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.
Previous Parts to this Book
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part I
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part II
Chapter 5
Dandelion is on a mission, as an ambassador, and has been brought as close to the edge of the river Ribbon as the escorting guards are willing to bring him. They will go no further, as Dandelion is on his way to Brokilon and the Dryads have been shooting to kill since the war began. As bravely as he can, Dandelion proceeds ahead with his horse Pegasus. They cross the river and face the vertical, menacing wall of trees, the wall of Brokilon. The poet dismounts and prepares himself for the worst, an arrow from a Dryad, and begins to sing while playing his lute. A Dryad appear, and Dandelion speaks to her in Elvish with his reason for approaching and intruding on their home. He asks to see Geralt, whom he knowns is resting and recovering in the forest. The Dryads ask him to continue his singing about Ettarial, and in time Geralt appears. As they proceed into the darkness of Brokilon, Dandelion explains how Triss told him where Geralt was. This helped Dandelion get a letter of passage for an expedition to Brokilon from King Venzlav. The Witcher is happy to see his old friend alive and well.
They are camped in the forest with the Dryads, but will not be brought to the heart of their kingdom, Duel Carnell. Geralt questions the goings on since he has been in hiding, and Dandelion explains how nobody knows where Ciri or Yennifer are. The Nilfgaards invaded Lyria and Ardirn after the events of Demavend's forces at Dol Angra. Nilfgaard raged North, and with their powerful army, claimed cities and lands with ease. With the mages disbanded and the sheer strength of Nilfgaards force, Demavend and Meve allied together and tried to repel the invading forces.
Nilfgaard were under the initial order to attack the castles and leave peace to the villages, but things have changed. New orders have been issued, they will murder, plunder, and pillage all that is available to them. Grains and animals, ores, gold and art, anything of value is to be taken. People are to be enslaved if they are captured. Fields are to be burnt. Revenge for their losses at Sodden. The armies will not stop. They took Venerberg within a week of battling, where six thousand were slaughtered and the fleeing refugees were rounded up and taken as slaves for labour by the Nilfgaards. The army was defeated, but the brave Captain Rayla had fought to the death with her loyal warriors. They did not let the peasents, the women, the children to be captured easily, and for god knows what. They barricaded the road as best they could, and discovered it was the Scoia'tael who were the leading front of the Nilfgaard army. They battled bravely till the end, with Rayla the last warrior left standing. She would not surrender. None were taken alive.
The pacts and alliances of the Kingdoms fell apart when needed the most. With Vizimir found dead in Redania, his lands were in disarray. King Foltest struck a deal with the Nilfgaard, meaning Temeria would of no aid to its former allies. Foltest felt he had little choice, with Verden having surrendered and sworn allegiance to Nilfgaard, Temeria could not stand alone against the Nilfgaards. They were surround in all the Kingdoms around Temeria, so the King struck a deal where Temeria would remain its own Kingdom, but as a Nilfgaardian province. The same as Verden had done. Aedirn has been left to its own aid, with no support or aid, as King Demavend has fled to Redania and Queen Meve is missing in Lyria. With the Kingdoms falling, Kaedwen will be next on the list for Nilfgaard to conquer.
As Aedirn falls to the might of Nilfgaard, the armies of Kaedwen are sent to the edge of the river Dyfne. They will be given control of their old ancestral lands in Aedirn, while Nilfgaard will claim the lands up to the other side of the river Dyfne. It was on a bridge of this very river that the Kaedwen Kingdom made a pact with Nilfgaard, to divide the dying lands of Aedirn. With the Council and Chapter nowhere to be found, Viglefortz has also disappeared. Francesca Findabair has become Queen, as she was promised, she is now ruling Queen of Aen Seidhe, the Free Elves. The price she has paid is great, siding with Emhyr and agreeing not to associate with the Scoia'tael. This is to keep peace with Temeria and Kaedwen, not giving shelter or aid to their Scoia'tael brethern. The Free Elves will also continue to fight on the side of Nilfgaard, disrupting the plans of men and their armed forces.
Geralt is horrified as he learns all of this, especially that the Chapter and Council have not done anything to help the men. He is also horrified that the mages have not abandoned Viglefortz after all the violence and destruction he and Nilfgaard have caused. They remain incapable of having a conscience. All except Tissaia de Vries, who in the privacy of her own sanctuary penned her final letter and slit her own wrists. As for Yennifer, Dandelion refuses to speak of her, but rumour has it she was involved in the game with Viglefortz. Who is to blame? Geralt had his love, his miracle daughter, his faith, and now he has nothing. What did his friends do to help him? Could they have done better by him? Dandelion is lost in these thought, shrouded in worry and guilt.
As more Scoia'tael arrive in Brokilon, Geralt learns rumours of Ciri's whereabouts. The Witcher prepares to leave, unwilling to leave the girl to her fate. At this point Dandelion reveals he knows of rumours about Ciri, and Geralt decides to let his friend join him. They ride out of Brokilon together. Apparently Ciri has been apprehended by Nilfgaard, and brought to the Royal Kingdom of Loc Grim Palace. All the leading houses of Nilfgaard and the noble aristocrats have gathered to witness the Lioncub of Cintra being presented to the Emhyr. He will marry her, and claim the titles of Cintra. Unimpressed, he welcomes the girl and claims he will help her in reclaiming her crowns. He orders her to be sent to the castle of Darn Rosen, far away, for her safety until the time is right. The girl had been captured by a human and a half blood elf, and brought to Nastrong in Verden three days after the events of Thanedd. Emhyr gathers the lead of his millitary and spies, informing them to search for Rience and Cahir. They are to be placed under arrest. He also requires Viglefortz to be eliminated for his treachery, along with any sorcerers who accompany him. Finally, he informs his trusted inner circle that they must keep up the ruse that the girl he was presented is in fact Ciri. He had figured out immediately she was nothing but an imposter sent to fool him. He order the local mage to use all the magic available to locate the whereabouts of the real Ciri.
Chapter 6
Ciri is lost and alone, having been knocked out by a large rock as she landed, cutting her head in the process. As she awaken, Ciri remembers how she had entered the portal in the Tower of Tor Lara. It was her only option for escape, and had transported her to a desert. Thirsty, warm, and all alone, Ciri realises nobody knows she is looking for her, because they do not know she is there. She must fend for herself. Ciri has her dagger, and a pouch from Yennifer with all the essentials a woman could possibly need, but alas no food or water. She will last without food, but needs water, and quickly in the desert heat. Ciri decides to set out towards the setting sun as a means of direction. As night falls and the bitter cold takes over, Ciri reminds herself that she is a Witcher and cannot give up. That she is a Witcher. That she is an enchantress! Gathering herself, Ciri manages to cast spells to heat her aching body and produce light in the darkness. She knows no spells for food or water, and eventually falls asleep as exhaustion overcomes her. She manages to find a few drops of dew on the rocks as she awakens, and continues walking until noon when the heat of the sun becomes too much for her. She finds a rock to shelter under, and to her dismay, discovers its the same rock where she had woken up initially after being transported there. Ciri had gone in circles.
Ciri spots a mountain range in the distance, and decides to aim for it. She walks through the night, gathering what dew she can find in the morning, while sheltering under rocks at noon. The girl eats whatever she can lay her hands on, including lizard eggs, but eventually vomits it all up. Repeatedly she falls, as her spells are becoming ineffective as she becomes weaker from the heat. Ciri wont give up, she cannot. She has no choice but to go on. She marches as much as she can but eventually her strength and will gives up. Ciri begins to hallucinate and vultures begin to circle above, waiting for their prey to die so they can feast on her carcass. The mountains are closer, but her energy is spent.
She is awakened by a thud on her shoulder, and to her astonishment, a unicorn is before her. Ciri is merely hallucinating, or so she thinks, as the unicorn leaves when she faints again. Once again, she is awoken by it, and this time it leads her to a source of water. Ciri drinks all of the muddy water she can, and in the company of the unicorn, they head on their way. They find food for each other, including ants and lizard eggs, with each step bringing them closer to the mountain range.
As they searched for more water, the pair encounter a situation of sheer peril. They become trapped in a hole, believing there was water in it. Instead, they encounter a venomous monster with sharp pincers protuding from it. Together with the unicorns horn, and Ciri's dagger, they manage to kill it. Not without cost though, as the unicorn recieved two cuts on its thigh for their efforts. As the pair march on, steering clear of the sand holes, they discover small pockets of water. Ciri runs ahead, but eventually realises the damage to the unicorn as it collapses. She examines its wounds, seeing the inflamed redness where the venom has taken hold.
Realising she could create fire now she had weeds and twigs from the rocks they were walking on, Ciri manages to draw power from the Source of Fire. The one Yennifer warned her never to draw power from! As Ciri felt the power grow in her, and before she could heal the unicorn, a dark haired woman rose within the flames. The power overcame her, and the woman told her she must get revenge on all who crossed her. Not just the Nilfgaards and Scoia'tael, but on Triss, the Witchers at Kaer Morhen, Dandelion, Geralt, Yennifer.... Ciri refused and banished the power,draining her of all her energy in the process. She was alone. Empty. Helpless. She did not care when a group of riders appeared and took her. She lost everything. Her crotch and thighs were covered in blood. Ciri was alive, but only because she had made it rain in the desert, and the cost was more than every imaginable.
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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