The Last Wish is one of the better books of the Witcher series, even though the idea of an entry book to a series being a compilation of short stories might seem unappealing at first. What makes it an effective story, is the way it ties its narrative together. Geralt's first story portrays him at his most professional. Calculating and cold, Geralt deals with what seems like an impossible task, almost escaping unscathed, only to almost die due to letting his guard down. The subsequent stories follow him recovering from death door, while examining what pushes Geralt to achieve his general goals.
I like Geralt’s description of his first monster slaying, describing its hideous features before revealing its human. Even his attempt at saving a damsel falls flat on its face. This expresses Geralt’s general frustrations with his lifestyle. He is a professional that sees his general quarry slowly disappear due to human development, only to find the number of moral monsters he comes in most contact with look just like him, a group that conflicts with his Witcher code of being neutral. He’s a knight that wishes evil was less abstract and more like the legends of sharp teeth and scales.
The stories do a great job of filling out the cast, each new character being introduced via a personal motive that eventually involves Geralt seeing a connection to them, either possessing something Geralt wants (Dandelion’s love of life) or seeing something that Geralt empathizes with (Yennifer’s wandering). The antithesis of this formula is the Lesser Evil, but even that examines on Geralt’s desire to live out being a hero, even if the result is every bit as jagged as the first time he killed a human.
While Witcher is cynical like several dark fantasy stories, it does not devalue romantic love but rather explores it. Geralt scorns many different aspects of knighthood including honor, justice, and inherent goodness, but he does not scorn romantic love, but rather envies it. Upon hearing that a man wants to remain a bear by choice so he can remain with a vampire, he leaves him alone, and regretfully interferes when he realizes the vampire wants to make him as detached and predatory towards humans as she is. It is a case of value dissonance, but also a fascinating examination on how lovers try to change their partners' natures. It’s the culmination of his travels seeing love and loyalty that lead to his wish in the last story and how that wish lead him to get involved with the introductory story. Its all linked together, in a way that fleshes out Geralt to the reader.
I think Witcher does a great job of deconstructing 90s action heroes in an era that is filled with them. It introduces why Geralt would act like one, only to show why its something he finds impossible sustain. In a world with striga, vampires, and genies, Geralt struggles the most with human nature and the one he conflicts the most with is his own.
The One in Which Geralt Wishes A Genie To Go F*** Itself
The Last Wish is one of the better books of the Witcher series, even though the idea of an entry book to a series being a compilation of short stories might seem unappealing at first. What makes it an effective story, is the way it ties its narrative together. Geralt's first story portrays him at his most professional. Calculating and cold, Geralt deals with what seems like an impossible task, almost escaping unscathed, only to almost die due to letting his guard down. The subsequent stories follow him recovering from death door, while examining what pushes Geralt to achieve his general goals.
I like Geralt’s description of his first monster slaying, describing its hideous features before revealing its human. Even his attempt at saving a damsel falls flat on its face. This expresses Geralt’s general frustrations with his lifestyle. He is a professional that sees his general quarry slowly disappear due to human development, only to find the number of moral monsters he comes in most contact with look just like him, a group that conflicts with his Witcher code of being neutral. He’s a knight that wishes evil was less abstract and more like the legends of sharp teeth and scales.
The stories do a great job of filling out the cast, each new character being introduced via a personal motive that eventually involves Geralt seeing a connection to them, either possessing something Geralt wants (Dandelion’s love of life) or seeing something that Geralt empathizes with (Yennifer’s wandering). The antithesis of this formula is the Lesser Evil, but even that examines on Geralt’s desire to live out being a hero, even if the result is every bit as jagged as the first time he killed a human.
While Witcher is cynical like several dark fantasy stories, it does not devalue romantic love but rather explores it. Geralt scorns many different aspects of knighthood including honor, justice, and inherent goodness, but he does not scorn romantic love, but rather envies it. Upon hearing that a man wants to remain a bear by choice so he can remain with a vampire, he leaves him alone, and regretfully interferes when he realizes the vampire wants to make him as detached and predatory towards humans as she is. It is a case of value dissonance, but also a fascinating examination on how lovers try to change their partners' natures. It’s the culmination of his travels seeing love and loyalty that lead to his wish in the last story and how that wish lead him to get involved with the introductory story. Its all linked together, in a way that fleshes out Geralt to the reader.
I think Witcher does a great job of deconstructing 90s action heroes in an era that is filled with them. It introduces why Geralt would act like one, only to show why its something he finds impossible sustain. In a world with striga, vampires, and genies, Geralt struggles the most with human nature and the one he conflicts the most with is his own.