ANDRZEJ SAPKOWSKI The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny (The Witcher series). Reviewed by Amelia Dudley
These two collections of stories introduce the fantasy series The Witcher, and have inspired a videogame and a Netflix series.
Geralt of Rivia is a famous witcher, a trained mutant who fights monsters for a living. Considered a freak, Geralt is often despised by those whose very lives he saves by risking his own. He insists that he is not a hero and is, initially, an enigma. In the short stories of The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, details about Geralt’s character, moral code and extensive backstory are revealed gradually:
‘… You mistake my trade for that of a hired killer … It’s not the first time I’ve been called to a court where the problems demand the quick solutions of a sword. But I’ve never killed people for money, regardless of whether it’s for a good or bad cause. And I never will.’
These collections are the first two books in the Witcher series, which inspired video games and are currently being turned into a Netflix series. Across The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, several important characters and relationships in the series are introduced, including Geralt’s tempestuous, on-and-off relationship with the sorceress Yennefer. The short stories gradually become longer, as the series morphs seamlessly into novels (and back again for the final book, Season of Storms). All of the Witcher books are rich in European, particularly Slavic, folklore, with a wide array of monsters and curses for Geralt to overcome, often in unexpected ways. Throughout the series, sorcerers mix magic with science, which is interesting, mastering diverse disciplines such as necromancy, weather magic, anti-aging and/or genetic modification.
Particularly in the short-story format of these first two books, the author plays with and pokes fun at typical fantasy tropes. In this universe, women who have been locked in towers since childhood do not, for instance, lower a rope of hair to the first prince who passes by, marry him and live happily ever after. Instead, they might use the foolish prince to escape and then become legendary bandits. Rapunzel is by no means the only well-known fairytale to be humorously turned on its head by Sapkowski.
Another of the many things which makes the Witcher books (and video games) so marvellous is that the plots are so intricate. There is no single antagonist with one grand plan about how to take over the world. Rather, there are different people, each with their own plans and their own reasons for wanting what they want. Most importantly, no one manages to execute their plan without a hitch and not everyone is what they seem. This can all be quite touching or gritty and hard-hitting.
The large cast of three-dimensional characters, dry, witty observations, large, hearty helpings of cynicism, great dialogue (especially banter) and interesting fight sequences, also make these books thoroughly enjoyable. The following excerpt from The Last Wish provides a good example of the dialogue, without spoiling any of the funniest conversations:
‘Foltest summoned a whole crowd of sorcerers. They all jabbered at the same time and almost came to blows with those staffs they carry — to beat off the dogs, no doubt, once they’ve been set loose on them. And I think they regularly are. I’m sorry, Geralt, if you have a different opinion of wizards …’
There are also some beautiful and creative insults:
‘Make use of the opportunity to have a bath yourself. I can not only guess the age and breed of your horse, but also its colour, by the smell.’
Descriptions are often likewise witty and amusing:
‘I’ll show you what I used to look like. Look at those portraits … the third is me. Can you see it?’
Beneath the dust and spiderwebs, a nondescript man with a bloated, sad, spotty face and watery eyes looked down from the painting. Geralt, who was no stranger to the way portrait painters tended to flatter their clients, nodded.
All of this combined makes the Witcher books a refreshing addition to the genre. It’s easy to see why Sapkowski remains one of Poland’s favourite fantasy authors:
‘Among the elves,’ the sorceress whispered pensively, ‘there is a legend about a Winter Queen who travels the land during snow storms in a sleigh drawn by white horses. As she rides, she casts hard, sharp, tiny shards of ice around her, and woe betide anyone whose eye or heart is pierced by one of them. That person is then lost. No longer will anything gladden them; they find anything that doesn’t have the whiteness of snow ugly, obnoxious, repugnant. They will not find peace, will abandon everything, and will set off after the Queen, in pursuit of their dream and love. Naturally they will never find it and will die of longing. Apparently, here, in this town, something like that happened in times long gone. It’s a beautiful legend isn’t it?’
‘Elves can couch everything in pretty words,’ he muttered …
‘Witcher … there’s no romance in you. And I … I like elven legends, they are so captivating. What a pity humans don’t have any legends like that. Perhaps one day they will?’
Well, humans have more great stories now.
Andrzej Sapkowski The Last Wish Orbit 2007 PB 359pp RRP $17.99
Andrzej Sapkowski Sword of Destiny Orbit 2015 PB 374pp $27.95
Amelia Dudley is currently completing a Master’s degree focussing on plant biology. She is the proud auntie of many nieces and nephews. In her spare time she reads, gardens, draws, paints and doesn’t get to do enough writing.
You can buy The Last Wish from Booktopia here.
You can buy Sword of Destiny from Abbey’s at a 10% discount by quoting the promotion code NEWTOWNREVIEW here or you can buy it from Booktopia here.
To see if these books are available from Newtown Library, click here.
