The Witcher Series by Andrzej Sapkowski -> Restarting December 29th, 2021

[Aly]

Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.

This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection THE LAST WISH. Join Geralt as he battles monsters, demons and prejudices alike...

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Yay!! Excited to start it!

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Starting this tomorrow!

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Story #01: The bounds of reason - Finished
(view spoiler)[This was a great short story and I really enjoyed it. I have to say that I think I enjoyed this as much as I did because I have watched the TV series. The author has not given us any proper background about the world or the characters, especially regarding Yennefer. This story is portrayed in the series but I couldn't remember the ending so I was still surprised! Ready for the next story (hide spoiler)]

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Story #02 & 03: A shard of ice & Eternal Flame - Finished
(view spoiler)[Enjoying these stories so far... I was not expecting Yennefer to leave because she couldn't choose. I am hoping to see more from her soon. Also, can Geralt really feel something? I want to think he can. Definitely, compassion as we see in Eternal Flame. Ready for the next stories! (hide spoiler)]

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Story #04: A little sacrifice - Finished
(view spoiler)[Such a sad story...it broke my heart Little Eye's unrequited love and crappy fate. I didn't enjoy the plot as much but I loved the learnings from the story (hide spoiler)]

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Finished
(view spoiler)[Ahhhhh they are together now, Geralt and Ciri!!! Loved both final stories. I have to say though that if it weren't for the tv show, I would be completely lost. It is super confusing. I hope the main series is easier to read. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

I started this one a little late. My husband wanted to listen to the audiobook with me and then our son broke his arm so it was a little chaotic last week. We finally started it tonight. =)

I really loved The Last Wish so I think that this one will be just as good!

4% (view spoiler)[I'm a few chapters into the first story. I don't know what to make of Three Jackdaws. He and Tea and Vea are kind of rubbing me the wrong way so far. They seem nice enough but they are acting strangely. I wonder if Three Jackdaws is trying to set Geralt up for something? (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Story #01: The bounds of reason - Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I haven't watched the television show yet. I kind of wanted to read the books before I watched it but I'm not reading them as a quick enough pace so I might just cave and watch it one of these days. You're right that there isn't an extensive amount of world-building yet. I wonder if it is because these are short stories? It makes me wonder if the full sized books are a bit different and have more world-building? (hide spoiler)]

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Story #01: The bounds of reason - Finished
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[That's what I thought too about the books being short stories and maybe Blood of Elves will give a bit more background. The series doesn't do a lot of world-building either but it helps when going through the books to have watched it as it is like a re-read. Pretty much the first season is based on the short stories from both books. Maybe the part you get more in the series is about Yennefer which I feel that the book barely shows anything about her. I think you are good to watch the first season after reading this one! (hide spoiler)]

How are you enjoying it so far?

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

22%

(view spoiler)[Yennefer is definitely not happy to see Geralt. It's been a while since I read the previous book so I don't quite remember how they left things.

I forgot that sorceresses are barren and Yennefer seems angry about it when it was mentioned.

Haha, OMG. Dandelion ogling Yennefer's chest and not being at all ashamed of it was humorous.

I knew that there was something odd about Three Jackdaws. I didn't imagine that he was the dragon. I liked that the dragon said that he and Geralt would be lifelong friends at the end.

I wonder where things will go with Yennefer and Geralt. Three Jackdaws basically said that the two of them were meant to be together but it would be impossible. I'm paraphrasing that, but that was the gist of it.

I am also curious about Yennefer and her desire to have a child of her own. She went to a lot of trouble to try and kill the dragon to make the potion that would supposedly cure her barrenness. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Story #01: The bounds of reason - Finished
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]

How are you enjoying it so far?"

I am really liking it a lot. I really like the world that Sapkowski has created. I like the ideas in the world-building. I think that the idea of the witcher is creative and interesting. I always liked the video games but I am glad that I decided to read the books. There is a lot more there.

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

34%

(view spoiler)[Wow, the sorcerer had some gall to tell Geralt to leave Yennefer alone. Does he really think that Yennefer is going to stay with him though? She is more of a free spirit, I think. Plus, she clearly prefers Geralt to the sorcerer.

Aww, Geralt is sulking about Yennefer. It's so cute and sad.

So the sorcerer and Geralt were going to fight over Yennefer in a proper duel but then Yennefer had to go and leave them both. I think that is a pretty fitting ending to the story. Though I am sad for Geralt. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

48%

(view spoiler)[Dandelion and his disgruntled lover cracked me up.

So the doppler did rob Dainty and sell his horses.

I really liked all the talk about the doppler/shapeshifter and the lore regarding it.

Haha, OMG. Dandelion running his mouth about the doppler was hilarious. The color purple upsets him? OMG, I laughed.

Well, the story had a rather happy ending. I think that it is fitting that Dainty had the doppler join him and continue pretending to be his cousin. The doppler was an ingenius businessman and all he really wanted was to be able to live his life. His kind had been hunted down to near extinction and he wanted to survive. The one thing that I didn't expect was that Chappelle was also a doppler.

I wonder if Dandelion will see Vespula again. She seemed pretty shocked when she saw the doppler changing from Dandelion's form and then the real Dandelion walked up. I don't know how Dandelion would explain it to her. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Story #02 & 03: A shard of ice & Eternal Flame - Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I thought that Yennefer leaving them both in the end was pretty fitting. I felt sad for Geralt though. I think that he really cares for Yennefer but I don't know how much a Witcher can feel because of how they are created. Maybe Yennefer is torn between Geralt and the Sorcerer because the sorcerer can give her a life that she desires, but Geralt is the one that she truly wants, even though he can't give that life to her. I agree that Geralt can feel compassion, at least in a sense of right and wrong. I noticed in the previous book of short stories that Geralt was adamant that he wouldn't kill monsters unless they were seriously dangerous. If they were just creatures trying to eke out a living or something like that then he wouldn't kill them. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

63%

(view spoiler)[I liked the reference to The Little Mermaid fairytale that Dandelion said he would write a ballad about.

Wow, this story was so sad. I honestly wasn't expecting that ending. Geralt seemed so confused because he obviously cares for Yennefer but she won't totally commit to him. And then there is this woman that wants to give him everything he wants from Yennefer, but she just isn't her. He seems to feel guilty about not wanting her in the same way that she wants him. He clearly desires her, but it's clear that his heart is still with Yennefer. The fact that they shared a lovely night together and then never saw each other again was so sad. And then knowing that she died four years later wanting to be buried with the pearl. Oh lord, my sappy heart aches. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

84%

(view spoiler)[YES! FINALLY A STORY ABOUT CIRI!

I wasn't expecting Ciri to show up in this story as a ten year old girl lost in a dangerous dryad forest. I liked that she was sassy and I also liked how kind Geralt was to her yet he still wouldn't take her crap. It was clear that they formed a bond in the forest. It was sad when he left her at the end instead of taking her like he was supposed to. It appears as though he did it to save her from a life like his, which shows compassion. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Story #04: A little sacrifice - Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I agree. I didn't expect the story to end so sadly. I liked the inclusion of the mermaids. I think that Geralt may have been a little conflicted when it came to Little Eye but deep down he really cares for Yennefer. Little Eye's fate was sad though. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

Finished!

(view spoiler)[Destiny indeed. Wow, I wasn't expecting that at all. That was kind of an emotional story. I thought that it jumped around too much at first and I was having a hard time understanding what exactly was going on. The timeline seemed to jump around a lot. The emotion from Geralt when he thought that Yennefer had died was moving. Witchers must be capable of more emotion than they say. Especially after his reunion with Ciri after he had thought that she died. I really liked the theme of fate in the last two stories. (hide spoiler)]

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I get what you mean about being a little confused. The timeline jumps around a lot so you never quite know what timeframe Geralt is in. My husband has watched the show and he told me that the show was the same way. I really liked the last story. I'm glad that Geralt and Ciri are together. I am excited for the next book. (hide spoiler)]

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yes, the show is the same! That's why I think it was easier to read the book because I knew about the different timelines but still confusing at some points. I am glad you enjoyed it! I heard about the videogame being very famous, so I hope that helped you too. How were you expecting Ciri to be? I am curious about that! (hide spoiler)]

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

If you want to BR Blood of Elves let me know! I own the book so I can start it at any point

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "If you want to BR Blood of Elves let me know! I own the book so I can start it at any point"

Did you want to read it in December?

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

♛Vanessa♛ wrote: "⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "If you want to BR Blood of Elves let me know! I own the book so I can start it at any point"

Did you want to read it in December?"

Yes, I can do in December :) Any time works for me

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Yes, I can do in December :) Any time works for me"

How about December 29th?

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Sounds good to me! Do you want to do the series or just the first one? I can request the thread for it

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "Sounds good to me! Do you want to do the series or just the first one? I can request the thread for it"

We can do a series read. Though I will probably only get to the first book in December. But I can continue on in January with the rest. =)

[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

That sounds perfect! I will request the series to start on the 29th and then we go at our own pace

[Alaina]

Updated to a series thread

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RESTARTING DECEMBER 29TH, 2021

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[⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚]

Thank you, Alaina!

[Alaina]

You're welcome!

[Vanessa Gayle ⚔️]

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "That sounds perfect! I will request the series to start on the 29th and then we go at our own pace"

Perfect! =D