Title: The Last Wish.
Series: The Witcher #0.5.
Writer(s): Andrzej Sapkowski.
Translator(s): Danusia Stok.
Publisher: Orbit.
Format: Hardcover.
Release Date: December 14th, 2021.
Original Release Date: January 31st, 1993.
Pages: 336.
Genre(s): Fantasy.
ISBN13: 9780316333528.
My Overall Rating:
Sharp teeth, blood-red eyes, abnormal sizes, screeching cries. Monsters come in all shapes and forms. Their presence brings the vulnerable to seek safety, protect themselves and their loved ones at all costs, and avoid danger as much as humanly possible. However, the strong and the wise remain the only source of comfort, praying for their protection and treating them as divine entities. But even in a world with terrifying creatures, monsters can also be found among humans and they can be far more unforgiving and horrid in their way of life. Fortunately, there’s always enough will and resilience in some to fight for what’s right and just in the world. Collected in a stunning illustrated hardcover, the first volume in Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher franchise presents a gruesome and magical grim world with brio.
What is The Last Wish about? This collection introduces readers to the world of Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher, a man for hire with magical powers and unparalleled wisdom roaming the world to rid its monsters. Each story introduces new characters quintessential to his own destiny and the tumultuous journey he’s condemned to confront, from the powerful sorceress Yennefer to the silly bard Dandelion. Being a man of principle with a strong moral compass, his decisions always put others before himself as he faces off some of the vilest creatures that plague the world, doing only what must be done without resorting to excess. Unfortunately, such beliefs can be far more dangerous than he could ever expect but sometimes fate has plenty of surprises for the wisest of us.
“People like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves.”
— Andrzej Sapkowski
This collection of short stories is framed and interlaced by seven chapters called The Voice of Reason, offering a prelude to each story and always set after said stories. These tales send the Witcher on a quest where he’s hired to take care of a monster causing trouble to local civilians in various towns. They offer a succinct yet informative insight into the world’s customs, traditions, and beliefs, while also hinting at the Witcher’s past. From Geralt’s knowledge of the do’s and do-not to his elaborate magic powers to gain combat advantage, these journeys also offer a glimpse into the vast and diverse world in which he finds his purpose, sometimes even wondering if he’ll ever become trivial to a world constantly evolving and adapting to its monsters. Despite the length of these tales, the characterization is also fantastic and descriptive, with the banter, especially between Geralt and Dandelion, being memorable and delightful.
The structure of these tales also makes for an addictive foray into the motley of creatures and evil forces that torment the innocent. Once Geralt gets into the action, the writing makes for a very vivid and immersive experience, thoroughly entertaining from start to end. Even more intriguing is the overarching theme of destiny and purpose, offering readers the opportunity to reflect upon the Witcher’s life as a revered yet hated figure, as well as the concept of choice and the power over one’s fate. Although more of an introduction to the Witcher’s world than anything else, the foundation is splendidly set with key characters and relationships, while teasing the tumultuous future that is to come as difficult decisions multiply exponentially.
The Last Wish is an outstanding introduction to the Witcher’s expansive world while pondering questions of destiny, evil, and choice.
Roars and Echoes 
Glad you liked it!
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Thanks, Piotrek! 🙂
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I’ve noticed you’ve used the word brio in the last couple of reviews n I’m not familiar w it. Is it English or a French word?
Between Ola, Pio and SavageDave, I feel like I’ve seen enough to know that I’m best served in avoiding these.
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It’s often used in French and I instinctively use it in English too (I probably heard someone say it not too long ago or something). I guess you’ll just have to endure us reading through the rest of the series then hahah
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Sounds like a great introduction to the character, which also apparently lays a solid foundation of world-building for his future exploits.
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Absolutely! If you’ve got an itch for a fantasy series, this one is quite fun and easy to get into with its format!
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Wow this sounds like a very strong collection of stories! Glad you enjoyed it, Lashaan!
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Thanks, Jee! It’s indeed awesome! 😀
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Sadly, my experience with this book (the only one I tried in the Witcher saga) was the opposite of yours: I could not connect with the character, not find comfortable with the storytelling – the TV series worked much better, strangely enough….
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Oh snap, that’s unfortunate. I am curious about how I’ll enjoy the full-novel format of future books though but, for the time being, I loved this one a lot and look forward to continuing with the rest. Thanks for reading! 😀
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A real life parody and a frightening cozy read for the season. ☕️☕️🪵🔥
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Absolutely. Well said, AOC! 😀
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I could not possibly have enjoyed this collection any more than I did. This is a comfort read for me, the type of fantasy I can always go back to knowing I’ll feel at home and enjoy my stay with characters I’ve grown attached to. Glad to see you also enjoyed it. I still have much to read in this world and I look forward to one day continuing my journey. I hope you continue to enjoy yours! 🙂
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It really is an excellent fantasy comfort read! The diversity in creatures, the structure of these quests and adventures, the fun magic system, everything makes it so much fun to dive into! I look forward to picking up the next book later this year! 😀
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I am glad you liked that one Lashaan! And have you heart that Henry will stop being The Witcher after season 3? It’s LIam Hemsworth that will become Geralt!
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Yes, I heard! Quite unfortunate, considering how passionate Cavill was about the series and franchise.
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I’ve heard very good things about the Witcher books as a whole. Don’t know if I’ll ever get around to reading them. I certainly won’t this year. If I do find the time to read more novels though, this series is on my list of books I”m interested in.
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I’ll definitely make my way through them without guaranteeing any pacing whatsoever hahah I do hope the next books will be as fun as this one turned out to be.
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Now I can’t wait to get this one. Do you plan to continue the series?
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Absolutely! I’ll probably be diving into the next book in December. 😀
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The seven linked short stories really helped me understand S1 of The Witcher which had a confusing timeline. While I don’t plan to read any more of the books, I’m glad I read this one to give me a base knowledge about Geralt and The Witcher universe.
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I do hope that the next short story collection will continue fuel my interest in the books because this first one intrigued me enough to want more of the Witcher world hahah
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