Blood of Elves

If not evident already, I have been reading these in chronological order rather than order of release. Yes, I really charged through these like Geralt to a morally grey option, because I was racing against the clock to finish as many as I could before the new Netflix season. And yes, I'm logging these in hindsight as I'm trying to use GoodReads more often in hopes of getting back on the proverbial reading horse.

This is the entry that really sets in motion the primary narrative of Geralt, Ciri, and company, focusing heavily on the latter from the downfall of Cintra, her constant struggle to escape, and her eventual training. Those expecting more of Geralt will be a little let down, as Blood of Elves gives more precedence to his protégé and daughter figure, Ciri. I'd say this entry spends far more time with Ciri and Yennifer, as well as putting some more emphasis on the sorcery of the world. Mainstay characters like Triss Merigold (a fave), Nenneke, Eskel, Vesimir, and goes to familiar gamer territory like Oxenfurt and Kaer Morhen. It also has one of the cooler moments of written battle, involving the face-scarred shadowy stalker, Riance. I'd argue the Netflix series borrows the most from this entry, which I do feel rather hit or miss about on their handling of the timeline and constant jumping around.

I recall this book ending on a moody ominous note, with a terrific book title name-drop and setup for Time of Contempt.