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 was done in a six part series for this book, so check out the previous parts below.
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
The Witcher Saga - The Tower of the Swallow - Part III
The Witcher Saga - The Tower of the Swallow - Part IV
The Witcher Saga - The Tower of the Swallow - Part V
Chapter 11
Triss is with Mother Nenneke at the Temple of Melitele. The girls Iola and Eurneid were preparing to leave, to work as nurses in the war effort. They had spent years training at healing all sorts of ailments and were prepared, according to Nenneke. As they watched the girls leave, Jarre exclaimed how he wanted to go to the war too. He wanted to help rescue Ciri. Nenneke scoffed, reminding him his place was that of study.
Prior to the girls leaving, Triss had joined Nenneke and Iola in searching for Ciri via a trance. Iola had prophetic powers and Triss wanted to join in the vision, even against Nennekes wishes. Triss had already foreseen her death, with her name on the obelisk on Sodden Hill. She was prepared for the dangers of the trance.
Far beyond the Amell mountains, about five hundred miles from the Temple of Melitele, a fisherman named Gosta awakes. Once the first ice came, he was off to the lakes of Centloch to fish. As he was busy catching more fish than he ever needed, he heard a snort. A black horse was on the lake shore. With a rider whose face was covered. She approached him, asking directions and showing she meant no harm. Despite this he was hesitant, wondering why anybody would be travelling in the midst of winter. He snorted when she asked about a Tower, suggesting instead there was merely ruins and weeds at Tarn Mira lake. He gave her directions and watched her ride away on the majestic black steed. He pondered was it all just an apparition, a demon of a girl with green eyes and a disfigured face. As he made his way home, his senses told him to stay off the path. Any person who rides through the wilds are usually being hunted. An hour later, fourteen riders galloped along the track. A search party.
Vilgefortz had managed to use his magic to get Rience, Tawny Owl, Bonhart, Johanna, and the remainder of the troops on Ciri’s trail. Their tracker, Boreas Mun was doing his utmost to keep them on the right track. Ciri was about five or six miles ahead, and they had been chasing her for three weeks. They had not believed it when Vilgefortz said she would go to the magical structure in Tarn Mira, but they did now. There was unease amongst them, as both Tawny Owl and Boreas Mun had nightmares the previous night. Of drowning. Rience was trying to use the xenogloss to contact Vilgefortz but there was no answer. Rience is pondering whether or not Tawny Owl and Bonhart will keep to their agreement with Vilgefortz once they capture the girl. Or if they will betray him and kill Rience. He pondered why did he insist on going after the girl while Schirrú went after the Witcher. Thinking back to when Yennifer fell into their hands at the beginning of September.
Yennifer was kicked awake, beaten like a man, and promised she would get what she deserved. Before her was Rience, and the scattered ruins of the Alkyone longboat. Vilgefortz appeared as Yennifer was being beaten and put an end to it. He had used magic to bring her ship to him. The same magic he has used to destroy any ship in the Sedna Abyss. Including the one containing Pavetta and Duny. She was dragged to his laboratory, unaware where there were. All she could make out was the mountains rising around them. They took her star and tied her to a steel chair with clamps on her wrists and legs. Yennifer was intwined in a series of copper and glass wires which had been inserted in her. Vilgefortz revealed his face to her, showing the damage Ciri had done. When she entered the portal, it exploded, and destroyed half of his face. His left eye and skin were destroyed, slowly regenerating. He could not track Ciri due to the power of her Elder blood, but now he had Yennifer that would change. Her strong bond with the girl, her feelings, meant he would make Yennifer cooperate in finding the girl. The elixirs took hold, and with Yennifer attached to Vilgefortz megascope, he demanded her to show him Ciri. Yennifer resisted, for all of his sweet and charming efforts. Then Rience was brought in. To torture Yennifer into giving up Ciri. She did not. However, she did eventually show them Geralt, along with Dandelion, Cahir, and Milva. Schirrú volunteered to go after them, while Rience was sent to deal with Tawny Owl and Bonhart.
As the search party approached the lakes, they stopped. Bonhart suggested they split in two, to approach from two sides so as not the have the lakes between them and the girl. Bonhart, Rience, and Ola Harshein led a group of fourteen along the eastern flank. As the remaining group prepared to leave, Johanna stopped. Tawny Owl barked at her to go, but she refused. They were deserting. They would not ride to their deaths, not after they had all dreamed of drowning. The tracker Boreas refused to desert Tawny Owl, along with Dacre Silifant, but the rest rode away. Before leaving, Johanna commented to Tawny Owl that who knows, maybe they will all be hung on the same scaffold.
Back at the tribunal Johanna finished her tale. She looked at the chancellor, and decided it was her one chance. She use her ability to get into his head, and he ordered her to be released as she was of no further use to them.
Tawny Owl had caught up to Bonhart and his group on the edge of the lake. It was frozen over with ice, and Boreas spotted the footprints of Ciri walking out onto the ice. She was only a few furlongs ahead of them and they decided to follow. Walking out onto the ice, the spread out in single file. Bonhart decided to turn back, to get his horse. As the others proceeded suddenly the tracks ended. Ciri was on skates. The fear grew amongst the men and in a flash Ciri was on them. Whizzing by at such speed, killing them one by one and disappearing into the fog again. Panic ensued and the noise of Ciri skating was muffled by the screams. Rience tried to use magic to protect them, but the lightning bolt he created merely broke open the ice. They fell in but those still alive managed to climb back out. Except Rience. As Ciri appeared again he begged for mercy, that he would tell her where Yennifer is. She reminded him how he promised to show her pain. With Rience hanging onto the edge of the ice and trying to pull himself out, Ciri skated off, only to reappear in a flash and skate over his hands, cutting through his fingers. Rience vanished below the ice, leaving Tawny Owl and Boreas shivering in the cold. As Rience floated to the bottom of the lake, Vilgefortz bellowed from the xenogloss. The sorcerer had not heard from Rience in two days and roared that the girl could not be allowed to reach the tower. Naturally, there was no response.
Bonhart was galloping at all his might, along the lake edge. He knew he had to catch the girl, and sensed she was near. At the end of the lake he caught up to her, with just a thin sliver of ice between them. Ciri road on with Bonhart in pursuit, and as the fog cleared the bounty hunter roared in delight. There was no tower. Just a hillock. Ciri galloped onwards towards it. Suddenly before Bonharts eyes mysterious shapes appeared. Skeletal shapes. Skelton warriors on horses. All clad in armour. A warrior with a crown on its head and deep glowing blue eyes warned Bonhart to leave the girl. She was theirs. Full of courage, the bounty hunter was not afraid. His horse however was, and it stamped the ice in fear, breaking it. Plummeting into the water, Bonhart just managed to get out but in the process drowned his own horse. He could only watch on as a mighty tower had appeared on the barren hillock. He could only watch on as Ciri rode through the arches and entered it. In a flash it was gone, leaving Bonhart alone, wet, and helpless on the edge of Tarn Mira lake.
Within the Tower Ciri rides forward on Kelpie, being reminded of Kaer Morhen. The floor in covered in bones, and she proceeded through as a multitude of doors open before her. As she goes forward Ciri sees familiar faces. Yennifer in chains and pain. Iola and Nenneke beneath a statue. Geralt, Vesemir, Eskel, Triss, Tatiana, and more faces from her past. Finally she sees Vysogota. He is pleased she made it there safe, and controlled her need for vengeance. He explains how she is the master of worlds thanks to her Elder Blood. She has a mighty Power, and must keep if safe. She has the power over time and space. He bids his swallow farewell, and she enters more doors, and finally a dazzling brightness with a scent of flowers.
Ciri was at a lakeside, with lush and beautiful smelling flowers. Ahead she spotted two white unicorns drinking at the waterside. As Kelpie strode forward she noticed an elf, playing music. Once she got towards the elf and he finished his song with a long, drawn out note, he turned to her and said “What took you so long?”
Final thoughts
The Child of destiny has finally gotten herself back on track. After rebelling and spending time with the Rats, finding love and belonging, she understand's her need to return to her old life, as much as she can at least. Having evaded her capturers, Ciri is saved by an old man named Vysogota. She recalls her adventures and tales with him, having realised she desires to return to her old way of life, her rightful life. She has been wounded physically, including a horrible scar on her face, but is still the tough Child of Destiny everyone is conspiring to get their hands on. Geralt, along with Dandelion and his new companions Milva, Cahir, and Regis, are on their own adventure to try and find Ciri. They had encountered so much in the war torn lands but never gave up. Even when Geralt feels like Ciri is dead and lost forever he does not change his mindset. Even with the lingering dread that Yennifer conspired against him he wont abandon the girl. They will push on into the lands of Nilfgaard and not let anyone hinder them in their travels to find the druids, who Geralt is hoping can shed some light on where Ciri has gone.
The journeys all our hero's takes in this book is beautifully written and portrayed. We get a deeper understanding of just how much Geralt is willing to sacrifice to find and save Ciri. He will not leave her to the torment of Nilfgaard. Yennifer has become caught up in the politics of the sorcerers, and the new lodge. Yennifer is also determined not to let Ciri torment without her intervention. Every remaining King, spy, and person of power is doing their utmost to find Ciri, but she remained well hidden. Nilfgaard is exclaiming they have Ciri and she will marry Emhyr, while the spies such as Vattier and Djikstra are busy plotting amongst the lands and other Kingdoms to ensure they do not lose in the fight against Nilfgaard. Once she allowed herself to appear once again, she was stronger, more determined, and had her powers back. Setting out on her journey to the Tower of the Swallow, Ciri faced her enemies and made use of all her sorceress and Witcher powers available to get her back home. She finally got to the portal, but it did not lead her where she expected. The final part of the journey awaits as Ciri, Geralt, Yennifer, and all their allies battle to find each other one final time.
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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