Blood of Elves

Blood of Elves is a fantasy novel by Andrzej Sapkowski, first published in 1994. It is the opening book of The Witcher series and introduces the larger world and its main threads as a full novel rather than a standalone short piece. The book was originally written in Polish and comes after the short story collections that set up the series chronologically.

It suits readers who like fantasy built around a coherent world, an established history, and a gradual shift from shorter fiction into a longer form. The focus is on atmosphere, character dynamics, and the rules of a magical setting rather than on a simple, self-contained plot. If you already know The Witcher, this is where the longer arc begins; if you want fantasy with European literary roots, it offers a clear starting point.