What Is The Recommended Reading Order After The Last Wish?

I like to break reading into two experiences: the short-story setup and then the saga plunge. From my point of view, after 'The Last Wish' you should pick up 'Sword of Destiny' next. The second collection introduces Ciri in ways that are crucial; without those stories, the emotional and thematic stakes of the novels land less effectively. Reading the two collections back-to-back feels like finishing the prelude and closing the book on what came before the main narrative.

Once you're done with the shorts, follow the novels in publication order: 'Blood of Elves', 'Time of Contempt', 'Baptism of Fire', 'The Tower of Swallows', and 'The Lady of the Lake'. Publication order preserves the author's development of themes and pacing. Regarding 'Season of Storms', opinions vary because it was written later but set earlier. I often recommend saving it until after the saga; it reads enjoyably as a standalone and can serve as a palate-cleanser or extra depth piece once you already know the characters. If you're hung up on strict chronology, slot it among the shorts, but know that doing so might alter how some reveals feel. In short: shorts first, then the five novels, and treat 'Season of Storms' as flexible—personal preference should guide you.

Quick and practical: finish the short-story phase by reading 'Sword of Destiny' right after 'The Last Wish'—those stories bring Ciri and other threads forward and basically point you straight at the novels. After that, dive into the core saga in this sequence: 'Blood of Elves', 'Time of Contempt', 'Baptism of Fire', 'The Tower of Swallows', and 'The Lady of the Lake'. That's the easiest way to follow character arcs and worldbuilding without confusing yourself.

A short note about 'Season of Storms': it was published out of sequence and is mostly set around the shorts. You can read it before the novels if you want chronological order, but many readers prefer to read it after the saga because it doesn't disrupt the main narrative and can feel like bonus content. Personally I saved it until the end and enjoyed it as an extra chapter to an already wild ride.

I still get a little giddy when I think about the point right after 'The Last Wish'—it feels like stepping off a ledge into Geralt's wider world. If you're following the story smoothly, the most natural next book is 'Sword of Destiny'. It continues with short stories that directly set up Ciri's role and the emotional threads the saga will pull on, so I always tell friends to read it right away. The shorts in 'Sword of Destiny' add a lot of context for the relationships and politics that explode in the novels, and they're stitched to the saga in ways that make later scenes hit harder.

After 'Sword of Destiny', move into the novels in publication order: 'Blood of Elves', 'Time of Contempt', 'Baptism of Fire', 'The Tower of Swallows', and 'The Lady of the Lake'. That flow keeps character development and plot reveals paced the way Sapkowski intended. One thing people debate is 'Season of Storms'—it was published much later but is mostly set around the short story era. My preference is to read it after the main saga, because even though it fits chronologically near the beginning, reading it later gives it extra bittersweet resonance and doesn't risk disrupting the arc momentum.

If you're the type who loves chronology over publication order, you can slot 'Season of Storms' between the short stories, but for first-time readers I recommend the short-then-saga route: 'The Last Wish' → 'Sword of Destiny' → the five novels, then 'Season of Storms' as a little epilogue detour. Also, try different translations if you can—some lines hit differently depending on the translator, and that can make the whole experience richer.