Customer Reviews

Blood of Elves (The Witcher)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have been a big fan of the Witcher books for a long time. I was fortunate to read them all in Russian translation.

Here's the deal: the English publisher has skipped "The Sword Of Destiny" that chronologically follows "The Last Wish". The "Sword" introduces the new characters later seen in "The Blood Of Elves". I was deeply disappointed with such move. My wife has read the 1st book and loved it, but now she can't continue to "The Blood of Elves"!
I was not surprised to find out that the "TBoE" has received much lower rating than the "TLW" on Amazon. People are all confused, it ruins the story flow.

I have written to the Gollancz publishers an here's what they said:

"... You probably are not aware that short story collections do not sell very well, and so it is often difficult for a mainstream publisher to put that sort of book out. We were lucky with THE WITCHER, first, because we published it as a novel, and second, because we had the launch of the computer game to back it up.

We are currently in discussion with the author about what we do next, but please do urge your wife to read BLOOD OF ELVES..."

Somehow I believe that Mr Sapkowski was pushed to follow the order of publishing against his will. And the statement that "short stories don't sell" has already been disproved by the success of "The Last Wish". Gollancz has done the readers and the author a very poor favor by omitting the "Sword Of Destiny".

Recently I have found this petition http://www.petitiononline.com/GvR066kf/petition.html (if Amazon removes the link, just google "sword of destiny petition") that collects signatures to support the release of the "TSoD". I strongly recommend everyone to join in and add their name to it, the book really deserves to be read by the massive English-speaking audience.

Geralt, the title character, is a 'Witcher' - one of a semi-secret society of monster-killing specialists. Already born as mutants (a word bandied around anachronistically throughout the book), Witchers are then trained and chemically altered to become killing machines. All hopped-up on primitive combat drugs and armed with meteoric swords, Witchers travel the world killing nasty beasties. Preferably for money.

Although Witchers are scrupulously neutral in matters of politics, Geralt has broken the code by adopting an orphaned princess, Ciri. The heir to a conquered kingdom, Ciri is one of the most valuable people in the world. The forces of light and darkness are both competing to find her - and that's even before her potent magical powers begin to surface. Geralt and his network of friends (more acquaintances) are drawn reluctantly into the vortex of events surrounding Ciri and soon become irrevocably linked to the fate of the world.

Ciri, to give the author credit, is never just a passive object in her own destiny. In fact, she receives much more 'screen time' than anyone else in the book, including Geralt. Her education, training and rambunctious gallop towards maturity are the core of the book. Geralt, and the more conventional adventuring elements that surround him, only appears in alternate chapters - generally fighting off some sort of insidious plot that would otherwise threaten the young princess.

Geralt also takes a backseat to some of his companions - Yennefer and Triss, the witches, and Dandilion, the entertainer and spy. All are drawn to Ciri and the need to protect her - either from loyalty to Geralt or to the greater scheme of fate. They're all interesting characters (I'm partial to Dandilion), although Sapkowski spends more time than is comfortable having Triss muse about her youthful sexual explorations.

In fact, Geralt mostly appears through the eyes of others. Even Dandilion is less loyal to Geralt-the-person as he is to Geralt-the-excuse-for-an-adventure. The conflicting viewpoints keep Geralt mysterious, but also keep on the right side of the line when it comes to outright veneration. While Ciri worships Geralt, Yennefer sees the Witcher as an outright annoyance - an emotionally-stunted ex-boyfriend with a knack for doing the wrong thing.

The overall plot is pleasantly confusing. There's definitely a big prophecy out there, and the big evil empire is sufficiently big and evil. Our heroes, however, are more interested in saving their own skins. They encounter the creeping arms of evil, but only in tangential ways - local uprisings, the occasional assassin. The author occasionally takes the reader to someplace quite random - for example, the high conclave of Wizards, or a gathering of monarchs - to give the bigger picture. However, we learn very quickly that these important dignitaries know even less than the little guys. Whatever is actually happening, only Sapkowski knows.

The main flaw in the book is the translation. There's a strict avoidance of detail which, although presumably part of the original writing style, becomes irritating. In one scene, for example, various participants are described as having 'a hat' or 'red-haired'. Not much paint for the mental picture.

The occasionally anachronistic word choices - of which 'mutant' is the most annoying - leap out. As if to compensate, the translator also peppers the texts with obscure medieval terminology ('caparison'? 'cachalot'?).

Sapkowski has an unusual voice (when properly interpreted) and a grimly entertaining take on the traditions of fantasy. The Blood of Elves is an exercise in dramatic tension - complicated characters, coming of age stories and a careful unearthing of the overall plot - all building up to a sequel that promises to be a hurricane of action.

-- PORNOKITSCH

This book is a must have if you enjoy the "Witcher universe", but not if you're hoping for another collection of 'whiz-bang, sexy sword slinger' short stories, ala Last Wish. While I enjoyed the Last Wish quite a bit, this is a notably different outting - a complete novel set in the Witcher universe, with an actual story arc, a longer tale to tell, and promises of more to come in future books... GREAT!

This book explains (among other things) the beginnings of the Scoia'tael (Squirrel) movement, how the various races came to inhabit their corners of the world, more info on Triss Merigold, Shani, Dandelion, and a host of other interesting characters. Kingdom level politics are discussed, pursuits and narrow escapes ensue, and assassins, torturers and sorcerers abound.

Geralt is present all through the book, weaving into and out of other character's lives. He is not 'absent' from the book at all... it's just that each story isn't focused exclusively on him. The overall framework of Ciri's maturation as a enchantress is interesting and appropriate, not boring or drawn out, in my opinion.

Geralt is revealed through other characters eyes as a more interesting and conflicted warrior - perhaps moodier and more withdrawn than we might expect, but more complex. He's far less cocky in this book, which may put some people off if they were expecting the white-wolf swagger.

So... less "swords and babes" overall, more plot and story arc... I enjoyed it thoroughly, and read it in one sitting. Can't wait for the rest.

Side note: anyone who has played and enjoyed "The Witcher" PC game will see lots of it in this novel, and appreciate the book even more.

My first introduction to "The Witcher" universe/series was, like most English speaking audiences I imagine, via the game - however prior to that I completed the collection of short stories contained in "The Last Wish" and was impressed enough to pre-order "Blood of Elves".

I'll get the negative out of the way right at the start - the book will be a large disappointment if you're expecting a self-contained novel or were more interested in Geralt de Rivia, the protagonist of the computer game and "The Last Wish". I agree with some of the other reviewers in that the book is incorrectly marketed. This is understandable given the popularity of Geralt. The book, while it does feature him in a good deal of the chapters and in reference, is focused on his ward/foster child, Ciri. Based on the description on the back of the book, you'd think it was the other way and the child would only feature in a few segments. However I found that reading "The Last Wish" prior to this novel definitely fleshed out the few interactions that we see Geralt have, and I would highly recommend any newcomers to the series pick that up first before moving onto "Blood of Elves".

Additionaly, and probably more frustrating, is that - like any first book in a planned series - there is no actual end to the novel. This isn't a problem if you're EXPECTING it, but it's a let down when you're down to the last chapter and realize that nothing brought up will be accomplished. In a worst-case scenario, the rest of "The Witcher" series doesn't get published and except for those Polish speaking amongst us, we're left hanging. If you can wrap your mind around the fact that this is a setup novel, and Geralt is not the primary character, then you will enjoy it just a little bit more.

To the good stuff. Despite the fact that Geralt is not the main character, I think we're left with a pretty well-rounded and developed cast. Ciri was, to me at least, surprisingly good as a main character. She doesn't come off as overly naggy (as sometimes the "young child of hope" often do - Luke Skywalker, I'm looking at you), and Sapkowski offers a good timeline of her development. The rest of the cast is just as well developed, and we get to see a little more of Dandilion and Yennefer from "The Last Wish". I enjoyed the layout of the novel itself, as it generally moves from Ciri's development one chapter, to a "big picture" or Geralt chapter next, and so on. In hindsight the layout provides an excellent setup for the eventual English sequel - enough that, hopefully, the reader can jump right into the action whenever it's published.

I didn't have any problems with the translation. True, some of the descriptions are generic, but I blame that partially on some of the fantasy genre as a whole. I might be the only one in thinking this, but I felt that in both this novel and "The Last Wish" the focus was not on the world itself (epic battles, fanciful creatures, hero-meets/marries-girl, etc.) but attempting to develop more human relationships among its characters, good and bad...although I STILL don't really understand the reasons why of Geralt and Yennefer, but that's probably just me. That's not to say that the book does not have its share of magic, monsters, and bad guys, but it does offer some interesting insights into seemingly simple situations. Sapkowski does succeed, in English, at creating believable and relatable characters (as much as in any fantasy novel).

In summation, pick this book up if you're a fan of "The Witcher" universe but know that it is essentially a build-up and nothing else. If you can't stand cliff-hangers or waiting for any kind of conclusion, it might be best to wait until there's a solid release date for the next book.

Correction: Apparently, there was another book of short stories that sets this one up, (After The Last Wish) but the publisher decided not to translate it because short story books don't sell well in the USA. This review is from the perspective of someone who lives in the USA and has only read the books that were published in the USA in English. I know that there were more books published in Europe and the story seems to differ a bit. But remember, I am an American reviewing the books that are available in the USA.

* * *

The Blood of Elves is the first in a series of novels that takes place in the Witcher Universe. Unlike The Last Wish, which was a group of short stories, this is a 399 page novel that follows the story of a young girl named Ciri, who seems to be destined for great things.

This book is not for everybody and if you were a fan of the game, expecting something along the lines of an action packed Salvatore or Gemmell novel, you're in for a big disappointment. This is a world building book through the eyes of a young girl. The Blood of Elves is very light on action and heavy on good dialogue. There is no narrator explaining the huge events that are transpiring throughout the world. Instead, you mostly get a sense of what is going on through Ciri's experiences.

The Witcher Universe:
Witchers are a mysterious organization of monster hunters that protect the innocent for a price. The Witcher Universe is a well-written fantasy world that springs from mythology and folklore. There are Elves, Dwarves, Dryads, Druids, Wizards, Trolls... There are warring kingdoms, treachery, diplomacy, monsters, and bands of rebel fighters. It's an epic Universe and the ties to European Folklore make the Universe feel more credible.

Story:
Geralt, a Witcher, rescues a young noble girl named Ciri from certain death during an attack. The Witchers sense great potential in Ciri and she begins her training. There are much larger events happening in the world and you catch glimpses of these events, but this is a story about Ciri.

Characters:
The characters are multi-dimensional and they all have good dialogue. Ciri is the main character and Geralt, Triss, Yennifer, Dandilion, Shani, and Yarpen all make appearances.

Pacing:
The story of Ciri is told in blocks. This isn't the type of book where 4 or 5 story arcs are expertly woven together to create a frantic page turning experience. Rather, this story feels more like a relay race. It follows Ciri as she moves from place to place through the Witcher Universe. Large portions of the book are really entertaining blocks of dialogue between characters. Because there is no narrator explaining what is going on in the world, you get all of the information through dialogue between the characters or the events that transpire in short scenes.

Writing Style:
You can't tell that this book was translated into English from Polish. The Translator Danusia Stok did a great job and making the story flow and creating entertaining dialogue.

Overall:
This book is ok and I enjoyed it more than The Last Wish. It is well written and builds strong characters and a solid universe. Unfortunately, the book is lacking in action and epic events.

Buy this book if you love The Witcher Universe, you enjoyed reading The Last Wish, or you loved the setting of The Witcher PC game.

If you are expecting a heroic fantasy adventure starring Geralt, Yarpen, Triss... You probably will be very disappointed with this book. You won't hate the book, but you are really going to wish there was a lot more going on in the story.

Personally, I'll was a little disappointed with the scope of the book, but I enjoyed what I read. I'll stick with the series. I'll treat this book as a world-building origin story, and hope the next books are more epic and full of action.

I am going to go against the current here but I actually enjoyed this third collection of the Witcher stories better than the first book, The Last Wish. In fact, I found this to be more of an actual novel than the first one which was more of a collection of loosely interconnected stories.

Scheming knights and short-tempered dwarfs; charming elves and enchanting witches; monsters and monster-slayers; scheming kings and the thickening of the fog of war; conspiring wizards and the law of Surprise.And in a world in turmoil, Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf, is entrusted with Ciri, the girl of prophesy - and his destiny. Whichever that may be.

Too bad the publisher did not consider it necessary to translate and publish the second book of the series, The Sword of Destiny. It would had tied the story of the Witcher much better together.

Sure, it may not be canonical literature but it is a great fantasy book to bring to the beach or take to your comfortable armchair during a rainy weekend. For its genre, it is a great book.

Recommended to fantasy fans and RPG gamers alike.

I read last wish and this after playing the video game. For those of you readers who are not also gamers, The witcher game was a well done and reasonably under rated RPG, in which you played as Geralt. For those of you who are Gamers coming to this book from the game, You're in for a good time.

The book is well written, Which for a translation is a miracle. Generally such things come out as half assed, or under done, this did not. I found it hard to believe it WAS a translation. It speaks clearly and tells the story without any significant errors. There is a fair amount of obscure language, referencing either in universe topics (Such as names that stem from the language of the elves) or referencing medieval items (Such as types of sword, armor or architecture.) None of this should be a problem for an avid reader of this style of fiction. It shines in it's inclusiveness, Using terms and not explaining them, letting you learn as the characters learn. To some this may be an issue, but the feeling of being a part of this world surpasses the need to know in me. Honestly there is very little you don't learn by the end of the book.

The end of the book is the only issue. It doesn't end. This being the first in a series of books and the others not having been translated as of yet. I am sure the readers here will know how that feels. I have grown to love these characters, and I am forced to wait for the next book. Delicious torture! However, the next book is being worked on as I speak, so we should not have to wait long!

I don't want to tell you the details of the story. You can look that up elsewhere without issue. This is a review, and thus I would just like to say that I loved the book. I loved Last Wish, and I love Blood of Elves. The pacing is great, the universe is large, well thought out and steeped in lore. Characters are multifaceted and involved, at no point did I feel like I was reading another cookie cutter fantasy novel. This is a rich vein, and I hope people continue to buy it, so that it continues to be translated and I can continue to mine it!

While I'm disappointed in the publisher's skipping/delaying the other novels in this unforgettable series, the best hope we have of seeing the books translated into English is to support the author. As a whole, the Witcher's epic fantasy tale ranks with the best of them, far and away untouchable by 95% of the genre that we're used to. It's no wonder that a European company chose Sapkowski's story as a basis for a video game series.

I read The Last Wish first before this one and the series has me hooked. Playing the PC game also further expands on the world of the Witcher. Writing is a little jarring at times with modern innovations being mentioned along with the medieval references. I've read my share of fantasy and this Polish writer's style is very refreshing compared to "old school" Tolkien, Alexander, etc.

Please get those translated versions to us ASAP!

Different from the first but still enjoyable. The ending is abrupt, it's too bad we have to wait awhile for more.