The Witcher, a Netflix fantasy saga that the streaming service has positioned as the next Game of Thrones, has similar literary roots. The show is based on the fantasy book series of the same name: six novels and two collections of short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski that develop a rich setting and unforgettable characters that have attracted millions of readers around the world.
but what if you’re not familiar with the witcher’s adventures and want to catch up before (or after) the binge? Here’s an introduction to the warlock franchise and a suggestion on where to start.
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what is it about?
geralt is a warlock (sometimes called a “sorcerer”, depending on the translation). Warlocks are monster hunters, specializing in tracking down and killing (or banishing) a variety of creatures, monsters, and supernatural entities. Warlocks begin their training at a young age, from within the fortress of Kaer Morhen. they are given a cocktail of drugs, potions, and powders that grant them a longer life expectancy and greater stamina, skill, and speed than the average human being. however, the process changes them irrevocably, leaving them with strange and distinctive eyes. warlocks face prejudice for their unusual appearance and abilities, and are often dismissed as “mutants”. Despite this, their services are in constant demand, as the continent is frequently plagued by monsters and the undead.
geralt is famous as one of the most skilled and experienced warlocks of his time. he also has the ability to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, attracting the unkind attention of kings, generals, and sorcerers. Although warlocks are supposed to be apolitical, Geralt often finds himself embroiled in political intrigue and military affairs, especially as tensions rise between the independent kingdoms to the north and the vast Nilfgaardian empire to the south.
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The books and the upcoming adaptation also focus on characters other than Geralt. The other main characters in the saga include Yennefer, a powerful sorceress and Geralt’s ally, and Ciri, a young princess whom Geralt takes as a ward. Geralt’s closest friend is the bard Dandelion (known as “Dandelion” in video games; see below), who recounts Geralt’s adventures (and gets involved in them himself).
the world
geralt’s adventures take place in a world that looks like standard fantasy stuff, but that’s only superficially true. yes, there are humans, elves, dwarves, and other familiar non-human races. but the world is harsher than many others: the elves have suffered heavy losses from the invasion of humans in their lands and now many have banded together as guerrillas, desperate to preserve their freedom; sometimes, they cross the line and carry out acts of terrorism.
The books are full of European myths, history and folklore. Several of the witcher stories are reminiscent of familiar fairy tales seen in a different light: think of Snow White as a ruthless killer. there are vampires, werewolves, and dragons, and a mysterious spectral force known as the Wild Hunt. there are also other worlds and other times, and some people can visit them through witchcraft.
The main setting, the Continent, is also home to more mundane nations and kingdoms: Redania, Temeria, Cintra, Toussaint, and Nilfgaard are some of the most notable. big cities like wyzima and novigrad play a key role in the story. From the towering peaks of the Blue Mountains, home to the warlock fortress of Kaer Morhen, to the snow-swept Skellige Isles, the world of the warlocks is one of adventure, heroism, tragedy, beauty, and war.
the franchise
the witcher is unusual in that, although it began as a series of books, it found true international fame through a video game adaptation from Polish developers cd projekt red.
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The essence of the story is certainly found in the eight books of the saga, published by Sapkowski between 1991 and 2012 in Poland, and in English in the USA. uu. between 2007 and 2018. for now the story is over, but sapkowski has hinted that he may continue…
The eight books that make up the sorcerer saga are made up of:
- the last wish (1993/2007; a reprint of the witcher, released in 1990, with new material)
- sword of destiny (1992/2015)
- blood of goblins (1994/2008)
- time of contempt (1995/2013)
- baptism of fire (1996/2014)
- the tower of the swallows ( 1997/2016)
- the lady of the lake (1999/2017)
- stormy season (2013/2018)
the last wish and the sword of destiny are collections of linked stories. They introduce Geralt, his allies, and his enemies, and set the political scene in the world, all through standalone adventures in which Geralt slays monsters and allies (albeit inadvertently) with the rulers of powerful nations.
The video games begin approximately one year after the events of the Lady of the Lake and offer a version of what happened to Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri after the events of the books. Since Geralt starts the games with amnesia, he doesn’t need to be familiar with the books to play (although it definitely helps!).
where to start
although not strictly a novel, the last wish is the perfect starting point for the saga, which contains both the chronologically older stories of geralt’s career, as well as the setting of important characters such as yennefer, ciri and daskier, as well as presenting the world and the main kingdoms, and hinting at things to come.
what did you think of the netflix version of the witcher?
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