Title: The Witcher (Blood of Elves)

Author: Andrzej Sapkowski

Pages: 315

Hi all,

…

The book is spread into seven chapters and continues the tale of Gerald and Ciri, where it covers a couple of months of training Ciri in the ways of the Witcher, but at present without the intention of changing her into one herself.

The first chapter starts off strange, where Ciri dreams of some events that she lives through that she cannot explain or understand. It was at first perplexing to read the first pages, but then I managed to understand it wasn’t a start to some story that continued from the previous book. Rather, it is a dream, a nightmare she dreams of which troubles her and the Witcher. Here we learn that she is more than simply the Lion cub of Cintra. She is more than meets the eye, and the journey has just become more interesting.

• Chapter 1
  • We’re around a campfire, centered is Dandelion, surrounded by an audience of different races. They listen to his newest ballad, one that tells the tale of Gerald having been reunited with Ciri and traveling with Yennefer to some place. The audience is bedazzled by the tale and wishes to know more, but Dandelion brushes off their questions, stating that it is merely a tale. Later that night he has retired to his quarters and plans to entertain some female guests, when he gets an unexpected visit. Someone from the crowd earlier that night. It ends with Dandelion fleeing his pursuer, and meeting with Yennefer, and they leave the town together that very night.
• Chapter 2 & 3
  • Triss Merrigold is on her way to Kaer Morhen, the castle/retreat of the Witchers. Her father/uncle has called for her services to assist with Ciri’s dreams. The Witchers had first assumed the dreams were to do with nightmares of the things Ciri had gone through since the loss of her grandmother, queen Calanthe of Cintra. However, the dreams continued, and when she started to speak in a demon-like voice they knew there was more to it. Triss tries to induce the girl into a sleep state so she may see it for herself and realizes that there is powerful magic within her. Though, not within her, but through her. She is a vessel for some magic.
  • Triss also meets three other Witchers: Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert, who have been involved in training Ciri bit by bit in the Witcher ways. She discusses the condition of the child with them and they do not agree that she should take the child with her to the Council and Chapter (Magicians Board) since they believe that Ciri would not be treated well amongst their lot. They then agree that she will accompany Gerald and Ciri to the temple of Melitele where Gerald usually travels to to recover from crucial injuries sustained in conflicts with beasts.
• Chapter 4
  • The three of them are on their way to the temple when Triss is overcome by an illness. She cannot accept magical ointments or elixirs since she’s allergic (ironic, since she’s a witch/enchantress herself) and they have to travel slower in order not to overdo it.
  • They reach a soldier encampment, but at a bad time. The fortress had been fighting the Sco’tiatel – a group of non-humans (elves, dwarves, etc.) that wish the humans to return their lands to them and thus fights for freedom. Thus, their journey seems to have come to a halt, since no one is allowed to travel the roads where they may fall victim to one of their attacks.
  • Luckily they find one group of dwarves that were permitted to undertake the journey, which is where Gerald meets Yarpin Zigrin once again. Together, they make the journey and remain unharmed for most of the journey. It is on the last day when Gerald wishes to part from the group where they are a attacked by the rebel troup. Gerald and Ciri manage to fend them of with the help of the dwarves, but not without a few losses on both sides. Afterwards, they continue their journey to the temples of melitele, and are not attacked anymore.
• Chapter 5
  • Ciri is schooled with Mother Nenneke and writes letters to Gerald of her days. He reads her letters on his boat trip to another place. At present he wants to keep his distance from her so that he can protect her from anyone that wishes to get their hands on her. He was hired by the boat a protection against a beast from the river. Most of the journey remains calm and uninterrupted until they reach the toll booths. Here, the custom officers board the boats to collect the tax on goods bought for cheaper from Nilfgaard merchants. It is here where “custom officials” from another kingdom also board the ship to arrest the Witcher. However, it doesn’t come to that as the beast from the river attacks their boats.
  • Meanwhile, Dandelion is on his way to Oxenfurt, a town that houses the scholars of the education facilities. He is confronted by the chief spy of the king, and they also have heard his tale that Ciri may be alive. Their interest lies in finding the Witcher, to which Dandelion ends up being unhelpful, and is then released.
• Chapter 6
  • The kings of the different kingdoms are in discussion with each other about current affairs surrounding the war. They give more historical perspective and what their stance is in relation with the Nilfgaard king.
  • Gerald reunites with Dandelion and Shani (an acquaintance of Dandelion, and current scholar at the university). They are in pursuit of Rience. The man that had followed Dandelion in the first chapter and tried to torture him for information. They wish to capture him and find out who their employer was and who wishes to find Ciri. Rience approaches them with some of his own mercenaries, but ends of fleeing after Gerald made little work of them.
  • Mother Nenneke has called for Lady Yennefer to assist her with Ciri since she believed she would benefit from an enchantresses help.
• Chapter 7
  • Lady Yennefer agrees to teach the ways of the enchantress to Ciri. She learns their work diligently, whereafter they decide to leave the temple for another place so Ciri can learn the proper way an enchantress is taught.

Coming from the previous book I expected that Gerald would take care of Ciri and teach her the ways of the Witcher. Now it seems that there is more to her than we initially thought because now she is also taken under the wing of the enchantress.

Will she become a Witcher, or will she become an enchantress? Only time will tell.

Summary:

The book is well written and continues the tale from where it ended before. It includes a twist since it is no loner straight forward whether she will become a Witcher or an enchantress. In every chapter we learn more and more how truly mysterious the tale around Ciri actually is. The book receives a rating of 4.4/5.

Have a good one!