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 was done in a four part series for this book, so check out for the previous parts.
Previous Parts to this Book
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part I
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part II
The Witcher Saga - Time of Contempt - Part III
Chapter 7
The riders who found Ciri are hunters. Everywhere there are search parties from Nilfgaard, sent to find the girl. The magician of Emhyr had located her to that general area. She had been in a desert known as the Frying Pan. A hunter known as Skomlik, who can recognise that Ciri is a crafty and cunning one, tries to question her as she gobbles down the food and water they give her. She learnt from their accents and language spoken that she has been captured by Nilfgaardians. They are in the South somewhere, as a knight and his squire bicker amongst the hunters. Her magic is gone. She has lost all her powers from playing with fire. Ciri was indignant again.
As the group rides on they encounter more Nilfgaards, and a blue knight. After a quarrell, a duel ensues between the knights. They were both immensely strong and every blow was beyond anything Ciri imagined possible. Eventually, they finished each other off, leaving the group of hunters to scheme about what they will do with Ciri to get keep the reward for themselves. She tries to escape, but is too tired to run and eventually caught by them again. This time they bind her so she cannot run again.
They proceed to a Nilfgaardian town called Glyswem, pretending to be members of the army to gain access. The town is quiet and feels deserted, although the group can feel eyes watching them from within the thatched buildings. At the local inn they meet a group in the name of Lord Nissir, led by a man named Vercta. He knows Skomlik, and the two groups sit together, discussing and merrymaking over beers and food. The Nissirs have a prisoner of their own, a man named Kayleigh from the group known as The Rats. With Ciri left to crouch beside him, Kayleigh informs her discretely how he will help her escape if she helps him. If she can gets his binds off, whem his allies arrive to rescue him, he will bring her to safety. If he escapes, she will too.
The Nissiers and Skomliks group are getting drunk fast, and to Ciri's horror she realises they will rape her for fun. Kayleigh convinces her to get a knife from the innkeeper, who refuses until Ciri repeats Kayleighs words that 'nobody will get out of here alive.' He slips a knife into her clothing as her gives the girl food, and while Ciri feeds Kayleigh she manages to cut his binds. At the same moment the window smashes as two members of the Rats gang climb in, while others emerge at the door and from the kitchen. The battle ensues, and nobody bar Ciri and the Rats survive. She flees with them, riding horses through the Nilfgaard town as the bandits fight their way out. She has to fight to survive, and Ciri ends up killing her first human. She almost vomits from nausea but manages to continue with the group as they cross the river and into the forest. The leader, Giselher, decides Ciri can ride with them until they reach Velda, after which they will decide what to do with her.
They rest in the mountains, and the gang question Ciri about who she is. She wont answer, and the group ponder many things about her, especially how nimbly she moves. Eventually, having enough, Ciri barks she can handle herself and gladly leave them. They instruct her to grab blankets and keep herself warm for the night. As she returns with the blankets, the gang induct her into the group as one of their own. Finally, they ask Ciri what name she wishes to go by. She respondes in Elder speech, and from that moment is known as Falka. The same name as the woman in black who appeared in the fire Ciri had conjured in the Frying Pan desert.
As Ciri lay to sleep for the night, she knew she was no longer alone. Suddenly Kayleigh appeared, letting her know he would keep quiet about the bounty on her from Nilfgaard. He then climbed in beside her, as Ciri lay frozen in fear he was going to have his way with her. Just then another member of the gang appeared, Mistle, and banished him. Instead she climbed in beside Ciri, allowing her hands to explore the girl until Ciri gave in to her 'disgusting and humiliating submissiveness.'
The gang consisted of outcasts and misfits. Kayleigh lost his family to a fire and Reef who was abandoned by the army were the first members. Giselher had ran from his patrol and managed to join the pair, while Iskra was an elf who had been banished from Aen Seidhe, the Free Elves. Mistle got lost from her family as they fled the city of Thurn when the notorious Pacifiers of Gemmera descended upon the city. Asse had rescued her after the Nilfgaards had raped Mistle, he himself a survivor of the war. They all happened upon each other by chance, and formed their gang, the Rats. They were the children of contempt, and a gang whose cruelty became legendary. Ciri, now known as Falka, had become the seventh member of the gang. Word reached the spies of Nilfgaard that a girl was running with the Rats. The head of the Nilfgaardian spies, Tawny Owl, dismissed any notion of her being Ciri, and instructed his men to find the gang and orders for all seven members to be killed by means of hanging.
Final thoughts
The excitement is palpable throughout the entire book of Time of Contempt. We learn so much about the bond between Ciri and Geralt, while also the inner workings of the world of sorcerers and sorceresses through Yennifer. More lands are explored and discovered, as the stronghold of magic is the centre of attention. Ciri is unhappy with the thought of Yennifer leaving her is a magic school, and tries to escape to find Geralt. Once Ciri's antics lead Geralt and Yennifer back together, the real excitement begins at the banquet. Geralt is cunning in his mingling, and eventually the deception emerges between the Chapter and the Council. Ciri escapes as the mages world falls into treachery and deception, while Geralt almost dies trying to save her. He is aided in Brokilon, but both Ciri and Yennifer have disappeared from his world once again. Ciri is though to have been captured by Nilfgaard, but in fact she is lost in the desert. After struggling through the heat and desperation, the girl is captured by the Nilfgaards. Once again luck is with Ciri as she escapes with a group of thieves and outcasts, leaving her old world behind to join them on the run. She is no longer alone, she has a new family, but she has lost all of her magical abilities. The world is still searching for the Lion-cub of Cintra, and Geralt will not abandon her to the hell of Nilfgaard.
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
Also 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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