Book | The last wish and Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski

Through out the last couple of years there isn’t a bookshop in Sweden with an English fantasy shelf that hasn't contained a copy of at least one of these. I figured they had to either be something real special or mainstream teen garbage. Based on those facts I chose the latter and moved on with my life and past that part of the shelf. Because lets face it, how can you make an epic fantasy to rival Robert Jordan or George R R Martin in only two thin volumes?

This is of course possible, Elantris, Best served Cold, Warbreaker to name a few. Nonetheless I left them be, because, I’m ashamed to admit, the covers did not appeal to me.

Now, after having read them however, I withdraw any ill thoughts I’ve ever had against these books or its author Andrzej Sapkowski and instead turn to the publishers of the English versions (for indeed Andrzej wrote these in Polish). What are you doing?!

The last wish was a teaser collection of short stories about the very intriguing mutant killer machine [read: our hero] Geralt of Rivia as he wanders through the world where fairy tales are real and monsters do exist.

Not the biggest fan of short stories I couldn't help but feeling skeptic to begin with. But it did have something which most short stories collections I've previously read didn’t have; cohesiveness, because the reader gets to follows the same person. Imagining the next book to be much the same, it was this cohesiveness that made me overcome my hesitation and start in on Blood of Elves as well.

Here is where it got interesting and where I give Andrzej Sapkowski all my praise. This second book was nothing like the first, it had depth. It portrays a world with history. A world with several factions pitched against each other in a complex struggle. A world deeply wounded from a recent war and on the brink of a new one, human rulers, elven rebels, a world in change. And there we find the witchers. Magicly engineered humans, created to destroy evil beings such as werewolfs, vampires, trolls and other nightmares. But what does such a being do when the nightmares grow scares and his services are no longer wanted? What does such a neutral being do when he is dragged in to world politics much beyond him? And what side will such a mutant being choose, the outsiders, the humans or the invaders? What does such a being do in a world of change?

I Have nothing but praise, especially for Blood of Elves, but keep in mind that it is only the first book in a series of five... And here's the kicker, all five books are done, they're written. As of 1999 they all exist, but in Polish! And whomever is translating them [And doing a seriously good job of it I should add, because the writing is superb] is doing a slooow job of it. Both books were translated in 2008, Times of Contempt the second book is planned(!) for this year. The rest have so far no release date what so ever.

If I can have one book related wish fulfilled this year, please start translating the other three, please... pretty please.