February 12, 2023
Andrzej Sapkowski’s original stories of Geralt of Rivia are highly regarded and deeply influential in the modern fantasy canon, having inspired a successful video game franchise, a feature length film, and a very popular TV show. The first couple books in the series are collections of short stories that often function as pseudo-retellings of classic fairy tales told through the lens of Geralt’s adventures as a monster hunter. They work really well, as both the subject matter and Sapkowski’s writing are well-suited to short form prose. As he started to explore a more centralized narrative in his novels, the pacing took a hit, as if he was having trouble transitioning the world to a long-form structure. The characters and story concept remained strong, but struggled to grab and hold attention.
In this, the second full length novel, Sapkowski seems to find some momentum. The characters’ individual narratives work with each other more seamlessly, and are more interesting to read. The action propels the reader between the slower sections in a way that makes it more exciting to read to the next high point. Most importantly, the formerly-tertiary-but-perhaps-now-protagonist Cirilla is more fully fleshed out as a complete person, rather than a child with little depth and even less appeal. By the end of this entry, she has become a compelling character separate from her adult guardians, with lots of story to explore.
Structurally, The Time of Contempt feels a bit less like a stand-alone book and more like a chapter in an ongoing narrative (which, I suppose, it is). The novel’s “cliff-hanger” ending isn’t so much a cliff-hanger as it is a page break; a natural lift in the story-telling more than a legitimate stopping place. In this instance, I think the format works well, holding my interest in the story as if I were simply waiting for Sapkowski to continue talking.
In general, I think this second narrative entry is a strong improvement on the first, and I’m hopeful that this trend continues.
7.5/10
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