Sword of Destiny

Sword of Destiny marks Andrzej Sapkowski’s inaugural venture into the celebrated action-fantasy series, The Witcher. As of 2023, The Witcher series is comprised of three short story collections and five novels. Published in 1992 and translated into English in 2015, the stories featured in Sword of Destiny occur between the events of The Last Wish (a short story collection) and Blood of Elves (the first novel in The Witcher saga). The titular “witcher,” Geralt of Rivia, is a man at once cynical and honorable, who has been enhanced through an arcane process to become a monster hunter for hire. Throughout the series, he faces monsters, prejudice, and self-discovery while navigating the complexities of his destiny. The tales in Sword of Destiny play a pivotal role in the overall success of The Witcher series, and in addition to being translated into over 25 languages worldwide, the collection’s impact has resonated beyond literature, inspiring highly successful video games and multiple television adaptations.

This guide refers to the 2015 Kindle edition, translated by David French.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide contain descriptions of sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, graphic violence, sexual violence and exploitation, and misogyny.