June 2020 - Page 2 of 2 - Diary of Difference

The Last Wish (The Witcher #0.5) by Andrzej Sapkowskl Gollancz books book review books blog blogging diary of difference diaryofdifference

★★★★

For me, The Last Wish is the perfect introduction to start the Witcher series and meet Geralt of Rivia.

Synopsis

The Last Wish is the prequel to the Witcher series. In this book we are introduced to Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher – a man whose magic powers and strength training made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin.

However, Geralt is not an ordinary killer. He hunts the monsters that bring fear to people and creatures that attack the innocent.

But not everything is as seems, as some monsters are not evil, and not everything fair is good. In every fairy tale, there is a pinch of truth.

My Thoughts:

I loved the introduction of Geralt in this book. I have known Geralt from the video games, and then I watched the TV Show. Usually I am more attracted to the book characters rather than a movies/TV Show character, and this was no different. Even though, I have to admit that the video games and the TV Show are also extraordinary, when it comes to their characters. Geralt in this book is vivid and brave, and I was happy to follow him on the various adventures he went on.

The book is written in multiple chapters, each containing a call for a quest, and the following chapter containing the quest itself. Each quest is a completely different topic, all featuring Geralt, and many side characters joining him as we move along in the story.

Each chapter was magical on its own, and we get to meet various stories. We meet a girl that turned to a striga because of a curse. We encounter a beast hidden in a castle, a story that resembles the Beauty and the Beast. There are also stories that resemble the Snow White and Cinderella, all significantly darker and much more graphic in their retellings. I love how the author took those storylines and managed to create something much more sinister and cruel. Some of the stories also reminded me of the traditional Slavic folk tales, which brought back some nice feelings from my childhood too.

The last few chapters were the ones I enjoyed the most. Especially the moment when we get to meet Yennefer for the very first time. I cannot wait to read more about her in the books.

A truly beautiful and adventurous fantasy novel by Andrzej Sapkowski and published by Gollancz. I definitely recommend The Last Wish.

★★★★

The Bone Knife by Intisar Khanani is a prequel to a new series, The Theft of Sunlight that is hopefully coming out in 2021. This prequel was included in my copy of Thorn, which I loved, and I thought I would also share what I think of The Bone Knife.

Synopsis

Rae knows how to look out for her family. Born with a deformed foot, she feigns indifference to the pity and insults that come her way. Wary of all things beautiful, Rae instantly distrusts their latest visitor: an appallingly attractive faerie. Further, his presence imperils the secret her sister guards. But when the local townspeople show up demanding his blood, Rae must find a way to protect both her sister’s secret and their guest. Even if that means risking herself.

My Thoughts:

Even though this prequel is only 35 pages long, I felt incredibly invested in this story. Rae is such a sweet soul, and it’s no surprise that she attracted the attention of the faerie. I also loved how Rae’s relationship with her sister is so strong. She will do anything to prevent people from knowing that her sister possesses magical powers.

Beautifully written with very descriptive characters, this was a lovely nice short read that made me so excited about book one – The Theft of Sunlight.

Thank you to ReadersFirst and Hot Key Books, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.