The Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski is the third book in the Witcher series. By the title you expect a lot of crazy things to go down and you are not disappointed.
Geralt of Rivia has been recovering in the forest of Brokolin while the world around him is at war. Nilfgard took the initiative and is winning the war so far. And they supposedly have Ciri. Geralt decides to travel to Nilfgard territory to somehow rescue her but he isn’t going alone. Old friends and new friends he makes along the way are there to help him with his journey and make him realize he doesn’t have to carry the burden alone.
This book in the series felt a lot like The Lord of the Rings in a good way. The journey from Brokolin to Nilfgard is the adventure itself and we get to see Witcher and crew get into fights, make new friends, and everything in between. A lot happens and we also get to see the sorceress trying to put the pieces together and make another council. Also, Ciri sinks into a dark place and joins a crew that kills and steal as they please.
The phrase baptism of fire is what it sounds like for people caught up in a war. The only way through is through the fire and we see that a lot. Geralt has tried avoiding taking part in the war but now he has no choice when the people he cares about the most are dragged into it. And the rest of the world too as a result.
Not many writers can dive into a complicated world like the one Sapkowsji has created and make sense of everything. However, I think this book manages that well. Everything fits together and we see many characters affected by the circumstances raised in the book.
If you love world building novels, then this book is for you. The attention to detail makes Baptism of Fire resemble Game of Thrones and we have seen the show take off after Game of thrones came to an end. People have flocked to the Witcher show and the books and rightfully so.
1 thought on “Book Review: Baptism of Fire”