The Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Time of Contempt, in the series that inspired The Witcher video games.
The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times.
But now that dark times have fallen upon the world, Geralt is helpless until he has recovered from his injuries.
While war rages across all of the lands, the future of magic is under threat and those sorcerers who survive are determined to protect it. It's an impossible situation in which to find one girl - Ciri, the heiress to the throne of Cintra, has vanished - until a rumor places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor.
Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.
This is the third of the Witcher novels by Andrzej Sapkowski.
The series
In a land soaked with blood, riddled with ancient grudges and riddles sharper than swords, one man walks the line between myth and nightmare. Geralt of Rivia isn’t your typical hero—he’s a witcher, a monster hunter trained from childhood and mutated by alchemy to fight the creatures that haunt the dark. But in a world where humans are often crueler than beasts, what counts as a monster is rarely clear.
Read full series description
The Witcher series is not a tale of simple quests or shining champions. It’s a slow-burn descent into a morally tangled landscape, where war, prejudice, and destiny twist through every kingdom and forest path. From the war-torn edges of the Continent to the eerie calm of cursed castles, these books build a rich, brooding world steeped in Slavic folklore, political intrigue, and philosophical bite.
At its heart is Geralt—stoic, weary, and deeply human beneath the scars. But he’s not alone. A runaway princess with chaos in her blood, a sharp-tongued bard with too much heart, mages, elves, rebels—all collide in a storm of alliances and betrayals. Loyalties shift like smoke, and destiny doesn’t care if you believe in it.
With razor-edged dialogue, dark humor, and moments of haunting beauty, the series balances brutal action with quiet introspection. It's no wonder it sparked a global phenomenon, inspiring award-winning video games and a hit TV adaptation—yet nothing captures the grit and soul of the world like the original novels.
For readers drawn to fantasy that dares to question heroism, that revels in shadow as much as light, these stories leave a mark. Not with flashy spells or predictable endings—but with the weight of choice, and the lingering question: what do we become when we fight monsters too long?
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