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This series is so highly rated, and I am five books in wondering what I just don’t understand. It’s not terrible, but from my view it’s a very middling, derivative fantasy series. I guess every series just has its fans who do connect with it, and I’m certainly guilty of fanning all over series whose appeal leaves other people stumped.

I should have reviewed this sooner. It’s been nearly a month and I don’t remember anything that really happened in Baptism of Fire, and it’s somewhat damning that I don’t even really feel like that’s going to be a problem when I pick up the next book. The last several books have all given me “A lot of words of nothing happening” vibes, and as much as this is a series with plot continuity from one book to the next, it’s been pretty easy to skim my way through them and just continue on skimming with the next book.

“You’re really getting nothing out of this,” you say. “Why do you bother?” These are good questions, and I don’t have a very good answer.

Anyway, here’s what Goodreads says happened in this book, because hell if I know: “The wizards guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times.

But now that dark times have fallen upon the world, Geralt is helpless until he has recovered from his injuries.

While war rages across all of the lands, the future of magic is under threat and those sorcerers who survive are determined to protect it. It’s an impossible situation in which to find one girl—Ciri, the heiress to the throne of Cintra, has vanished—until a rumor places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor.

Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.”

Man, I wish the book was as cool as that blurb makes it sound. I really, really do.