Andrzej Sapkowski’s new Witcher novel, Crossroads of Ravens, arrives in English this week, giving fans a first look at Geralt of Rivia long before the world knew his nicknames. It is a standalone prequel set decades before the main saga and the games, with a teenage Geralt stepping out of Kaer Morhen and into a Continent that does not know what to do with him. The English edition is translated by David French and published by Orbit in the US and Gollancz in the UK.
The setup is classic Sapkowski with a fresh angle. Geralt’s first attempt at heroics nearly gets him executed. He is spared by Preston Holt, a seasoned witcher with secrets of his own. Under Holt’s mentorship, Geralt starts learning the Path beyond sword work. The danger is not only monsters but the people, laws, and prejudices that decide who deserves saving and who does not. Crossroads of Ravens frames those lessons as the beginning of a legend and the price that comes with it.
If you read the main series, you know Geralt’s arc has a clear end point. That is why this new book looks backward instead of forward. The CD Projekt games carried the timeline on in their own way. This novel fills in character and culture instead of extending continuity. It sits alongside Season of Storms as a side entry that adds texture to the world and context to Geralt’s code.
The timing also lines up with a broader Witcher moment. The franchise now spans novels, games with sequels and spin offs, comics, a tabletop RPG, manga, and even a cookbook. On screen, Netflix’s The Witcher Season 4 premieres October 30 and the show is planned to end with Season 5. Liam Hemsworth has addressed the reaction to taking over as Geralt, saying the online noise pushed him off social media for a while. Whether you follow the show or the games, Crossroads of Ravens offers something the screen cannot always slow down for. It pauses on the small turning points that shape who Geralt becomes.
For readers looking to pick it up, Amazon currently lists the US hardcover at $24.50 off a $30 list price and the UK edition at £19.99 at the time of writing. Prices move around, but the book lands this week either way. If you want more Witcher before the new season, this is the easiest place to start.
gfpods.com 
Leave a comment