Book Review: “The Witcher” (Volume 1)

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The Witcher is a graphic novel based on the video game of the same name. The main character Geralt is a traveling sorcerer. He befriends a hunter. After several adventures, the two are lead by the hunter’s undead wife to a cursed house in a haunted forest. There, the Witcher meets a succubus, and after many adventures, the secret of the hunter’s wife is revealed.

The book succeeds as light horrific fantasy. The plot lacks substance, the Witcher moving through the story largely unchanged by the events. Being dropped into the Witcher’s world without explanation worked, but the Witcher himself lacked a proper back story, and was too passive, merely reacting to events, to be heroic. Why does he do what he does? What is his purpose? These questions remain unanswered.

I’d consider reading more in this series, but if I did, would expect some of these questions, and a motivating plot, to be revealed. What makes truly heroic characters in fantasy, like Aragorn, Elric, or Odysseus, is their mission.

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