Legends like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight have been passed down for centuries. In these tales, magic, medieval romance, political intrigue, and the hearty thrust of the blade and spear provide the backdrop against which larger-than-life characters play out their roles: Mordred, Morgan Le Fay, Merlin, Lancelot, The Lady of the Lake, and even a deathless adversary faced by Arthur’s own nephew, Gawain. Elements of these stories continue to permeate and influence new stories, encouraging our fascination with magic and epic sword and sorcery tales.
During the 1990s, in particular, we saw a rise in a certain type of fantasy that blend together magic and with elements of gritty realism, deep character-driven plots, and worlds that parallel our own in intriguing ways. Examples include Robin Hobb’s Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies, George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, David and Leigh Edding’s prequel, Belgarath the Sorcerer, and to some extent the incredibly popular works of J.K. Rowling and Philip Pullman. The proof of great writing can often be felt when the reader steps into a new fictional world and finds that it feels fully realized and lived-in—plagues, monsters, and all. And Andrzej Sapkowski’s tales of The Witcher do just that. For those who haven’t read the books that the upcoming Netflix series is based on, you will find Sapkowski’s stories full of well-crafted adventures and characters of every type: fierce rogues, valiant fighters with questionable morals, sorcerers that abuse their arcane arts, and all the back-alley cretins that would sooner relieve you of your coin than help you out of a quandary. The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, and Season of Storms are all great jumping-off points if you want a solid introduction to Sapkowski’s characters of the series and the world they inhabit. To read more about the major characters and the cast click on the following link below: Learn More About the Major Characters and Cast in Netflix's The Witcher |
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February 2021
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