Book Review: The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski

We’re back at it, reading our favorite fantasy series in ages, and it just gets better and better.

It’s all coming together now. Ciri has moved on from where we’ve left her in the last book (quite much so, actually) and a lot of her story is being told in hindsight to someone else, as she recovers.

Geralt and his comrades are still on their quest to find Ciri, and their travels lead them into the duchy of Toussaint. Meanwhile, Yennefer and the other sorceresses delve into the hidden conspiracies and politics of the war, trying to figure it all out.

There’s much more I could tell you and explain, but I’m not going to. Both because I don’t want to spoil it, and because there’s just too much detail. That’s one way The Witcher separates itself from for example Game of Thrones, in my opinion. Though they are both these politically driven fantasies with lots of murder, sex, and sneaking around people’s backs, you can’t really paint the broad strokes in the Wither. Not in the same way at least. It’s all so intricate.

It’s also a darker kind of fantasy. I was reading about the upcoming Netflix series, and they’re saying they are going for a horror vibe, instead of the perhaps assumed fantasy. I’m really looking forward to it, which is one of the reasons I’m making an effort to get through these books now. I’m also finishing up the video game (Witcher 3), which if you like playing games, is absolutely amazing.

Sapkowski’s writing is brilliant. He doesn’t waste time droning on about meaningless descriptions, and sometimes, he almost doesn’t elaborate enough. When it comes to the various states, empires and borders for example, you really have to pay attention. Also (fun fact), Sapkowski never created a map for his world, which I think is awesome.

I’m onto the last book in the series now, and though I’m looking forward to seeing how it ends, it’s going to be sad when it’s over. Series like these don’t grow on trees.