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passchendaele's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Witcher is like Shrek-adjacent. The show is… kind of awful, and it's so nice to read the stories and see the original inspiration that wasn't in The Wild Hunt. The show deprives its audiences of all the humour and wit of the books - Geralt is funny, he talks a lot - he talks to himself and his horse. He isn't always sour and angry. He's tender for Yen and they have a very singular relationship.
What to even say. I hate reviewing books. AAAAHHHH
What to even say. I hate reviewing books. AAAAHHHH
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore and Sexual content
Minor: Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
comradehaasboy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Cursing
mcmeiss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Infertility, Infidelity, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
risaleel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gore, Incest, and Murder
mone1313's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
shelbyslifer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Cursing and Colonisation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Murder
calamitydane's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
5.0
A male power fantasy but a great one. I love the adaptation of classic stories to this world. I love the characters. I love how they interact. Jaskier (Dandelion) and Geralt's relationship is so well written. They really sound like old friends and I smile every time they have scenes together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
lacrimaeignis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
To begin with, for those that may not know, this book is considered by many to be the first to read in the Witcher series because it introduces the reader to the world and the concepts of the Witcher. Rather than being a full novel, it is a collection of short stories that set up the plot for the series. If you like epic fantasy with lots of action and magic and high stakes you should give this series a try (and remember the books are different than the videogames and tv series).
I bought this book back in 2010 and forgot I owned it until the Netflix show first aired. I had played the videogames and so naturally I was curious as to how the show would be. Then I found my copy of The Last Wish once more and immediately began reading. Life threw me in for a loop and unfortunately, this book got put on the back burner for a while. But I restarted it a few months ago and have finally finished it! I only wish I had finished it sooner!
Although I genuinely enjoy all versions, out of the three, I like the book the best and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. It's so interesting seeing the different versions of Geralt but book Geralt is definitely the most intriguing and sympathetic iteration to me. He is just as formidable and gruff and sarcastic but he comes across as kinder and more soft-hearted and he truly treasures those he deems friends. He's one of the best morally gray characters that I have had the pleasure to see written.
I love getting more into his mind and I love that in the book, he is actually quite the scholar in many ways. He's just as intelligent (although does make some dumb decisions on occasion) as he is talented with his swords. Book Geralt is also more open-minded and willing to challenge his own beliefs by learning and taking into consideration others' viewpoints than his counterparts tend to.
But what I love most about the book is the prose. At times, the descriptions are so poetic and beautiful that I wouldn't be surprised if Dandilion/Jaskier had written them for a ballad. The lines that made me absolutely fall in love with this writing style was, ' It had taken a long time, he thought, before this dance on the edge of an abyss, this mad, macabre ballet of a fight, had achieved the desired effect, allowed him to psychically become one with his opponent, to reach the underlayers of concentrated will which permeated the striga.'
I truly enjoyed joining Geralt on his many adventures and I will definitely be continuing the journey.
I bought this book back in 2010 and forgot I owned it until the Netflix show first aired. I had played the videogames and so naturally I was curious as to how the show would be. Then I found my copy of The Last Wish once more and immediately began reading. Life threw me in for a loop and unfortunately, this book got put on the back burner for a while. But I restarted it a few months ago and have finally finished it! I only wish I had finished it sooner!
Although I genuinely enjoy all versions, out of the three, I like the book the best and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. It's so interesting seeing the different versions of Geralt but book Geralt is definitely the most intriguing and sympathetic iteration to me. He is just as formidable and gruff and sarcastic but he comes across as kinder and more soft-hearted and he truly treasures those he deems friends. He's one of the best morally gray characters that I have had the pleasure to see written.
I love getting more into his mind and I love that in the book, he is actually quite the scholar in many ways. He's just as intelligent (although does make some dumb decisions on occasion) as he is talented with his swords. Book Geralt is also more open-minded and willing to challenge his own beliefs by learning and taking into consideration others' viewpoints than his counterparts tend to.
But what I love most about the book is the prose. At times, the descriptions are so poetic and beautiful that I wouldn't be surprised if Dandilion/Jaskier had written them for a ballad. The lines that made me absolutely fall in love with this writing style was, ' It had taken a long time, he thought, before this dance on the edge of an abyss, this mad, macabre ballet of a fight, had achieved the desired effect, allowed him to psychically become one with his opponent, to reach the underlayers of concentrated will which permeated the striga.'
I truly enjoyed joining Geralt on his many adventures and I will definitely be continuing the journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
khymihr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Violence
Moderate: Death, Gore, Rape, and Classism
amelianotthepilot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
very 'women are evil or whores' :/
i don’t get the hype
but I tried to read it with a grain of salt since it was written in the 90s, is Polish, and at least the fantasy world is fun.
collection of short stories of Geralt of Rivia the Witcher. First a story about a 'striga' who could only be cured/defeated by spending the night with her in the castle, then thee was a beauty and the beast-esque story, then a snow-white-esque demon slayer, and then a quick story about a beast who terrorized a town to trade with elves, and finally the story of Yennifer a witch who he falls in love with who asks to heal his bard friend.
i don’t get the hype
but I tried to read it with a grain of salt since it was written in the 90s, is Polish, and at least the fantasy world is fun.
collection of short stories of Geralt of Rivia the Witcher. First a story about a 'striga' who could only be cured/defeated by spending the night with her in the castle, then thee was a beauty and the beast-esque story, then a snow-white-esque demon slayer, and then a quick story about a beast who terrorized a town to trade with elves, and finally the story of Yennifer a witch who he falls in love with who asks to heal his bard friend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Geralt is violent and fights a lot of people/monsters. The book is innately misogynistic and sexist. All women are either evil or whores and even the badass ones bend to his every beck and call.