This anthology contains six short tales to introduce readers to Geralt of Rivia, the witcher and protagonist of the bestselling series The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski.

If you’re not familiar with the novels, you might have heard of this series from the popular video games based off the books. Or from Netflix’s The Witcher TV series starring Henry Cavill. I love Henry Cavill. I love The Witcher Saga so far. Pretty much a plate of perfection for me to consume.

Action packed supernatural and fantasy stories that will have you questioning the world like Geralt does: Who are the real monsters? And how do I decide what’s best between two unfavorable options?

Happy New Year and congrats for making it to 2022!!

And welcome to…*add in your own weird drumroll* WITCHER SEASON.

So I heard that there’s a new season of The Witcher on Netflix. Fact check me because I wouldn’t freaking know. I don’t really go on Netflix. Because I’m too busy writing shit like this.

So far, I’m really loving the two anthologies in The Witcher Saga. These books actually made me realize how much I enjoyed short stories. It’s like watching episodes on Netflix, except I’m reading a book. Similar to The Last Wish (read my review of this here), Sword of Destiny contains 6 short stories.

Great news! Princess Ciri finally gets introduced in Sword of Destiny. She plays a critical role in the rest of the series so I was excited by this surprising treat.

The Last Wish was fabulous. I would absolutely, without hesitation, read it again. However, I think I loved the adventures detailed in Sword of Destiny more.

I’m going to review this book somewhat differently. I’m going to share my opinions per short story. Each one is so unique and memorable that I felt the need to discuss them individually.

The Bounds of Reason

All about dragons! If you’re a dragon lover, you’ll really enjoy this story. It’s your stereotypical medieval adventure (or however you imagine medieval times) filled with dragons, treasure, knights, duels and all that jazz. The group hunt a dragon to claim the rumored treasure it protects.

Great news!! Dandelion is in this one! And you know it’s going to be a fun time if Dandelion’s with Geralt on an adventure!

The Bounds of Reason has a beautiful message about the appreciation and conservation of a species. I wish the humans in this book saw the “monsters” as beings like themselves rather than always trying to destroy them. They’ll find they aren’t polar opposites but actually very similar. It does break my heart that species are becoming endangered due to human expansion and population growth.

You’ll understand better what I mean by this when you read the great twist ending for The Bounds of Reason – I won’t spoil it here!

At this time, the topic of an end destination is first brought up. Geralt doesn’t believe he has a destination at the end of the road. He believes he’s just going to keep moving through life as a witcher until he collapses dead one day.

I find it funny how everyone Geralt encounters seems to see right through this bullshit. Geralt acts like this heartless, intimidating mercenary who remains neutral about everything and doesn’t lean on the good side. But everyone knows that’s bullshit. Creatures and humans equally see how he does have a good and fair heart.

A Shard of Ice

This story was not anything that I expected, but everything I needed. As I was reading it, I was laughing to myself because it felt like an episode of The Bachelor/Bachelorette (if you don’t know what this TV show is, please preserve your intelligence and not watch this).

Geralt and Yennefer are staying at the town of Aedd Gynvael. This town is physically crappy. Geralt feels worse the longer he sticks around town. He soon discovers there’s more to it than just being a dump. It holds sentimental value to our enchantress. A lot is revealed about Yennefer in A Shard of Ice.

For one, Geralt finds out that he’s not the only man vying for Yennefer’s heart. BAM! Drama already. This story provides a more intimate look into the dynamic of Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship. We get the opportunity to learn more about the mysterious, powerful enchantress through Geralt’s perspective but also through her other lovers’ perspectives.

A Shard of Ice was such an “alpha male”/I’m-going-to-win-over-the-heart-of-my-lover story. Which satisfies me greatly because I’m a total sucker for this kind of drama.

Bear with me, I’m gonna say this a lot. It breaks my heart to see these men so enamored with the enchantress that they fight so hard to be with her. With probably no benefits or ever really a chance of winning her over, considering how Yennefer is so far. Poor unfortunate boys.

Eternal Flame

This was another surprising story. I wasn’t sure how much I’d like Eternal Flame when I started reading it, but wow oh wow, did it deliver.

Geralt meets an interesting match. Literally. A doppler. A mimic. A creature that could take your form and think, behave and look like you. To the point that nobody, except for maybe the most discerning of eyes, can tell that it’s not really you.

Eternal Flame presents the real struggle of species desperately trying to survive though told in a comedic, lighthearted tone. These species that have been driven to the darkest corners of the world or run off to hide in the mountains and edges of the forest because the humans have invaded their homelands continue fighting to stay alive. In this case, the doppler embodies their victim to try to blend into the dominant population.

That’s something Geralt can relate to. He’s just a witcher trying to make money and survive. He learns that the prey he’s hunting to kill is doing just the same. So the ultimate, persistent question of the whole saga: who really are the monsters here? Will Geralt be able to sympathize with his target? Or destroy them as ordered?

Loads of insight about sales, trading and economics. Which sounds boring, right? But it’s the furthest thing from boring. If they told me to read Eternal Flame in an economics class, I might actually learn something. Fun fact: Sapkowski has a background in economics!

Another twist ending in Eternal Flame! Read it to find out! Let the Eternal Flame of hope keep burning on for one and all. Heaven knows, everyone desperately needs hope and faith to keep fighting to survive in the changing world.

A Little Sacrifice

My FAVORITE of all the stories in this book. My emo little heart simultaneously hurt and rejoiced in the amount of angst. And tear-jerking moments. And heartfelt sweetness. It’s everything I ever wanted when reading a story.

I am confident to say Essi Daven is one of my favorites of this series (along with Dandelion!). Essi Daven is a poet (troubadour) like Dandelion. She’s actually kind of the happy-go-lucky troubadour’s friendly rival and long-time friend who he treats like a little sister. We finally meet a female who Dandelion respects and matches his level of cleverness though she’s younger than him. Don’t fight me on this: Dandelion is very clever. Even if he acts like a womanizer and a dumbass all the time.

He’s sincerely sweet with her, protective of her and their interactions together are GOLD. Warms my heart!! Can’t stop shipping their familial relationship!

Essi Daven quickly and easily won me over. Not gonna lie, I really wished Essi was Geralt’s love interest. She was able to finally redirect Geralt’s mind to someone other than Yennefer so he’s not Mr. Storm Clouds all the time. Which is good. He needs some happiness in life. But my boy likes women who aren’t healthy for him – Dandelion called Geralt out on this too (I’m talking out of my ass right now. Not sure if Yennefer gets better. But right now, I do see her more as an antagonistic character.)

A Little Sacrifice’s overall story is kind of like The Little Mermaid. Minus all the Disney fluff. This is the Witcher, remember? In traditional Sapkowski style, it’s a darker, adult Little Mermaid tale.

No doubt about it, you will cry when you read A Little Sacrifice. If you don’t, you need to get your heart checked because I don’t think it’s functioning correctly.

The Sword of Destiny

Let me start off by saying, this is the story you’re waiting for. This story is the most pivotal and pertinent to main series’ plotline. Geralt gets a sweet and shocking surprise. A promise of the past comes back to present him with his future, his destiny. But our hero isn’t readily able to accept this surprise just yet. He never believed in fate or destiny. He doesn’t want to acknowledge that this long-awaited destiny has finally crossed his path. It’s cool. He just needs a little persuasion.

We also get to meet the dryads of Brokilon and get a taste for their culture. I loved The Sword of Destiny short story! I love the strong, independent female characters who were different from the other maidens of their era. The dryads reminded me of Amazonians or Amazon women in Greek mythology. They are a species I would happily live with. If you don’t first get killed by their arrows and superior marksmanship. Don’t play with these women.

My favorite part was the enchanting, magical, fantastical and gorgeous descriptions of their homes and their lands. Might not be accurate, but I imagined their lands to be like Rivendell from The Lord of the Rings movies. How the dryads worked in harmony with the forest rather than harming it. Even Geralt acknowledges Brokilon’s unique lands, noting there is no other place like it. My hippie heart cries out with happiness.

Something More

Grab your tissues, Something More was a tear-jerker (at least for me). Honestly, all the stories were (damn Sapkowski for hitting me straight in my feels).

So you know how I said this man didn’t believe he had a goal or end destination waaaaaay back in the first story, The Bounds of Reason?

Well, well, well. Geralt begins to warm up to the idea that there’s something more in his life. That he’s more than just a mutant. More than a professional killer. That there’s more to his life than eventually, very likely getting killed by some creature he’s hunting – as most witchers’ lives end. More to life than a death ending. That destiny is stalking him and eventually he has to answer the call. To be something more himself.

And it comes in the form of a little, tough princess.

Geralt being angsty and contemplating things. He gets injured at the beginning of this story, which gives him plenty of time to reflect on the latest revelations in Sword of Destiny. He contemplates about his relationship with Yennefer, his mother, how he became a witcher and his meeting with the princess. Was it destiny? Geralt doesn’t believe in that. He believes that something more is needed than just destiny.

I think about it this way: destiny includes free will. Sure, maybe someone is fated to be with you. But if you believe it is all fate’s doing with putting any effort in, it belittles the person or experience. Fate may have brought them to you, but effort (“something more”) keeps them with you. Confused? It’s fine. This can get a little existential.

Something More is also pertinent to the main series’ plotline. Geralt is forced with a decision to either accept his destiny or keep living life as is. With a great war brewing, dramatic change is inevitable. Also, very touching scenes between Ciri and Geralt (love their dynamic together!). This story jumpstarts the main plot of The Witcher Saga.

All Book Reviews for The Witcher Saga (in series order):

1. The Last Wish
2. Sword of Destiny
3. Blood of Elves
4. The Time of Contempt
5. Baptism of Fire
6. The Tower of Swallows
7. The Lady of the Lake
8. Season of Storms