Title: The Witcher – Season of Storms

Author: Andrzej Sapkowski

Hello all,

I have finished another book from The Witcher series (8 book box set) and remain quite optimistic what the second season of Netflix has in store for us.

Though, one thing I will point out is that I’m not sure this book was number three to be read, but could possibly be the last one instead. I did google beforehand and the posts suggested that this was number three, however, after reading it, I’m not too sure. Once I finish with the next one I will shed more light on the matter, so you are forewarned. 🙂

Contrary to its predecessors, this book follows one adventure in one part of the world.

The Witcher Gerald was appointed by a mayor to kill a monster that was terrorising its citizens. Gerald lured the monster (an idr) out and killed it, collected his bounty and then left to the city of Kerack. There he checks into an inn, where he is required to hand over his weapons before he may dine. He places his order and just then is arrested. He is accused of embezzlement of state treasury funds.

He is bailed out, only to find that his swords are missing. On his quest to find his swords he meets the local sorceress Lytta Neyds (otherwise known as Coral), who then sends him on his way to tackle a monster problem at a mages castle, called Rissberg castle. They appoint him to patrol throughout the local towns so that he might come across the monster that was plaguing their local towns.

However, the monster that he comes across is someone quite unexpected, and it manages to trap him instead. Fortunately he manages to evade its clutches, only to be sent through a portal to a completely different part of their world. At a local tavern he befriends a darf, Addario Bach, with whom he travels to a port town so they may travel north. However, on their trip Gerald discovers that the crew were on a mission themselves and harbor a secret on board. It is this secret that causes them to be chased by a monster, only to be ship-wrecked on an island. Just before the ship-wreck, Gerald and Addario manage to escape once again. This time, Gerald manages to return to Kerack. At Kerack he is supposed to watch over the king, only to come across a twist to the tale. The kind dies, and Gerald decides to flee as he doesn’t wish to be combined with any of the past mishaps.

As he continues his travel to another town, he has a drink with Dandelion at a tavern where quite unexpectedly he receives a package, with his swords. Who sent him those, you will have to read up.

This represents the end of the tale, however, there are some interesting add-on chapters to the story. A story about a girl called Nimue who is trekking on route to another mage school. The story plays off 100 years after the White Wolf had lived. On her way to town she encounters a beast, and runs for her life, only to be saved by a man with the iconic long white hair. Whether it really is him, or only a figment of her imagination is unclear, because when she wakes up at the cross roads (where they apparently parted ways) only she and a stranger are present. Thus, it seems she never really met him.

Why I believe this is the last book of the series is not only due to the fact that she lives 100 years after his main story, but also because when she speaks to him she calls out that she would like to ask him many more questions of tales he had with Yennefer and Ciri, who we met in book 1 and 2.

Thus, I leave it to you to decide whether this book is third in line, or rather eighth.

Summary:

A riveting tale that seems to express that Gerald has finally truly met his match, only then to learn that he makes it through thanks to his perseverance and a great dose of luck. A tale of love, of horrific killings, of coups and betrayals. This sure will keep the bed lamp on at night. I give the book a 4.4/5.

Until next time!