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The Tower of Fools
(Hussite Trilogy #1)
by
From the New York Times bestselling author of the legendary Witcher series--the books that inspired the Netflix show and the hit video games--comes the first in an epic new trilogy.
Reinmar of Bielawa, sometimes known as Reynevan, is a doctor, a magician and, according to some, a charlatan. And when a thoughtless indiscretion finds him caught in the crosshairs of powerful n ...more
Reinmar of Bielawa, sometimes known as Reynevan, is a doctor, a magician and, according to some, a charlatan. And when a thoughtless indiscretion finds him caught in the crosshairs of powerful n ...more
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Paperback, 576 pages
Published
October 27th 2020
by Orbit
(first published 2002)
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Supposedly in May 2020 there will be English edition.
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I received an uncorrected proof copy of The Tower of Fools in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Andrzej Sapkowski and Gollancz. (Review posted on Goodreads 01/10/2020.)
In The Tower of Fools, we are introduced to the twenty-three-year-old nobleman Reinmar of Bielawa, also referred to as Reynevan, whilst he is having sex with another man's wife. Unfortunately, the cuckolded husband's brothers interrupt proceedings and pummel the young rapscallion. Our protagonist somehow manages to esca ...more
In The Tower of Fools, we are introduced to the twenty-three-year-old nobleman Reinmar of Bielawa, also referred to as Reynevan, whilst he is having sex with another man's wife. Unfortunately, the cuckolded husband's brothers interrupt proceedings and pummel the young rapscallion. Our protagonist somehow manages to esca ...more

Not that much fantasy this time from Andrzej Sapkowski but quite a generous portion of solid historical background with regard the Hussite. Enjoyed reading Books 1, 2 and 3 immensely and even toured Silesia, Poland and the Czech Republic to visit most of the places mentioned in the books. A great lesson of history together with smashing storytelling by AS.

Okay now. This is something huge. But I need to properly put this book (and the prospective trilogy) in context.
If you know the Witcher series you know he writes wonderful and complex characters, enjoys a vast and subtle world-building system, and sneaks you up to immense complications.
This NEW series is entirely historical, revolving around Europe and especially Poland during the 15th Century and it is RICH with history. (When I say it's rich, what I mean is that you can get a Masters in histo ...more
If you know the Witcher series you know he writes wonderful and complex characters, enjoys a vast and subtle world-building system, and sneaks you up to immense complications.
This NEW series is entirely historical, revolving around Europe and especially Poland during the 15th Century and it is RICH with history. (When I say it's rich, what I mean is that you can get a Masters in histo ...more

Update: Looks like the English translation release date has been moved to October 2020.
During my read of the The Witcher saga, I've had many people tell me (in sadness on my behalf, it seems) that I'll never be able to read Sapkowski's greatest work, The Hussite trilogy, being an English speaker and all. Looks like my wish has come true, and soon enough I'll be able to read it! 2020 isn't that far away.
So many people have told me this is better than his Witcher books. That, I can't wait to see. ...more
During my read of the The Witcher saga, I've had many people tell me (in sadness on my behalf, it seems) that I'll never be able to read Sapkowski's greatest work, The Hussite trilogy, being an English speaker and all. Looks like my wish has come true, and soon enough I'll be able to read it! 2020 isn't that far away.
So many people have told me this is better than his Witcher books. That, I can't wait to see. ...more

I made it to the 30% point of this book before abandoning it. At least up to there it was more of a picaresque historical fiction than it was a fantasy novel, and it was about a time and place that didn’t really interest me. I almost stopped at the first chapter, which was an extremely long, cringe-inducing sex scene. So painful. There was excellent narration of the audiobook by Peter Kenny, however. I am glad that I didn’t have to figure out how to pronounce those names. When I concluded that t
...more

The Tower of Fools is a historical fantasy that is set in Silesia around 1425 at the time of the Hussite Wars. It follows a main protagonist who, as in many other fantasy novels, is skirmishing through landscapes on the run and on a mission, hovering around Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany, never being able to stay out of trouble. This novel was first published in Polish in 2002 and has now been translated into English by David French, who also translated Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher serie
...more

The book starts out with an extensive report and history on the politics and rulers of the Bohemia/Silesia/Chechz/Polish territories to bring us op-to-date to 1425.
Reynevan or Reinmar of Bielawa may be a brilliant young physician who secretly dabbles a bit in the forbidden arts; he is also a very foolish young man. When he gets caught making out with the married Adele of Strecza by her brothers-in-law he has no choice but fleeing the city. When the youngest brother is killed in a freak accident, ...more
Reynevan or Reinmar of Bielawa may be a brilliant young physician who secretly dabbles a bit in the forbidden arts; he is also a very foolish young man. When he gets caught making out with the married Adele of Strecza by her brothers-in-law he has no choice but fleeing the city. When the youngest brother is killed in a freak accident, ...more

*A big thank you to Gollancz for the physical ARC in exchange for an honest and spoiler-free review.*
The Tower of Fools is the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy by the author of The Witcher novels, Andrzej Sapkowski. It is set in Europe in the 1420's - primarily Silesia, in Poland.
The story follows a young man called Reynevan as he is forced to flee his home after being caught sleeping with the wife of a Knight and angering a powerful family in the region, the Sterczas.
Reynevan is a doc ...more
The Tower of Fools is the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy by the author of The Witcher novels, Andrzej Sapkowski. It is set in Europe in the 1420's - primarily Silesia, in Poland.
The story follows a young man called Reynevan as he is forced to flee his home after being caught sleeping with the wife of a Knight and angering a powerful family in the region, the Sterczas.
Reynevan is a doc ...more

This is definitely a Sapkowski work.
Readers of the Witcher saga will recognize the distinctive prose (and for English readers the translative work of David French so that’s comforting), subtle yet powerful world building, dialogue-driven storyline, and fully realized characters. Despite this being a historical fiction rather than high fantasy, the alternate 15th century Europe contains a multitude of monsters, magicians, and demons to introduce an additional layer of intrigue even for readers u ...more
Readers of the Witcher saga will recognize the distinctive prose (and for English readers the translative work of David French so that’s comforting), subtle yet powerful world building, dialogue-driven storyline, and fully realized characters. Despite this being a historical fiction rather than high fantasy, the alternate 15th century Europe contains a multitude of monsters, magicians, and demons to introduce an additional layer of intrigue even for readers u ...more

Thank you so much to Orbit Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own!
Oh Reynevan, part of me thinks that him and his entire lot needed a turn in the asylum. After bedding a knight’s wife and apparently falling madly in love (which she clearly didn’t return), Reynevan sets off on a series of misadventures when he should honestly be fleeing the country.
This is a very historically dense book, with many names and details that bogged the pace down quit ...more
Oh Reynevan, part of me thinks that him and his entire lot needed a turn in the asylum. After bedding a knight’s wife and apparently falling madly in love (which she clearly didn’t return), Reynevan sets off on a series of misadventures when he should honestly be fleeing the country.
This is a very historically dense book, with many names and details that bogged the pace down quit ...more

Tower of Fools is the first instalment in a brand new historical fantasy trilogy, which tells the story of Reinmar of Bielawa, also called Reynevan de Bielau. The action takes place in Silesia in 1425, at the time of the Hussite Wars. Twenty-three-year-old nobleman Reinmar of Bielawa, aka Reynevan, both a medicine and magic scholar, has made a huge mistake; one that'll impact his life for the foreseeable future. He has slept with a knights wife, Adèle of Stercza, but as soon as they are doing th
...more

After three or four re-reads I finally decided to write a review of this, in my humble opinion, historical/fantasy-lite masterpiece. The story takes place in Bohemia and Silesia in 1425, during the time of the Hussite Wars.
It follows a young medic/academic/herbalist/"magician" Reinmar von Bielau, also called Reynevan. Compared to Sapkowki's more famous main protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, Reinmar is his exact opposite. He's naive, virtous (or at least he tries to be), easily falls in love with eve
...more
Reynevan is caught with another man's wife. Vengeful brothers are hot on the trail and so the story of the trials of Reynevan begin. Our main character is an absolute fool that everyone tries to help along the way, which he repeatedly ignores following a fools course, thus The Tower of Fools is aptly named. Set somewhere between the Czech Republic and Poland, he finds himself caught up in the war of the Hussites and the Catholics, with neither side trusting his motives.
A lot of this story isn't ...more
A lot of this story isn't ...more

Excellent novel - has a picaresque feel as Reynevan stumbles from one misadventure to the next, getting into trouble by trying to do "the right thing" as he sees it... The magic is subtler to start with, though it becomes more explicit towards the end with a hallucinating ride through the air on a bench and witches/wizards night on a mountain; not able to resist the charms of attractive women may still be undoing of the main hero, but by the end of this book he discovers a purpose and joins the
...more

I decided to give this saga a go, coming from the Witcher's, which I absolutely loved.
I enjoyed this first book, but I didn't love it. I'm giving it 3 stars because, overall, the storyline isn't as great as almost every single one outlined in each book of the Geralt of Rivia's saga. AND, because it has one of the most annoying and idiotic characters that I've came across as the protagonist. The main reason I write this review is to vent about that, honestly.
So, if you're not really into politic ...more
I enjoyed this first book, but I didn't love it. I'm giving it 3 stars because, overall, the storyline isn't as great as almost every single one outlined in each book of the Geralt of Rivia's saga. AND, because it has one of the most annoying and idiotic characters that I've came across as the protagonist. The main reason I write this review is to vent about that, honestly.
So, if you're not really into politic ...more

Nov 26, 2017
Edy || Hex
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
borrowed-from-library
I love when books become an adventure. It doesn't have to happen much in said book, but the way it is told, the way how characters act - it just flows for you. This book is much much more mature than The Witcher and I dare to say - better to read. And even if I quite disliked the main character for most of the book - for various reasons I will not list here - it was all just on point. What can I tell, I have such a soft heart for books which somehow touch historical events and lands I love. 5/5.
...more

A trilogy set in 15th century Schliessen (Polish Slask). Massive battles mix with small amounts of old folk magic and an elaborate conspiracy plotline. The author must have done an incredible amount of research to create such a realistic 15th century setting. Fascinating and a treat for history buffs. Hopefully it will appear in English soon.

Jul 31, 2020
Kari Rhiannon (Moon Magister Reviews)
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Unfortunately, when you try to translate a 20 year old book, you also translate all the misogyny and homophobia...


You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Mankind is capable of many vices. Throughout history, we have been subject to severe punishments, attempting to cleanse the population of these vile beings capable of corrupting good whenever they please. As various factions rose to power, the indoctrination of the populace was within their grasp and anything they willed could become a heresy. Just when the common folk became vulnerable, things couldn’t get any more chaotic as the Church finally ...more

Thank you so much to Netgalley for a copy of this book.
The description and name of the author had me request The Tower of Fools quickly.
The main character, Reinman, is a doctor, magician, and maybe a charlatan. He gets caught sleeping with a married woman, so he must flee. Cue in everything I love - one big journey, meeting many fascinating characters, politics, history. Action, attacks, running away, meeting more characters. Jokes and good sarcasm. Oh, Reinman loves too easily, young and too ...more
The description and name of the author had me request The Tower of Fools quickly.
The main character, Reinman, is a doctor, magician, and maybe a charlatan. He gets caught sleeping with a married woman, so he must flee. Cue in everything I love - one big journey, meeting many fascinating characters, politics, history. Action, attacks, running away, meeting more characters. Jokes and good sarcasm. Oh, Reinman loves too easily, young and too ...more

Oct 22, 2020
Charlie - A Reading Machine
added it
This is a real non starter for me, I hit too many wtf’s very early on.
The prologue was all names and dates and historical facts and unpronounceable words and I ended up skipping most of it..
Then the air is described as ‘ozone-rich’. What does that even mean (apart from there being a lot of ozone in the air) and why am I supposed to care? What possible impact does that have on the story?
We then have a woman’s vagina described as an “orchard of pomegranates” and this interesting passage during the ...more
The prologue was all names and dates and historical facts and unpronounceable words and I ended up skipping most of it..
Then the air is described as ‘ozone-rich’. What does that even mean (apart from there being a lot of ozone in the air) and why am I supposed to care? What possible impact does that have on the story?
We then have a woman’s vagina described as an “orchard of pomegranates” and this interesting passage during the ...more

I rarely read fantasy or history; my best friend calls me "picky". Consequently I wouldn't have picked up this book if I didn't have some sympathy towards the author thanks to his Witcher series. The book didn't disappoint, but then again the 15th century would make it hard on anyone to be depicted in a boring way.
Plotwise, the books very repetitive: They get themselves into a mess (most likely due to the monumental stupidity of Reynevan, the main character), they get rescued, they get themselve ...more
Plotwise, the books very repetitive: They get themselves into a mess (most likely due to the monumental stupidity of Reynevan, the main character), they get rescued, they get themselve ...more

I want to thank Orbit and Netgalley for the ARC but this just wasn't the book for me, despite being a lover of history.
DNF @ 33%
Reynevan continues to make terrible decisions re: pretty women and by a third of the way through the book, I didn't see where the story was headed.
There are a LOT of Polish and Czech names.of towns and people, some real and some fiction and, while I normally love historical backdrops, this 15th century religious war just was too far in the background and the pace just ...more
DNF @ 33%
Reynevan continues to make terrible decisions re: pretty women and by a third of the way through the book, I didn't see where the story was headed.
There are a LOT of Polish and Czech names.of towns and people, some real and some fiction and, while I normally love historical backdrops, this 15th century religious war just was too far in the background and the pace just ...more

Very good alt-history of the Hussite times with magic. The atmosphere is done very well and the main characters are interesting. The ending is at a good point and I am definitely interested in the sequel. Hopefully there will be an English language edition too.

A penitential cross
The author is well known for his Witcher series and many readers will be attracted to this novel for that reason. Be aware that this historical fantasy is very different. Ye gods, there is a tremendous amount going on here. It is the first of three volumes, known as the Hussite Trilogy, set in the Fifteenth century, and showcases the author’s profound knowledge of the wars of religion in that century. So, we are treated to the proto-reformation of the Hussite Bohemians against ...more
The author is well known for his Witcher series and many readers will be attracted to this novel for that reason. Be aware that this historical fantasy is very different. Ye gods, there is a tremendous amount going on here. It is the first of three volumes, known as the Hussite Trilogy, set in the Fifteenth century, and showcases the author’s profound knowledge of the wars of religion in that century. So, we are treated to the proto-reformation of the Hussite Bohemians against ...more

Book provided via Netgalley for review.
I think this is a classic case of "it's not you, it's me." I do not think this book is bad at all, I just couldn't get into it. This was a lot more historical fiction than I was expecting and I do feel a little misled by the summary and title. The group ends up in the Tower of Fools in chapter 27. There are 29 chapters in this book. Most of the book is completely separate from that and it just didn't hook me. It had a really absurd tone that was really int ...more
I think this is a classic case of "it's not you, it's me." I do not think this book is bad at all, I just couldn't get into it. This was a lot more historical fiction than I was expecting and I do feel a little misled by the summary and title. The group ends up in the Tower of Fools in chapter 27. There are 29 chapters in this book. Most of the book is completely separate from that and it just didn't hook me. It had a really absurd tone that was really int ...more

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group Gollancz for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Tower of Fools’ by Andrzej Sapkowski in exchange for an honest review. It is the first in his ‘Hussite Trilogy’ and was originally published in Poland in 2002.
After the success of his Witcher series, this earlier work is now being published in an English translation by David French, who previously translated the Witcher books.
It is listed as a historical fantasy though it isn’t high fantasy; rather it is historical f ...more
After the success of his Witcher series, this earlier work is now being published in an English translation by David French, who previously translated the Witcher books.
It is listed as a historical fantasy though it isn’t high fantasy; rather it is historical f ...more

I was very intrigued when I found out that Andrzej Sapkowski has a new book series coming out. I read and liked some of the Witcher books and I really liked watching the Netflix Series.
The Tower of Fools also has a male main protagonist. But Reynevan is nothing like Gerald, the Witcher. In contrast to him he seems to be a little boy stumbling from one mistake to the next. Lucky for him he has some good friends who always rescue him and get him out of the trouble he gets himself in. Mostly he ge ...more
The Tower of Fools also has a male main protagonist. But Reynevan is nothing like Gerald, the Witcher. In contrast to him he seems to be a little boy stumbling from one mistake to the next. Lucky for him he has some good friends who always rescue him and get him out of the trouble he gets himself in. Mostly he ge ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Tome Time: Read: Chapter 37 | 2 | 7 | Jul 12, 2020 02:27PM | |
Tome Time: Read: Chapter 26 | 7 | 4 | Jul 08, 2020 09:05AM | |
Tome Time: Read: Chapter 9 | 9 | 6 | Jun 21, 2020 03:28PM | |
Tome Time: Read: Prologue | 3 | 10 | Jun 16, 2020 10:44AM | |
Tome Time: Read: Chapter 19 | 1 | 4 | Jun 15, 2020 02:57PM |
Andrzej Sapkowski, born June 21, 1948 in Łódź, is a Polish fantasy writer. Sapkowski studied economics, and before turning to writing, he had worked as a senior sales representative for a foreign trade company. His first short story, The Witcher (Wiedźmin), was published in Fantastyka, Poland's leading fantasy literary magazine, in 1986 and was enormously successful both with readers and critics.
...more
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Hussite Trilogy
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