The New Witcher Releases Today. Andrzej Sapkowski's Latest Book Crossroads of Ravens Received First Reviews
The latest book in the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski launched today. Crossroads of Ravens is receiving very positive reviews.
Today, over 11 years after the launch of Season of Storms, the latest book in the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski was released in Poland. Crossroads of Ravens (in Polish Rozdroze krukow) is currently only available in a paperback edition in the Polish language. At the moment, there is no news when the translations in other languages will be released.
What is Crossroads of Ravens about?
The book focuses on the earliest stages of Geralt's life, so chronologically it can be considered the first volume. Readers will become familiar with the White Wolf's first quests and challenges, which will influence his later character and personality. They will also learn more about the training at Kaer Morhen, as well as the relationships that connect Geralt with his mentors and peers. Below, we present the official synopsis of the book:
This time, the master of Polish fantasy takes us back to Geralt's teenage years, a time when he was just beginning his journey as a Witcher. Armed with two runic swords, Geralt faces countless challenges: battling monsters, rescuing innocent maidens, and aiding lovers. Always and everywhere he tries to obey the unwritten code he got from his teachers and mentors. As usual, life spares no disappointments – youthful idealism clashes with reality from time to time.
The saga continues. The story never ends…
Successful return
The first reviews of the book have already appeared on the Polish websites. The average of 17 given scores is 8.3/10. The reviews show that Crossroads of Ravens is a successful return of the series, telling interesting and engaging stories. One of the reviewers from the Polish website Naekranie.pl noticed how Sapkowski managed to tackle such threads as human interference with nature or making difficult choices. These motifs are well-known to the fans of the series.
It's a cohesive story, telling various adventures (so it has an anthology structure, so to speak), which are mixed with the main plots and mystery about the events of 1194. Under the façade of sword and magic, there are very interesting themes - such as human interference with nature and making difficult choices. The book gives hope that good always comes back, no matter how foul the world is.
Another reviewer from Onet.pl writes about a very good pace of the story and how easy it was for him to get involved. He also adds that Sapkowski has even more stories to tell in the future.
The action shoots at breakneck speed, from skirmish to duel, from cutting retort to zesty commentary, without stopping or watering down. This is perhaps Sapkowski's most concrete and to-the-point work, closing in at just under three hundred pages. But, according to the writer's announcement, it will be neither his nor our farewell to Geralt.
While the younger Geralt differs slightly from the one we know from the saga or stories, tracing the events that made him the famous White Wolf is quite enjoyable. All the more so, as we will find here Sapkowski's characteristic style, filled with irony.
It's worth noting that the book, even though it is a prequel, isn't a good entry point into the Witcher universe. Sapkowski doesn't bother with explanations, and the content itself contains many references that only people familiar with the previous books will catch. For fans, however, it should be a must-have item.
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