# Anyone Reading The Witcher Series?



## Squint-eyed Southerner (Apr 19, 2021)

I've seen one or two people here mention it. Anyone else? Or watched the Netflix series? Or play the videogame? I notice that Denis Gordeev, some of whose Tolkien illustrations I posted on the Book Covers thread, has also done a number for this series:


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## Olorgando (Apr 19, 2021)

This series would be the stories by Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski, the title character going by the name of Geralt.

I have an excerpt of a story, or a short story, each in two JRRT compilations in German (like the 1992 English compilation "After The King").
One is "Eternal Flame", which actually involves a halfling (as a merchant).
Oh, and the other is "the Bounds of Reason", involving dragons.
Both are to be found in the collection of short stories titled "Sword of Destiny" for the English translation.

And that's it.


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Apr 20, 2021)

And what was your impression?


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## Olorgando (Apr 20, 2021)

Squint-eyed Southerner said:


> And what was your impression?


1) By *no* stretch of *anyone's* imagination (at least anyone I'd care to be acquainted with!) children's stories (nor is LoTR, except for a minority).
2) GRRM's gripe about women and sex (Hello? Sam had 13 children!) might be satisfied by Yennefer, Geralt's on-again, off again significant other.
3) "Eternal Flame" is downright amusing in many parts, what with the halfling merchant and that "doppler" that first mimics the halfling, then others including Geralt himself, and that the previously much-feared security chief of the city also turns out to be a "doppler". "The Bounds of Reason" seems to me to be somewhat more conventional fantasy genre, but takes some not-so-subtle digs at thinly-disguised modern societal maladies that made me grin, if at times grimly.

As I obviously need translated editions, I checked both the German and English Wiki articles on Sapkowski and his works.
I would guess that I'd start with the two short story collections, which were also the first of his works translated into German in the late 1990's, so much earlier than into English. The five books of the "saga" started off with the first book being translated in the same year, 2008, but the German translations of the other books being years earlier.

The problem might be (I'd have to check with my favorite bookstore) that these books had true cult status - which means a smallish readership of devoted fans. Which means that ugly term "out of print" might rear its head. But then "Witcher" movies are still being made ... ?


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Apr 20, 2021)

Yes, a second season of the Netflix series is on the way.

Which series apparently prompted renewed sales, and -- I assume -- new printings, so I don't think scarcity will be a problem. I'll keep an eye out for them.


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