Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski starting September 23, 2018.

In :)

I haven't been reading these books but now I'm thinking maybe I should? I just saw the announcement of a Netflix adaptation as a tv series with HENRY CAVILL as Geralt, whom I'm assuming is the MC/witcher dude.

I chose to give this series another chance. Geralt, darling, I'm doing this just for you (and for Ciri and Yen), you better play a more major role in this book!

Starting... :)

I'll start this evening :)

Read the first two chapters. So far it has been better than Blood of Elves.

Yup! I really liked Chapter 2. (view spoiler)[

I love the Wild Hunt mythos so I was thrilled to finally see it appear!
Poor Ciri really have a whole bunch of prophecies and royalty plots revolving around her... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter three was a lot of fun!
I'm in chapter five now.
I have to admit I'm a little confused what all the different people /kingdoms want. That's what you get from skimming all the background parts in Blood of Elves...😒

Haha. I skimmed some of those parts as well, and the month-long gap isn't helping. I'm not really sure who wants what, but I'm rooting for Ciri all the while :p
(view spoiler)[
I was completely lost during the banquet... Lots of 'spy talk', and kingdom alliances, but what I got from that was, mostly, 'Uwah! Bunch of back-stabbing sorceress! Stop flirting with Geralt, he's taken!' (hide spoiler)]

Glad I'm not the only one! A dramatis personae would have been handy.
I'm really bad at keeping track of (political) factions in general....

Finished! I read that one pretty quickly ^^
It was definitely a lot better than Blood of Elves!
I loved that it focused so much on Ciri (I would have liked more additional Geralt-parts, though).

(view spoiler)[I hope the whole desert and rats part won't traumatize Ciri too much...I feel like it's boding ill that she is now called Falka.
(hide spoiler)]

I just finished Chapter 5. Again, all the political games went completely over my head but I still don't mind.
(view spoiler)[ So there's a fake Ciri being brought to the Emperor, and he says he would recognize her anywhere. Something to do with the 'Child of the Elder Blodd' thingy?
I'm guessing Ciri went through the portal in the Tower of Gulls and is stuck in the 'Tower of Swallows'...

I love that Geralt and Yen, though they met Ciri through prophecies, are trying to take care of her just because they both love her. She's the child they can't have, I guess :)
(hide spoiler)]

Btw, since it seems it's just the two of us now, do you want to read the rest of the series closer together? The monthly gap make me forget details (and I'm barely keeping up with the plot already xD)

Empress Virginie wrote: "I just finished Chapter 5. Again, all the political games went completely over my head but I still don't mind.
So there's a fake Ciri being brought to the Emperor, and he says he would recognize h..."

(view spoiler)[Yes, Ciri is definitely "their" child. I believe Yen even calls her daughter once.
I think the Tower of the Swallows will still be important as it's the title of book six. (hide spoiler)]

I'm ignoring all the politics now and concentrat on the parts I actually understand 😂

Empress Virginie wrote: "Btw, since it seems it's just the two of us now, do you want to read the rest of the series closer together? The monthly gap make me forget details (and I'm barely keeping up with the plot already xD)"

As far as I'm concerned, we can.

Bea wrote: "I'm ignoring all the politics now and concentrat on the parts I actually understand 😂"

Yup, I'm definitely doing that. In this, we're a bit like Geralt, completely clueless and just trying to get by (view spoiler)[ like when he just wanted to pee during the night after the banquet, and ended up right in the middle of things by accident xD (hide spoiler)]

Bea wrote: "As far as I'm concerned, we can."

Mmmmh. Would two books a month work with your BR schedule? Something like one in the first part of the month (1st - 15th) and one in the other half (16th-30th)?

That would be:
- October: Baptism of Fire & The Tower of the Swallow
- November: Lady of the Lake & Season of Storms (which seems to be a prequel)

Hm, I'm pretty overbooked for the beginning of October so I don't think I can read Baptism of Fire before 10th October but apart from that it should work.

Finished! (view spoiler)[
Loved how we got plenty of time with Ciri in this book :)
She's having it rough, poor little girl. Stranded in a desert, caught for a bounty, almost raped (though Mistle kind of raped her :o)...

She's now called Falka. Looks like the prophesy might realize. It's self-fulfilling! I mean... If Nilfgaard wasn't looking for her that hard because of the prohpecy, she wouldn't have gone through all this hardship, being convinced everyone abandoned her, and wouldn't have named herself Falka... (hide spoiler)]

Bea wrote: "Hm, I'm pretty overbooked for the beginning of October so I don't think I can read Baptism of Fire before 10th October but apart from that it should work."

Let's say 10th of October then :)
I'm quite excited to continue with the story. I almost DNF'd after Blood of Elves, but I'm really glad I didn't now :D

Empress Virginie wrote: "Bea wrote: "Hm, I'm pretty overbooked for the beginning of October so I don't think I can read Baptism of Fire before 10th October but apart from that it should work."

Let's say 10th of October th..."

Sounds great!
Yeah, I almost dnf'd after Blood of Elves as well.