The Witcher: Library Edition, Volume 2

The Witcher (Dark Horse Comics) #4-6 + FCBD 2021

by Bartosz Sztybor, Aleksandra Motyka, Marianna Strychoska (Illustrator)

The second volume of The Witcher in a deluxe hardcover format chronicling Geralt’s wayward path in three standalone stories—from reunions with familiar faces to clashes with cunning new foes.

Geralt is summoned by an old acquaintance to help solve a mystery involving his daughter. Upon investigating, Geralt is surprised to find Dandelion, and the duo unexpectedly find themselves transported to regions beyond. Next, Geralt receives a request from the mayoress of Badreine, a small town where an unusual pack of foglets attacks children . . . but something feels off about this new threat. Then, flames rise as a witch is burned at the stake. Nightmares plague Geralt's sight as he sees the burned witch appear before him—bringing an ominous warning. And in a bonus story, a young nekker takes an unpredictable journey through the woods.

This oversized edition collects The Of Flesh and Flame #1-#4, The Fading Memories #1-#4, The Witch’s Lament #1-#4, and the Free Comic Book Day 2021 short story The Once Upon a Time in the Woods , and features a cover gallery, expanded sketchbook section, and more!

Genres: Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Horror, High Fantasy, Vampires

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Bartosz Sztybor - polski dziennikarz, publicysta, krytyk filmowy i komiksowy, scenarzysta komiksowy. Wielokrotny laureat konkursu na krótką formę komiksową na MFK. Publikował m.in. w pismach Ozon, Wprost, Esensja, Chichot, Machina, Cinema, periodykach komiksowych i zinach.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

I only liked the first story arc, as I enjoyed the artwork and inclusion of Dandelion. Other than that the artwork really wasn't to my taste, and the storylines just felt a bit lacklustre and without any strong direction. I also thought Geralt behaved very out of character. Not great, but there's always something pulling me back into the Witcher world.

[Cass (the_midwest_library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is also an excellent installment in the Witcher Graphic Novel world. I will say the art style of the last story included was not for me. I found it distracting to the story, but the middle story, Fading Memories was my absolute favourite 👏👏

[Manolo González · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT!!! 4 comics with super duper cool stories on one big book, something you didnt know you need, but you do. I want more of this.

[OmniBen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The following compromises my reviews for the three individual arcs contained within this library edition. Needless to say, I despised this agenda fueled, poorly executed pile of garbage. Should I wind up keeping it, rather than flogging it off to some other poor unsuspecting person, it would only be because it might be worth a smidgen more when it eventually goes out of print, which I hope will be soon. It's still tainting my shelves as we speak. 1.75/5

(Of Flesh and Flame) Zero spoiler review) 1.5/5
Not that there is anything here worth avoiding being spoiled, because this is dogshit of the lowest order. My interest in the Witcher series had been steadily building over the last few days, with the release of the update to The Witcher 3, to the point where I cracked open the library edition collecting this arc, I had been covetously guarding, saving for a rainy day, so steadfastly was I sure this was going to be another excellent collection of Geralt's adventures. Yet much like CD Projekt Red, it seems their best work is behind them, with this opening salvo to the library edition being the rudest of awakenings from my ethereal Witcher reverie. Quite who would think this was suitable to publish for The Witcher franchise, just goes to show how low the bar is for creatives when licensing out their properties. Not to mention publishers, who will ram absolute unmitigated garbage down people's throats if there is a chance it will make a buck. If I had any control of The Witcher franchise or Dark Horse, this story couldn't have found a bin fast enough, with this artist never getting anywhere near the front door to begin with. In fairness, I'm sure this isn't the greatest reflection of their talent, with the 'modern' inking, and even worse, the god awful 'modern' colouration' dragging this down from dreadfully average to bordering on reprehensible. If you want to see what Geralt and co. would look like in a cheap YA novel, then give this a look. That said, the art isn't the worst thing about this book, for the writing is absolutely abysmal. This didn't look, feel, smell, taste or touch like the Witcher. If we had more than these senses, it wouldn't resonate with any of them either.
I was so hyped for this, but within minutes (seconds) I already knew this wasn't going to come anywhere near those expectations. I hated it by the end of the first issue, and somehow, it just got worse from there. Nothing personal to anyone involved in this, but this is just plain awful, and I never want to look, feel, smell, taste or touch this ever again. Avoid! 1/5

(Fading memories Zero Spoiler review) 2/5
Where the bloody hell do they get these writers from? heaven's above, no wonder the mainstream comics industry is in such disastrous shape. Dark Horse publishing may not be one of the (former) big two, but The Witcher is a goliath of a franchise, and to give writers and artists of such mediocre (and I'm being kind) talent, it screams loud and clear, that this medium has little if any interest in putting out content that meets or exceeds the expectations of its readers. Well... this reader anyway.
The change in artist initially had me somewhat optimistic, given that it wouldn't be hard to top the last effort. I'm reading this as part of volume 2 of the library edition. Perhaps if the story was stronger, I wouldn't have lost so much patience with the art. But again, just like last time, I got halfway through, couldn't bring myself to read another issue, and flicked through the final half of the arc, seeing nothing that would redress the issues I have with this collection, and this arc. This feels nothing like the dark and disturbing world of The Witcher proper. This feels like the Witcher Netflix series, and if possible, a subpar version of that, which should tell you everything you need to know about the quality of this collection.
Geralt is a neutered shadow of himself. The world is pale and lifeless. The maturity is gone, replaced by something much safer, more bland, more modern. Its garbage, basically. I am so bitterly disappointed at how much I wanted this to be good, and how far short it falls from my expectations. What a waste of an awesome character and world... and my money. 2/5


(Witch's Lament Zero Spoiler review) 2/5

Despite having the lowest score of the three arcs collected in the library edition I read this in, this is actually the best of them, although not by any discernible margin. The art style was dramatically different from the clean, modern, digital (crap) art in the first two. Despite being too messy to properly convey the narrative for my taste, I was on board with it more or less. I would even goa s far to say I was on board with the narrative, again more or less, to begin with. The change it style belied a more serious, more mature tone, something the first two arcs were sorely lacking. Making the Witcher and Geralt himself come across like some highly sanistised, bland, family friendly romp. Words that should never appear in any Witcher story ever. But we got darkness. We got blood. Hell, we even got some boobs. All things that I am a fan of. But seeing as how I gave this a 2, something must have gone wrong, and boy oh boy, did it go wrong. This was never going to be anything amazing, but when compared to what came before, I would have taken just about anything to save me from that wretched, un Witcher nonsense. Yet in keeping with modern comic book storytelling, the final part of the arc makes up for lost time, sacrificing the small amount of goodwill it had built up, going full feminism and leaving a reasonable story lying in ruins. Again, this was nothing stellar, even when it was at its strongest, although the end left such a sour taste in my mouth, that no amount of earlier blood and boobs could mitigate. This entire collection has been revolting, and I want nothing to do with it ever again. Shame, Dark horse. Shame! 2/5


OmniBen.

[Tommaso Atzeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good, perfectly captures the spirit of The witcher

[Franki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last story's art direction and cohesiveness lost me a bit, but overall this was a fantastic edition to the series. Where the hell is my 4th Witcher game already!?!

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have reviewed each of the comics that this collects already. What's new here is a 10 page short story that I'd rate 2/5. But as a whole, the comics are well worth reading and nicely collected here.

Once Upon a Time in Woods short story: The story is a short little interlude thrown into the omnibus after the collected comics. I almost liked this quite a bit - the art is bright and clear and the story feels more comedic and filled with levity than most Witcher stories. However, the 'twist' feels wrong and unsatisfying. The beginning is a bit fun but forgettable. Even as an additional throw-away story at the end of a collection this feels unnecessary. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Severind Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I missed the world of the Witcher... And Geralt's strikingly good looks. Oops.

Of Flesh and Flame: The first thing I noticed about this story, apart from the stunning artwork, is just how FAMILIAR it felt to me. You can tell the characters were modeled after what we know them from the best, and that's Witcher 3. I love that we got Dandelion and Yen. And for the most part, everyone felt like they were in character, which sadly can't always be said for adaptations like this, especially when written by multiple authors. Dandelion showing up out of the blue where he is CLEARLY not wanted, and then proceeding to get him and Geralt into loads of trouble without even meaning to, gave me the laugh I needed. The way he tries to make things better and Geralt is afraid of what that might entail and is already so over it only added to my amusement. This felt the most like a witcher story to me, and it looked the best too. Sometimes it got a little confusing, but I'll chalk that up to me reading it too fast. If I didn't miss this world enough already, this really solidified it for me. All in all, an excellent way to start this omnibus. ☆☆☆☆☆

Fading Memories: This one was a bit confusing. I think that was intentional. Everything kind of comes together at the end of each volume, but until then, I'll admit I had so many things backwards. This one was a bit sad at times, and even though it is pretty accurate that witchers are running out of work and, essentially, living paycheck to paycheck, or contract to contract, it does suck seeing Geralt have to make tough choices to find work when the rest of the world has seemingly lost its need of him. And when they do need him, it's usually for their own personal game. But as always, Geralt is stubborn and gets his answers, even if no one else appreciates them. For the most part, I quite liked the art style in this one too. ☆☆☆☆

Witch's Lament: Right off the bat, I noticed how muddy, dark, and difficult it was to sometimes understand what was happening in the artwork. Sadly, the art style really didn't do it for me, and might have marred a bit of my enjoyment. I'd have liked to see more of what we got in OFaF. But I suppose that's not the point. I think I understand what they were going for with the plot, and I do like that certain people got what they had coming to them. Geralt is kind of forced to come to terms with his own actions, for carrying out a contract when he didn't have all the pieces. This one hints at his conscience. Even Geralt can feel a bit of guilt. The story was fine, albeit a bit unmemorable, I just wish the art had been different. ☆☆☆.5

Once Upon A Time in the Woods: This one somehow made me sad, and I'm not entirely sure how to managed that. I'm not supposed to root for the monsters...but I was kind of rooting for this one? I mean, even Geralt didn't seem to want to kill it! But then what happened after... What a way to end the book. ☆☆☆☆

Look, I'm just happy to be back in this world, among these characters and monsters. Is it top quality? Maybe not in every sense. But I don't care. I was never bored. I still had so much fun with it. This one gets all the stars.

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not find the next trade paperback of the Witcher comics, but lo! It turns out the library had the second omnibus, which picks up precisely where I’d left off! So that was nice.

I have explained several times over that, in the end, I couldn’t really get into the Witcher novels. The game, though, was pretty darn cool, and I think the comics take more after the games than just the novels–though they utilize both. And by that I mean, yeah, they’re dark, but these comics don’t make me think that the writers hate the human race as much as acknowledge that there’s a lot of terrible stuff going on out there in the world.

Anyhow, I liked about half the stories in this edition? The first two were pretty darn good, the last two were… eh, okay. I don’t know if you guys know what a lamia is, but I don’t think the author knows either? Although I suppose in a fantasy world you can go nuts with your worldbuilding.

The first story is set mostly in Ofier. And I wanted a Witcher story out there for ages. Look, there’s a massive fantasy world, and yet so many of the stories revolve around a few locations. And I get it, we want to use the same locations and characters. Still! I’m glad to see a different part of the Continent with a different culture.

That story also indicates that it takes place after the events of “Wild Hunt”, which makes me wonder where this fits in continuity, and exactly how the events of that game ended in the comics story. We probably won’t get an answer in order to make it vague and able to fit with most possible endings. Oh well.

I like a lot of these comics stories, and they work for me better than the novels tend to? I guess I like the Witcher “Monster of the Week” stories more than the epic saga, which has very little to do with actually being a witcher in the long run. So it’s a type of short story that *fits* with comics.

[Josh Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.3 ⭐️

The highlight of Volume 2 of The Witcher omnibus is undoubtedly the first issue, Of Flesh and Flame. This story follows Geralt and Dandelion as they try to escape death after being pulled into a murder mystery at an Ofieri palace. The artwork and coloring are outstanding, the story is straightforward and engaging, and as always, Dandelion adds a delightful touch of comic relief.

Fading Memories is less thrilling and action-packed than the other entries in Volume 2, and it's arguably one of the weaker stories in the omnibus. However, it’s not without its strengths. The plot, centering on a mage's descent into madness, is somewhat underwhelming, but the narrative explores dark and philosophical themes, such as the lasting impact of childhood abuse and the idea that if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. While the story had potential, it ultimately fell short in execution.

The final issue, Witch's Lament, is another disappointment. It attempts to tell a dark and sharp revenge story, but the result is a confusing and poorly executed narrative with some of the worst artwork I've seen in the series. The inconsistent art style from issue to issue only adds to the difficulty of reading this story. Despite its flaws, the issue does offer a compelling exploration of guilt and Geralt’s struggle to come to terms with his past actions, which is its only redeeming feature.

Overall, Volume 2 of The Witcher omnibus was a letdown. Following the brilliance of its predecessor was always going to be challenging, and this volume simply didn’t measure up. Without the strength of Of Flesh and Flame, it would have been a significant disappointment.

[Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This omnibus was more of a mixed bag than the previous one. It contained both my favourite Witcher graphic novel so far, as well as my least favourite, so take that as you will.
Individual reviews linked below.

The Witcher, Vol. 4: Of Flesh and Flame
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- 3 stars

The Witcher, Vol. 5: Fading Memories
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- 4.5 stars

The Witcher, Vol. 6: Witch's Lament
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- 2 stars

The Witcher: Once Upon A Time In The Woods, a little graphic short at the end of the omnibus that, while it's a silly story, features a smiling Nekker carrying a cute little piglet. So yeah, if not taken too seriously then it's pretty cute.

Overall for the second omnibus, the stories average out at 3 stars.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't the witcher anymore. Ever since I discovered this series I was immediately drawn in by the huge world of fantasy, the witcher provided a refreshing and unique story for the fanbase to experience. But with every new content release, the more the main characters' personalities vary. This change in writing would impact the rest of the book and give it the review it has.

The storyline and characters are skewed, almost as if the writer forgot to study the topic in the first place. Or the change in authors is why nothing seems aligned in this book. Either way, it's no excuse to make a book that makes no sense in the storyline. Whether you are a new fan of the Witcher series or a long-time follower, anybody can tell that the pacing is disorienting for the reader and hard to follow along with, as well as this the fast changes between narratives will leave you wishing for a slower-paced story, with more in-depth detail on the change of narratives.

Despite the author's shortcomings while writing this story, some areas were written very well. The art in this book was excellent, every story showed a new artist's style. The coloring showed the mood between each story, a darker color pallet and messier drawing style would pan the story towards a darker story. So despite the shortcomings that Omnibus Two brings, the art is excellent, and that is why I believe that my two-star review for Aleksandra Motyka’s Witcher novel is reasonable.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a neophyte going in to the previous Witcher omnibus. I've now seen the Netflix series, so have a better understanding of the Witchers and the cruel, medieval fantasy world setting. But I wouldn't say you need that information to enjoy the stories in this second omnibus.

It's more of the same, to some degree. The Witcher shows up somewhere, encounters a "monster," and learns that the "monster" is not what he thought it was. Some of the twists are more clever than others: a dead witch and a young girl needing saving, for example, are somewhat of the opposite of that. All three stories in this collection can drag a bit - the one-shot at the end proves that it's the best format for most Witcher tales.

The art has its ups and downs. The gloomy color palette works well for the setting and the murkier artwork lends itself to witchery. But its often too murky - or amateurish. For Witcher fans, this omnibus will be another enjoyable entry into the world. It won't make any converts, though.

[Sofia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't it. Nothing to say about the artwork, some of the stories in this volume really have gorgeous designs but the narrative is just not it, this is not Geralt, this is not The Witcher. Why writing a script that not only has nothing in common with the source material but also has irrevocably the protagonist acting out of character? This volume was supposed to be high-fantasy themed (as per source material) but it felt like a AA therapy session?? When I'll want to read something on these kind of topics I'll direct myself towards the Self-help section of a bookstore thank you, not the Fantasy one. Stop.Forcing.Topics.That.Don't.Belong.In.The.Genre.

[Heather Ness-Maddox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like The Witcher, it's one of my favorite IPs, and I'm pretty dang literate when it comes to graphic novel reading, but one of the stories in this omnibus was dang near incoherent to me.

I like reading omnibi or anthologies because of the collection of different writing and art styles, but most of the styles in this one just wasn't for me. Obvious talent and hardwork went into these stories, just didn't land for me personally.

[Hoyt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all collections of Witcher stories, it's uneven, but was still a fun read. My favorite was the first story, "Of Flesh and and Flame". This library edition was an enormous and heavy tome, which was great for seeing details in the art, but was really unwieldy to read. I'd recommend getting hold of a smaller (and cheaper) paperback edition for a home collection.

[Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tough to review this. I liked the first story, but aside from that, this left a lot to be desired. I already wasn't a big fan of the first omnibus, but this one was definitely a step down from that. The one thing I liked more about this one was probably that it felt less 'fan fiction-y' than the last one.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Witcher content. The stories were a bit more depressing than the last volume, but there was also less retelling of stuff from the short stories and more new stories. Only one of them did I find very confusing.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is difficult for me not to like something from The Witcher franchise. There is a certain melancholy to these stories that burrows under your skin and sits there, calm like a pool in a cave. I'm invested in these characters, even if the story isn't enjoyable.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first volume, but very worth it. Fun

[Sean Lassiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four great stories in this volume. Each nuanced and complementary to each other. Highly recommend it if you enjoy either the books or the games.

[Case Face · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

Lots of cool Witcher moments. Plenty dark and twisty. Highly recommend if you’re a fan of the books or games.

[Nestor Ivanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grat stories as always, although of course because it's an omnibus , there are different graphic styles , not all of them to my liking.

[Zumie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, great art. Not as good as the first volume in terms of interesting stories, alas. Or maybe I just want Yennefer all the time.

[Johari Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.

[Jonny Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all enjoyable to read but the art work in Witches lament made it difficult to follower and read it really made me not want to finish it.

[Mason Kuitula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not enjoy the first story but the other two were good.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories were interesting and the drawing style was different. I enjoyed reading this!

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

当初云游戏有了进一步的体验，还不错。