Good day everyone,
I hope you are all having a good day, welcome to CryptoGod-1's blog on all things gaming and literature. Today I will be doing an analysis and review of the sixth book from The Witcher series, and the fourth of The Witcher Saga, by Andrzej Sapkowski, entitled The Tower of the Swallow. Within I will break down the chapters and give an overview of what happens within the story, with a conclusion on the overall book at the end. This will be done in a six part series for this book, so keep an eye out for the remaining parts to follow.
Previous Parts to this Book
The Witcher Saga - The Tower of the Swallow - Part I
The Witcher Saga - The Tower of the Swallow - Part II
Chapter 5
The Wicther and company were in luck. After trekking with the beekeepers for five days they happened upon Riedbrune, located near the Amell mountains. News has reached them that the druids were in fact near Loch Monduirn, roughly thirty five miles away. Geralt had received his gold coin for assisting the Riverdellian Beekeepes, and Milva, Regis, Dandelion, and Cahir insisted they stock up on supplies and spend a night at an inn before they set off again. Riedbrune was a small town located at a bend in the river Nevi. Geralt and Dandelion, accompanied by one of the youngsters from the beekeeper group, were to gather info in the town, while the other three stocked up on supplies.
Nilfgaard had taken over the town, and everywhere there were forces of Nilfgaardian soldiers. They had prisoners of war working in their mines and quarries, intent on building a garrison on the site of the old castle. The new prefect, Mr Fulko Artevelde, was instilled by Nilfgaard and is a stern master. A group of soldiers approached Geralt, recognising him as the Witcher and demanded he go with them. Reluctant at first, Geralt agrees and informs Dandelion to let the others know what had happened to him.
While being questioned on the reasons for his travels by Artevlde, Geralt complies and reveals he is looking for the druids to get some information. A girl is brought in, and for a moment Geralt thinks it is Ciri. It’s not. Instead it is a young criminal girl, Angoulême, a part of Nightingales gang. Nightingale, also known as Homer Straggen, had been paid by an elf to ambush and kill Geralt in Belhaven. She is beaten to give evidence, and eventually dragged away. Artevlde went on to explain to Geralt how he wants Nightingale dead, and for Geralt to be the bait and trap. The Witcher will remove the problem from this world, and in turn Artevlde will not interfere with the Witcher on his journey. He also informs Geralt that the druids are in Toussaint, where Duchess Anarietta brought them for sanctuary. Geralt agrees, on the condition Angouleme is released into his company to aid him on his travels.
The group set out, and eventually once they made camp Geralt explained the scenario to the group. Regis was understanding. Dandelion however was unimpressed there was now a criminal amongst them, let alone that Geralt had hired them out to be Nilfgaardian mercenaries. Angoulême explained how two dozen men were in Nightingales hanza, slang word for a gang. Geralt was the groups chosen leader, and his plan was simple. Dandelion, Regis, and Cahir were to make for the druids in Toussaint to get whatever info they could on Ciri. Geralt, Milva, and Angoulême would go to Belhave to eliminate Nightingale and find the half elf who paid him. Geralt wished to question the half elf on why he was after the Witcher. Dandelion protested he could not set foot in Toussaint but Geralt did not listen. When Angouleme insisted Cahir and not Milva should join Geralt as Nightingale would not be afraid of a Witcher and two women, Geralt made his feelings clear. He did not trust Cahir, as he believed Cahir was spying on them to get Ciri and save his own life and career in Nilfgaard. Cahir could not stand by and listen, so attacked Geralt. They punched and fought each other until Milva broke it up by whacking them with her leather belt. The matter was put to rest, and not to be revisited. The following morning they set out at dawn. Riding through forest and higher into the mountains until night fell.
They camped one last time, and in the morning set out on their separate journeys. Before they departed Geralt apologised to Cahir for his accusations. He also announced Cahir would join him and Angoulême up to Nevi towards Belhaven. The other three would make for Sansretour towards Toussaint borders. Geralt also implied he believed it was Yennifer along with Vilgefortz who had tracked them, but their magic could not detect Regis. There was no spy in their group. Finally, he informed them he believed Ciri to be dead, killed alone at the Equinox amongst hostile people far away from them. They would not be rescuing her, instead they would be getting revenge for her lost life. A vengeance which would be told a hundred years from then.
Ciri explained to Vysogota how she had only dreamt of Geralt once since Thaneed. She had seen him making his departing speech to his company, and how wrong he was. She was not dead and it was not yet the Equinox so why would he declare her dead early? How wrong he was about Yennifer. About everything. She had been humiliated by Bonhart the night she had that dream, and forced to reveal who she really was. Vysogota listened in silence to the girl as she continued to tell her tale.
Chapter 6
As they made camp in the hills for the night, overlooking Belhaven, Angoulême told her tale to Cahir and Geralt. She was from Cintra originally and born into a noble household, but she was a bastard child. Removed from her mother, she was raised by others. Eventually she was shipped off to an orphanage ran by priests, where they sold the children to local perverts for coin. Angoulême was fifteen by then and not as desirable as other children. She teamed up with some others her own age and between them they knifed and beat the priests and two clients to death, stole the coin, and hit the road. That’s how she ended up amongst criminals.
Instead of entering the town, Angoulême brought them to a mine. The half elf had been there before he met Nightingale and she was friends with the pit master, a dwarf named Golan Drozdeck. After some persuasion from Geralt, the dwarf told them what he knew of the half-elf. Rialto mine was where they needed to go. At that mine the trio encountered some of Nightingale's troop, who were extorting money for protection and recognised Angoulême. A battle ensued, but did not last more than five heartbeats. Suddenly three men arrived, and told Angoulême, Geralt, and Cahir to come with them. One of the men was a half-elf, Schirrú. They informed the half-elf they had killed the Witcher.
While Angoulême discussed payment for the contract on the Wicther, Schirrú toyed with them. They handed over the Witcher medallion as proof Geralyt was but dead, but Schirrú knew Geralt was before his eyes, and managed to get his hands on Angoulême when she approached him for payment. As a stand-off ensued, suddenly imperial soldiers arrived, called due to the corpses of Nightingales men. The standoff had suddenly changed. The guards were working with Nightingale, and therefore Schirrú. Falko was a joke to them, and as Geralt was working for Falko, himself and his companions were considered terrorists and outlaws. The head guard sentenced them to death on the spot. Nightingale was among the men, and his force was teamed up with Nilfgaard. Without his medallion Geralt could not perform magic.
They were to die a gruesome death, but first Schirrú bragged to Geralt how he had killed Codringher and Fenn on Vilgefortz's orders. As they were mocking and attacking the trio, suddenly on the slopes of the mine arrows and fire bombs were strewn at the Nilfgaardians and Nightingales hanza. “Long live the free slopes” was the cry from the rebels from the other mines who were rescuing Geralt, Cahir, and Angoulême. In the commotion the trio managed to break free and gain their weapons, fighting and slashing. Cahir got damaged in the head, and eventually Geralt helped him get out of there on horseback while Angoulême rode on also. Geralt had been determined to get Schirrú, for revenge, and because the half-elf had his medallion. Geralt demanded they ride on to Sansretour and push their horses for all they are worth, all the while Cahir was bleeding from his head wound.
Once Geralt and Cahir's horses could ride no further they were forced to stop. Geralt's horse died from exhaustion, and he informs Angoulême to ride on and find Milva, Regis, and Dandelion to warn them. They should go straight for Toussaint. Geralt would look after Cahir, who had some of his scalp torn from a hatchet thrown by one of the miners. He would live, but it was a bloody wound. Schirrú was tailing them so she needed to push her horse to its limits to get to the others safely.
Angoulême rode on while Geralt and Cahir hid in the bushes near the road. Soon after Nightingales men and some Nilfgaardian soldiers crossed in front of them, pursuing the girl. Geralt could not spot Nightingale among them. He managed to help Cahir down the ravine and to the stream, carrying the warrior on his back until they found somewhere to rest. Cahir had an awful fever but was a strong man, considering he nearly had his scalp cut off.
Cahir informed Geralt that he knew Ciri was still alive, as he could dream of her. That from the time he rescued her he could not stop dreaming of her. He loved her, even though he knew she would not love him back. He even considered letting her be with Emhyr, just so he could see her. Cahir warned Geralt he would never betray the Witcher and explained what happened that night in Cintra. How Cahir had ended up alone with Ciri, and she had escaped him after he fainted in exhaustion. Geralt was beginning to like the Nilfgaardian, as he was brave, honesty and smart. Cahir warned Geralt they needed to catch Schirrú to get information from him, not just to kill him. As they set out and rode along, finally they encountered a campfire with a single occupant. Regis.
To be continued.......
If you would like to check out my analysis on the World of the Witcher, please follow this link here: The Witcher
While if you wish to check out my review on the first book of short stories in the Witcher series, it is available here: The Witcher: The Last Wish
Finally if you want to see what I wrote about the second book of short stories from the Witcher, it is available here: The Witcher: The Sword of Destiny
The Witcher Saga
Book 1
The Witcher Saga - Blood of Elves - Part I
The Witcher Saga - Blood of Elves - Part II
The Witcher Saga - Blood of Elves - Part III
The Witcher Saga - Blood of Elves - Part IV
Book 2
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part I
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part II
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part III
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part IV
Book 3
The Witcher Saga - Baptism of Fire - Part I
The Witcher Saga - Baptism of Fire - Part II
The Witcher Saga - Baptism of Fire - Part III
The Witcher Saga - Baptism of Fire - Part IV
Have a great day.
Peace. CryptoGod-1.
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