Geralt the Witcher — revered and hated — is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.
But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good… and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
Sapkowski introduces the reader to a beautiful combination of Slavic mythology, a distinct eastern European setting, and classical high fantasy. That makes for a different read from a lot of other works within the genre, while at the same time keeping all the mandatory aspects of epic fantasy (magic, elves, kings…). The writing is almost lyrical, but in a relaxed manner, and the English translation is good.
But the characters and the setting are what really makes this a great novel. Geralt of Rivia is the most interesting and fascinating protagonist in the fantasy genre, bar none, and the world in which he lives is in many ways different from all others. His one true love, Yennefer of Vengerberg, is one of the most enigmatic women characters across fantasy literature.
This book is a collection of short stories, each an adaptation of a well-known fairy tale. Or, if you will, the gruesome “real” story behind the fairy tale. Very nice read.