The Last WishThe Last Wish
Score Modern
What it's about
Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, make him a brilliant fighter. His purpose is to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil, and not everything fair is good. These linked stories introduce Geralt and his world.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 19 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's the starting point for The Witcher, the Polish fantasy saga behind the hit video games and the Netflix series.
You'll love it if you liked
The Eye of the World
The Name of the Wind
Six of CrowsGood to know
It's a collection of stories, the best place to start the Witcher books. Many of its stories retell fairy tales darkly.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller78 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #73 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #292 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #582 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Adventurous
More by Andrzej Sapkowski
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Quick answers
Is The Last Wish worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 19 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #582 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Last Wish about?
Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, make him a brilliant fighter. His purpose is to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil, and not everything fair is good. These linked stories introduce Geralt and his world.
How long does it take to read The Last Wish?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Last Wish?
If you liked it, try The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss or Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.