Is there any way CDProjekt could help get all of the books in English and other languages?

[necroscope84]

Is there any way CDProjekt could help get all of the books in English and other languages?

I'd really love to read all of the Witcher books. I think there's one or two in English. I'd like to know if they were translated very well or not? I'm not sure if CDProjekt would have any influence or control over any of this but it would be so awesome to read the books. Maybe you'll could do some kind of promotion with the next Witcher game and have it released in some kind of collectors edition with all of the books or a simultaneous release with the very last book or something. If I'm way behind or soemthing and they have translated all of the books please let me know.

Im still also curious as to how well the books were translated. If anyone's read them in Polish and then English I'd be very greatful for your knowledge on this. Thank you.

 

[crygie]

I'd really love to read all of the Witcher books. I think there's one or two in English. I'd like to know if they were translated very well or not? I'm not sure if CDProjekt would have any influence or control over any of this but it would be so awesome to read the books. Maybe you'll could do some kind of promotion with the next Witcher game and have it released in some kind of collectors edition with all of the books or a simultaneous release with the very last book or something. If I'm way behind or soemthing and they have translated all of the books please let me know.

Im still also curious as to how well the books were translated. If anyone's read them in Polish and then English I'd be very greatful for your knowledge on this. Thank you.

there have been fan translations ( http://en.thewitcher.com/forum/index.php?/topic/20967-our-community-fan-translations/ )

 

[hotnels]

I'd really love to read all of the Witcher books. I think there's one or two in English. I'd like to know if they were translated very well or not? I'm not sure if CDProjekt would have any influence or control over any of this but it would be so awesome to read the books. Maybe you'll could do some kind of promotion with the next Witcher game and have it released in some kind of collectors edition with all of the books or a simultaneous release with the very last book or something. If I'm way behind or soemthing and they have translated all of the books please let me know.

Im still also curious as to how well the books were translated. If anyone's read them in Polish and then English I'd be very greatful for your knowledge on this. Thank you.

Two have been translated The Last Wish and Blood of Elves. You can find them at any major book store. They kick butt and make the game even better (more context always helps). I would love to see the rest translated to English I seriously think it could give Game of Thrones a run for its money.

 

[dragonbird]

Well, we moderators don't have any special knowledge over this as we don't work for CDPR, but CDPR aren't the rights holders for the books so they don't have any control over it.

The best hope is that the games continue to attract the interest of as many people as possible and that this convinces Sapkowski and the publishers that there's a market, and that they SHOULD translate the books.

 

[Seboist]

It's a damn shame Sword of Destiny won't be officially translated anytime soon.

 

[Adonai-]

I haven't (can't) read them in another language, so I can't compare them. However, the official translations by Danusia Stok of The Last Wish & Blood of Elves have brought across the understated, dry humour of the originals (this, I'm taking from the fan translations which also bring this across). My only gripe with her translations are the occasional inconsistency with names (Vizima becomes Wyzim and Wyzima, depending on the book).

 

[necroscope84]

Cool deal. I'm going to buy those first two. And while I do appreciate fans taking the time to translate these books I would much rather actually buy the book and support the Author and his publishers (Not that I don't appreciate their hard work) Think I'll find out what publisher he's with and write them a letter. You never know. And like you'll said hopefully the game will draw more attention to the books and then maybe they'll get published faster. Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[necroscope84]

I also don't mind a few translation problems as long as I can figure out what they're talking about. I just wanted to make sure the original ideas of the story and characters are good. Everything else I can handle

 

[KalmaGorex]

Two of the first shortstories have been translated in my language Finnish(The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny) and Blood of The Elves is coming this summer. The translation has been excellent so far and I really hope Tapani Kärkkäinen will keep translating the rest of the books.
It's a shame the English translation skipped the Sword of Destiny, it's even better than The Last Wish and introduces some major characters that appear in the novels.

OP, if you're impatient you can try reading the fan translations on this site. I haven't checked them out yet, but I probably will when I get too impatient waiting for the rest of the books release in my language

 

[Chewin3]

^The Finnish translations of the Witcher short stories were quite impressive, though personally I still prefer the English ones. Damn Finns translating all the names makes me scratch my head at who and / or what they are talking about.

And OP, the community translations may not be the best of work, but I would still concider you to take a look at them at least. But supporting to get the books officially released in English is never a bad thing.

 

[KalmaGorex]

^The Finnish translations of the Witcher short stories were quite impressive, though personally I still prefer the English ones. Damn Finns translating all the names makes me scratch my head at who and / or what they are talking about.

And OP, the community translations may not be the best of work, but I would still concider you to take a look at them at least. But supporting to get the books officially released in English is never a bad thing.

Hmm, I don't think the name translations are that confusing, even though some names just HAD to be translated like Dandelion and various people that are called by their given nicknames, though it's understandable if you've played the games in English and become accustomed to the English naming. It's also not easy to make up translated names for the various fictional plants and for some of the monsters that are taken from Slavic mytology. I think Kärkkäinen has done a pretty good job on that regard.
Are you picking up 'Haltiain verta' this summer by any chance?

 

[Sirnaq]

Dandelion even in games was translated to english. His real name is Jaskier.

 

[KalmaGorex]

Dandelion even in games was translated to english. His real name is Jaskier.

Yes I'm aware that his name is originally Jaskier in the Polish text and different in other languages, though he's named Jaskier in Spanish and French translations too.

 

[Chewin3]

Hmm, I don't think the name translations are that confusing, even though some names just HAD to be translated like Dandelion and various people that are called by their given nicknames, though it's understandable if you've played the games in English and become accustomed to the English naming. It's also not easy to make up translated names for the various fictional plants and for some of the monsters that are taken from Slavic mytology. I think Kärkkäinen has done a pretty good job on that regard.
Are you picking up 'Haltiain verta' this summer by any chance?

Nah, I was just mildly joking around. But I do agree on that the translations are rather good in Finnish. But as you said, when you grow accustomed to a certain language in a certain literature, it's not easy to change to a different one.

As for Haltian Verta, I already own the English version, so I won't probably pick it up. Maybe somewhere in the distant future.

 

[sydlosttarot]

@Necroscope84

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Elves-The-Witcher-Book/dp/031602919X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336227972&sr=1-1

Gollancz has no interest in publishing the stories sequentially. Times of Contempt will be out by the end of the year (about damn time). Do yourself a favor and read fan-translation for Sword of Destiny at the very least. Otherwise you'll be waiting over a year (unless you don't mind out of sequence). You'll still buy it when it does come out eventually right?

 

[necroscope84]

Thank you all for the information. I'm going to buy the two that are in English and will check out the Sword of Destiny fan translation. I can always buy the book when it comes out in English or possibly even buy it in it's original language if it never comes out Then I won't feel bad about not supporting the author

Don't know if I could wait that long to read it, I'm a pretty fast reader. Now off to Amazon

Oh, one other thing, if anyone gets a chance try reading The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Gerald Tarrant has got to be one of the coolest Villian/Heroes of all time. Great books.