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 fourth book from The Witcher series, and the second of The Witcher Saga, by Andrzej Sapkowski, entitled Time of Contempt. Within the overall review 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 four part series for this book, so keep an eye out for the remaining parts to follow.

Time of Contempt

The book, published in Polish 1995 and into English in 2013. It a continuation from the first book in the Witcher Saga, Blood of Elves. Geralt, Ciri, and Yennifer are all continuing on their journey after the women have left Nenneke and her sanctuary. The battles with Nilfgaard and the rebel Scoia'tael are entering new heights of conflict, while everyone is scheming and planning on how to capture Ciri and Geralt. The mythical Wild Hunt have joined the race in trying to lay their hands on the lion-cub, while the yearning between Yennifer and Geralt can never be diminished. Ciri constantly desires to be reunited with the Witcher, and the learnings of Dandelion are never far from truths. The mages are gathering, with their council an event that must be attended to learn the secrets of all the spying sorcerers and sorceresses. 

It is an eventful time for our heroes, as Ciri begins to understand the heights of her powers, and just how much she is bound to Geralt. Her freedom has been taken from her, but she is embarking on a perilous journey with Yennifer and will find herself in a position she had never imagined come the end of it. With the world after her and perils around every corner, will her Witcher and Sorceress training be enough to help her when she needs it most?

There is an overall page count of 331 pages within the English version of the book which was translated by David French.

Chapter 1

A royal messenger, Aplegatt, is on a mission to deliver a message for King Foltest to King Demavend. The royals no longer have trust or faith in the magicians in their court, as they fear interfering with their scheming. Foltest is all prepared for the attack in Dol Angra to frame the Nilfgaards and reignite the war, but Demavend has a response which will change their plans. The Council of Wizards have called a gathering, and they must see what comes of it before the campaign can continue. On his travels the messenger inadvertently meets Ciri and Triss, although has no idea who they are, and soon after on the roads he just misses Geralt. The Witcher had been contracted to dispense with a great manticore. Geralt makes his way to the town of Dorian, looking for a particular establishment called 'Codringher and Fenn.' 

Geralt and Codringher discuss the matters at hand, as the Witcher has hired this shady lawyer to help him in matters pertaining to Ciri. Codringher has gathered information on Rience, who is now gone into hiding. A failure at his studies in sorcery, Rience was taken in by the Redanian Secret Service and has been a trained killer ever since. It is more than that though, as he is also being cared for and instructed by a powerful magician. Who this magician is the lawyer has not yet discovered, but along with his trusted partner Fenn, they have discovered a way of hiding Ciri's name. The duo have figured out the plot for killing Ciri is due to her claim on the throne of Cintra, but they also are aware of her bloodline. No Queen can be ruler of Cintra, it is a role for a King alone, and that is why Ciri is wanted dead. Nobody in power wishes to see her married off and have a royal lay claim to Cintra, or a male heir born. Due to Ciri's parents unusual circumstances of marriage, where Pavetta married a knight who would be considered unworthy as per his affliction, a rumour can be spread that Ciri is unfit and unworthy for the throne. A rumour to put off her pursuers. Nothing more, meaning one day she could rightfully claim the throne. Geralt wants more, and after paying 250 orens, he instructs the lawyers to gather information from the Elves on what the child of Elder Blood means in relation to Ciri. Codringher warns Geralt his life is in danger, and all for nothing, therefore the Witcher should abandon his efforts and return to Kaer Morhen. Already aware that he is wanted dead for trying to protect Ciri, Geralt dismisses this information and pushes Cordingher into doing the right thing and not betraying the Witcher's trust.

Soon after, the Witcher tracks down three assassins who are on the tail of Ciri and Yennifer. He encounter the royal messenger, Aplegatt, at an inn, and soon after the three assassins arrive. Unbeknown to them, the White Wolf is waiting and strikes all three down before instructing the innkeeper that if anyone comes looking they should know it was he, Geralt, who killed these men. Aplegatt continues on his mission and brings word to Dijkstra, in place of the King of Redania, that the troops are ready and that Foltest must not let them down. He also informs that Demavend will not be attending the Council of the magicians, while also relaying the message that Ciri is dead. Dijkstra gives his response for Aplegatt to forward onto Demavend from King Vizimir, that they must hold back as there has been a betrayal, and the Flame has gathered an army in Dol Angra ready to fight. Aplegatt heads out the following morning, and on his travels is spotted by members of the Scoia'tael, Toruviel and Yaevinn. The deliberate about whether or not to kill this lone rider, and Yaevinn takes the chance against the wishes of Toruvial, shooting his bow at Aplegatt and killing the messenger in one shot to his back.

Chapter 2

Ciri and Yennifer are riding towards Gors Velen, a city bristling with towers and surrounded by high walls, before they head on towards the council meeting at Thanedd. On their journey they encounter a crossroads where dead Scoia'tael were placed on wheels and pikes, after their deaths, as a warning to other Elves. They rode on and Yennifer fixed herself up to her most beautiful appearance, reminding Ciri that the attention should be on the sorceress so nobody would remember or notice the girl. They entered the city as onlookers gazed at Yennifer, who explained to Ciri how the city of Gors Velen owed a great deal to enchantresses, therefore she had a certain status there. A school for young gifted ladies is nearby, by the name of Aretuza, where Yennifer planned on leaving Ciri. They headed to a local bank where the pair were greeted by a dwarf banker by the name of Molnar Giancardi. Yennifer and Molnar discussed matters at hand, including her expenses and debts, which Molnar was happy to pay off as her prior deeds had left his family indebted to her. These include the fees for Ciri to attended the school at Aretuza. As Ciri sat pretending to read a book she has been given, but listening intently to the conversation, she overheard the mention of a Witcher who was in Dorian a mere ten days ago and has a debt of one hundred orens. Yennifer agrees with Molnar to cover this debt, but instead of flatly paying for it she persuaded the dwarf to have the Witcher's clients at the farm in Hirundum.

Fabio Sachs, a young assistant at the bank, is entrusted by Molnar and Yennifer to bring Ciri on a tour of Gors Velen while the adults continue their discussion of more pressing matters. He brings Ciri onto the city walls, showing her the beauties in the distance, including the way to Hirundum and the school of Aretuza. The school is perched atop a cliff, and the only way Ciri can describe it is as a prison. The pair continue around the town, knowing they have limited time as they must return to the bank by noon. Fabio shows Ciri around the various markets and the pair gorge themselves on a variety of foods. Fabio tells Ciri of his wish to travel, and unbeknown to the boy she has a vision which tells of Fabio becoming an explorer and discovering new lands in his later life. Eventually they end up at a show where a pox marked man claims to have a basilisk captured and is showing it off to the crowd. During the show Ciri interrupts that the caged animal is in fact a Wyvern and not a Basilisk. Ciri dares to prove so and goes up to the caged beast, sticking out an arm and showing to the crowd how she has not been poisoned, therefore the animal is not as its claimed to be. A commotion breaks out as the Wyvern burst through the bars of its cage, and the crowd try to escape the tent out of pure fear. Ciri instinctively kicks into her Kaer Morhen training and grabs a sword of a squire before slaying the Wyvern, before exclaiming it was the brave and noble squire who slayed the beast. Nobody could tell in the commotion, but the crowd wanted Ciri charged for aggravating the caged beast. She makes use of a magical amulet Yennifer gave her to escape but as both Ciri and Fabio are making their way back to the bank, a pair of sorceress apprehend them, assuming Ciri is an escaped girl from the school of Aretuza.

After being dragged through the town back to Yennifer, both the enchantress and Ciri take up residence with the pair of sorceresses, whom are familiar to Yennifer. They are known as Margarita Laux-Anitille and Tissaia de Vries. Yennifer was accustomed and familiar with them, as Margarita was the current rectoress at Aretuza, while Tissaia was in that position when Yennifer attended. A member of the guard arrives, known as Rayla, and Ciri glances a secret entrance through the city wall as the captain leaves on the orders of Tissaia, leaving the young girl deep in thought over escaping and finding Geralt. As the enchantresses bathe and drink, Ciri listens intently but her mind is made up. When Yennifer sends Ciri upstairs to get more drinks for them, the girl orders the innkeeper to saddle her horse and open the postern gate. She is making her escape to find the Witcher, regardless of the consequences, for she is an enchantress and will not allow inaction to fill her with regret.

Ciri rides through the darkness on the night, not certain of the way to Hirumdum but full of belief in her sense of direction. The darkness is only illuminated by the flash of lightning, and as Ciri rides on she sense creatures pursuing her. At first she believed it was just a bird flying past her, then she felt the Elves of Shaerrawedd around her, followed by the dark night with winged helm from Cintra. As Ciri somehow found herself getting closer to Hirumdum, the King of the Wild Hunt appeared to her, informing her she is death and must join the corpses of the hunt. 'O child of the Elder Blood, you belong to us.'

Dandelion is staying with Bernie Hofmeier, a halfling whose farm is on the outskirts of Hirumdum. Geralt is out, trying to fulfil a contract even though a terrible storm has brewed. Both the Witcher and Dandelion have remained in Hirumdum for days on end, as something strange has happened within Geralt. The Witcher refused Dandelions wish of visiting Gors Velen, as Dandelion listens to Bernie moan about the state of the world and the war between men and Scoia'tael. Geralt returned and warned them the Wild Hunt is about, to shutter their windows and doors to keep the fear of the spectres from the children. Listening attentively, Geralt could hear a single horse approaching. Ciri was galloping towards Hirumdum while the Wild Hunt chased her. Geralt rushed out towards the girl, and at the same time a magical force rushed across as Yennifer appeared riding full of rage and vengeance to save Ciri. Yennifers spells shook through the ghosts of the Wild Hunt and they relinquished their prey, disappearing upwards into the sky. Ciri rode on until she reached the house and ended up between both Geralt and Yennifer. Which will she choose thought Dandelion, although it did not matter, as Ciri soon fainted. The pair carried her into the house and stayed by her bed all night, but did not converse until the morning. As Ciri awoke she sneakily eavesdropped on both Geralt and Yennifer as they went onto the causeway by the pond. Ciri is joined by Dandelion, and he explains to Ciri what she cannot hear being said between Yennifer and Geralt. They are apologising to each other for all that has happened, all the foolish things that took place between them. Ciri thinks otherwise as she spies at them through a hole in the wall, but Dandelion, as a poet of the ages, explains its as simple as Geralt remaining silent, and then Yennifer yelling.

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 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 from the Witcher, it is available here: The Witcher: The Sword of Destiny

The Witcher Saga

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

Have a great day.

Peace. CryptoGod-1.

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