Paperback Perils: The Last Wish

By Laci in Paperback Perils on
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Title: The Last Wish
Author: Andrzej Sapkowski, David French (Translator)
Publication Date: 1993, 2008
Publishing House: Orbit

This book in the Witcher Saga is the prequel to Blood of Elves and is worth the read.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Geralt the Witcher — revered and hated — holds the line against the monsters plaguing humanity in this collection of adventures in the New York Times bestselling series that inspired the Netflix show and the hit video games.
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.

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good…and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth. 

I really enjoyed this book. The fame work of the story is more episodic than the other books in the series however there is a central story that kind of runs down the middle from which the little adventures spring. I really enjoyed how Sapkowski took old fairy tales and turned them on their heads, often making them even a bit more gruesome and bloody than the original Brothers Grimm version.

These short stories give the reader a different view of Geralt. In the main portion of the series he is a protector of Princess Cirilla, a man battling with what the right thing to do is in a world of grays. This book allows him to just be a Witcher. In addition to showing Geralt in his natural habitat this book allows the author to world build. He shows magic and monsters and curses in ways that don’t fit with the main timeline.

I suggest this book for those that are interested in starting the Witcher Saga, those who enjoy the show or video game, and those that enjoy fantasy and magic in a world that is not black and white. Please be aware this book is bloody and starts off disturbing.

See my other reviews for The Witcher here:

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Published by Laci

Texas born, I grew up hunting and fishing. Now I love travel and cooking, a good beer and a great story. People are their stories and I hope to share mine. I have a ridiculously adorable canine companion named Bear, a supportive family, and a wonderful husband.