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wren_in_black 's review for:
Sword of Destiny
by Andrzej Sapkowski
Sword of Destiny, by Andrzej Sapkowski is a second collection of short stories following on the heels of [b:The Last Wish|40603587|The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)|Andrzej Sapkowski|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529591917l/40603587._SX50_.jpg|2293675]. It provides necessary set up for the characters and plot of [b:Blood of Elves|6043781|Blood of Elves (Witcher, #1)|Andrzej Sapkowski|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1443278828l/6043781._SY75_.jpg|1877722]. These stories will add considerably to your experience of the next books, or the games, or the Netflix series. If you're a fan of the series, you will recognize several encounters from this book, although some were adapted differently for the main screen.
Of the short stories in this book, for fans of the Netflix series, "Eternal Flame" and "Something More" will stand out most. Even though these stories may be familiar for series fans, they are worth reading, as we see more of Yennefer and Visenna - which in turn shows us more about our beloved White Wolf.
The world of the Witcher is both wide and deep. There are no good or evil people. There are simply people trying to get by and do the best they know how, which makes everyone extremely relatable. Sapkowski builds characters worthy of our extreme empathy, and as a reader, you'll become attached to them all immediately. I'm used to only caring deeply about the main characters in a story, so it is refreshing to enter a world where everyone is worthy of compassion. It's also nice to a see a fantasy where mistakes have consequences and the hero is not always ensured his survival just because he's a hero. Bad things happen to good people and those left behind still find hope and rebuild.
Currently I'm exploring the question, "What does it mean to be human in the face of great evil, suffering, and personal tragedy?". This book has much to teach us about what it means to be human. The answer is not always pretty, and not always good - but always leaves room for hope.
**For teachers and concerned parents, this book does have more sexual content than the first. I still wouldn't call it explicit. Nipples and breasts are described in detail, as they are in many fantasies, along with the build up to such encounters as would expose them. But people are not reduced to sexual objects and nothing too technical is detailed. For a mature high school reader, this should not be a problem. I won't be placing it for anyone to pick up in my 7th/8th grade library, but if I had students in the 9th grade and above, I wouldn't worry too much about it.**
Of the short stories in this book, for fans of the Netflix series, "Eternal Flame" and "Something More" will stand out most. Even though these stories may be familiar for series fans, they are worth reading, as we see more of Yennefer and Visenna - which in turn shows us more about our beloved White Wolf.
The world of the Witcher is both wide and deep. There are no good or evil people. There are simply people trying to get by and do the best they know how, which makes everyone extremely relatable. Sapkowski builds characters worthy of our extreme empathy, and as a reader, you'll become attached to them all immediately. I'm used to only caring deeply about the main characters in a story, so it is refreshing to enter a world where everyone is worthy of compassion. It's also nice to a see a fantasy where mistakes have consequences and the hero is not always ensured his survival just because he's a hero. Bad things happen to good people and those left behind still find hope and rebuild.
Currently I'm exploring the question, "What does it mean to be human in the face of great evil, suffering, and personal tragedy?". This book has much to teach us about what it means to be human. The answer is not always pretty, and not always good - but always leaves room for hope.
**For teachers and concerned parents, this book does have more sexual content than the first. I still wouldn't call it explicit. Nipples and breasts are described in detail, as they are in many fantasies, along with the build up to such encounters as would expose them. But people are not reduced to sexual objects and nothing too technical is detailed. For a mature high school reader, this should not be a problem. I won't be placing it for anyone to pick up in my 7th/8th grade library, but if I had students in the 9th grade and above, I wouldn't worry too much about it.**