Sword of Destiny (The Witcher Book 2)

I think I am landing on four stars for Sword of Destiny, the second collection of Witcher stories. Of the six stories I'd give four of them four stars, and two of them five. So four seems fair. The first thing I noted is that Sword of Destiny has a different translator than The Last Wish. David French in this case, rather than Danusia Stok. I noticed a little stiltedness and awkwardness in some of the writing in the beginning stories, and I wanted to attribute this to the new translator, however I am wondering if this was not more of a placebo effect. Because the first time I read The Last Wish I had similar 'issues' with the translation, but the second time I didn't have any at all. Nor did I have any issues with, say, the back half of this book. So I think it may just be a mood thing, or a matter of getting used to the writing/translation. In any case, I have never really felt my enjoyment of Sapkowski's stories lessened by the fact that they are not in the original language. So, then. Sword of Destiny. If you enjoyed The Last Wish and want to learn more about our man Geralt (much more) then you'd be doing yourself a disservice not picking up this book. It expands on the world, on the characters, and on just about everything that Sapkowski introduces in The Last Wish. It even introduces Ciri, who fans of the games will recognize instantly. She appears in two of the stories in this collection, and it's no coincidence that those two are the ones I'd have easily given five stars. In fact, Ciri's story bits--and the way they affect Geralt--have me more excited to eventually dive in to the main Witcher series than I ever was before. As I mentioned there are six stories in Sword of Destiny, just as there were six stories in The Last Wish. Sapkowski's talent for storytelling shines through once more. In his clever resolutions to what could otherwise be run of the mill fantasy; in complicated characters who engage in meaningful, smart dialogue and are consistently challenged emotionally (even when those characters aren't human). The feel of his world is one that I enjoy. It feels very lived in which is a compliment that I throw around at times, but not lightly. It's rough around the edges, but with the capacity to be beautiful. I'm actually reminded of the movie Willow at times, for whatever reason. Not in tone, or in content. Just the feeling of the world. It's a good feeling though. Spakowski is not without his faults. Women outside his main characters can sometimes feel like fodder for Geralt; whether sexually or to challenge him in some way (emotionally, intellectually, etc). You can make the, "It's the times!" argument here, probably even successfully, but still it's a noticeable piece of these stories. Even so, I enjoy them greatly. Now, here's a bit about each story in the collection. THE BOUNDS OF REASON: In which Geralt embarks with strange company on a dragon hunt, finding himself face to face with a living legend. This story explores the limits of possibility. A SHARD OF ICE: In which Geralt finds himself in a lover's spat with a sorcerer named Istredd as they fight over who should be with Yennefer. This story was noteworthy for how it challenges the idea that Geralt, as a Witcher, is without emotion. ETERNAL FLAME: A story surrounding a series of chaotic trade deals after a mimic (doppler) assumes the form of a merchant friend of Geralt's. Fans of the game will recognize the city of Novigrad, the dwarf banker Vivaldi, and the doppler Dudu. This one has an excellent scene during which the reader's view of 'monsters' or non-humans is deeply challenged. Some good Dandelion bits in this one. A LITTLE SACRIFICE: In which Geralt and Dandelion--down on their luck--are invited to a wedding where Dandelion has been commissioned to sing alonside Essi Daven, known as Little Eye. Soon enough Geralt is entangled in a Duke's advances on a mermaid and a case of some murdered pearl divers. This is another one that dives a bit deeper into Geralt's supposed lack of emotions. THE SWORD OF DESTINY: This and the next story were my favorite of the bunch, and may even be the two best stories of both collections. They serve as the introduction of Ciri, and begin to build toward what I can only imagine will be a large part of the series moving forward. In this one, Geralt is on a diplomatic mission to Brokilon, home of the dryads. SOMETHING MORE: Wounded after defending the life of a merchant stranded in monster territory, Geralt experiences several hallucinogenic visions while he recovers using his own alchemical agents. These.. visions, are very interesting. Namely because the reader is unsure whether they are visions. Or whether they are simply hallucinations. Additionally, we have no idea if they are happening now, have happened, or will happen; though some guesses can be made. Each is worthwhile though. This story also contains major information about The Law of Surprise, Geralt's parentage, and the Niflgaard war that will likely consume a large portion of our story moving forward. Excellent story. Well, there it is. Next up is Blood of Elves, the beginning of the main series.

After a very long wait (seven years), we finally have the official English translation of the second set of short stories about Geralt of Rivia. Why the publisher waited so long to translate this collection is beyond me, as The Sword of Destiny introduces some very important characters to the next book: Blood of Elves. However, that's a discussion for another day. The Sword of Destiny is similar to its prequel collection, The Last Wish. It's a series of short stories about Geralt, one of the last Witchers (a guild of monster hunters), and his many adventures. Unlike the The Last Wish, all the stories are in a fairly linear order and deal mostly with the topic of destiny. They also build on Geralt's relationships and what it means to be human. Whereas The Last Wish dealt more with philosophy that is grounded in real life, The Sword of Destiny concerns itself it the philosophy of destiny and is more rooted in a traditional fantasy story. For a while, I thought the story would take a clichéd approach to destiny, but was pleasantly surprised by how the author chose to tackle it. This book is an excellent read if you enjoy medieval fantasy and a must-read if you're a fan of the Witcher series.

"Not this war, Geralt. After this war, no-one returns. There will be nothing to return to. Nilfgaard leaves behind it only rubble; its armies advance like lava from which no-one escapes. The roads are strewn, for miles, with gallows and pyres; the sky is cut with columns of smoke as long as the horizon. Since the beginning of the world, in fact, nothing of this sort has happened before. Since the world is our world... You must understand that the Nilfgaardians have descended from their mountains to destroy this world." The Sword of Destiny is the sequel to the Witcher's first collection, The Last Wish, picking up where the previous book left off. The continuity is surprisingly fluid with the stories being surprisingly interlinked and best read in the order that they are published. The Sword of Destiny is also absolutely essential to understanding the later novels in the series, which is unusual when dealing with short stories. The Sword of Destiny is also surprising in that it contains some of the lightest and darkest of the Witcher universe slammed together in one volume. There's stories which include silly stories about Medieval stock market manipulation and a retelling of The Little Mermaid alongside tales of genocide as well as forced relocation of native peoples. This is a really impressive display of the variety of Andrzej Sapkowski's work. I'm particularly fascinated by the character development of Geralt, new character Ciri of Cintra, and the Nilfgaardian Empire. Geralt gets expanded from The Man With No Name with swords, basically, to a man who is deeply suffering for his inability to find love. Ciri of Cintra is one of the rare non-annoying children in fiction, rivaling Newt from Aliens for how much I like her. The Nilfgaardian Empire? Well, they are an embodiment of evil who don't get much screen-time but manage to be both believable and terrifying at once. I started the review with the quote about them because, truly, it gave me chills. The supporting cast in the book is particularly strong this time around as well. The tragic but wonderful character of Essi Daven, the snobbish but enjoyable Istredd, the self-confident but heartbroken Yennefer, the imperious Calanthe, and (of course) Dandelion are all characters who fly off the page despite their little screen-time. I'll go into more detail but, really, I should address each of the stories individually. "Limit of Possibility" This is a deconstruction of the dragon-slaying epics which we all know, even if we've never seen them outside of The Hobbit. Geralt of Rivia is the one professional monster slayer in the surrounding kingdoms who isn't interested in killing a dragon when a prince puts up a fabulous reward for slaying one. This attracts a holy knight, a wizard more interested in saving one than killing one, a would-be peasant hero, and some cold-blooded mercenaries. The fact the dragon is an intelligent individual who may be the last of its kind on the Continent doesn't effect their motivations one bit. This story picks up on Geralt and Yennefer's relationship immediately after The Last Wish. Geralt, apparently, abandoned her soon after the story which did not sit well with Yennefer in the slightest. This is one of her best appearances as she gives some truly staggering justifications to convince herself that it's alright to kill the dragons for her very personal selfish reasons. It's a humorous, silly, and yet surprisingly well-written and observant story. "Splinter of Ice" This is not really a typical Witcher story in that while it has a few nods to being an deconstruction of The Snow Queen, it's actually a romance about Geralt and Yennefer. Well, actually it's only a romance in it's an analysis of how the two (actually three as Geralt finds out) are deeply dysfunctional people who have difficulty loving or being loved. Both Yennefer and Geralt have terrible self-esteem as it turns out, which effects their ability to say how much they care for one another. I like this story's surprisingly unglamorous portrayal of Geralt and Yennefer's romance, which is how these things sometimes go. Yennefer is constantly cheating on Geralt while he isn't all that much better, not the least bit because he won't really identify what it is they have. The introduction of Istredd is excellent as he is a character who really would be better off seeking anyone else than Yennefer but wants her anyway. Despite some truly nasty things he says to Geralt, you also get the impression he's not that different from our hero. "Eternal Fire" A comedy about economics, identity theft, and assimilation in a Medieval city. Geralt and Dandelion find themselves bankrupt (again) in the city of Novigrad. Going to visit a halfling friend of theirs, they find that he's been replaced with a mischievous doppler who has stolen all of the man's wealth. Joining with their friend, who has escaped imprisonment, they proceed to chase the doppler around the city only to find out he's built a veritable economic empire in just a few short weeks. Much discussion is had about the definition of monster and what kind of opportunities we allow the disadvantaged. I got a lot of fun out of this story since I read it while playing the Novigrad section of the Witcher 3. The doppler character, Dudu, really impresses me with his statement about how arbitrary the rules of society can be. Dudu would very much love a chance to live amongst "normal" people but he's forbidden it because of an accident of birth. This is perhaps the lightest story in the whole of the Witcher series and is quite enjoyable as a comedic romp. "A Little Sacrifice" The final "humorous" story in this collection, A Little Sacrifice is a re-telling of The Little Mermaid with a Lovecraftian twist. Geralt and Dandelion find themselves bankrupt (notice a theme?) and the latter is forced to be the backup entertainment at a wedding. This is after as disastrous attempt by Geralt to try and serve as a go-betweener for a Duke with his mermaid sweetheart. Once there, they meet a young rival of Dandelion's who Geralt swiftly develops feelings for. A Little Sacrifice is much like Splinter of Ice in that it's more a story about love and relationships than the supernatural. While the Little Mermaid parody is hilarious, it's really mostly about Geralt's relationship with Essi Daven and how he could find love with a woman other than Yennefer (but doesn't want to). The ending is touching, even if it's a bit hard on the mermaid. I also like the random inclusion of Deep Ones in the setting. "Sword of Destiny" The Sword of Destiny is the first story to really have a heavy focus on the myth arc of the Witcher as well as set up the events of Something Greater. Geralt goes into a Dryad-filled forest in order to carry a treaty offer from a nearby king. The Dryad race is dying out but they would prefer to go down fighting than watch their lands turned into lumber except for a tiny section. Meanwhile, Geralt stumbles across the lost Princess of Cintra, Ciri, who has the potential to change his destiny forever. There's a lot of heavy subtext about native displacement, extinction, racism, and the problem of cohabitation looking a lot like surrender. There's no good answers here and the ending is ambiguous. Ciri's presence is, however, adorable and I loved her deconstruction of arranged marriages as well as the runaway princess trope. We also get a lot of foreshadowing for where their story will go next. "Something Greater" Something Greater is, hands down, the best of Sapkowski's short stories. It's powerful, emotional, dramatic, and tension-filled. The fact it's mostly about Geralt recovering from a horrible injury sustained fighting run-of-the-mill bandits belabors the point that it is a well-written story about loss as well as the horrors of war. Geralt struggles with the idea that his mother may be dead without ever having met her or that Yennefer might die on some battlefield somewhere. He also struggles with the fact he has no legacy since he rejected the possibility of taking Ciri as his child/apprentice. The introduction of Nilfgaard is truly horrific and done extremely well. In a world as horrible and filled with suffering as the Northern kingdoms, they are something worse and come to bring an end to the old way of life (as well as possibly its people). The destruction of Cintra is one of the most harrowing short bits of fiction I've read. Bravo, Andrzej! I recommend this book strongly. It's got humor, drama, action, character insight, tragedy, and wonder. Is it the best fantasy I've ever read? No. However, it's up there. For the short story format, the author manages to really crank out some wonders. 10/10

Like most other Witcher books, this one is set in a Medieval World and, as any fantasy must, has its share of goblins, dryads, elves, dragons, and dwarves. What sets it apart is the realism of that world; the sheer humanity of it. As one (pretty minor) character puts it toward the end of the tale “life must go on no matter what happens.” And perhaps we can try to do as little harm as possible. At the center of this world, this story is Geralt, a Witcher that is a man who has been mutated and made fit to fight monsters, who has lost faith. Lost faith in what he was created to do, lost faith even in destiny itself. And at one level, this is a book about how he recovers that faith. And that story is told brilliantly. At another level, this is a story that makes fun of the fairy tales with which we grew up. Are the knights who go out to kill dragons truly that valiant or are dragons the ones who deserve our praise? Does the tale of the Little Mermaid, as told by Hans Christian Anderson make sense or is it (as Geralt puts it) “rot” that no-one in their right mind would believe? Who is a monster, really? And how can you tell? And finally, the question that keeps the whole set of tales together: the blade of destiny has two sides. One is a child prophesy. What the other will be depends, to a large extent, on Geralt. It is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it for adults whether you are a fan of the Witcher video games or, indeed, a fan of the fantasy genre or not.

Of course, I came to these books having greatly enjoyed the Witcher games: particularly Witcher 3. I knew that the game designers stayed close to the original book themes but that they are not canon. The author steadfastly refused to have anything to do with the games, unfortunately. So the question is: if you enjoyed the games, are the books worth it? And the answer is an easy yes - these books fill in so much about the characters that seemed to be only side quest accessories but instead Geralt had met them before. As well, several Gwent cards feature characters that were introduced in the books (e.g., this book has the golden dragon Villentretenmerth. There are two short story collection books (this is one of them) and then an ongoing series. The stories in this book include the story of how Geralt met Villentretenmerth, how he met and fell for Yennefer, how he uncovered a plot featuring the Doppler Dudu (who shows up in Witcher 3), a plot featuring mermaids and a duke who wants a bride (a riff on The Little Mermaid), and Sword of Destiny - which sets up the storyline for the series (focusing on the child of Destiny, Ciri). Sapkowski enjoys taking fairy tales and creating a more 'realistic' storyline around them. In previous books we saw Beauty and the Beast subverted and here we have a rather imaginative take on the Little Mermaid. Those who have played the game can imagine how the story will unfold: with the trademark lack of morality and clear endings. I do enjoy that vagueness since it means you are given a lot to think about afterwards. I found the stories in both of the 'collection' books to be interesting and worth the read. As well, a lot more focus is on Geralt in these books than in the series. In fact, in the series the POV is rarely Geralt, which may frustrate some. I listened to the Audible book and it was obvious the narrator took great care with the voices and acting. Admittedly, at times the accents were very hard to understand and I had to stop doing anything else in order to listen carefully (which took me out of the story). But other than that, it felt like a lot of love went into the narration.

To my taste this collection of stories represents Sapkowski’s very best work in the entire Witcher collection. It is a direct continuation of “The Last Wish,” following the same format of linked short stories tracing the arc of Geralt’s self-discovery, his struggle with faith in the unseen, and his tremendous difficulty in accepting and building human relationships, particularly in the female mode. His mother, his lover, his daughter, even a sort of lady grim reaper – each of these relationships is explored and developed in its tortured incompleteness to reveal Geralt of Rivia, a man of superhuman abilities, as thoroughly and vulnerably human. Dandelion, the only person Geralt seems comfortable with, nails him: “for people who think clear-headedly you’re the most normal man under the sun, and they all wish that everybody was so normal.” Adding this layer of literary introspection to what is otherwise a very entertaining and creative set of swashbuckling fantasy adventures really sets this series apart in terms of interest. The first story, “The Bounds of Reason,” is my favorite one of all, because it manages to highlight all of Sapkowski’s strengths at once: creative reinterpretation of fantasy clichés, humor, action, salty dialogue, sexuality, viciously dysfunctional but passionately sincere romance, philosophical conflicts on man and nature. The next three are each good in their own way, but the last two are noteworthy in that together they form both a satisfying thematic conclusion to the two-book collection, as well as a bridge to the following novels in that the relationship between Geralt and Ciri is firmly established.

While the stories contained in “Sword of Destiny” are undeniably part of the Witcher continuum and undeniably awesome, they also undeniably take second place to those in “The Last Wish.” Qualifier: nothing in “Sword of Destiny” is bad. Quite the contrary: it’s a great read and worth every one of its five stars. Each story in this anthology is entertaining, well told, has a message and is very much worth reading. Compared to the absolutely top-shelf quality and originality of every story in “The Last Wish,” however, “Sword of Destiny” can’t help but feel a bit wanting. Part of this is successor syndrome (i.e., the preceding installment was JUST SO GOOD the sequel can’t really compare), part of it is Sapkowski finding his voice and dialing in his style. There are two very notable exceptions: “Little Sacrifice” and “Something More.” Those two stories rank among the very best of the Witcher short stories contained in either of the aforementioned collections. Holy wow do those stories hit the reader right in the feelz. Geralt of Rivia returns for another foray into Sapkowski’s brilliant fantasy world; a world as vibrant and real as our own, full of metaphor, allegory and relativism, where everything exists only in some wonderful shade of gray. Are dragons inherently evil and what exactly does that mean? What do you do with a creature that clones a person, but only copies said person’s good behaviors? What precisely constitutes a little sacrifice? How do you define destiny or if it even exists? The Witcher series is making fairy tales relevant again, but with grown-ups as the audience. With “The Last Wish” (Witcher #1) and “Sword of Destiny” (Witcher #2) finished, time to move onto the novels. “Blood of Elves” (Witcher #3) is already on this reviewer’s short list. “The Witcher nodded. Not for the first time, the criteria by which women judged the attractiveness of men remained a mystery to him.” - - - - - - “It’s not worth worrying about storytellers. If they don’t have enough material they’ll make things up anyway. And if they do have authentic material at their disposal, they’ll distort it.” - - - - - - “The Sword of Destiny has two blades… You are one of them.” - - - - - - “She stood before him and Geralt regretted it was her and not the fish-eyed creature with a sword who had been hidden beneath the water. He had stood a chance against that creature. But against her he had none.” - - - - - - “Aha,” he said calmly. “Essi Daven, also known as Little Eye. The alluring little eye of Little Eye fixed its gaze on the Witcher and caused confusion in the Witcher. The Witcher behaved like a little schoolboy before a queen. And rather than blame himself he is blaming her and searching for her dark side.” - - - - - - “For me,” Dandelion fantasized, “a palliasse without a girl isn’t a palliasse. It’s incomplete happiness, and what is incomplete happiness?” - - - - - - “You’re sensitive,” she said softly. “Deep in your angst-filled soul. Your stony face and cold voice don’t deceive me. You are sensitive, and your sensitivity makes you fear that whatever you are going to face with sword in hand may have its own arguments, may have the moral advantage over you…”

Review 5 stars I’m attempting to remain chronological in reading and reviewing Andrzej Sapkowski's absorbing books about Geralt of Rivia, although I first met the White Wolf in The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt video game. I also know that there are some shorts that might not fit this chronology. However, the six short stories in this second collection are on the one hand standalone but on the other, there are strong threads linking them – not least the White Wolf himself, Geralt of Rivia. Some see him as emotionless and ruthless, but his potion-subdued emotions emerge, and he is torn by his heart and by his destiny. Sapkowski creates an evolving and complex character who has a code, relationships, habits, quirks, dreams, nightmares…and destiny. That destiny unfolds in the stories – and I know in later books. However, the author doesn’t use a linear style for the plot, weaving the threads with flashback memories, nightmares and encounters. Some readers might find this approach confusing, but when the pieces fall into place, I sat back and admired the craft, grinning with pleasure. Each story deals with an event in Geralt’s journey, introducing both new characters and old ones, like Dandelion, the bard and Yennefer, the sorceress. From the opening story, The Bounds of Reason, when we encounter the mysterious Borch Three Jackdaws, we realise that this is neither a black-and-white world nor classical fantasy, but a multi-faceted and richly-visualised world of many hues, some grey and muddy, some earthy and verdant, and some red as blood or purple as lilacs. Each character in this and the other stories has levels of complexity, none more so than the child called Ciri in the last two stories – The Sword of Destiny and Something More. I could write about all six stories, but other reviewers can do that better. Do I focus instead on Yennefer’s devious attractions or Dandelion’s humorous escapades? Not this time – even if they are both play memorable character-driven episodes. Ciri is the person who fascinated me most, watching her cope with events as a child, her raw emotions and reactions, seeing her encounter Geralt and struggle together with Destiny. The whole plot comes together in their story, with seeds sown in one of the key stories within The Last Wish collection and continued in the novels (and games). Everything takes place in a world that mirrors issues that our society still struggles with, like prejudice and racial segregation. Pogroms directed against elves and dwarves echo the horrors that the Jews suffered, totally – and witch burnings were for real. And the persecution of ‘minorities’ continues. People even dislike Witchers so abuse and exploit them – so why not send all Moslems back where they belong. Geralt's world is filled with monsters, and sometimes the human ones are the worst – as in ours. Sapkowski takes folklore and cleverly twists it, posing dilemmas. What side do you stand with, Order or Chaos? Are all dragons evil because a knight-errant must rescue maidens in distress? Sapkowski also raises topical issues, such as the struggle to preserve the natural world, vanishing species struggling to survive. Do we have a right to their land? I have just taken a few enjoyable steps exploring Sapkowski’s creation, even if I’ve visited the world others built from his imagination. Playing the Witcher 3 game and reading the early books creates moments of ‘understanding’ about this complex world. The depth originates in Sapkowski’s mind, so I must keep reading. Story – five stars Setting/World-building – five stars Authenticity – five stars Characters – five stars Structure – five stars Readability – five stars Editing – five stars

Continuing the short stories that spawned The Witcher phenomenon created by Andrzej Sapkowski, Sword of Destiny is the second book to pick up if you're looking to read everything chronologically. Or so I've been told. There's not a whole lot more that I can say about this collection of short stories, save that they continue to flesh out the setting and give background to the characters. Geralt of Rivia might be considered a heartless monster hunter, but behind the imposing façade lies an individual who cares deeply. Continuing discussions of destiny follow through as a theme, with Geralt wrestling with his responsibility towards Ciri, and how their paths keep crossing. If you've watched the first season of the series on Netflix, you'll recognise some of the story arcs, though the series does play loose and fast with the source material. I found particularly poignant the way Geralt and Yennefer damage each other so much – and Geralt very much cares for her, even if she pushes him away. The biggest issue that I can say is that what they value in life differs vastly. We also get glimpses into Geralt's past, and have hints as to why he got started on his path as a witcher in the first place. As always, I feel that much is lost in translation – some of the phrasing and idiomatic expressions are clunky, but I have sufficient love for the setting to continue reading.

The much awaited second collection of short stories set in the Witcher universe, Sword of Destiny, is a frustrating read. Unlike The Last Wish, the first collection of short stories set that introduced us to the intriguing world and character of Geralt of Rivia, the second collection is not as much focused on developing the world but rather on developing the character of Geralt. As such, the happenings of the world, the who-dun-its, the secondary characters -- all of it function as narrative devices to do the more important work -- which is, for Sapkowski's second outing, the development of Geralt. The gambit, however, falls absolutely flat in the three of six stories, which read more like high school romance novels than the ground-breaking fantasy stories of the previous collection. It's not simply the strange translation choices, or the awkwardness of the dialogue -- the structures of the stories themselves change this dynamic character into a frozen, impotent character. Particular eye-rolling is the dialogue between Geralt and an important secondary character, which feels more like a poorly-written high-school romance than what we've come to expect from the Witcher collection. In fact, for the three out of the six stories, there's plenty of "oh, come on," moments, eye-rolling dialogue, and falling-flat of what is expected to be emotional moments. All that being said, the rest of the book is redeemed by the other three stories, namely, "Eternal Flame," the titular "Sword of Destiny," and the narratively most complex, "Something More." "Eternal Flame" is a story that is more akin to the stories of The Last Wish than Sword of Destiny in that it is a classic who-dun-it that also simultaneously develops Geralt and the world, but "Sword of Destiny" and "Something More" are squarely within the ethos of Sword of Destiny. They are primarily related to Geralt's internal struggles, but, unlike the other three stories that preceded it, are not hampered by triteness, eye-rolling dialogue, and cringe-worthy adolescent emotionality. All in all, the book is half intolerable, and half wonderful.

I think I am landing on four stars for Sword of Destiny, the second collection of Witcher stories. Of the six stories I'd give four of them four stars, and two of them five. So four seems fair. The first thing I noted is that Sword of Destiny has a different translator than The Last Wish. David French in this case, rather than Danusia Stok. I noticed a little stiltedness and awkwardness in some of the writing in the beginning stories, and I wanted to attribute this to the new translator, however I am wondering if this was not more of a placebo effect. Because the first time I read The Last Wish I had similar 'issues' with the translation, but the second time I didn't have any at all. Nor did I have any issues with, say, the back half of this book. So I think it may just be a mood thing, or a matter of getting used to the writing/translation. In any case, I have never really felt my enjoyment of Sapkowski's stories lessened by the fact that they are not in the original language. So, then. Sword of Destiny. If you enjoyed The Last Wish and want to learn more about our man Geralt (much more) then you'd be doing yourself a disservice not picking up this book. It expands on the world, on the characters, and on just about everything that Sapkowski introduces in The Last Wish. It even introduces Ciri, who fans of the games will recognize instantly. She appears in two of the stories in this collection, and it's no coincidence that those two are the ones I'd have easily given five stars. In fact, Ciri's story bits--and the way they affect Geralt--have me more excited to eventually dive in to the main Witcher series than I ever was before. As I mentioned there are six stories in Sword of Destiny, just as there were six stories in The Last Wish. Sapkowski's talent for storytelling shines through once more. In his clever resolutions to what could otherwise be run of the mill fantasy; in complicated characters who engage in meaningful, smart dialogue and are consistently challenged emotionally (even when those characters aren't human). The feel of his world is one that I enjoy. It feels very lived in which is a compliment that I throw around at times, but not lightly. It's rough around the edges, but with the capacity to be beautiful. I'm actually reminded of the movie Willow at times, for whatever reason. Not in tone, or in content. Just the feeling of the world. It's a good feeling though. Spakowski is not without his faults. Women outside his main characters can sometimes feel like fodder for Geralt; whether sexually or to challenge him in some way (emotionally, intellectually, etc). You can make the, "It's the times!" argument here, probably even successfully, but still it's a noticeable piece of these stories. Even so, I enjoy them greatly. Now, here's a bit about each story in the collection. THE BOUNDS OF REASON: In which Geralt embarks with strange company on a dragon hunt, finding himself face to face with a living legend. This story explores the limits of possibility. A SHARD OF ICE: In which Geralt finds himself in a lover's spat with a sorcerer named Istredd as they fight over who should be with Yennefer. This story was noteworthy for how it challenges the idea that Geralt, as a Witcher, is without emotion. ETERNAL FLAME: A story surrounding a series of chaotic trade deals after a mimic (doppler) assumes the form of a merchant friend of Geralt's. Fans of the game will recognize the city of Novigrad, the dwarf banker Vivaldi, and the doppler Dudu. This one has an excellent scene during which the reader's view of 'monsters' or non-humans is deeply challenged. Some good Dandelion bits in this one. A LITTLE SACRIFICE: In which Geralt and Dandelion--down on their luck--are invited to a wedding where Dandelion has been commissioned to sing alonside Essi Daven, known as Little Eye. Soon enough Geralt is entangled in a Duke's advances on a mermaid and a case of some murdered pearl divers. This is another one that dives a bit deeper into Geralt's supposed lack of emotions. THE SWORD OF DESTINY: This and the next story were my favorite of the bunch, and may even be the two best stories of both collections. They serve as the introduction of Ciri, and begin to build toward what I can only imagine will be a large part of the series moving forward. In this one, Geralt is on a diplomatic mission to Brokilon, home of the dryads. SOMETHING MORE: Wounded after defending the life of a merchant stranded in monster territory, Geralt experiences several hallucinogenic visions while he recovers using his own alchemical agents. These.. visions, are very interesting. Namely because the reader is unsure whether they are visions. Or whether they are simply hallucinations. Additionally, we have no idea if they are happening now, have happened, or will happen; though some guesses can be made. Each is worthwhile though. This story also contains major information about The Law of Surprise, Geralt's parentage, and the Niflgaard war that will likely consume a large portion of our story moving forward. Excellent story. Well, there it is. Next up is Blood of Elves, the beginning of the main series.

After a very long wait (seven years), we finally have the official English translation of the second set of short stories about Geralt of Rivia. Why the publisher waited so long to translate this collection is beyond me, as The Sword of Destiny introduces some very important characters to the next book: Blood of Elves. However, that's a discussion for another day. The Sword of Destiny is similar to its prequel collection, The Last Wish. It's a series of short stories about Geralt, one of the last Witchers (a guild of monster hunters), and his many adventures. Unlike the The Last Wish, all the stories are in a fairly linear order and deal mostly with the topic of destiny. They also build on Geralt's relationships and what it means to be human. Whereas The Last Wish dealt more with philosophy that is grounded in real life, The Sword of Destiny concerns itself it the philosophy of destiny and is more rooted in a traditional fantasy story. For a while, I thought the story would take a clichéd approach to destiny, but was pleasantly surprised by how the author chose to tackle it. This book is an excellent read if you enjoy medieval fantasy and a must-read if you're a fan of the Witcher series.

"Not this war, Geralt. After this war, no-one returns. There will be nothing to return to. Nilfgaard leaves behind it only rubble; its armies advance like lava from which no-one escapes. The roads are strewn, for miles, with gallows and pyres; the sky is cut with columns of smoke as long as the horizon. Since the beginning of the world, in fact, nothing of this sort has happened before. Since the world is our world... You must understand that the Nilfgaardians have descended from their mountains to destroy this world." The Sword of Destiny is the sequel to the Witcher's first collection, The Last Wish, picking up where the previous book left off. The continuity is surprisingly fluid with the stories being surprisingly interlinked and best read in the order that they are published. The Sword of Destiny is also absolutely essential to understanding the later novels in the series, which is unusual when dealing with short stories. The Sword of Destiny is also surprising in that it contains some of the lightest and darkest of the Witcher universe slammed together in one volume. There's stories which include silly stories about Medieval stock market manipulation and a retelling of The Little Mermaid alongside tales of genocide as well as forced relocation of native peoples. This is a really impressive display of the variety of Andrzej Sapkowski's work. I'm particularly fascinated by the character development of Geralt, new character Ciri of Cintra, and the Nilfgaardian Empire. Geralt gets expanded from The Man With No Name with swords, basically, to a man who is deeply suffering for his inability to find love. Ciri of Cintra is one of the rare non-annoying children in fiction, rivaling Newt from Aliens for how much I like her. The Nilfgaardian Empire? Well, they are an embodiment of evil who don't get much screen-time but manage to be both believable and terrifying at once. I started the review with the quote about them because, truly, it gave me chills. The supporting cast in the book is particularly strong this time around as well. The tragic but wonderful character of Essi Daven, the snobbish but enjoyable Istredd, the self-confident but heartbroken Yennefer, the imperious Calanthe, and (of course) Dandelion are all characters who fly off the page despite their little screen-time. I'll go into more detail but, really, I should address each of the stories individually. "Limit of Possibility" This is a deconstruction of the dragon-slaying epics which we all know, even if we've never seen them outside of The Hobbit. Geralt of Rivia is the one professional monster slayer in the surrounding kingdoms who isn't interested in killing a dragon when a prince puts up a fabulous reward for slaying one. This attracts a holy knight, a wizard more interested in saving one than killing one, a would-be peasant hero, and some cold-blooded mercenaries. The fact the dragon is an intelligent individual who may be the last of its kind on the Continent doesn't effect their motivations one bit. This story picks up on Geralt and Yennefer's relationship immediately after The Last Wish. Geralt, apparently, abandoned her soon after the story which did not sit well with Yennefer in the slightest. This is one of her best appearances as she gives some truly staggering justifications to convince herself that it's alright to kill the dragons for her very personal selfish reasons. It's a humorous, silly, and yet surprisingly well-written and observant story. "Splinter of Ice" This is not really a typical Witcher story in that while it has a few nods to being an deconstruction of The Snow Queen, it's actually a romance about Geralt and Yennefer. Well, actually it's only a romance in it's an analysis of how the two (actually three as Geralt finds out) are deeply dysfunctional people who have difficulty loving or being loved. Both Yennefer and Geralt have terrible self-esteem as it turns out, which effects their ability to say how much they care for one another. I like this story's surprisingly unglamorous portrayal of Geralt and Yennefer's romance, which is how these things sometimes go. Yennefer is constantly cheating on Geralt while he isn't all that much better, not the least bit because he won't really identify what it is they have. The introduction of Istredd is excellent as he is a character who really would be better off seeking anyone else than Yennefer but wants her anyway. Despite some truly nasty things he says to Geralt, you also get the impression he's not that different from our hero. "Eternal Fire" A comedy about economics, identity theft, and assimilation in a Medieval city. Geralt and Dandelion find themselves bankrupt (again) in the city of Novigrad. Going to visit a halfling friend of theirs, they find that he's been replaced with a mischievous doppler who has stolen all of the man's wealth. Joining with their friend, who has escaped imprisonment, they proceed to chase the doppler around the city only to find out he's built a veritable economic empire in just a few short weeks. Much discussion is had about the definition of monster and what kind of opportunities we allow the disadvantaged. I got a lot of fun out of this story since I read it while playing the Novigrad section of the Witcher 3. The doppler character, Dudu, really impresses me with his statement about how arbitrary the rules of society can be. Dudu would very much love a chance to live amongst "normal" people but he's forbidden it because of an accident of birth. This is perhaps the lightest story in the whole of the Witcher series and is quite enjoyable as a comedic romp. "A Little Sacrifice" The final "humorous" story in this collection, A Little Sacrifice is a re-telling of The Little Mermaid with a Lovecraftian twist. Geralt and Dandelion find themselves bankrupt (notice a theme?) and the latter is forced to be the backup entertainment at a wedding. This is after as disastrous attempt by Geralt to try and serve as a go-betweener for a Duke with his mermaid sweetheart. Once there, they meet a young rival of Dandelion's who Geralt swiftly develops feelings for. A Little Sacrifice is much like Splinter of Ice in that it's more a story about love and relationships than the supernatural. While the Little Mermaid parody is hilarious, it's really mostly about Geralt's relationship with Essi Daven and how he could find love with a woman other than Yennefer (but doesn't want to). The ending is touching, even if it's a bit hard on the mermaid. I also like the random inclusion of Deep Ones in the setting. "Sword of Destiny" The Sword of Destiny is the first story to really have a heavy focus on the myth arc of the Witcher as well as set up the events of Something Greater. Geralt goes into a Dryad-filled forest in order to carry a treaty offer from a nearby king. The Dryad race is dying out but they would prefer to go down fighting than watch their lands turned into lumber except for a tiny section. Meanwhile, Geralt stumbles across the lost Princess of Cintra, Ciri, who has the potential to change his destiny forever. There's a lot of heavy subtext about native displacement, extinction, racism, and the problem of cohabitation looking a lot like surrender. There's no good answers here and the ending is ambiguous. Ciri's presence is, however, adorable and I loved her deconstruction of arranged marriages as well as the runaway princess trope. We also get a lot of foreshadowing for where their story will go next. "Something Greater" Something Greater is, hands down, the best of Sapkowski's short stories. It's powerful, emotional, dramatic, and tension-filled. The fact it's mostly about Geralt recovering from a horrible injury sustained fighting run-of-the-mill bandits belabors the point that it is a well-written story about loss as well as the horrors of war. Geralt struggles with the idea that his mother may be dead without ever having met her or that Yennefer might die on some battlefield somewhere. He also struggles with the fact he has no legacy since he rejected the possibility of taking Ciri as his child/apprentice. The introduction of Nilfgaard is truly horrific and done extremely well. In a world as horrible and filled with suffering as the Northern kingdoms, they are something worse and come to bring an end to the old way of life (as well as possibly its people). The destruction of Cintra is one of the most harrowing short bits of fiction I've read. Bravo, Andrzej! I recommend this book strongly. It's got humor, drama, action, character insight, tragedy, and wonder. Is it the best fantasy I've ever read? No. However, it's up there. For the short story format, the author manages to really crank out some wonders. 10/10

Like most other Witcher books, this one is set in a Medieval World and, as any fantasy must, has its share of goblins, dryads, elves, dragons, and dwarves. What sets it apart is the realism of that world; the sheer humanity of it. As one (pretty minor) character puts it toward the end of the tale “life must go on no matter what happens.” And perhaps we can try to do as little harm as possible. At the center of this world, this story is Geralt, a Witcher that is a man who has been mutated and made fit to fight monsters, who has lost faith. Lost faith in what he was created to do, lost faith even in destiny itself. And at one level, this is a book about how he recovers that faith. And that story is told brilliantly. At another level, this is a story that makes fun of the fairy tales with which we grew up. Are the knights who go out to kill dragons truly that valiant or are dragons the ones who deserve our praise? Does the tale of the Little Mermaid, as told by Hans Christian Anderson make sense or is it (as Geralt puts it) “rot” that no-one in their right mind would believe? Who is a monster, really? And how can you tell? And finally, the question that keeps the whole set of tales together: the blade of destiny has two sides. One is a child prophesy. What the other will be depends, to a large extent, on Geralt. It is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it for adults whether you are a fan of the Witcher video games or, indeed, a fan of the fantasy genre or not.

Of course, I came to these books having greatly enjoyed the Witcher games: particularly Witcher 3. I knew that the game designers stayed close to the original book themes but that they are not canon. The author steadfastly refused to have anything to do with the games, unfortunately. So the question is: if you enjoyed the games, are the books worth it? And the answer is an easy yes - these books fill in so much about the characters that seemed to be only side quest accessories but instead Geralt had met them before. As well, several Gwent cards feature characters that were introduced in the books (e.g., this book has the golden dragon Villentretenmerth. There are two short story collection books (this is one of them) and then an ongoing series. The stories in this book include the story of how Geralt met Villentretenmerth, how he met and fell for Yennefer, how he uncovered a plot featuring the Doppler Dudu (who shows up in Witcher 3), a plot featuring mermaids and a duke who wants a bride (a riff on The Little Mermaid), and Sword of Destiny - which sets up the storyline for the series (focusing on the child of Destiny, Ciri). Sapkowski enjoys taking fairy tales and creating a more 'realistic' storyline around them. In previous books we saw Beauty and the Beast subverted and here we have a rather imaginative take on the Little Mermaid. Those who have played the game can imagine how the story will unfold: with the trademark lack of morality and clear endings. I do enjoy that vagueness since it means you are given a lot to think about afterwards. I found the stories in both of the 'collection' books to be interesting and worth the read. As well, a lot more focus is on Geralt in these books than in the series. In fact, in the series the POV is rarely Geralt, which may frustrate some. I listened to the Audible book and it was obvious the narrator took great care with the voices and acting. Admittedly, at times the accents were very hard to understand and I had to stop doing anything else in order to listen carefully (which took me out of the story). But other than that, it felt like a lot of love went into the narration.

To my taste this collection of stories represents Sapkowski’s very best work in the entire Witcher collection. It is a direct continuation of “The Last Wish,” following the same format of linked short stories tracing the arc of Geralt’s self-discovery, his struggle with faith in the unseen, and his tremendous difficulty in accepting and building human relationships, particularly in the female mode. His mother, his lover, his daughter, even a sort of lady grim reaper – each of these relationships is explored and developed in its tortured incompleteness to reveal Geralt of Rivia, a man of superhuman abilities, as thoroughly and vulnerably human. Dandelion, the only person Geralt seems comfortable with, nails him: “for people who think clear-headedly you’re the most normal man under the sun, and they all wish that everybody was so normal.” Adding this layer of literary introspection to what is otherwise a very entertaining and creative set of swashbuckling fantasy adventures really sets this series apart in terms of interest. The first story, “The Bounds of Reason,” is my favorite one of all, because it manages to highlight all of Sapkowski’s strengths at once: creative reinterpretation of fantasy clichés, humor, action, salty dialogue, sexuality, viciously dysfunctional but passionately sincere romance, philosophical conflicts on man and nature. The next three are each good in their own way, but the last two are noteworthy in that together they form both a satisfying thematic conclusion to the two-book collection, as well as a bridge to the following novels in that the relationship between Geralt and Ciri is firmly established.

While the stories contained in “Sword of Destiny” are undeniably part of the Witcher continuum and undeniably awesome, they also undeniably take second place to those in “The Last Wish.” Qualifier: nothing in “Sword of Destiny” is bad. Quite the contrary: it’s a great read and worth every one of its five stars. Each story in this anthology is entertaining, well told, has a message and is very much worth reading. Compared to the absolutely top-shelf quality and originality of every story in “The Last Wish,” however, “Sword of Destiny” can’t help but feel a bit wanting. Part of this is successor syndrome (i.e., the preceding installment was JUST SO GOOD the sequel can’t really compare), part of it is Sapkowski finding his voice and dialing in his style. There are two very notable exceptions: “Little Sacrifice” and “Something More.” Those two stories rank among the very best of the Witcher short stories contained in either of the aforementioned collections. Holy wow do those stories hit the reader right in the feelz. Geralt of Rivia returns for another foray into Sapkowski’s brilliant fantasy world; a world as vibrant and real as our own, full of metaphor, allegory and relativism, where everything exists only in some wonderful shade of gray. Are dragons inherently evil and what exactly does that mean? What do you do with a creature that clones a person, but only copies said person’s good behaviors? What precisely constitutes a little sacrifice? How do you define destiny or if it even exists? The Witcher series is making fairy tales relevant again, but with grown-ups as the audience. With “The Last Wish” (Witcher #1) and “Sword of Destiny” (Witcher #2) finished, time to move onto the novels. “Blood of Elves” (Witcher #3) is already on this reviewer’s short list. “The Witcher nodded. Not for the first time, the criteria by which women judged the attractiveness of men remained a mystery to him.” - - - - - - “It’s not worth worrying about storytellers. If they don’t have enough material they’ll make things up anyway. And if they do have authentic material at their disposal, they’ll distort it.” - - - - - - “The Sword of Destiny has two blades… You are one of them.” - - - - - - “She stood before him and Geralt regretted it was her and not the fish-eyed creature with a sword who had been hidden beneath the water. He had stood a chance against that creature. But against her he had none.” - - - - - - “Aha,” he said calmly. “Essi Daven, also known as Little Eye. The alluring little eye of Little Eye fixed its gaze on the Witcher and caused confusion in the Witcher. The Witcher behaved like a little schoolboy before a queen. And rather than blame himself he is blaming her and searching for her dark side.” - - - - - - “For me,” Dandelion fantasized, “a palliasse without a girl isn’t a palliasse. It’s incomplete happiness, and what is incomplete happiness?” - - - - - - “You’re sensitive,” she said softly. “Deep in your angst-filled soul. Your stony face and cold voice don’t deceive me. You are sensitive, and your sensitivity makes you fear that whatever you are going to face with sword in hand may have its own arguments, may have the moral advantage over you…”

Review 5 stars I’m attempting to remain chronological in reading and reviewing Andrzej Sapkowski's absorbing books about Geralt of Rivia, although I first met the White Wolf in The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt video game. I also know that there are some shorts that might not fit this chronology. However, the six short stories in this second collection are on the one hand standalone but on the other, there are strong threads linking them – not least the White Wolf himself, Geralt of Rivia. Some see him as emotionless and ruthless, but his potion-subdued emotions emerge, and he is torn by his heart and by his destiny. Sapkowski creates an evolving and complex character who has a code, relationships, habits, quirks, dreams, nightmares…and destiny. That destiny unfolds in the stories – and I know in later books. However, the author doesn’t use a linear style for the plot, weaving the threads with flashback memories, nightmares and encounters. Some readers might find this approach confusing, but when the pieces fall into place, I sat back and admired the craft, grinning with pleasure. Each story deals with an event in Geralt’s journey, introducing both new characters and old ones, like Dandelion, the bard and Yennefer, the sorceress. From the opening story, The Bounds of Reason, when we encounter the mysterious Borch Three Jackdaws, we realise that this is neither a black-and-white world nor classical fantasy, but a multi-faceted and richly-visualised world of many hues, some grey and muddy, some earthy and verdant, and some red as blood or purple as lilacs. Each character in this and the other stories has levels of complexity, none more so than the child called Ciri in the last two stories – The Sword of Destiny and Something More. I could write about all six stories, but other reviewers can do that better. Do I focus instead on Yennefer’s devious attractions or Dandelion’s humorous escapades? Not this time – even if they are both play memorable character-driven episodes. Ciri is the person who fascinated me most, watching her cope with events as a child, her raw emotions and reactions, seeing her encounter Geralt and struggle together with Destiny. The whole plot comes together in their story, with seeds sown in one of the key stories within The Last Wish collection and continued in the novels (and games). Everything takes place in a world that mirrors issues that our society still struggles with, like prejudice and racial segregation. Pogroms directed against elves and dwarves echo the horrors that the Jews suffered, totally – and witch burnings were for real. And the persecution of ‘minorities’ continues. People even dislike Witchers so abuse and exploit them – so why not send all Moslems back where they belong. Geralt's world is filled with monsters, and sometimes the human ones are the worst – as in ours. Sapkowski takes folklore and cleverly twists it, posing dilemmas. What side do you stand with, Order or Chaos? Are all dragons evil because a knight-errant must rescue maidens in distress? Sapkowski also raises topical issues, such as the struggle to preserve the natural world, vanishing species struggling to survive. Do we have a right to their land? I have just taken a few enjoyable steps exploring Sapkowski’s creation, even if I’ve visited the world others built from his imagination. Playing the Witcher 3 game and reading the early books creates moments of ‘understanding’ about this complex world. The depth originates in Sapkowski’s mind, so I must keep reading. Story – five stars Setting/World-building – five stars Authenticity – five stars Characters – five stars Structure – five stars Readability – five stars Editing – five stars

Continuing the short stories that spawned The Witcher phenomenon created by Andrzej Sapkowski, Sword of Destiny is the second book to pick up if you're looking to read everything chronologically. Or so I've been told. There's not a whole lot more that I can say about this collection of short stories, save that they continue to flesh out the setting and give background to the characters. Geralt of Rivia might be considered a heartless monster hunter, but behind the imposing façade lies an individual who cares deeply. Continuing discussions of destiny follow through as a theme, with Geralt wrestling with his responsibility towards Ciri, and how their paths keep crossing. If you've watched the first season of the series on Netflix, you'll recognise some of the story arcs, though the series does play loose and fast with the source material. I found particularly poignant the way Geralt and Yennefer damage each other so much – and Geralt very much cares for her, even if she pushes him away. The biggest issue that I can say is that what they value in life differs vastly. We also get glimpses into Geralt's past, and have hints as to why he got started on his path as a witcher in the first place. As always, I feel that much is lost in translation – some of the phrasing and idiomatic expressions are clunky, but I have sufficient love for the setting to continue reading.

The much awaited second collection of short stories set in the Witcher universe, Sword of Destiny, is a frustrating read. Unlike The Last Wish, the first collection of short stories set that introduced us to the intriguing world and character of Geralt of Rivia, the second collection is not as much focused on developing the world but rather on developing the character of Geralt. As such, the happenings of the world, the who-dun-its, the secondary characters -- all of it function as narrative devices to do the more important work -- which is, for Sapkowski's second outing, the development of Geralt. The gambit, however, falls absolutely flat in the three of six stories, which read more like high school romance novels than the ground-breaking fantasy stories of the previous collection. It's not simply the strange translation choices, or the awkwardness of the dialogue -- the structures of the stories themselves change this dynamic character into a frozen, impotent character. Particular eye-rolling is the dialogue between Geralt and an important secondary character, which feels more like a poorly-written high-school romance than what we've come to expect from the Witcher collection. In fact, for the three out of the six stories, there's plenty of "oh, come on," moments, eye-rolling dialogue, and falling-flat of what is expected to be emotional moments. All that being said, the rest of the book is redeemed by the other three stories, namely, "Eternal Flame," the titular "Sword of Destiny," and the narratively most complex, "Something More." "Eternal Flame" is a story that is more akin to the stories of The Last Wish than Sword of Destiny in that it is a classic who-dun-it that also simultaneously develops Geralt and the world, but "Sword of Destiny" and "Something More" are squarely within the ethos of Sword of Destiny. They are primarily related to Geralt's internal struggles, but, unlike the other three stories that preceded it, are not hampered by triteness, eye-rolling dialogue, and cringe-worthy adolescent emotionality. All in all, the book is half intolerable, and half wonderful.

I watched the first season of the show before reading this and The Last Wish, which are the source materials for season one. Needless to say the show took some liberties that are going to create issues with the larger story. More of the changes the show made were cosmetic, but there’s some rewriting of scenes and characters that, IMO, don’t do right by the original story. However this review is about the book and every story was fantastic. I was introduced to this franchise by playing Wild Hunt, which is the final ending to everything. Knowing how it all ends doesn’t cheapen the beginning at all, and these stories are wonderful to read and really flesh out the world and the characters backgrounds. This collection of short stories takes place after Last Wish and before Blood of Elves, and lays much of the groundwork for the saga by introducing Ciri. I prefer this translator to the original one. This one goes further in “anglicizing” the names of places and characters, making the story much easier to read for native English speakers — changing the name of Temeria’s capital from Wyzim to Vizima, for instance. This collection, as well as most of the saga books and Season of Storms, are much easier to read the Blood of Elves and Last Wish. This translator even goes to the trouble of making lyrics (most likely written in Polish) rhyme in English, which is extremely commendable.

Geralt, the witcher, has been on many adventures, facing extreme challenges, slaying countless monsters, meeting fantastical creatures all while trying to protect the Child Surprise: the young Princess Ciri. Well-known Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski’s the 'Witcher' series is far from over and, to bridge the gap between 'Baptism of Fire' and 'The Tower of Swallows', another collection of short stories has been released, 'Sword of Destiny', to satisfy readers until the main story line continues. 'Sword of Destiny' most certainly shares some similarities with Sapkowski’s first collection of short stories, 'The Last Wish'. The more obvious similarity is the fact that it is indeed another collection of short stories, but the other similarity readers will not notice until reading is that these stories also take place before 'Blood of Elves'. Each story is able to stand on its own, but, like in 'The Last Wish', each story also helps to add a bit more to the main story arch. While the first collection of stories focused more on stories resembling well-known fairy tales, the new collection focuses on stories about commonly known mythical creatures that readers familiar and unfamiliar with fantasy will know. Three of the six stories focus on three familiar mythical creatures: a golden dragon, a mermaid, and a shapeshifter (or in Sapkowski’s case, a mimic/ doppler). The stories that don’t focus on mythical creatures focus more on Geralt’s relationship with the people that he is familiar with: mainly Yennefer, Dandelion, and Ciri. Whether it is a story with a mythological creature or just a story about them, any of the stories with Yennefer show the struggle she and Geralt constantly endure regarding their relationship. Similar stories occur to delve deeper into the friendship between Geralt and Dandelion. What is even more appealing to the reader is the fact that there is finally a story that shares how Geralt and Ciri meet each other and does a great job at setting up the relationship readers are introduced to in the main story arch. 'Sword of Destiny' is not a story that needs to be read before 'Blood of Elves', but it certainly adds to the main story arch in Sapkowski’s the 'Witcher' series. Each individual story has the ability to stand on its own and each houses the elements every reader familiar with Sapkowski’s work loves and enjoys: his amazing writing style, his creative storytelling in fantasy fiction, and his quirky sense of humor. With the recent release of 'The Tower of Swallows', readers will not have to wait to read the next installment of the series upon completion of 'Sword of Destiny'. Even more stories will be released in the future to complete the series: a fifth and final installment of the main story arch, 'Lady of the Lake', and another collection of short stories, 'Season of Storms'.

I read and enjoyed the Last Wish after getting I hooked on Netflix’s adaptation. I liked it enough to immediately start this second story collection. The book opens with one of my favorite parts of the Netflix show: the hunt for the dragon. The gold dragon and his warrior women bodyguards is just as much a delight in the book as in the show. The show was fairly faithful in adapting the dragon hunt. The main difference comes with Geralt and Yennefer. In the book, she is downright hostile to him, and for good reason. Some long time before, he slipped away from her in the night, unable to commit to her! This sets the stage for their push and pull throughout the collection, but also develops their characters and relationship more than the show. She is still very much an enigma since the book is always told from Geralt’s POV, but she’s more than just a mysterious femme fatale. The stories are still action-packed, with the violence and sensuality kicked up a bit from the first collection (still never explicit). One thing that surprised me: I like Dandelion! The Bard annoys me on the show, but is an excellent foil for the Witcher in the book. And Geralt’s affection for his friend is also more apparent. This collection also introduces Ciri – ending in the same way as the show: with hers and Geralt’s reunion after the invasion of Nilfgaard. Her role is minimal, but sets the stage for the trilogy to come. Overall, I thought this built solidly on the potential of the first anthology and I cannot wait to start the first novel of the series.

NO SPOILERS!!!!! Regarding the physical book itself, the material is excellent quality and bound very well. The spine is reflexible allowing you to open the book up very wide. As a reader I love to see the full page and have cracked a few spines in my day, sadly. Focusing on the story, this is a tale of high adventure. Unlike many "heroes" Geralt, is not a brave-shining knight, but rather somewhat of a degenerate monster hunter. Here we follow his complex character through brawls, quests, and various love affairs. The Sword of Destiny is a gritty epic fantasy set in a well-woven kingdom of chaos and power-wars. This book is officially not part of the "Witcher series" however, it is a must read prior to reading "The Witcher Book 1: Blood of the Elves". Characters are introduced here that develop into main characters in the later books. In summary, the book is good quality material and contains a great story.

Do you believe in destiny? A Sword of Destiny is the second book in the Witcher series, and like the first book is a collection of short stories that follow Geralt at different points in his life. Andrzej Sapkowsi is amazing, simply amazing. All the characters introduced in the first book are fleshed out in greater detail and Geralt in particular, goes through some profound character development. There are a lot of bittersweet stories in this book and some outright tragic ones, all still deeply enjoyable. We are also treated to more of the myths and fairy tales that make up the Witcher Universe, and Mr. Sapkowsi shines just as well here too. He has a knack for turning well known fables on their head and using them not just to invoke wonder, but also to weave touching stories with flawed beings at their centre. The central theme in this book is destiny, what this means to different characters in the novel and how this ties to Geralt's future which has been foreshadowed in the previous novel. I don't know about destiny, but I'm truly grateful for whatever series of events brought this series to my attention. On to the next one!

Like so many others, I heard about these books by playing the games -specifically #3- and decided to give the books a shot. I wasn't disappointed! The world breaths around me when I read these stories, and it helps to flesh out the small, subtle references that the game makes to the backstory of the books. I thoroughly enjoyed it, cover to cover and am already on Blood of Elves.

This book was longer, and more complex, than the first book, and just as good if not more so. It covers a number of different stories, all from different chapters of the Witcher’s life, but it’s not as if they’re all unrelated. In the begining stories they all dealt with Geralt’s tumultuous relationship with Yennefer, how they broke off and came together, fought and made up and then split again. And while that trend continues throughout most of the book, a new plot begins to brew as well, a plot that is exceedingly interesting to those of us who’ve played Witcher 3: how Ciri came into Geralt’s life. These first two books in the Witcher series are collections of short stories, but I say they are absolutely essential reading material for the rest of them (even though I have yet to read the rest of them). What these two books do is introduce us to the characters, tells us the tale of how Geralt met them. Dandelion, Yennefer, and Ciri, the three most important people in Geralt’s life (I don’t know how Triss Merrigold gets involved yet, and by the end of the book that will be a tremendous mystery you’ll be starving for an answer to). I’m giddy with excitement as I look back and remember everything I read in this book over the last few days. I want to go on and on about how great it is and why you should buy it, but I can’t say anything else without spoiling things, and you should really experience this book for yourself. So instead I’ll just point out my one and only criticism: towards the end of the book, there’s a segment where Geralt is injured. Multiple times, he falls into and out of consciousness, into and out of dreams. At that point of the story you have to be exceedingly aware of what you’re reading, because there is absolutely no mark of when these transitions occur and sometimes the paragraph in which that transition happens can be equally applicable to the scene he fell asleep in and the scene he comes to dream of. When that happens, you can find yourself bewildered and confused and may even have to double back a few pages to get your bearings. Read this book. It’s amazing and I love it.

“‘The Sword of Destiny has two blades... You are one of them.’” The Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski is the second set of prequel novellas in the Witcher series. I enjoyed this book even more than the first. There is something about these characters that just gets to me. When I am not reading about these people and this world I am thinking about it. I especially loved getting to see Geralt with Ciri. And I very much look forward to what happens next in this series. I give this book 5 stars. “I desire you, Yen, he thought, I desire you, but you know that. You know that don’t you? ‘Yes, I do,’ she whispered. ‘Yen...’ She sighed again. ‘Just today,’ she said, looking at him with eyes wide open. ‘Just this night, which will soon slip away. Let it be our Beltane. We shall part in the morning. Don’t expect any more; I cannot, I could not... Forgive me. If I have hurt you, kiss me and go away.’ ‘If I kiss you I won’t go away.’ ‘I was counting on that.’”

I thought Sword of Destiny was a great book. It served as a bridge between the Last Wish, which was entirely short stories, to Blood of Elves, which begins the larger, continuous quest story revolving around Ciri and her heritage/destiny. Sword of Destiny contains a handful of stories. The first few continue some of the exploits of Geralt (and Dandelion, Yennefer, and a few other relatively main characters), while the last two stories deal heavily with Geralt and his destiny. The last two stories introduce Ciri to Geralt, and provide the adventures in which he comes to accept his destiny. If you're a fan of the Witcher series, and have not read this book yet, I highly recommend it.

I waited a while to write my review, in fact I'm almost done with the book after this one. After reading the first 2 books you have completed the story on the Netflix series, but with much more detail and in-depth character descript. You really get a better look at their world and the myths and history and the current events of competing kingdoms. I also like how the chapters jump around along a very long time frame so it takes a while to put together a complete picture in the chain of events in the Witchers life. I was especially moved by the chapter in which Geralt finds romance with one of Master Bard Dandelions friend in a sea side kingdom. The end of that tale was bitter sweet.

Much like "The Last Wish", "Sword of Destiny" is a series of short stories that are connected but are not necessarily in chronological order, and a long period of time often separates each individual story. I feel like these stories grapple more with Geralt's personal emotions and morals than with physical obstacles, but there is still plenty of monster hunting and outwitting bandits and other hooligans to be had. Also like "The Last Wish", Sapkowski is excellent at revealing only enough information to keep the story interesting and fast paced, yet suspenseful. His world building is excellent, incredibly vivid, but he does not bash readers over the head with it. He describes what is necessary and relevant to the story without interrupting the flow. It's so very rare for me to find an author who is able to grip my interest so intensely. I'm very critical of literature! I am very happy with Sapkowski's work and will be moving on to the next book!

Loved this book. I have now read both short story collections and am working on the novel portions of the series. As someone who was first introduced to this series on Netflix. I quickly became hooked and the series left me screaming for more quite literally. So I bought the short stories. Btw those of you who watched the Netflix series will notice the episodes in the books. But it’s not all episode for episode. Not at all. And it’s good. So good. Best I can tell the Novels start up a few months after the last short story chapter. Much like the tv show the books jump eras a bit. But there’s usually mention of the past event mentioned right before the flash back.

A more mature set of stories than the ones found in The Last Wish. There is decisively less monster slaying, but that leads to some greater storytelling. I enjoyed both collections for their respective offerings. I don't know the timeframe for when the author wrote the stories, but this second Witcher book was published before the first one chronologically. However, it doesn't feel disconnected in areas where characters and stories overlap. The final tale, while a little erratic with Geralt's flashback fever dreams, had an incredibly impactful ending to close out the book. Even when slow or plodding, I'm fully engrossed with this world and our protagonist. I feel invested and look forward to starting the proper novels.

Never bored. I tore through this book pretty quick. Love the translation and of course the stories are so good. I cheered and I cried - good god. Really good characters. A. Sap has a weird way of writing where he doesn't often waste time describing what people are doing and how they are doing it. He just lets the people talk and interact and you pick up on what they are doing as they talk or how much time passes. I was always warned to avoid "talking heads", but A. Sap seems to say Nah son, look. It can work if you do it like this. See? I'll start the next book tomorrow!

This is now the third book in the world of the Witcher that I’ve read and I really enjoy how in these Tales of the Witcher books the short stories are used for world and myth building. The book revolves around Geralts adventures but builds on the relationships he has with Yennefer and Dandelion, as well as his destiny of Ciri. I’m excited to keep reading this series and see where it goes. I may reread the first book in the official saga again just to go in order. Wonderful, gripping writing where I never wanted to put the book down. Very edge of the seat stuff. Well done Andrzej.

Very glad this one finally made it into English translation, even if this is the 'British' version. Read a fan-translation because this needs to be read between the first short stories in "The Last Wish" and the first novel, "Blood of Elves", and the formal translation is worth buying. As with the first Witcher stories there's independent plotlines but an over-arching theme that ties them, and certain characters, together. The relationships between favorites met in the games (I've held off playing the 3rd one so far - waiting on a new computer build to enjoy it in full majesty) is much better understood with the background the books provide. And while he himself constantly claims otherwise, Geralt really is a rather complex and nuanced character. Neither the aloof uncaring 'neutral' observer nor the heartless, cold, monstrous killing machine he or others make him out to be.

The way the author writes makes it a bit hard to engage with the material. If you don't have a vested interest in the intellectual property (The Witcher universe) then you may not enjoy this. If you do, you're going to eat it up, even as you're having to look up obscure words that are super rare in American English (don't know if some of these words are more common across the pond). Also, the first two books are collections of short stories, so it really is more of a glimpse into a world as opposed to a continuous story arc. I enjoyed it, but YMMV.

This was another series of short stories but it felt like the last couple of stories actually went together and that's when the book started to really get good. With the last story, the author sucks you into the emotion of the characters emotions as they go through the story. Definitely less monsters in this one and more of setting up Geralt's introduction to Ciri which was done very well.

I really liked the "Last Wish" where Geralt was introduced and some of the main characters that I loved from the game that got me into reading the actual source material. I won't lie some of the short stories where really good although there where in some instances where if you have read previous reviews concerning the chapter of the mermaid where they focused too much on the sexual content to a degree where it became intolerable. Some of the stories I really liked although I was hoping for a more Lord of the Ringsesque of explanation of lore that I would gladly traded in for less of the sexual stuff. All things considered It was good but not great, will continue reading since Ciri will make an appearance and my favorite villain Eredin Breacc Glass!

I had previously read and reviewed

For those confused about the order of the series, The Sword of Destiny is the second book in the Witcher series, following The Last Wish but preceding The Blood of Elves. Both the Last Wish and The Sword of Destiny are collections of short stories in the universe. Those who loved The Last Wish may have mixed reactions to Sword of Destiny: many of the same swashbuckling narratives and romps are present in this collection, but the author also delves into flashbacks, dream sequences, and deeper, more serious themes. It's a darker, more intense and more philosophical book than Last Wishes. In most cases these efforts succeed, though they can be confusing or fall flat in places. Still, if you enjoy the Witcher games and if you liked The Last Wish, you can't go wrong with Sword of Destiny.

Understand - I love this author, I think the writing is excellently done, this review reflects this edition (?) from this publisher: got to page 186, and then the text on the next page just skipped, to what seemed like a totally unrelated story. Was very confused until I happened to glance at the page numbers, and it turns out that the next page was 219! The publishers had just left out a whole 33 pages - not displaced them or repeated them (as I’ve seen in other book mix-ups), just excused them completely. It was not physical damage to the book (meaning the had not been torn or cut out), they had simply been left out.

I enjoyed 'Sword of Destiny' even more than 'The Last Wish'. Unlike the latter, these stories are not set within a frame, but are six stories linked only by the fact that they are episodes in the life of the witcher, Geralt. Of the six, I most enjoyed the humour in 'The Bounds of Reason', which was delightfully hilarious; the drama of 'The Sword of Destiny' and 'Something More' as these introduce the girl Ciri to the readers, who I understand is an important character in the succeeding stories in the series. Many fantasy novel writers fail to build characters who are fully-developed. This author, however, manages to flesh out all the characters, whether they are human, sorceress, troubadour or dryad. They all come alive on the pages, so that the reader is fully engaged with them; saddened by their pain and partaking in their happiness. Once again a very well-balanced book of short stories encompassing humour, drama, suspense and tragedy. I can't wait to read the remainder of this series. Highly recommended.

Sword of Destiny is the second short story collection based in Geralt of Rivia's Witcher world. I have really been enjoying these little side stories because they are almost like the side quests from the game series. I also find that there are a lot references in the games that you might only pick up on if you read any of the books. CD Projeckt Red did a really good job of being loyal to the book series, and it makes me love the video game so much more. The short stories in this collection get more into the twisted relationship between Geralt and Yennefer. I'm not sure I have made an opinion about Yennefer yet, but I don't completely buy these two together. I just need a little more out of them. The one thing that I find so interesting about Geralt is that he is supposed to be this cold, calculating killer with no emotions, so Yennefer treats him that way. I think we are supposed to realize that maybe the mutations didn't completely work on Geralt. He may speak in monotone and not show emotions, but Yennefer hurts his feeling a lot. I think in this collection she realizes her mistake, so I'm definitely interested in how this relationship plays out in the novels. One thing I love about the games is Geralt's relationship with Ciri. In this collection we get a better glimpse of how the two became bound to each other. I love their relationship. Geralt is definitely the father that Ciri deserves not the one that she gets. This collection pretty much sets up how their destines will entwine, so I'm pretty excited to read more about these two. I don't think I would have sought out these books had I not played the video games first, but I am really glad I did. The main plot line is really loyal to the source material, so it made me really enjoy reading these. If you play the games I highly recommend reading the books.

The Witcher is a monster hunter in a world of magic and war. There are two sides to everything, and wisdom often gives way to passion in this fantasy book series that has spawned both a video game trilogy and upcoming Netflix title. The book order is: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of Swallows, Lady of the Lake, Season of Storms. Sword of Destiny in specific, is a very character driven set of stories. It builds on the Last Wish through the characters you've met. Their bonds will be more developed and you start to see where the story is really going to begin in book 3.

I had some prior knowledge of the Witcher's universe as I played 2 videogames set in it. Finally, I got the experience the world in its original form and I decided to start with the short stories. I really liked the writing and continued to like the characters. A lot of background stories became clear for me, so I'm glad that I started with these before the novels. I will definitely continue to follow Geralt's adventures.

I have been a fan of the Witcher games and I knew they were based on the books of Andrzej Sapkowski, but for some reason I didn't think about reading them. This turns out to have been a good thing because the English translations weren't available until relatively recently. I was expecting a thoughtful read as the games presented a world that, while filled with fantasy tropes, did not adhere to a classically macho, manichean philosophy. I was right, but it was so much better than I expected. The stories are at times funny, wistful and beautiful and I cried more than once. I'm almost afraid to read the full-length stories because these short stories affected me so much. I expect I will re-read this, as well as the other collection of short stories, The Last Wish, many, many times. I highly recommend it.

I am really enjoying Geralt’s character, I want him to have all the happiness in the world. I would like the story to flow more effortlessly because as it is, it jumps from past to present in the blink of an eye. If the reader is not paying attention it can be confusing. It could be the translation left a few things out. I will be continuing the series but I have a feeling the ending will be bitter sweet, a two edged sword.

I really like the Witcher games so having the stories the games are based from is awesome. I'm getting all of the backstory that I was confused about and I like the story telling. This is another set of short stories but these connect a little better than the Last Wish. This is a must read if you are wanting to read the next book as it references things that happen here but doesn't give any details about these events. No problems with the condition of the book, it arrived spotless and in excellent new condition.

I bought several of the Witcher books on kindle and they are all good fantasy. The translated writing is serviceable. The characters, I felt, were sufficiently fleshed out to understand motivations and were interesting enough to feel some emotion for their plight and decisions. The world is a well-concieved and dynamic platform to stage the action. Some of the aspects of the world are quite interesting and novel, particularly the specific way the author incorporated molecular biological, and biochemical techniques into the fabric of the story. Honestly, I wish I could read in Polish as I am quite certain the story has lost some richness or vividness in translation. I don't have any evidence in this particular case, but such is the way of translations. My review might seem to lack excitement for the books, and that is true. I am less than ecstatic because while the story was excellent it wasn't enough to really punch me in the gut; I didn't close the book wishing it wasn't over. It is a good story, but I wasn't deeply effected, and I wish I was. The 4-star review, over, say, a 3-star, is because of how deeply wrought the world seemed. The world is definitely real in these books. I have not played the video game.

I adore the Witcher universe. I'm an avid reader and gamer - maybe not in this order - and I'm not sure yet which of the two forms of art attracts me more. As in the case of most of you, without the games I would not have known about the books. Without the books I would not have enjoyed the games as much as I did - in a second play through. All I can say is that Andrzej Sapkowski created a unique universe, with a fantastic main character which the future generations will properly recognize as symbolic for this era. This second collection of stories illustrates perfectly how diverse and interesting this universe may be. Read it, you won't regret it!

Just like the previous book Last Wish, Sword of Destiny continues Geralt’s adventure through another string of short stories. Though this time they are straight forward in chronological order. This book is all about destiny as the title suggests and Geralt’s I suppose quest for his. It’s a nice read that introduces Ciri and leads into the novels. Definitely recommend to anyone into fantasy or played the video games. On go the novels next.

The second book, like the first, is a collection of short stories linked by characters. The main one, of course, being Geralt the Witcher. Dryads, fishlike people, and a doppler appear in this book. So, yes, we get the Little Mermaid and other tales. But we also get the first hint of the major plot line of the future books - which are full length novels. Like the first book this is a must read. Enjoy!

I started reading the books because of the games. I love the character of Geralt so im starting to read/listen to the books. So far the books i bought have been short stories but i also bought the 3 pack deal with BoE, ToC, and BoF hoping they are more of 1 story type series.Not that im saying the short stories books are bad i just prefer long stories. Sorry im rambling let me just say i enjoyed SoD immensely and recommend it to any fantasy fan even those who never heard of Geralt.

Andrzej Sapkowski is a brilliant writer. after playing the wild hunt I needed more so I took to the books. they're amazing! I love keeping Geralt's story alive. Yen is my favorite character, and she definitely broke my heart a little in this book. but I'm beginning to understand the complex dynamic of their relationship and I'm hooked. I'm on the next book in the series already and plan to get them all.

So I started with the game The Wild Hunt. That was my introduction to the Witcher world and eventually I bought the books for my kindle and read the first and now that I’ve finished the second all I can say is this series is fantastic. Breathtaking and heart wrenching, sometimes all in the same chapter. Amazingly visual and visceral world where it highlights the grey area of morality. It finds something true in ourselves. The beautiful and the ugly. The only regret I have about the Witcher is that someday the story will end.

This is the 2nd book (chronologically) in the Witcher series. Like the previous book (The Last Wish), it is a collection of short stories all set before the main series of books. I enjoyed The Last Wish, but didn't think it was anything amazing...and sometimes things just seemed to be lost in translation. As far as the translation goes, I feel this book has the same issues. However, the stories are much strong this time around, so I didn't mind as much. We finally get to meet a young Ciri, and as a HUGE fan of the games, I absolutely loved the 2 stories that focused on her. They were funny and just the right amount of heart tugging. The other stories were all pretty good as well, with "A Little Sacrifice" being the standout tale. Will non-game fans enjoy these books? I am not sure...however, if you enjoyed the games, I would highly recommend giving the books a shot

If I could squeal in text form, I would! Although I still think the very end will be sad, it's ok. Which is something I never say. I just love the story and how it's put together. I love the writing style, can't get enough of it. I wish I could write like this but my vocabulary isn't even half of what this has in it. Anyway, excited for the next book! Yay! :)

The second book of short tales ties the roots of Geralt and Ciri together. Perfectly leading into the start of The Witcher saga. If you've seen the Netflix show, this book will put it all in perspective for you. Myself, as a die hard fan of the games, the first two books have given me more backstory than I could have hoped for. I immediately picked up Blood is Elves, you'll likely want to do the same.

I can't add much to what others have said. Great read, and I love the nuance of Geralt being a better "person" than he believes himself to be. If you've already started the journey, you will want to read this immediately. If you haven't, get "The Last Wish" and then swing back to this once you've finished (you will be back soon, I'm sure!). Enjoy!

Despite not having a number associated with the title or series, this is actually the second prequel to the story of the Witcher and Witcheress. It introduces characters who become integral to the main story line, and I'm not quite sure why it got skipped in the initial translations of these books, but you definitely want to read this one after The Last Wish. Much like the previous book, this one is again a series of anecdotes, but these tie in together more closely, so it better resembles a plot. Still a great series. Love the characters, the world building, the creatures, and all the little connections between them all.

This is the second book of short stories revolving around Geralt, Dandelion (Jaskier), Yennifer and toward the end Ciri. Ciri's story really doesn't come into it a whole lot until Blood of Elves, the first of the full novels. I enjoyed this book very much and read it along with having the netflix show on for atmosphere :)

What "The Witcher" series manages to do really well is to have very solid character development and storytelling that creates an overall heartbreaking, yet adventurous narrative. To reiterate, the narrative isn't merely aided by the adventures that Geralt takes, the blood and grit of his day job forcing him to make quick decisions for the people that matter most to him, but also the unparalleled writing that amounts to so much more than other fantasy titles. The witcher manages to keep its tone very consistent throughout the whole of the series, while of course moments of relief from the depressing nature of Geralt's life are woven into to the the excellent storytelling. Last thing that makes this book exceptional for its genre is that it possibly has one the best developed worlds that I have seen in most fiction titles or short story anthologies like this one; the world has believable politics and events that make it seem realistic(as realistic as it can be as for fantasy). This is definitely your book if you've played the games like I have and you just wanna understand more of the lore and gotta have more monster slaying action, or you've never played the witcher games, but you're looking for a solid adventure/drama to enjoy!

This is the second book in the series and also a collection of short stories about Geralt of Rivia, the Witcher. They're wonderful stories written in a humorous and thoughtful manner based on Polish fairy tales and folklore. These are the stories the first season of the tv series will be based on and I can't wait.

A true tale telling of old that you seamlessly find yourself imaging and following. His writing conjures the mental visual and the joy that comes from hearing a tale for the first time. Read it. Then follow it through to the end and you will feel like a long in a cstle, long ago, heading a hard tell a tale for the first time.

If you like the Witcher game series, and want more lore, you need to read this book. You get to learn more about many of the characters you have come to love (or hate) in the game and get introduced to Ciri. The book has a good pace to it and it will keep you turning the pages. I lead a pretty busy life, and it took me just about six days to read it, which is on course with my book-a-week goal. You don't even need to be a fan of the game(s) to enjoy this book. If you are new to the Witcher books, you should probably read The Last Wish first, as this book comes in between that and Blood of Elves in the Witcher timeline. Recommended for fans of the franchise and fans of fantasy stories.

Andrzej Sapkowski is excellent at trying together his vignettes to support the overall story of Geralt and Ciri. The Sword of Destiny gives important background to the events preceding The Blood of Elves and subsequent to The Last Wish. Having read it last, I can't say exactly that it hurt to not have this background, but it certainly helped me to fill in some important details ex post facto. Furthermore, for fans of the videogame series, the Wild Hunt (Witcher 3) is very true to the lore on the novels and references stone events in this book as well. I enjoyed the read and can't wait for the official translations of the final two books, as my Polish language skills are non-existent.

What an exceptional book, by an exceptional author. I usually detest the short story format, but in this author's hands it feels like episodes of an overarching narrative. Geralt's world feels so real, the people are interesting and the events (while grand by the scale of the world) are more personal and approachable than many fantasy works. I only got into this because I wanted to get some background on the Witcher 3, without having played the previous 2 games. Now I look at the game as a fun way to further explore this amazing series of books. I hope we see more from Eastern European authors, because every time they get translated I find myself loving them!

Playing the Witcher video game series developed by CD Projekt Red prompted me to purchase the Witcher Book Series. I personally lack the focus and imagination to enjoy reading on my own volition. First time I've purchased and read books for leisure. Felt absolutely immersed in the world depicted by Andrzej Sapkowski and replicated a strong sense of escapism that occurred to me when I played the Witcher video games.

Sapkowski is a very talented fantasy writer. I love Geralt and Co. Sapkowski makes every person relatable in both positive and negative ways. In the Witcher's world, people are good, bad, ugly, stupid, smart, witty, caring, loving, hateful, etc. Sapkowski does an amazing job in transporting me to another world. I've always said that I wish that i could just wipe my mind from playimg CD Projekt Red's Witcher III so i can re-live the magical experiences once more... well now i can, with the books. They are as every bit as good as the game. Bravo to the translator as well! That couldn't have been an easy job!

Great setup for the rest of the Witcher book series, I love how this book sets up the characters throughout mini stories that weave together oh so sweetly in the end. This book gives character building to very specific and integral characters of the series, because of this I highly recommend reading this prior to the main series of books. If you are a fan of the Witcher games, I recommend a read/audiobook (I enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook very much) of this and the rest of the series.

Of course book 1 is necessary for the context of the Sword of Destiny, but the story of Geralt the Witcher becomes all the more intriguing! Masterfully wove the story about the Golden Dragon. Masterfully wove the story about the Doppler. Masterfully wove the story about Ciri and the sword of destiny. Disappointing conclusion about the female poet. Disappointing conclusion about Geralt's mother. Want more gushy romantic moments about Geralt and his mother. Want female poet ballad girl to reappear throughout the sage. But both character seem as though they were only visitors as though it felt.

I have been a fan of the Witcher series for years and I reccomend reading the Sword Of Destiny if you want to further immerse yourself in the lore behind the White Wolf. Fantastic writing and imagery in every story. If you like the TV series, reading this collection of short stories will help you better understand what you are watching.

I absolutely LOVE the witcher series!! I have a long commute to work and purchased these books to listen to on that commute! My only complaint is that the series eventually ends. If you haven't read the books, you absolutely should! You won't regret it!!!

This book is more short stories or rather snippets into the life of The Witcher. Occasionally a little hard to follow but keep going. Is giving us a lot of the background into the life of The Witcher. He's a very complex character with a lot of facets to find. Worth the time so you understand him and see the why of things.

If the Netflix show intrigued you, the REAL interplay and depth of the (dysfunctional) relationship with Yennefer is truly way better than the show could ever capture. 100% worth the read. Bang out "The Last Wish" (mirrors the shows season 1) and get to this one. Worth it!

My first exposure to the Witcher was the video game, which inspired me to read the series. I have to say, the books more than surpassed any expectations I had, even after reading the reviews. The author does an exceptional job of developing likable characters, with relationships you actually become emotionally invested in. I absolutely recommend this book for anyone looking for a good read that’s refreshingly different from your average fantasy novel.

I Love this book. I love the Witcher . I've watched the first season on Netflix twice. I started for the third time. I love Henry Cavill He is perfect for the role. He has the right amount of brutality and angst . And I can't wait for the next season. I don't know when it will start. But I hope it's soon.

The Sword of Destiny remains one of the better Witcher books even if it is a small step back from The Last Wish in terms of consistency. It is apparent that Sapkowski wanted to fill in some gaps before fully developing the characters going forward in the novels, but along the way neglected to stay committed to the short story format.

I really liked "The Last Wish", the first collection of "The Witcher" short stories. I'm very, very happy to report that the second collection, in my opinion, is better than the first! This one is more sequential than the last, and all of the stories have to do with destiny (obviously, as it's in the title). It opens with a great story about a Golden Dragon and closes with a very heartwarming tale of Geralt collapsing in and out of consciousness, after receiving a really nasty bite wound. I'd write more, but I have to go get the next book in the series!

This is actually book 2 and the translation is still a little weird, but man is it great.

So just finished Sword of Destiny the 2nd book that introduces the Witcher. Now on to begin the first series involving the Witcher... The Blood of Elfs. I'm sure it will be just as good, possibly better than the two I just finished reading!!! Might wait till I'm finished with the series and post a review of the series then.

While this book follows the same template set by "The Last Wish" (A story that occurs in the present with flashbacks that show events leading up to where Geralt is now) this book's short stories all tie together into a much better overall narrative, while being better stories as well, that will leave you quickly picking up the following book. While it's possible to skip "The Last Wish" and start here without too much of an issue certain events in some of the stories are quite important and offer great returns for the time you invested reading them.

This book is a collection of short stories in the Witcher world that introduces many important characters and events that are featured in the main series. The individual stories in the book are interesting and well written. If I had one gripe with them it's that they are too short (which is understandable since it is a book of short stories) by the time I get into reading the story it ends and we jump to a new time and place for the next story about Geralt. If you are interested in reading the main Witcher book series or you want some background before playing the games then I strongly recommend reading this and the other short story book "The Last Wish". P.S. Although it says this is book 4 of the series it is actually book 2.

I really enjoy the Witcher stories. I started with the show, and made my way to the books. I have since finished book 1 and book 2 and am not disappointed. Those who enjoy the show will recognize the stories. Things in the book seem a little more chronological than the show (which I prefer), and establish a base of characters for the reader. I don’t think I was surprised by anything in the first two books, but I will be moving on to book 3, and have a feeling that is where the meat of the story lay. Highly recommend. Easy reading. Fun tales.

If you love the Witcher games, then definitely get your hands on the books. So far I have loved the story immensely and it just makes me appreciate the games that much more. I can't wait for the new Netflix TV show.

Truly, a fantastic read. While ostensibly a short story collection, the tales weave together so well that it really is as complete and extensive as a novel. For any fan of the later books or games - or the first collection, The Last Wish - this really is a must-read, it so well develops a number of key characters in the overall lore. And Geralt!! He is made into something so much more than the silent monster slayer for hire, someone entirely original within the fantasy genre.

The book itself: High quality book. Received in perfect condition. The contents: It is the second collection of short stories about the Witcher Geralt of Rivia. I enjoyed it and would recommend the book.

This book was an amazingly smooth transition from the last book (Last Wish). Every story included, regardless of length, was filled to the brim with engaging elements that kept the reader interested. Each story allowed us to take another step further into the world of Geralt. I can't wait to dive into the next book, which is the first full novel, and learn more about the life of the Witcher!!!

This book focuses mostly on Geralt than as geralt the monster hunter. There are less stories involve him trying to kill(or not kill) monster but rather more geralt facing people. The sequel also consist more of a overall storyline than last wish. Nevertheless if you enjoy last wish you will enjoy sword of destiny albeit a bit slower. Oh and don't be like me and skip the part geralt are drinking with a random dude with two bodyguards. It confused the heck of me when suddenly three black birds decided to come out before the dwarves.

I came to these books after playing the game. If you enjoyed the games, still makes sense to the books? The answer is yes . You will get much more out of it than from the game, well at least I did.

I really enjoyed this book. The world building is rich, as you slowly learn throughout the stories about the different cultures and countries. A well written narrative that makes you want to read more.

I have read the Last Wish and enjoyed it immensely, and based on recommendations I was told to read this one after, and I have to say I was not disappointed. Just like the Last Wish, the Sword of Destiny is an anthology collection of stories developing the world and characters created by Andrzej Sapkowski. The Sword of Destiny continues the myriad adventures of The witcher Geralt as he battles monsters and confronts different aspects of the human condition. Needless to say, looking at the number of stars I gave this review, I greatly enjoyed it. It's a bit more slow and focused on personal connection dealing with Geralt's lack of and/or amount of humanity. I enjoyed the change of pace from the slightly more action oriented and simpler stories found in the Last Wish, which is great and very enjoyable itself, but the Sword of Destiny perfects and rounds Geralt has a character. If you like morally ambiguous questions and complexly themed stories with excellent pacing, then I heartily recommend this book. If you have played the Witcher video games then I also recommend the the Last Wish and the Sword of Destiny. And lastly if you are just interested in a good book to mull over and enjoy for a few quiet nights I recommend The Last Wish as the first book you read, and than move to the Sword of Destiny. I hope this convinces someone to spend the money on this book, however you buy it.

For fans of the fantasy genre this author and this series is a must, even if you did not play the games. very well written, it creates a complete world full of interesting characters. If you play the game, there are much references to this source material, sometimes only a line that you can completely miss if you don't read the books and you have many times the ah-ah moment when you fully understand what they are talking about In short, if you like fanatsy and you like the Witcher you must read this books, and the following

This is the second book to read if you want background on the Witcher games. This and the previous book, Sword of Destiny, are both excellent. The entire book series is engaging, but tells a rather lengthy tale about Ciri. The first two are enough if you just want a taste of the Witcher's world.

I gotta say sometimes the jumping around is a little fusing but somehow the author makes it work smoothly in this book, great story line so far I can't waiting to read the actual series.

Halfway through both modern Witcher games, I decided to stop and read the books. So far, I'm glad I did. So many characters have their backgrounds explored further (ESPECIALLY Yennefer and Mother Neneke's role in Geralts life). They definitely give you more insight into the series and will most certainly influence your decisions in-game. As for the book itself, I'm not normally a reader, although I do appreciate good literature. Multiple uses of full-circle threads and callbacks make for knuckle-biting reading. The story about the dragon will make you scream with excitement at the way the story is finished. Amazing book and I recommend 10/10. Make sure you read in order though!

Would have been better if it the cover wasn't bent up. Paying for new expecting new not store flaw discount rack. Not bothering to get a refund as I don't have the energy. Just be warned and buyer beware.

I enjoyed the last two stories the most. The ones leading up to the last two were more like disjointed tales but the last two seemed more like preparation for what is to come.

A major part of many of the stories in this collection. Some very interesting stories here, giving more insight into the life of a Witcher, and into Geralt's life specifically.

Enjoyable short stories that twist bits of familiar fairy tales and Geralt is a good character whose "code" is acknowledged to be based on what he does or doesn't want to do at that specific time which I liked.

The better of the two short story collections, in my opinion. This book is in fact one of the best in the whole Witcher series, aside from the tremendous finale, Lady of the Lake. I highly recommend this and The Last Wish for their wonder and darkness. The novels do not touch upon Geralt as they do in these first two entries and they really give you the best glimpse of his character and self. Not to mention the fact that it is a rather quick read. This book is a must for any fan of fantasy.

Good plots to the stories. The dialogue is okay. Reads like a romance novel to me (I read mostly sci-fi and classic literature). I think it was worth the time to read it.

The great joy of the Witcher short stories is how Andrzej Sapkowski would regularly take traditional folk tales like say Beauty and the Beast and then rework them with some glorious Polish flavor and then re-tell them to you in a fashion that makes you realize just how dark some of those stories can be. Absolutely love it and all the other Witcher books, it's a pity that during the writing of the novels that Sapkowski clearly started disliking writing the series but still, that shouldn't really ever affect one's enjoyment of The Sword of Destiny.

Awesome, the series doesn't do these books justice. I happen to love the relationship between geralt and dandelion. In the series geralt can't stand him it's so upsetting

Worth reading but I didn't like it as much as the previous books. I loved the last story and the dragon story the most and I'm glad I read the book because they were included.

Played the 2nd game briefly, and also own/play (haven't beaten) the third game, watched the netflix show all the way through; this is a great read. It puts everything in perspective that the other outlets (games, show) fail to do. Aside from minor editorial errors with grammar, word choice (due impart to the language barrier Im sure) this is a great read and I'm currently halfway through the second book of the series and it continues to get better.

The translation was so much better than the first book in his series. The story was good and I really enjoyed reading this one. I'm glad I didn't give up after the first book.

I love the way these are written; how Destiny first dsl us when we least expect and at time even that isn't enough to change the tide. Sometimes you need conviction, promise, and the love to follow through.

Entertaining. Not heavy and always dark/dour like Game of Thrones. Enjoyable read with some philosophy mixed in. The story threads are not predictable, which I enjoyed.

I really enjoyed The Last Wish, but I think Sapkowski's writing gets better in this set of short stories. I loved every short story in this book. The last two short stories are basically Chapter -1 and Chapter 0 in the Witcher Saga. The first book in the Witcher Saga picks up shortly after the last two short stories in The Sword of Destiny. If you want to hit the ground running with the Witcher Saga, I strongly recommend that you read the last two stories in The Sword of Destiny first.

Came with the book TORN. Was super excited for this book and it came bent and messed up. Very disappointed

I've read the prequels and I'm ready for the next. I'm loving the series and looking forward to the tv series coming soon. I can recommend. Gbash

I was concerned about this being an English translation from Polish, but it was till great! If you liked the Last Wish, this one is even better!

I am so enjoying this series. My son, who is a total gamer, turned me on to them and WOW are they fun! Definitely read the two short story books first to set up your understanding of the universe in which these characters live. The language and writing is wonderful, colorful, funny and poignant when needed. I can't wait to get further into the next book. These are books you pick up and read until you finish- and I usually read 4 or 5 books at a time flipping from one to another - but these I read as my sole book.

Another a!axing installment. Interesting stories with nice moral of how somethings are just !want to be and how you should never be afraid of what is meant to happen but embrace it

Came late to series after 1st season. Really enjoyed it. The small differences of books and movies enjoyable. Don’t expect the TV series to get all details but love having pictures to go with stories

I’ve been dying to get this book and ordered through Amazon because I was impatient. I received my book with another small order and the box was perfectly fine. The front cover and the first few pages were all messed up though. Really debating on returning the book and just picking up one from a local Barnes and noble but I don’t know if I want to waste the time and energy. Really bummed that it came damaged☹️

The series of books captivate and hold your attention from page 1. There are some Latin phrases that I had to re-read to get the idea.

I actually read this book after The Blood of Elves. This fills in much of the back story for several characters, especially Ciri. Excellent, descriptive writing and we'll developed, complex characters make this book hard to put down!

Disjointed and not much to grasp. Perhaps developing plot but not sure enough to get me to continue. Didn’t grab my curiosity.

We get to dive into more adventures with Geralt, which sets the stage for the actual novels coming up next. great reads!

Great read, I have all the books in the series and totally worth the investment! The lore that it pulls from is so amazing and culturally accurate! I grew up with tales of the fiends Geralt has to battle and deal with.

I'll admit it... i only bought this because i played Witcher 3 on the PC and loved the game. The writing while good, was only engrossing because of the game for me.

I loved the Witcher games so when I found out they are based on the books by Andrzej Sapkowski I had to read them. This is another collection of short stories. I agree with most people when they recommend reading the short stories first before reading the main story.

Interesting read I like the role of destiny and how the twists and turns of Geralt’s travels define him. Enjoyable.

This book seems to be the source material used for the series. I like the book better. Isn't that always the case?

I played the game and watched the show before reading the book. The book really puts things together really well. I've been reading the whole series of books and so far they are great.

The ad on book did not disappoint. There were confusing moments toward the end but it was a fun read. I like this series so far and enjoy that the author always has you guessing.

Can't wait to start the next book !Fantastic stories. Great read love the depth the characters have! A must read fantasy movie!!

Based on the recommended reading order of several sites, this is the second Witcher book I've read. Frankly had I not watched the show I don't believe is have any idea what's going on. That said because I watched the show I enjoyed the book more.

I started reading this book at the same time the Netflix show The Witcher had came out. I was surprised to find that the stories in the book were just as entertaining. If you like fantasy stories this is a good book for you.

Great book, already picked up the next one. Only thing that bothered me was that all the dialogue/quotes started and ended with one apostrophe instead quotation marks. Didn't affect the flow but was weird at first!

Another great book from this series. Very entertaining fantasy stories. A must-read for fans of The Witcher. Some of the plots will be familiar to those who watched the show, although a bit different. I prefer the book.

Weather you are a fan of epic fantasy, the video games, or the Netflix show this is another must read.

Not going to spoil, but I really enjoyed how much crucial information regarding Geralt's backstory there was in this book. There are a lot of recurring themes in this book. I will leave it up to you to discover what they are. Absolutely will begin reading the next book in this series!

Second book of the series, without counting the prequel Season of Storms. Sword of Destiny is amazing!

I enjoyed the characters and the pacing of the story. It is a fun and engrossing read. This story is worth your time.

I am enjoying the characters and I think I will be glad I read these short stories first eventually but I am ready for an actual novel now.

Love it! It shares more about Geralt and Yen and Ciri, it’s emotional, suspenseful, and funny. Read it! I liked it more than The Last Wish.

Good read which continues the story nicely. I cannot wait to read the next installment. Hopefully the others continue in this form!

Wrong place at the wrong time, or another aspect of our poor Witcher's chaos-ridden destiny? This book tells the story of a misadventure of Geralt's that builds much more drama around Geralt than any of his previous misadventures ever could have. If you liked the previous Witcher books, I recommend this as well!

I am in love with this series! It is so cool to be learning the lore behind my favorite game!

These books help with the Witcher Netflix Series. Excellent writing and great descriptions of the characters and the surrounding area.

I like the Witcher guy. He goes deep. And he gets himself twisted trying to stay honorable to his code.

Bought this because I wanted to read it. Only afterwards did I realize practically all of this series is on Youtube as an audiobook.

A must-read primer for CD Projekt's "Witcher" games. Many of the short stories collected in this anthology inform or at least reinforce events in "The Witcher 3" and are excellent standalone reads in their own right. Well drawn characters, a wonderfully realized world, and a protagonist you can root for.

I'm loving this series. The world that Sapkowki created is fantastic and his characters are thought out at believable. One of my new favorites.

These books are rampant with sexism yet still pleasing from the character development and world building lens. Take a giant grain of rock salt and enjoy the ride!

Witcher books offer highest level of dark(ish) fantasy. This was was maybe even better than than some earlier ones.

Normally books are inspired by video games, and hardly the other way around. However it's almost a shame that the video game franchise overshadows this series as it's truly incredible. I was surpsied by the humanity and depth each story goes into, revealing more than just some heoric stories, but turning each one into a parable of sorts. I'm more impressed by this book (actually the second Witcher Book) than I was by the first book. Both are great.

Purchased because it is not yet available in the US from Orbit publishers (The books with the red covers). The book arrived much sooner than I expected and is quite large, which is no problem. The only slight issue is that it does not match my other Witcher books in the collection.

Completely new and fully what it promises to be, good quality collectible and on top of that, Amazon keeps his word; i had a trouble with a package of books, and they sent a replacement right when i told them about it, and it arrived the day they said, in the early morning. Totally worth the wait. The beginning of the saga, is always, the sweetest part, as hooking as it is.

Every since I finished reading the Game of Thrones books I have been looking for my next series and I think I've found it with Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series. So excited to have a new book that I enjoy as much as these.

Now I can better understand the TV show. The next book should be filled with new things for the seasons to come and I can't wait

Exceptional series of books, very well written, witty, gritty and intelligent.

Great read for introducing you to the characters and world of The Witcher! Introducing you to the beginning relationship of Gerald and Ciri.

Great background for all Witcher game fans. Engagingly written window in to Geralt of Rivia.

These books are amazing! There is a bit of everything for everyone.....action, romance, intrigue, deep issues and some teary touchy bits. I can’t wait to start the next one. I simply can not put these down. I loved that other fantasy fiction storyline that had it’s own show that run 8 season....these are SO much better!!!

An exciting and also touching read. Sometimes difficult to understand, given the nature of the structure of the book, with the short stories, but in the end things come together and make sense, you see wonderful character development and a heart warming theme as well. I would definitely recommend. Excited to read more!

These books are fantastic. Well written (translation is spot on). If you enjoy fantasy literature you can't miss these books.

Fun series of short stories that help to show the reader Geralt's personality and relationship with those around him.

A great continuation of the Witcher series. Not sure why the publisher decided to release Sword of Destiny as the fourth book, it is clearly set after the events of The Last Wish. Regardless, it's a couple hundred more pages of Geralt getting up to shenanigans, and I think that's something we could all use in our lives.

Exactly as advertised Great value Great gift idea

Any fan of the games will love these books just perfection.

Following "The Last Wish," the short stories contained within "Sword of Destiny" are every bit as interesting and fun to read as the former. Explore more of the world with Geralt as well as he continues to search for Witcher contracts and develope a relationship with Yennefer. Must read!

I plan on getting the ebook/audio of all these great books

Arrived in a good but not excellent condition. Nevertheless, could have been worse. Page and print quality are excellent, font is decently sized.

Aside from the fact that this is a great book, and that it feels kinda weird for me to write a book review on amazon (which does NOT feel like goodreads in the least), this was my very first kindle book purchase, and the experience was quite special. So I recommend the book as a piece of art, and as a worthy digital experience.

I'm new to the video game series so I didn't understand much of The Witcher 3, so I decided to read more about the universe. I'm very impressed with The last Wish and Sword of Desinty since they revolve around Geralt. Blood of Elves was good but I wanted to read both prequels before I continued the saga. This was a very touching book and this writer and the Witcher sage is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Finished book one, but can't into this story line.

The book was excellent! I bought the entire series in anticipation of the new Netflix show. The only complaint I have is that the back cover was damaged. It appears someone just folded it in half and it has a huge crease in it. Not a huge deal but it was supposed to be brand new.

So happy I started this series. It’s exciting and funny. So many great characters

Some of the finest fantasy writing I have ever read. I generally don't seek out short story collections but these are so very good. The twists and turns of the various tales, the depth of the characters, the author's ability to capture such drama and tension even in scenes that aren't about battle... I'm going to immediately keep reading this series. So good!

The Witcher books are absolute gems. I heard of the games before I knew of the novels, but I can hardly tear myself away from these. The dark mentions of well-known fairy tales add some black humor and the world that Sapkowski created is riveting and believable even with manticores and dragons and dopplers running around.

This is yet another great read. This book picks up right after The Last Wish. Mr. Sapkowski is an amazing and imaginative writer who continues with great characters and their developments, the humor, and Geralt's interesting adventures. What is there to dislike? Nothing really. For those who bought and thoroughly enjoyed The Last Wish I highly recommend. For those who are on the fence but have played The Witcher game series I highly recommend not without a warning: the characters in the book are not exactly the same as the characters in the game which is good.

Like many others I looked into the Witcher books after playing Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and I was definitely not disappointed. This collection of short stories is packed full of some of the most complex and interesting characters I've ever encountered and every page is a joy to read. My one and only complaint about this book is that I wish it was a bit longer.

I am quarantined in my bedroom away from my family. My son reads me a chapter over speaker phone every day. He’s grown, but out of work. This reminds us of when he was growing up and we’d read adventure novels together. Keeping us connected.

These books are spectacular. I'm already downloading the next in the series. I'm so happy they've been translated to English.

The early stories in this collection are good to decent, but it’s the last two that earned this collection an additional star in its rating.

While maybe a little more drawn out than Last Wish it does an exceptional job of connecting the stories and characters.

Amazing book, in an amazing series. I actually like the short stories found in this book and The Last Wish a bit more than the main storyline. Get it, read it, you’ll love it!!!

An amazing intro to the world of the Witcher...if you like swords and sorcery this book is for you! If you’ve enjoyed the video games this book is a great way to get more familiar as well.

The Witcher is a great fantasy book if your just getting into the Genre.. Geralt is a great main character to follow and now that there is a Netflix series based on the books, I highly recommend reading the books to introduce you to world of The Witcher!

Not what I expected… very pleasantly surprised! Do not misunderstand me: I do like this new tv serial (because of Mr Cavill mainly) but the book is good, even poetic in some places. I bought it (and No. 2) mainly not to wait for the next season but now I can not wait to read them all.

Love these books! I discovered the world of the Witcher through The Witcher III:The Wild Hunt game and reading the books is really increasing my appreciation for the depth of the game. I highly recommend the series!

Love these books. Just fabtastic

I've never been so hooked to a storyline before than I am right now. Geralt is the man, he's such a dark character but you can't help but love him

More short stories that fill in back story on the Witcher, the Bard, and the Destiny. Excellent reading. Love the Witcher books.

A superb collection of short stories, and a necessity if you plan to read The Witcher saga. I would say that in this collection Sapkowski still hasn’t quite matured as a writer. His style of writing isn’t quite as refined as it is in the saga, but it is still very enjoyable.

Love to read a lot. The book is great.

...lousy story. This ain't Witcher 3 by a long shot.