One of the phenomena in Fantasy of recent years has been the popularity of The Witcher series of novels. No doubt in part because of the computer game and the Netflix series, the world outside Poland (where the stories were first published) has suddenly become aware of the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia. (The books had actually been available in Poland for years before their English translation.)
With this back catalogue now in print, we now come to book nine.
Although it is the ninth book, Crossroads of Ravens is an ideal starter novel for anyone wondering what the fuss is about. It’s an origin story, of sorts – think of it like Batman: Year One, where the lead character finishes his training and gets to work. So too, here the young Geralt, having recently left Kaer Morhen (the training ground home of Witchers) is taken under the wing of Preston Holt, an older Witcher with a mysterious past.
The result is an episodic narrative as Geralt travels around, gaining experience and earning money. And it is clear that this is a younger, inexperienced Geralt. He has to make decisions and sometimes gets them wrong, with dire consequences.
By the end of the book secrets are revealed and the disparate elements of the story link together surprisingly well. Of course, as this is a prequel story, you never get the impression that Geralt is going to be killed, although there are times when he comes darned close! The joy of this story is seeing how Geralt grows and develops into the character you may know of in later books.
Sapkowski manages to build his world on his terms. It is refreshingly direct and even rather old-school in its methodology, as well as being unflinchingly, brutally violent and easily recognisable. There is some introspection admittedly, but the book doesn’t centre around it. Instead, we have a complex man doing what he thinks are good deeds, even when the consequences may be calamitous for themselves.
The purpose of Witchers is pretty much what is said from the outset – a group of especially-evolved human-like creatures whose purpose is to kill for money, defending themselves and the world they live in from nasty creatures, both human and non-human. Some of the nasty things Geralt encounters in the book are quite unpleasant and may be based on ancient folklore, which adds to the mystical charm of the setting.
Throughout the book there is a sense of wrongdoing, that the Witchers are unfairly treated with suspicion and greeted with derision for just existing, despite achieving many positive things. Stories of them killing people and eating babies ate just some of the fairy stories told to children about the Witchers, which means that the majority of people fear them or at best mistrust them, despite their positive actions. It helps create the idea of Geralt as an anti-hero.
There is, of course, added to this a strict moral code for Witchers – I suspect that it was this that David Gemmell fans found attractive when Blood of Elves was nominated for a David Gemmell Award a few years ago – although it is pretty clear from the start that Geralt has to recognise that there are times when the definition of the rules do blur.
Much of the story is pretty much what fans will expect. What I was most surprised by was that in these days of stories where fights can take place over pages, Sapkowski is surprisingly unembellished. Killings may take place with one or two well-crafted sentences. I found it rather refreshing to read such an unambiguous novel.
As I said at the beginning, I think Crossroads of Crows is a great book to start your Witcher journey. It is well written, fast-paced and accessible. Should Mr Sapkowski wish to add more to this early era of Geralt of Rivia, I for one would not object. Old-school fantasy done right.
© 2025 Mark Yon
Hardback | Gollancz
CROSSROADS OF RAVENS by Andrzei Sapkowski
September 2025 | 384 pages
ISBN: 978 139 9633 451
