The Witcher books (SPOILERS)

+
Status
Not open for further replies.
Which one am I supposed to buy?

Dear community,

I've decided to buy the English translation of the 'The Witcher' books, but I noticed all the books released so far (in English) are being published by both 'Orion Publishing Co' and 'Orbit'. My question: which one am I supposed to buy? Are there any differences between both versions?

Sincerely,

rpgfanatic77
 
Last edited:
The books from Orbit are US English and those from Gollancz (Orion?) are UK English .. otherwise there's no real difference that i'm aware of .. so if you like the letter U, go for Gollancz :)
 
The books from Orbit are US English and those from Gollancz (Orion?) are UK English .. otherwise there's no real difference that i'm aware of .. so if you like the letter U, go for Gollancz :)

Good to see you around again, Gamewidow.

You're right about Orbit and Gollancz. After many corporate dealings, Hachette Livre owns Orion Publishing; Malcolm Edwards (SF Masterworks) runs it. Orion owns the still-prestigious remnant of Gollancz and publishes SF&F under Gollancz's name. Orbit Books is not part of Orion; it is Hachette's US (and Australia) publisher for SF&F.
 
Some book questions (spoilers)

I just finished reading the books. First of all let me say they were great. Easily one of my favorite fanatasy saga. After reading them I'm even more hyped for TW3 to meet some of the characters from the books. There are still some things I didn't understand, so i would like to ask it here.

Obvoiusly book spoilers and maybe witcher 3 spoilers!

1) When Ciri get's into trance someone is talking through her. Who is this person and is it always the same person? If not, I'm especially interested who talked through her during her first meeting with Triss. (she said, Triss should have died in Sodden)

2) During her travel to find Yennefer and Geralt, Ciri travels trough different times and worlds. Some seem to be european countries at different times (and historic events?). Is there any analysis of her different travel stations?

3)What was the exact purpose of the elves from the other world. I thought, they wanted Ciri to open the gate which allows to travel larger groups easily between different world. But why does Avallach and the King want her child and not just use her for this? If I understand it right, the King of the Raiders doesn't think they need their child. He thinks she is able to open the gate, so he is hunting her.

4) What was the purpose of the elves to travel to the "Witcher world"? The main characters (Eredin and Avallach) seems to have different goals. They both want to evacuate the elves but Avallach wan'ts to evacuate the humans as well. Is this trustworthy? I'm saying this because during his meeting with Geralt he seemed to despite humans and I can't believe he want's them in his world. (maybe just as servants?) And what does Eredin want to do with the humans?

5) Where does Witchers came from? I though they are common humans, which undergo the mutation? But if I remember correctly someone in the books said, they came during the the conjunction of the spheres to the world. So which one is true?
 
ad 2) One of her destinations, where she is swimming in the lake an then meetin the boy, is the world of the Artus saga. The holy grail is often mentioned in the Witcher universe. Also the lady of the lake is part of the TW Universe.

ad 3) Maybe they want her child, because they can strengthen the old blood with fresh elven blood and also raise the child in their manner. Ciri is maybe to old to influence her enough.

ad 5) Its hard to say what's the truth about the conjunction. Humans say that they are the original inhabitants of the world and elves, dwars, halflings, etc. came through the conjunction. Nonhumans sai that the humas came through the conjunction.
 
5) Where does Witchers came from? I they are common humans, which undergo the mutation? But if I remember correctly someone in the books said, they came during the the conjunction of the spheres to the world. So which one is true?
I leave the other questions to more accomplished book readers, but this one I can answer. The witchers are indeed ordinary humans who undergo mutations through alchemical and sorcerous means. They didn't exist before the Conjunction of the Spheres because before then humans didn't have any magical powers that could accomplish such an operation and the monsters they were created to hunt weren't yet around.
 
2) During her travel to find Yennefer and Geralt, Ciri travels trough different times and worlds. Some seem to be european countries at different times (and historic events?). Is there any analysis of her different travel stations?

Well, it is known that Sapkowski is a big fan of the Arthurian legend.
You can see many parallels to it in the Witcher (isle of Avalon - isle of Avallach, Sir Galahad.. etc).

Basically the book hints at Ciri being in the Arthurian version of England.

And she also visits a Mediterranean port (could be Genoa) where she brings the Catriona plague
into the world of the Witcher, which is in essence the bubonic plague.

3)What was the exact purpose of the elves from the other world. I thought, they wanted Ciri to open the gate which allows to travel larger groups easily between different world. But why does Avallach and the King want her child and not just use her for this? If I understand it right, the King of the Raiders doesn't think they need their child. He thinks she is able to open the gate, so he is hunting her.

Ithlinne's prophecy says that her grandchild will rule the world.

But even if you don't believe in it, it's more than logical: to keep the bloodline of Lara Dorren alive.
Should Ciri die, there is no one left to use these powers. And why miss out on them ?
The Aen Elle could want to expand much further than just two worlds...

5) Where does Witchers came from? I though they are common humans, which undergo the mutation? But if I remember correctly someone in the books said, they came during the the conjunction of the spheres to the world. So which one is true?

Nah, you misread this.
It's monsters who came to the world during the conjunction of the spheres.
 
It's monsters who came to the world during the conjunction of the spheres.

Bu aren't there 2 theories about monsters and conjunction? One that said that the monsters came during the conjunction and the other that said that the conjunction started a new world order and that the monsters are remnants of the old world?
 
Bu aren't there 2 theories about monsters and conjunction? One that said that the monsters came during the conjunction and the other that said that the conjunction started a new world order and that the monsters are remnants of the old world?

Not sure where that second one came from. Don't recall anything like that in the books. I do know that not everything considered a "monster" is a post-Conjunction creature. Some are just nasty native ones.
 
Don't recall anything like that in the books.

Conjunction of the Spheres

"A cataclysm which occurred 1,500 years ago, trapping in our dimension many unnatural creatures, including ghouls, graveirs and vampires. These beasts have no ecological niches of their own and are merely relics of bygone times."


Source: The Witcher (PC)
 
Hey guys I wanted to by a witcher book today, where should I start? With the new one that just came out in the US, or something else?
Thanks for your help. I would like a good read, the less politics the better unless it's 50/50 idk where to start before the game comes out.
 
If you're looking for a digital version, start with the short stories - Sword of Destiny, but it's only available in English in the fan translation.
http://forums.cdprojektred.com/threads/16494-Our-Community-Fan-Translations
Only in fan translations? Strange. There is a commercial brazilian portuguese edition "A Espada do Destino" (http://www.livrariasaraiva.com.br/produto/4074342/a-espada-do-destino/) :/ . Usually The brazilian Witcher books come after the american versions.
Before that one we had The last Wish ( O último desejo) and now the Blood of Elfs (which I'm reading).
 
1) When Ciri get's into trance someone is talking through her. Who is this person and is it always the same person? If not, I'm especially interested who talked through her during her first meeting with Triss. (she said, Triss should have died in Sodden)

It's Vilgefortz of Roggeveen. He even says his proverb with the stars and the reflection on water (I don't know how he says it in English).
 
Hey guys I wanted to by a witcher book today, where should I start? With the new one that just came out in the US, or something else?
Thanks for your help. I would like a good read, the less politics the better unless it's 50/50 idk where to start before the game comes out.
If you have to start the series you should read The Last Wish, the first one.

Politics are one of the threads of the story, but only in novels, short stories mainly focus on characters and their background.
 
I
1) When Ciri get's into trance someone is talking through her. Who is this person and is it always the same person? If not, I'm especially interested who talked through her during her first meeting with Triss. (she said, Triss should have died in Sodden)

I just started re-reading the series after a couple years and this is the same question I asked myself when I got to this part of Blood Of Elves. My first thought is that its Eridin or Avallach but is has been so long since I finished the series I'm not sure if this is correct. Is it one of the Wizards? Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will offer some insight.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom