are those who seem desperate to stop Tracker from finding the boy at all costs.
8 Graceling, Kristin Cashore
For fans of young adult books, Kristin Cashore’s Graceling satisfies many of the same itch as The Witcher. In a fantasy world where some are born with “graces” or special talents, Katsa’s grace kills. Persuaded to be the assassin and the executioner of her royal uncle, Katsa thinks that she will never know peace.
That is, until she meets the fighting-skilled Prince Po. If the lore behind The Witchers was a major draw for you, Graceling will also pique your interest. Plus, a little romance never hurts.
seven The Earthsea Books, Ursula K. Le Guin
In a genre where men still remain dominant, Ursula K. Le Guin has carved out a place for herself as the author of one of the most renowned fantasy series of all time. If you’ve ever read A Song of Ice and Fire or The Witcher saga, The Books of Earthsea deserves to be next on your list.
In the first installment, A Wizard Of Earthsea, a young wizard-in-training ventures to Roke Island to learn at a real school of wizardry. However, in his vanity, Ged bites off more magic than he can chew and unleashes something more than he can control.
6 The Poppy War, RF Kuang
Rin gets a shot at freedom when she passes the Keju, a test that seeks out the Empire’s most talented youngsters to learn at Nikan’s most elite military academy. Although she carries a target on her back in Sinegard due to her color, poverty, and gender, Rin has a secret weapon. A gift of shamanism that could allow him to do more than just survive military school. His powers might be the only thing that could save the empire from the impending war.
5 Truthwitch, Susan Dennard
Magic has a way of complicating political issues. In the Witchlands there are so many types of magic that it is impossible to count them. Unlikely for Safi, her brand of magic puts her in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Born into nobility, Safi had to hide that she was a truth witch, able to tell the difference between truth and lies. War is coming to the Witchlands, and there are many who would use Safi’s powers for personal gain. All Safi and her friend, Iseult, want is to live their lives freely, but doing so can come at a cost.
4 Seven Realms Series, Cinda Williams Chima
The dual perspective of Cinda Williams Chima’s Seven Realms series is a perfect blend for those who enjoy The Witcher’s gritty, with a touch of high-fantasy forensic politics. Ruffian Han Alister finds himself targeted by noble wizards after snatching a powerful amulet once belonging to the Demon King himself.
Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna returns to court, ready to give up her simple life in the forest to assume the kingdom’s throne. The forces conspire to prevent Raisa from taking her rightful place, and the two soon learn that their destinies are deeply intertwined.
3 The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, KS Villoso
You know you’re in for a good read when the whole series is called “The Slut Queen Chronicles.” Does anything scream “Butcher of Blaviken” more than that? Hated by her people, Queen Talyein crosses the sea after receiving a message from the suitor she was once meant to marry. Hoping for a reconciliation that could save her kingdom, Talyein instead faces an assassination attempt that leaves her stranded and unable to trust anyone.
2 Mistborn, Brandon Sanderson
We all fell in love with the father-daughter dynamic between Geralt and Ciri in The Witcher. A similar pair can be found in the Mistborn Trilogy. In The Final Empire, Kel yearns to overthrow the sovereign lord who keeps the Skaa people enslaved using his new Mistborn powers.
Still, even with his abilities and a team of underworld buddies behind him, Kel doesn’t stand a chance without Vin’s help. Kel will have to teach Vin the true extent of her own powers if they have any hope of freeing the Skaa.
1 The Last Wish, Andrzej Sapkowski
Of course, the best books to read if you’ve fallen in love with the world of The Witcher games are The Witcher Saga itself, by Andrzej Sapkowski. The series can be a bit daunting at first, but you can’t go wrong picking up The Last Wish, the book that introduced us all to Geralt of Rivia, even though it was technically released as the second in the series. Delve even deeper into The Witcher’s story and find out what really ticks Geralt.
