The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher
The Witcher series, Book 1
Andrzej Sapkowski
Orbit
Fiction, Collection/Fantasy
Themes: Classics, Curses, Fairy Tales, Fantasy Races, Magic Workers, Twists
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Description
In a land plagued by monsters and curses and magics ancient and foul, the people needed extraordinary hunters to keep them safe. Thus were created the witchers: trained from childhood in arts martial and magic, physically mutated through rituals and potions, specially equipped beyond any mere human or elf or dwarf to deal with unnatural dangers. But as generation succeeds generation, the dangers grow fewer and the people more numerous. These days, monsters are increasingly rare and witchers increasingly reviled and mistrusted... though some still rise to become legends, such as Geralt of Rivia, known as the White Wolf. As one of the last of his dying kind, he wanders near and far in search of troubles to resolve - though, in truth, the troubles often come to him.
Review
Geralt of Rivia, debuting in 1986, has featured in numerous short stories, novels, video games, and - soon - a Netflix Original series. These tales being
considered fantasy classics, and being curious about the upcoming series, (and, yes, taking advantage of a recent Kindle discount), I decided to give the stories a
try. Actually, in the interest of full disclosure, I started with the first full novel before realizing that the short stories were necessary introductions. After
reading this collection, though, I don't think I'll be getting back to that novel any time soon.
The Last Wish tweaks several popular fairy tales and folk story tropes, from Snow White to Beauty's notorious Beast and more, often to effects both dark
and humorous, if a self-mocking humor. Geralt knows he is part of a dying breed, in a world where wonders are dying by man's hand... a world where he is seemingly
destined to outlive his usefulness, to be hated for what he represents even as he is still needed to safeguard the dawning of humanity's absolute rule. All around
him are reminders of his impending obsolescence and his impotence against the flow of time and progress... but a witcher still has to eat, and curses still need
breaking, even if the people whom he helps are as likely to turn on him after the deed as pay him for his services. Unfortunately, the world also leans heavily on
stereotypes and sexism. Women in particular can rarely wield power without being cruel, selfish, and manipulative, bordering on (and often outright) evil. The tales
meander to the point where I started losing the plot threads and was tempted to skim, as people babbled endlessly. I didn't particularly care for what I saw of
Geralt, and especially got sick of his sometimes-sidekick, the bard Dandelion, a true one-trick-pony of a comic relief companion. Some of the tales are essentially
standalones, but others slowly (and I do mean slowly) build a rough arc - which, skirting spoilers, ends on a cliffhanger, right after a story that drug the rating
down a full half-star to a flat Okay. Needless to say, by then I was rather tired of the whole thing, so I feel no compulsion to read onward.
Though I enjoyed some of the trope-tweaking and there were several good (and surprisingly deep) moments scattered about, ultimately the whole just isn't my cup of
cocoa: too dated and especially too sexist. (The last full story, the titular "The Last Wish," really hit some bad-vibe buttons in that department...) If I ever
revisit Geralt's world, I think I'll do it via video game, not writing.