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A review by literalottie
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I found this to be a stronger collection than The Last Wish. Maybe it was because I was already in the "swing of things" so to speak, but I found the stories easier to follow both individually and as a whole.
The stories here are all chronologically linked and clearly follow on from each other, with character arcs that carry through and are gradually developed (but not always resolved - hence why I'm looking forward to the novels!). I also felt like the world building was stronger here, which made the details easier to comprehend. Overall, a very satisfying experience and one that makes me extra keen to dive into the novels.
Individual story ratings
The Bounds of Reason ★★★★½ (dragons <3)
A Shard of Ice ★★★★★ (The angst... oh my god... I may say I'm not much for romance but Geralt and Yennefer can stomp on my heart any time. Also like The Lesser Evil from the previous book, this perfectly establishes a conflict in Geralt's character)
Eternal Flame ★★★★ (Novigrad was one of my favourite locations in the game, so it was great to spend time in this city as well as see Dudu's introduction)
A Little Sacrifice ★★★ (Unfortunately the weakest link for me by a fair margin, this was fine and had some decent character moments but didn't do much for me plot-wise)
Sword of Destiny ★★★★★ (Little Ciri is SO PRECIOUS. I was baffled reading this that it was cut from the show. After reading up on why the showrunners made that choice I suppose I understand it from a TV perspective, but it still feels like show watchers missed out by not being able to experience this one)
Something More ★★★★★ (A perfect conclusion to the short stories)
The stories here are all chronologically linked and clearly follow on from each other, with character arcs that carry through and are gradually developed (but not always resolved - hence why I'm looking forward to the novels!). I also felt like the world building was stronger here, which made the details easier to comprehend. Overall, a very satisfying experience and one that makes me extra keen to dive into the novels.
Individual story ratings
The Bounds of Reason ★★★★½ (dragons <3)
A Shard of Ice ★★★★★ (The angst... oh my god... I may say I'm not much for romance but Geralt and Yennefer can stomp on my heart any time. Also like The Lesser Evil from the previous book, this perfectly establishes a conflict in Geralt's character)
Eternal Flame ★★★★ (Novigrad was one of my favourite locations in the game, so it was great to spend time in this city as well as see Dudu's introduction)
A Little Sacrifice ★★★ (Unfortunately the weakest link for me by a fair margin, this was fine and had some decent character moments but didn't do much for me plot-wise)
Sword of Destiny ★★★★★ (Little Ciri is SO PRECIOUS. I was baffled reading this that it was cut from the show. After reading up on why the showrunners made that choice I suppose I understand it from a TV perspective, but it still feels like show watchers missed out by not being able to experience this one)
Something More ★★★★★ (A perfect conclusion to the short stories)