The Witcher: The Last Wish
by Om Srivastava
“Lesser, greater, middling, it’s all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I’m not a pious hermit, I haven’t done only good in my life. But if I’m to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”
- Geralt of Rivia
Whether you’ve heard of The Witcher franchise from the popular Netflix series or the critically acclaimed video game series, as book lovers, you’d be happy to know that the book series written by Andrzej Sapkowski is also just as fantastic. The first book in the series is The Last Wish, which introduces the major characters and sets the plot of the Witcher universe.
The Last Wish is a collection of short stories which revolve around Geralt, the witcher. Witchers are genetically mutated humans made to kill monsters. The stories, although short, develop the characters beautifully and give depth to the overarching story like no other. The hard choices and their consequences present in the chapters further add to the depth of the plot.
“People,” Geralt turned his head, “like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves.”
Sapkowski avoids overburdening the reader with his world-building; he devotes an entire chapter to Cintra while barely mentioning its geographical position compared to other important places in the northern kingdoms such as Vizima, Temeria, or Skellige, but there is enough to establish that these are important places to keep in mind for later texts.
I enjoyed how Andrej Sapkowski took on common tropes and old fairy tales and gave them a new lease on life. It was refreshing and a lot of fun to read stories such as Beauty and the Beast in a medieval-inspired setting. This range of short stories allowed Sapkowski to experiment with issues that Geralt seemingly tackles throughout, such as racism and xenophobia.
“Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young.”
There are no throwaway characters to be found in this book. Fans of the video games will recall Dandelion and Yennefer, of course. But even the members of Shrike’s band in “The Lesser Evil” can be remembered for their joke about Geralt’s maternity. Characters who play bigger roles, such as Neville or Nivellen, contribute substantially in ways that one will recall for years. The parallel Sapkowski draws between the Aen Seidhe and Native Americans could hardly be more poignant.
“You’ve mistaken the stars reflected on the surface of the lake at night for the heavens.”
This is not part of an epic saga that is a staple in the world of fantasy. Geralt rides the countryside, meeting people, talking to them. Every once in a while he accepts a contract for money–could be from a peasant or a king. You will not miss any part of The Witcher arc if you skip this book.
But why would you want to?