Book Review: Blood of Elves

Watch for the signs! What signs these shall be, I say unto you: first the earth will flow with the blood of Aen Seidhe, the Blood of Elves...

For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over, and now the races are fighting once again. The only good elf, it seems, is a dead elf.

Geralt of Rivia, the cunning assassin known as The Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. This child has the power to change the world - for good, or for evil.

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is hunted for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt's responsibility to protect them all - and the Witcher never accepts defeat.

Following The Last Wish, BLOOD OF ELVES is the new novel starring Geralt of Rivia, the inspiration for the critically-acclaimed videogame The Witcher.

Blood of Elves ( The Witcher #1 ) by Andrzej Sapkowski
Paperback, 320 pages
First published 1994


REVIEW:
I got the book in a trade and well i will admit...i just got it because of the title. I didn't even read the summary. Actually i still haven't. It just seemed to cool to not try it. And hey! It was amazing!


It is one of the best epic fantasy books i've read. My favorite part is that instead of following the prophecy child, you follow everyone else around her and the events concerns her. It barely has 10 pages from the girl's POV. And it was one really good break to read, from the people on the background and see how they think and why they act they way they act. I don't say i didn't want to read more from her, because she quite an interesting heroine but i don't really mind that i didn't either. I mean i'm a little tired of small kids training and being heroes. And it's one of those times i happen to know the people of the books well, and create feelings for the characters except a simple like or dislike but instead trusting them, sympathize with them, etc.


The book starts with a battle which is actually really intriguing and one of the most alive battles i've ever read. With small sentences and direct, you feel the character to the bone. And then it goes into the main story with an introduction of a the world and the story, through a small festival and conversation on a song of a bard between people of all classes. 
I have to admit that it was one of the most interesting ways to read about the world of a book and it wasn't tiring or with had too many details that you forgot lately. Everything you need to know is there, so the author can go on without having in mind to create scenes where he has to explain things that were said.

Another thing i would like to mention is that the first chapter of the book was like 40 pages! I've never seen something like that before. It usually is around 20 pages each chapter but here i was reading and reading and reading :P


In conclusion, i think the every epic fantasy fan should give it a chance. It is a great and quite different book and at the same time has a really original story.