Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Baptism of Fire

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski

15 reviews

gamingbookwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This one took me awhile to read (started it in May, finished in January), but I blame that on my own distractibility / starting other books, not on the book itself. Once I got to around pg 170, I was rolling and it took me less than a week to finish the remainder.

I really enjoyed this one, particularly the last half! (Probably more than #2.) The ending put Geralt in a humorous situation, (I won't spoil!) which had my sister looking at me weird because of how much I was chuckling to myself.

Some standout points:
- Perspective was handled in a way that stood out from the last one as being a great choice to watch the story unfold. Very clever and supported the worldbuilding.
- A few new characters are introduced in this one and I loved their interactions with Geralt.
- The geopolitical talks in this book were less prevalent and more enjoyable to me than in previous installments. Instead, there is a very interesting lore / genealogical info drop.

Overall, it was well-balanced between exploring interpersonal dynamics, commentating on societal issues & war, and dry, witty humor. I love books with that kind of blend; intelligently written, but don't take themselves too seriously. I've already picked up the next one.

Content Warnings

comradehaasboy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

breamfish1138's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Sapkowski walked so George R.R. Martin could run. If you've not read the previous Witcher books you'll be lost as hell, but if so, you'll likely bloody love it. Closest thing I can describe it as is Apocalypse Now with swords.

Content Warnings

mcmeiss's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

izraehl's review against another edition

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adventurous funny tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

billyjepma's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and wanted something light and easy to help me shake myself out of it, and this fit the bill. I enjoy the hell out of these books, even if that enjoyment includes a decent pile of caveats. Sapkowski isn’t the greatest writer, nor is the content of his writing unquestionable (just look at the content warning at the bottom 🙃). But other than that, the actual story and characters represent something pretty damn close to the platonic ideal of fantasy adventure for me. Swashbuckling action, dry humor, lots of lore, a side of politics, and a badass protagonist who is also an idiot—what more could you want?

This is a nice continuation for the series, too, even if it does march in place narratively. There’s very little new ground covered, and you can feel the gap left by the temporary sidelining of Yennefer and Ciri. But the books are also best when Geralt is front and center, as he’s the character Sapkowski’s dry, sarcastic voice is most suited for. It’s nice seeing Geralt develop a little as a leader, as he (very begrudgingly and with plenty of angst) develops camaraderie with some new allies who perfectly fit the vibe of the series.

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