The Witcher: 8 differences between the show and the books, explained

Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher books is a hit, but a lot changed in the transition from page to screen.

Netflix’s fantasy show The Witcher has attracted a huge fanbase, whether they came to it via Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, CD Projekt Red’s video games, or just by happenstance. Overseen by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, the series follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter, who struggles to find his place on the Continent, where the people can prove more wicked than the beasts.

The Witcher is adapted from a series of novels and short stories written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. His books are full of morally ambiguous characters, complex situations, and twists on fantasy classics. The Witcher show went over pretty well, but there were still book fans unhappy with some of the changes made.

Any book series adapted for television is going to see things lost — or added — in translation. For a series like The Witcher, which began with a series of short stories before continuing in novels, a wholly faithful adaption seems almost impossible. We’ve gathered five of the biggest differences, explained whether they’re important, and give our takes on if they hurt or help the story.