Reviews with content warning for Death - La espada del destino

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the first one, I don't think. I like that a lot of these stories focused a lot more on the characters than anything else, though! It definitely helped me to connect with them more than I did in the first book, particularly Geralt. In the first book, I had some trouble connecting with him and really loving him the way everyone else seems to, but this book definitely got me closer to it, even if I'm still not all the way there. I think my favorite stories were A Little Sacrifice and The Sword of Destiny. I really enjoyed both of those. I don't really have much else to say about this book that I didn't already say in my review of the first one, though.

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brogancha's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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shiveryteacup's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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crowcrow's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

(Originally posted on Goodreads.)

I'd give it a 4.5 but I had enough fun that I'm willing to rate it higher.

Edit: The more I think about this book the angrier I get. Yennefer and Geralt are a dumbass couple and their romance was so rushed, you cannot convince me that they're good together. Just fucking marry Jaskier already, the guy would sacrifice a leg for you.

That aside, book's fun. I like Ciri and her hot grandma.

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literatureleaf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Age: 14+

Reading time: 15 days

Difficulty level: 2.5/5

Rating: 2/5

Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski is simultaneously the first and second novel in The Witcher series. Published a year prior to The Last Wish, it serves as both the first book in a famous saga, and the continuation of the beloved character of Geralt of Rivia. Each chapter is its own separate, contained story, containing small glimmers of a larger tale that, as the reader falls more and more in love with Geralt and his companions with each turn of the page, simply begs to be told.

In classic Sapkowski fashion, Sword of Destiny proves to be an entertaining loose continuation to The Last Wish. Told in the same short story format, there is no major overarching plot, but rather bite-sized glimpses into the daily happenings of Geralt of Rivia that delight and charm the reader.

A fun read through and through, Sword of Destiny not only serves to entertain, but to promote deeper thinking and discourse. Told through the unique and inventive lens of reimagined fairy tales, themes of good and evil, the natural order of the world and who has a right to disrupt it, corruption, political order, and the circle of life can be found hiding amongst the gritty and glamorous monsters and fantasy worlds of the stories.

Sword of Destiny may be considered the second novel in The Witcher series, but it is Sapkowski’s first book, and throughout the reading process, it becomes evident that he had not quite found his footing as an author yet. The writing is clunky and at times limited, particularly in the first half of the book, and the flow of the stories feels choppy and forced.

Many of the same flaws that can be found in The Last Wish are even more pervasive in Sword of Destiny. Stilted, emotionless dialogue continues to be an issue, and repetition, both in conversation between characters and as a general literary device, is overused and contributes to the stale feeling that permeates the pages of the novel.

Sadly, the characterizations have a more cookie-cutter feel that is not as present in his other works. At times the characters, particularly Geralt and Yennefer, act in ways that are contrary to how they have been set up by Sapkowski to behave, and they seem to waffle back and forth between extremes when it comes to their decision making.

For instance, often a character will state whether they will or will not do something or explain how they are feeling about a certain action, then act in a completely contrarian way to what they have just said, with no further explanation for why they have made the decision. This leads to a jarring reading experience that results in feeling a central disconnect from the main characters.

Despite its flaws, Sword of Destiny is considered by many fantasy fans to be a must-read in the genre. Featuring beloved characters and plotlines that have been adapted for video games and television, the antics and adventures of the Witcher shine in the novels in a way that is unique to written media. Enmeshing adventure and fantasy with a grander understanding of the inner workings of humanity and love, Sword of Destiny captures what many fantasy readers love in a novel.

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marissab's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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