Witcher Saga - Blood of Elves

”You've mistaken the stars reflected on the surface of the lake at night for the heavens.”

Isn't that just the coolest quote?

The first novel in the Witcher series, Blood of Elves is written by Andrzej Sapkowski - try to pronounce that English speakers! - and was popularized further by the Witcher games that drew quite a following.











It starts sort of confusing - you don't get much of an introduction to the universe so I really wasn't sure if this is the first novel of the series or not. It feels like a really well developed universe and I like that the author isn't afraid to include a lot of different creatures and monsters - including elves, dwarves but also vampires and all sorts of other things that bite or have humans in their meal preferences. The magical system is pretty basic but well made and it plays an important part in the story.
The book is a sequel to a bunch of short stories set in the same universe - Sword of Destiny and The Last Wish so you might want to check those out.
The Witchers are mutants and basically bounty hunters that kill monsters across the land. They are neutral and do not meddle in political affairs or wars. They're pretty much medieval detective bad-asses with an extensive arsenal of weaponry, amulets, elixirs and even know a bit of magic.
The expansionist Empire of Nilfgaard and the Kingdoms of the North are in an uneasy peace after a war won by the Kingdoms two years earlier. The book is focused on the relationship between Geralt of Rivia - main sword wielding, no non-sense Witcher bad-ass - and Ciri the daughter of the former queen of Cintra, the latest conquest of the Nilfgaardian empire.

Geralt of Rivia has seen some shit and he's not afraid to get dirty to protect his loved ones. In a manner this seems like a noire story with Geralt as a hard down-of-his-luck no non-sense detective. Oh and to make him even cooler he has white hair and of course people fear him. So he's pretty fucking awesome.
Ciri embodies Campbell's the hero's journey at least for now, but I'm a sucker for heroes that have journeys so sure why not.
Some parts are a bit cliché - Ciri and her destiny for one and the magicians also.

Yennefer the magician is another character that I like - which I picture for some reason as a Jennifer Lopez in magician clothes. She's tough but with a soft heart and there's something that rhymes with "dove" between her and Geralt. But they're not on speaking terms so it's a bit like a romantic comedy with swords and magic.


Disclaimer: this is the only photo I could find with Jennifer Lopez in magician clothes. :( I was thinking more on the line of Dumbledore robe and wizard hat but it seems Miss Lopez's dressing habits do not include those.

This does not mean that I don't like the writing. It's good and the action is mixed with world-building that doesn't feel like an information dump. The first book introduces us to the characters and makes us like them, so it will be interesting to see where the action leads in the next few. It's not a long novel or at least it doesn't feel like one which is again refreshing.

Andrzej Sapkowski has a good sense of humour and it shows in his writing. It's not laugh of loud in the subway like a crazy man funny but more of a chuckle a few times without anyone noticing.

I have not played the games but I think it would add to the experience by being able to identify with Geralt. That being said I would need a new computer and a lot more time than I currently have.

Pros :
    - Good character building
    - Varied world filled with cool creatures
Cons :
    - A little confusing in the beginning due to lack of introduction
    - A little cliché though understandable
    - A lot of world-building, not much of an ending

Score of the book : 6.0 out of 10