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Меч Предназначения
(The Witcher #0.7)
by
Ведьмак - это мастер меча и мэтр волшебства, ведущий непрерывную войну с кровожадными монстрами, которые угрожают покою сказочной страны. "Ведьмак" - это мир на острие меча, ошеломляющее действие, незабываемые ситуации, великолепные боевые сцены.
Читайте продолжение саги о Ведьмаке! ...more
Читайте продолжение саги о Ведьмаке! ...more
Лучшая фантастика, 384 pages
Published
January 1st 2008
by АСТ
(first published May 21st 1992)
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Start your review of Меч Предназначения (Ведьмак, #2)

Much like The Last Wish before, Sword of Destiny is a collection of short stories following a talented witcher called Geralt of Rivia. Although you can start the series with Blood of Elves which is where the full-length novels commence, I can't recommend enough that even though a handful of these short stories are hit-and-miss, that they will add considerable depth to the future narrative arcs.
The Last Wish featured mostly isolated stories with the Witcher tackling a certain monstrosity for a se ...more
The Last Wish featured mostly isolated stories with the Witcher tackling a certain monstrosity for a se ...more

Library: 6 months
Online library: 8 months
Local bookstore: what's witchy?
Non-local bookstore: sold out.
Amazon: random assorted paperbacks
Me (a hardcover addict): hmmm. F*ck. ...more
Online library: 8 months
Local bookstore: what's witchy?
Non-local bookstore: sold out.
Amazon: random assorted paperbacks
Me (a hardcover addict): hmmm. F*ck. ...more

Full review on my Blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
In the Sword of Destiny, there is no The Voice of Reason chapters, but the action seems to flow somehow even without them because in this short stories book, there is no, let’s say, “time travelling” between the stories. They happen, thank God, at almost the same time, in a continuous present. Except for the last story that got me a bit confused (I don't really do good with stories that leap from one time to the other without telling me EXACTLY what t ...more
In the Sword of Destiny, there is no The Voice of Reason chapters, but the action seems to flow somehow even without them because in this short stories book, there is no, let’s say, “time travelling” between the stories. They happen, thank God, at almost the same time, in a continuous present. Except for the last story that got me a bit confused (I don't really do good with stories that leap from one time to the other without telling me EXACTLY what t ...more

Jan 21, 2018
✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Uh-oh, I think my boyfriend Geralt is on strike. I mean, why else would the Most Deliciously Scrumptious Witcher Ever aka the Super Hot if Slightly Mutant Monster Slayer (MDSWEakatSHiSMMS™) butcher such a ridiculously low amount of supernatural beasts in this volume? Well, I guess it is also possible that his evil boring twin took over while I was, um, otherwise engaged with some of my other harem, um, boarders and stuff. Or maybe he was abducted by aliens, submitted to vigorous brain reprogramm
...more

This is a second collection of short stories featuring Geralt of Rivia. If I understand correctly it was written before The Last Wish, but chronologically comes after that one. The stories of this anthology are longer and less funny although one of them can be considered to be entirely humorous.
As most of the people already know Geralt is a witcher. This means he hunts monsters for living. He is also considered to be a mutant by many as his training included undergoing some chemical (herbs) an ...more
As most of the people already know Geralt is a witcher. This means he hunts monsters for living. He is also considered to be a mutant by many as his training included undergoing some chemical (herbs) an ...more

(Review of 2 books: “The Last Wish” and “The Sword of Destiny)
It’s been a while since I’ve indulged in some sword and sorcery, and I’m happy to have come upon a trailer of “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” on Youtube. It’s visually stunning and highly fascinating! I wanted to learn more about the game and, to cut this story short (I guess you know where this is going anyway), discovered Andrzej Sapkowski’s written wonders. I’m sure the games are awesome, but I’m quite glad that I can immerse myself in ...more
It’s been a while since I’ve indulged in some sword and sorcery, and I’m happy to have come upon a trailer of “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” on Youtube. It’s visually stunning and highly fascinating! I wanted to learn more about the game and, to cut this story short (I guess you know where this is going anyway), discovered Andrzej Sapkowski’s written wonders. I’m sure the games are awesome, but I’m quite glad that I can immerse myself in ...more

I read this book in swedish (called Ödets Svärd - Sword of Destiny) and let me just say;
WOW. Sapkowski, you f-ing rule.
Everything about this book is awesome, from the characters to the world, to the humor and the fighting scenes. Geralt is a true badass, although he tries not to act like one. And his, kind of tragic, love story with Yennefer really gets to you. (unless you are a ghoul or something, and then Geralt will find you and destroy you.)
So, if you haven't yet read any Andrzej Sapkowski, ...more
WOW. Sapkowski, you f-ing rule.
Everything about this book is awesome, from the characters to the world, to the humor and the fighting scenes. Geralt is a true badass, although he tries not to act like one. And his, kind of tragic, love story with Yennefer really gets to you. (unless you are a ghoul or something, and then Geralt will find you and destroy you.)
So, if you haven't yet read any Andrzej Sapkowski, ...more

Jan 06, 2020
NAT.orious reads ☾
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
book-clubbing
4 STARS, destined for great things ★★★★✩
⤐ Preface.
Can we please, collectively, complain to Netflix for taking off The Witcher soundtrack of Spotify? I literally need to listen to Toss a coin to your witcher until I shout it from my grave.

UPDATE: It seems our collective karening has helped. I've not only enjoyed the orig ...more
This book is for you if… high fantasy with room for humour and modernised language suits your tastes. Be prepared for a lot of angsty romance and badass fighting scenes.
⤐ Preface.
Can we please, collectively, complain to Netflix for taking off The Witcher soundtrack of Spotify? I literally need to listen to Toss a coin to your witcher until I shout it from my grave.

UPDATE: It seems our collective karening has helped. I've not only enjoyed the orig ...more

The Bounds of Reason - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ DRAGONS and a shocking twist
A Shard of Ice - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Yennefer and Geralt angst (with hints of a certain infamous stuffed unicorn 🦄 )
Eternal Flame - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ An intro to Dudu and Dopplers.
A Little Sacrifice - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mermaids, love and sea monsters
The Sword of Destiny - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A lost princess, Dryads and the bonds of destiny
Something More - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The fall of a kingdom, and a law of surprise
I really enjoyed this short story collection, more so than the first The ...more
A Shard of Ice - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Yennefer and Geralt angst (with hints of a certain infamous stuffed unicorn 🦄 )
Eternal Flame - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ An intro to Dudu and Dopplers.
A Little Sacrifice - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mermaids, love and sea monsters
The Sword of Destiny - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A lost princess, Dryads and the bonds of destiny
Something More - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The fall of a kingdom, and a law of surprise
I really enjoyed this short story collection, more so than the first The ...more

Collection of stories. Some were good, others not so good.

This second short story collection is unfortunately the weakest part of the Witcher universe that I have read. It is not on the level of The Last Wish, the stories feel mashed together without the same sense of purpose as in the other book, and they are less exciting, less symbolic and less epic.
However, I love experiencing the world of the Witcher and following Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg on their adventures (even though Yennefer is dreadfully annoying in this book compared to ot ...more
However, I love experiencing the world of the Witcher and following Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg on their adventures (even though Yennefer is dreadfully annoying in this book compared to ot ...more

My expanded review has now been placed on BookNest - BookNest - Sword of Destiny
So Sword of Destiny is the second book in The Witcher Saga, but dates before The Last Wish. Many of the same characters are encountered as are many new monsters, one being a doppler.
Some stories were great, such as the one that seems to be a bit inspired by the little mermaid. It was surprisingly emotional and showed a completely different side to Geralt of Rivia that I have longed to see.
The story of a mimic who can ...more
So Sword of Destiny is the second book in The Witcher Saga, but dates before The Last Wish. Many of the same characters are encountered as are many new monsters, one being a doppler.
Some stories were great, such as the one that seems to be a bit inspired by the little mermaid. It was surprisingly emotional and showed a completely different side to Geralt of Rivia that I have longed to see.
The story of a mimic who can ...more

3.5/5 stars.
The compelling characterisation of Geralt and the imaginative world of Slavic lore and fairy-tale retellings continue in Sword of Destiny, the second collection of prequel short stories.
Sword of Destiny was published after the first three full-length novels of The Witcher series. As a new reader to the series, however, I was able to read the books in chronological order which is quite essential as this instalment served as the bridge between The Last Wish and Blood of Elves.
I found ...more
The compelling characterisation of Geralt and the imaginative world of Slavic lore and fairy-tale retellings continue in Sword of Destiny, the second collection of prequel short stories.
Sword of Destiny was published after the first three full-length novels of The Witcher series. As a new reader to the series, however, I was able to read the books in chronological order which is quite essential as this instalment served as the bridge between The Last Wish and Blood of Elves.
I found ...more

Humans and Elves and Dwarves and Trolls. Oh, and Women.
That's what parts of this book felt like. Like women are a different, lesser race. I think the way women are depicted in this book is problematic. To have a medieval world behaving in a medieval way about women is something, to have clever and heroic protagonists going along with it is something else entirely. I really don't have anything against a hero who has lots of sex with lots of women. As a guy, I get why this is appealing to a Fantas ...more
That's what parts of this book felt like. Like women are a different, lesser race. I think the way women are depicted in this book is problematic. To have a medieval world behaving in a medieval way about women is something, to have clever and heroic protagonists going along with it is something else entirely. I really don't have anything against a hero who has lots of sex with lots of women. As a guy, I get why this is appealing to a Fantas ...more

Jan 02, 2020
Bradley
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2020-shelf,
fantasy
Okay, so I've arrived very late to the Witcher party. I feel like I really ought to be embarrassed or something, too, but I've decided just to roll with it.
I... might have become a fanboy.
I mean, shoot, I've got Cavill in my head as the penultimate Geralt. Yennifer is someone I think I'll always love. I've got that whole season stuck in my head, and reading these two collections preceding the first official novel has made something very clear to me.
The first season IS these to books.
Maybe not ...more
I... might have become a fanboy.
I mean, shoot, I've got Cavill in my head as the penultimate Geralt. Yennifer is someone I think I'll always love. I've got that whole season stuck in my head, and reading these two collections preceding the first official novel has made something very clear to me.
The first season IS these to books.
Maybe not ...more

This is the second prequel short story collection that begins The Witcher series.
Like the former anthology, this follows Witcher, Geralt. Unlike the former anthology it largely deviates from detailing his work and the many beasts, creatures, and magical beings that roam these lands, and instead focuses on more personal topics, including his relationships with women and his preoccupation with one female in particular.
I found I appreciated the contents of this one less as it did not contain the sc ...more
Like the former anthology, this follows Witcher, Geralt. Unlike the former anthology it largely deviates from detailing his work and the many beasts, creatures, and magical beings that roam these lands, and instead focuses on more personal topics, including his relationships with women and his preoccupation with one female in particular.
I found I appreciated the contents of this one less as it did not contain the sc ...more

Check out my review for Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski on Grimdark Magazine here: Grimdark Magazine
Sword of Destiny is a slavic fantasy book that contains the brilliance captured by the video game series, as well as the repertoire of characters that Andrej Sapkowski has at his disposal. This second collection of short stories in the world of the Witcher is a book that those who enjoyed the first collection, will love, as it brings more of the same.
’What a hideous smile I have, Geralt thou ...more
Sword of Destiny is a slavic fantasy book that contains the brilliance captured by the video game series, as well as the repertoire of characters that Andrej Sapkowski has at his disposal. This second collection of short stories in the world of the Witcher is a book that those who enjoyed the first collection, will love, as it brings more of the same.
’What a hideous smile I have, Geralt thou ...more

Chaos is aggression, Order is protection against it.
Still awesome! I was so scared this won't live up to the first book/novellas but I was wrong, I so do not agree with most folks on this, this book is as good as The Last Wish, some characters like Dandelion and Yennefer that was introduced in that novella made more appearances here. Not to mention Ciri the child of promise, I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.
Just like the first book this book is written jn Geralt's narrative ...more

Jan 25, 2020
Nenia ✨️ I yeet my books back and forth ✨️ Campbell
marked it as wishlist
·
review of another edition
I love Geralt. *heart eyes*
So this is on sale today for $2.99 and of course I bought it because I NEED MORE WITCHER
So this is on sale today for $2.99 and of course I bought it because I NEED MORE WITCHER

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/12/17/a...
Sword of Destiny is a collection of short stories featuring Geralt of Rivia, and it is actually the second book in The Witcher sequence. But because the English editions of the series’ first three full-length novels were released before this one (not to mention I was also pretty adamant about waiting for the audiobook, which wasn’t released until December 2015), I had to read it out of order.
Now that I’ve completed the boo ...more
Sword of Destiny is a collection of short stories featuring Geralt of Rivia, and it is actually the second book in The Witcher sequence. But because the English editions of the series’ first three full-length novels were released before this one (not to mention I was also pretty adamant about waiting for the audiobook, which wasn’t released until December 2015), I had to read it out of order.
Now that I’ve completed the boo ...more

3.5***
I really enjoyed learning more about Geralt’s and Yennefer’s relationship to each other and the adventures that they had in this book. I also liked how this shows how Ciri and Geralt meet- I find their dynamic and relationship funny.
In general, I am not a fan of short stories usually - maybe as I find it harder to connect to the characters and I find it difficult to care for things that occur in short plot lines. I did however like the different monsters etc., that Geralt encountered on h ...more
I really enjoyed learning more about Geralt’s and Yennefer’s relationship to each other and the adventures that they had in this book. I also liked how this shows how Ciri and Geralt meet- I find their dynamic and relationship funny.
In general, I am not a fan of short stories usually - maybe as I find it harder to connect to the characters and I find it difficult to care for things that occur in short plot lines. I did however like the different monsters etc., that Geralt encountered on h ...more

The Bounds of Reason
Rumor has quickly spread of a dragon on the loose, and an assorted group of warriors, wizards and scoundrels have assembled. Many are clearly there to slay the dragon and gain reward and treasure - but Geralt the witcher is also there, and he says he doesn't kill dragons. As the story unfolds, we discovers that others' motivations are also more varied than we might've guessed.
A Shard of Ice
In a dingy midden heap of a town, Geralt must compete with a powerful wizard for the af ...more
Rumor has quickly spread of a dragon on the loose, and an assorted group of warriors, wizards and scoundrels have assembled. Many are clearly there to slay the dragon and gain reward and treasure - but Geralt the witcher is also there, and he says he doesn't kill dragons. As the story unfolds, we discovers that others' motivations are also more varied than we might've guessed.
A Shard of Ice
In a dingy midden heap of a town, Geralt must compete with a powerful wizard for the af ...more

“The only thing that everyone is destined for is death. Death is the other blade of the two-edged sword. I am the first blade. And the second is death, why he dogs my footsteps.”
Unpopular opinion: the show is better than the books.
Show Yennefer is my favorite character. A friend of mine complained that she's too greedy and entitled and is never satisfied however much power she gains. I view her as ambitious and that can turn people off because she is absolutely unapologetic about it. She's a ...more

y'all I actually wrote a review instead of sticking RTC in the little text box and then forgetting about it - it's a miracle!!
I'm gonna be completely honest - I didn't really love most of the stories in this one. Those featuring Ciri were by far my favourites, the last one in the little collection was my fave of the lot, but the rest were kind of just? okay? Which is a shame because I do quite like Geralt and find the magic and monsters and all of that jazz enjoyable + interesting.
Something tha ...more
I'm gonna be completely honest - I didn't really love most of the stories in this one. Those featuring Ciri were by far my favourites, the last one in the little collection was my fave of the lot, but the rest were kind of just? okay? Which is a shame because I do quite like Geralt and find the magic and monsters and all of that jazz enjoyable + interesting.
Something tha ...more

It started out way too boring, its not that the characters are not interesting but it lacked a plot. Im not a short story person perse. After the mermaid chapter it got more intense and interesting. Thats when it picked up my interest (Brokilon, cool amazonian chicks and Ciri ) and I went through it quickly. Really cool ending, got me a wee it emotional xD

***3,5 stars***
This is the second collection of short stories in the universe of The Witcher.
I have to say that for people like me, who really enjoyed The Last Wish - you may also end up having mixed reactions to Sword of Destiny. Most of the same narratives are present in this book, but the author also goes into flashbacks, dream sequences, and more serious themes, so this can get a bit confusing at times. The stories are sort of darker and more intense than the ones in The Last Wish and some ...more
This is the second collection of short stories in the universe of The Witcher.
I have to say that for people like me, who really enjoyed The Last Wish - you may also end up having mixed reactions to Sword of Destiny. Most of the same narratives are present in this book, but the author also goes into flashbacks, dream sequences, and more serious themes, so this can get a bit confusing at times. The stories are sort of darker and more intense than the ones in The Last Wish and some ...more

21/25 (84%) 4 stars.
(German version below)

Sapkowski's second short story volume around Geralt of Rivia has slightly moved away from the monster hunts that were the focus of the first book. Why not, he has already explained his (anti-) hero and his challenging, unique profession in detail in its predecessor. Time to fill out the supporting characters with more detail and introduce new ones: Yennefer, Dandelion, and of course the wonderfully cheeky, fresh Ciri who we meet here for the first time. ...more
(German version below)

Sapkowski's second short story volume around Geralt of Rivia has slightly moved away from the monster hunts that were the focus of the first book. Why not, he has already explained his (anti-) hero and his challenging, unique profession in detail in its predecessor. Time to fill out the supporting characters with more detail and introduce new ones: Yennefer, Dandelion, and of course the wonderfully cheeky, fresh Ciri who we meet here for the first time. ...more

[March 18, 2017] Marking for reread and also *fanfare* upping my rating to a full 4 stars. Do I think it's a 4 star book? I don't know. I just know that this world and these characters keep growing on me more and more. I've read these stories before (obvs) but that doesn't make them a bit more interesting, entertaining or edge-of-your-seat worthy. Part of my grading comes from rereadability. I hold stories that you can visit again and again in high esteem, and this is certainly a collection that
...more

The more stories I read about Geralt of Rivia the more I love him. The best thing about these stories is that the characters are so very real despite living in a fairy tale world.
I liked this set of short stories a little better. In THE LAST WISH the only thing holding the stories together was that they all starred Geralt. In this book the stories were connected by more and seemed to lead to something.
The thing I love most about Geralt is how honest he is as a character. Sometimes he's a selfis ...more
I liked this set of short stories a little better. In THE LAST WISH the only thing holding the stories together was that they all starred Geralt. In this book the stories were connected by more and seemed to lead to something.
The thing I love most about Geralt is how honest he is as a character. Sometimes he's a selfis ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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YA Buddy Readers'...: Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski (The Witcher #0.75) - Starting March 19th 2020 | 10 | 11 | Mar 31, 2020 01:02PM | |
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Play Book Tag: (Poll Ballot Tally) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski - 4 stars | 2 | 11 | Feb 27, 2020 02:54PM | |
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Sword of Destiny [Jan 20, 2020] | 37 | 83 | Jan 30, 2020 07:46AM |
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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