The 5 Best Books for Gamers

1. The Witcher Series, by Andrzej Sapkowski

The Witcher novels are fantasy at their finest, coupling rich political intrigue with tremendous character development. With the first installment released in 1992, Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher novels were a huge hit in Poland, but didn't make much of an impact in the English-speaking world until 2007. That just so happened to coincide with the release of CD Projekt Red’s first Witcher video game. Starting with The Last Wish, Sapkowski's eight-book series introduces the sardonic and powerful Geralt of Rivia alongside beloved characters like Dandelion, Yennefer, Triss and Ciri. You might recognize some in-game quests from various plotlines running through all the novels, but you'll definitely spot Geralt's famously dry wit in almost every chapter.

Amazon - 83.97$

2. Metro 2033, by Dmitry Glukhovsky

Post-apocalyptic fiction is certainly well-tread ground, but when done well, it can be one of the most enthralling genres on  the bookshelf. Dmitry Glukhovsky introduced his own Eastern Bloc take on a world after nuclear devastation in Metro 2033, which 4A Games later adapted into the cult favorite Metro games. Set in Moscow, the book provides a frightening glimpse into the life of the Soviet people when forced underground, showcasing a part of the world so often ignored in Western European fiction. Metro 2033 is at times frightening and heartbreaking, but it's a deep look at what happens when everything else in the world has gone wrong.

Amazon - 25$

3. Rainbow Six, by Tom Clancy

Tom Clancy's name has been found atop a number of video games over the years, but not all of those games were worthy of the novels that inspired them from the political-thriller master himself. (Technically, Rainbow Six was a book before it was a game, but only just barely.) Following the elite anti-terror unit known as "Rainbow," the book portrays the black-ops team on its first set of missions, culminating in a hunt to stop eco-terrorists. While the villains may be a little '90s, the book is just as taut and meticulous as any of Clancy's more famous works, like The Hunt for Red October or Patriot Games. It's a throwback read, to be sure, but features a master author doing great work.

Amazon - 14.99$

Razer - 10$

4. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, by David Michaels

Though Tom Clancy only created Splinter Cell's dynamic lead (Sam Fisher) and the organization he works for (Third Echelon), the novels based on Ubisoft's blockbuster franchise are still worth checking out. Written by David Michaels (a pseudonym developed for all of the Ubisoft Clancy novels), the book follows Sam Fisher as he battles against a rogue group known as The Shadows, and must stop a plot to kill other Third Echelon members. Though it lacks the grounded realism of Clancy's writing, Splinter Cell is a strong action/espionage book that does well by the game series. Many books have followed, but the first is truly the best of the bunch.

Amazon - 30.43$

Razer - 19.99$

5. Mass Effect Trilogy, by Drew Karpyshyn

There are a number of Mass Effect novels and comics available to read, but the first three books (Revelation, Ascension and Retribution) written by lead game writer Drew Karpyshyn are the best of the bunch. The three books take place around the time of the original game trilogy, offering looks at the universe of Mass Effect before and between the adventures of Commander Shepard. Although the books are great at adding more depth to the universe of Mass Effect, they are also solid sci-fi novels in their own right. Add in the fact that the characters involved are all tertiary to the games, and you have a set of novels anyone can read without feeling too lost.

Bonanza - 23.99$