Baptism Of Fire (the Witcher Book 5)

By (author) Sapkowski Andrzej; Translated by French, David
Short description/annotation
Geralt the Witcher is on a mission to save Ciri in the third novel in the New York Times bestselling Witcher series that inspired the #1 most watched Netflix show of 2019 and the blockbuster Witcher video games
Description

Geralt of Rivia is on a mission to save his ward, Ciri, and with her the world, in this third novel in the bestselling Witcher series that inspired the Netflix show and 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 rumour places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor.

Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.

Translated by David French.

Review quote
An incredibly nuanced, well-articulated novel, imbued with a self-assured command of description and brimming with Eastern European folklore
Review quote
The Witcher series is something quite special
Biographical note
Andrzej Sapkowski was born in 1948 in Poland. He studied economy and business, but the success of his fantasy cycle about the Witcher Geralt of Rivia turned him into a bestselling writer and he is now one of Poland''s most famous and successful authors, selling more in his own country than Stephen King or Michael Crichton.
Review quote: previous work
Sapkowski revitalizes the genre with energetic and compelling writing. A breath of fresh air in a well-worn genre. Don''t miss it! - DREAMWATCH

The character interplay is complex, unsentimental and anchored in brutal shared history. All bodes well for twisty plotting to come - SFX

Like Mieville and Gaiman, Sapkowski takes the old and makes it new - FOUNDATION

An incredibly nuanced, well-articulated novel, imbued with a self-assured command of description and brimming with Eastern European folklore - Starburst on Time of Contempt

Like a complicated magic spell, a Sapkowski novel is a hodge podge of fantasy, intellectual discourse and dry humour. Recommended - Time Magazine

Delightfully dry humour, mythology brimming with radical creatures and a group of interesting characters - Fantasy Book Review

One of the best and most interesting fantasy series I''ve ever read - Nerds of a Feather

There''s lots of imagination on show, the writing has a strong voice, and the Witcher is an entertaining character - Mark Lawrence