“If I have to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”
Whether it’s the hit Netflix adaptation or Andrzej Sapkowski’s original works, The Witcher series has elevated the popularity of the high fantasy world immensely. As well as the series and books, the adventures of Geralt of Rivia and his supernatural abilities as a Witcher designed to battle wild beasts and monsters have gone on to spawn a film adaptation, a comic book series, and a hugely successful open-world video game franchise. Having blossomed from its roots as a cult gem enjoyed by readers in Sapkowski’s native Poland, join us at What We Reading for the best fantasy books like The Witcher!
Who Wrote The Witcher?
Described as the ‘Polish Tolkien,’ Andrzej Sapkowski is a novelist, translator, essayist, and economist. The Witcher, his first short story, was published in 1989 in the Fantasyka magazine. The series consists of six fantasy novels and 15 short stories, has been translated into 37 languages, and sold over 15 million copies. Sapkowski has won the Zajdel Award, Poland’s most prestigious sci-fi and fantasy award, five times.
The Rage Of Dragons (The Burning #1) – Evan Winter
First up on our list of books like The Witcher is Evan Winter’s epic fantasy series, The Burning. Kicking off with his 2017 novel, The Rage of Dragons, readers are introduced to the Omehi people, a society built around war who have been locked in an unwinnable conflict for two centuries.
One in every two thousand women born is granted the ability to call dragons, while one in every hundred men has the power to transform themselves into bigger, stronger killing machines. Everyone else is fated to fight and die in this never-ending war. Tau was born gift-less but, when those closest to him are killed, he finds himself walking down a previously unthinkable path. Driven by a lust for revenge, he promises to become the greatest swordsman the world has ever seen. The sort of swordsman who is prepared to die a thousand times if it means getting revenge on the three who took everything from him.
The Red Knight (The Traitor Son Cycle #1) – Miles Cameron
For fans of The Witcher looking for another fighter-for-hire standing tall against a horde of monsters, Miles Cameron’s The Traitor Son Cycle series should be considered a must-read.
Readers are introduced to the titular young captain of a band of mercenaries who earn their living protecting others and hunting all manner of creatures. When an abbess hires The Red Knight to protect a nunnery, it looks like just another ordinary job. However, this job soon descends into a much higher-stakes affair against fantastical beasts in an all-out magical war. With compelling characters, a well-developed magical system, and an epic scale, The Red Knight is perfect for anyone who loved the adventures of Geralt and co.
Kings Of The Wyld (The Band #1) – Nicholas Eames
Nominated in the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fantasy, Nicholas Eames’ Kings of the Wyld is the perfect book like The Witcher for any reader looking for more monster hunting.
Clay Cooper and his band were once the meanest, and most feared mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Yet, with their glory days long behind them, the men have grown old, fat, drunk, and sometimes a combination of all three. Then, one day, an ex-bandmate rocks up at Clay’s door explaining that his daughter is trapped in a city besieged by an army totaling over one hundred thousand. It’s the sort of quest that only those with a death wish or incredible stupidity would ever dare accept. And so Clay and his band find themselves touring the Wyld once again.
Assassin’s Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy #1) – Robin Hobb
If the political suspicion and intrigue in The Witcher were more your thing, Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice is a great high fantasy read to sink your sword into. Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, was born on the wrong side of fidelity and is cast out friendless and alone as a royal bastard.
Thankfully, his magical connection with animals – known as the Wit – provides the companionship he needs out in the wild. But, indulging in the Wit too much can be perilous and is shunned by the ruling classes. So when Fitz finds himself welcomed back into the court, he is forced to trade in his abilities in favour of a life of scrolls, scribing, and sword-fighting as he trains to become a skilled royal assassin.
Talyn (Korre #1) – Holly Lisle
For a book that is similar to The Witcher’s blend of swords and magic with a strong female heroine, look no further than Holly Lisle’s 2005 book, Talyn. This titular young woman is a soldier, one raised from childhood as weapons of war, to protect their country from their Eastil enemies.
But, after being enthralled by a diplomat from the enemy ranks, she begins to question her fate to die in battle and embrace a darker, hidden form of magic. Readers follow this young rebellious woman as she continues to grow in power, potentially altering the course of the entire world in the process.
City Of Lies (Poison War #1) – Sam Hawke
A Ditmar Award winner, Sam Hawke’s City of Lies is a fast-paced tale of poison, treason, sieges, and ancient spirits. The perfect formula for any Witcher fan then.
Jovan is the last person anyone would suspect of being a master poisoner. Quiet and unassuming, he is the long-term friend of the Chancellor’s heir. Behind the scenes, however, he works to protect the Chancellor and his family from treachery. But, when the Chancellor is suddenly found poisoned and the enemy appears at the city’s gates, he and his sister are forced to protect their heir and save their home.
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The Lies Of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard #1) – Scott Lynch
For fans of The Witcher who loved Geralt and Jaskier’s iconic bromance, Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora is the perfect follow-up. Filled with tight-knit friendships, found family tropes, and a stunningly detailed amount of worldbuilding, the series introduces readers to Locke Lamora, an orphan who grows up in the city of Camorr dodging slavery and death as a thief.
As the leader of an infamous clandestine group of light-fingered men known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke soon becomes infamous around his island city. However, when he leads his group on an ambitious heist, unlike any they have attempted previously, they find themselves embroiled in something far more dangerous and far darker.
Prince Of Thorns (The Broken Empire #1) – Mark Lawrence
One of the best dark fantasy books like The Witcher comes from Mark Lawrence in Prince of Thorns, the first work in his The Broken Empire series. Jorg Ancrath was once a privileged royal child with a loving mother but now finds himself as The Prince of Thorns, a charming leader of an outlaw group where violence is rife, and nightmares are everywhere.
Jorg has the ability to summon the dead, but it is the horrors from his past that he must confront when he returns to his father’s castle. As his own nightmares begin to resurface, this epic fantasy tale of blood and treachery follows this extraordinary young man on his journey from boyhood to his rightful place on the throne.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
