Play Book Tag discussion

The second book in the Witcher series does not disappoint. Witcher 3 is one of my favorite video games (still need to play 1 & 2, which are sitting in my Steam library - maybe one day!) and the first collection of short stories, The Last Wish, was really good. The Sword of Destiny continues and deepens the lore around the legendary Witcher, Geralt of Rivia. Like the first book, this is a collection of short stories, although unlike the last volume, they become more and more linked over time. I could see a larger storyline emerging, especially around the characters of Yennefer and Ciri, and a lot of foreshadowing for things to come. It doesn't surprise me that the series from here on out is told in novel form. Although I like the short story format – very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes mysteries in structure, a feat for all the world-building necessary for a fantasy setting – I can tell Sapkowski has a lot more lurking under the surface that I hope will get explored in the novels.

Standout stories include"A Shard of Ice," "Sword of Destiny" and "Something More" – all of which hint at the larger storyline, so maybe that's why I favored them. I love the world created by Sapkowski and admire that it does not include huge lore or exposition dumps, which seem to have become a staple of modern fantasy. The characters are well-drawn and believable, and we understand how the society works with very little author hand-holding required, which I truly admire. Often just a few lines of dialogue between characters are so telling that nothing else is required. All that said, I am eager to see where the meta plot is going – especially considering the strange connection of "destiny" between Geralt and Ciri, what the Nilfgaardians are up to, and if the oppression of the elves and the dryads will come into the forefront as main conflicts.

Really looking forward to reading the next book in the series!