Blood of Elves

By: Andrzej Sapkowski, Danusia Stok - translator

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

Andrzej Sapkowski’s New York Times bestselling Witcher series has inspired the hit Netflix show and multiple blockbuster video games, and has transported millions of fans around the globe to an epic, unforgettable world of magic and adventure.

★ The New York Times bestselling series
★ Over Fifteen Million Copies Sold Worldwide
★ World Fantasy Award Winning Author
★ David Gemmell Legend Award Winning Author
★ Named One of the Greatest Book Series of All Time by Forbes

For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But that peace has now come to an end.

Geralt of Rivia, the hunter known as the Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. The one who has the power to change the world for good—or for evil.

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is pursued for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt’s responsibility to protect them all. And the Witcher never accepts defeat.

Join Geralt of Rivia; his beloved ward and the child of prophecy, Ciri; and his ally and love, the powerful sorceress Yennefer as they battle monsters, demons, and prejudices alike in Blood of Elves, the first novel of The Witcher Saga.


Witcher story collections
The Last Wish
Sword of Destiny

Witcher novels
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Tower of Swallows
Lady of the Lake
Season of Storms
Crossroads of Ravens

Hussite Trilogy
The Tower of Fools
Warriors of God
Light Perpetual

Translated from original Polish by Danusia Stok

Critic reviews

"This is a series you can sink your teeth into."—BuzzFeed News

"The universe of Sapkowski's The Witcher is one of the most detailed and best-explored in modern fantasy, offering endless opportunities for fresh ideas ... Complex character relationships enrich this already complex world; this is the sort of series fantasy fans will cherish."—B&N

"Delightful, intense, irreverent, and compelling....you have to read The Witcher books because they are rife with all of the elements that make you love fiction, and especially fantasy, in the first place....In a word, The Witcher delivers."—Hypable

"One of the best and most interesting fantasy series I've ever read. Though it functions well as adventure fiction, it has added depth and value as satire and commentary on fantasy literature ... Sapkowski is a genuine stylist."—Nerds of a Feather

"Like a complicated magic spell, a Sapkowski novel is a hodgepodge of fantasy, intellectual discourse, and dry humor. Recommended."—Time

"Like Mieville and Gaiman, [Sapkowski] takes the old and makes it new ... fresh take on genre fantasy."—Foundation on The Last Wish

"A breath of fresh air in a well-worn genre. Don't miss it!"—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Fantasy Book Review

"Sapkowski has a phenomenal gift for narrative, inventing sensational events, creating a suggestive mood, and building up the suspense along with a dazzling, slightly cynical sense of humor."—Jacek Sieradzki, Polityka on The Last Wish

"Sapkowski's The Last Wish is a great collection of short stories centered around a witcher, Geralt - a rare sorcerous breed who hunts down the monstrous but is feared by the innocent. With a wondrous mix of Eastern European folklore and myth, beautiful princesses, mischievous demons and where all is not as it seems, The Last Wish is a great read - perfect for dipping into or just reading cover to cover, as I did."—Waterstones

"It is [his] world-weariness combined with his battle-honed powers that make Geralt such an interesting character. Here's hoping The Last Wish is merely the opening chapter in his English language adventures."—Edge

"I really, really enjoyed this book ... None of the characters in Sapkowski's world are black or white; they are all shades of grey, including Geralt and the monsters."—The Deckled Edge

"Sapkowski is very good at creating interesting, imaginative characters with unusual levels of depth to them ... The Last Wish is an enjoyable book full of stories both melancholy and comic."—The Wertzone

"This beautifully written character-based story from Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski ... a refreshing champion."—The Specusphere

AWESOME great narrator!

I love the video games and wanted to experience even more of the story. It didn't disappoint. Also the narrator is one of the best I've ever heard!

The worst part about the book is the lack of Geralt chopping people's heads off and killing monsters. It surprisingly lacks a lot of action because much of the plot focuses around Ciri and her development, and the political moves going on in the realms.

Still the narrator is excellent and reads in a way the captures the imagination and the story is exciting enough to maintain your interest.

A fascinating yet loosely constructed novel

If you could sum up Blood of Elves in three words, what would they be?

Epic but fun

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blood of Elves?

The training portion near the end, where you really start to get a feel for Yennefer's character

Which character – as performed by Peter Kenny – was your favorite?

Geralt, of course

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Several moments made me laugh

Any additional comments?

The book is very good, but lacks focus in some places. I felt like not much transpired over the course of 11 hours or so. Still worth reading, just be prepared to be in this for the long haul.

Amazing!!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'd recommend this audio book to a random stranger, it's that good!

What did you like best about this story?

This book gives you so much story, especially if you've already read The Last Wish and or play the video games. It ties together a lot of pieces and gives you insight into Ciri and Yennefers lives, as well as Yennefer and Triss's relationships with Geralt.

What does Peter Kenny bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The way Peter Kenny reads each character is beyond! He could sniff and you'd know it was Dandelion without him saying anything else. He makes the world of The Witcher come to life, and gives meaning to every word.

Any additional comments?

I love love loved this. Favorite book so far!

Awesome

it was a good story with interesting characters. It had me hooked after not even 30 min. I would definitely recommend this book.

Entrancing world, frustrating story

I was excited to read this book. I had just finished the first two in the Witcher series, the Last Wish and the Sword of Destiny, which were more collected short stories than novels. I had blazed through them with enthusiasm, enjoying my view of Sapkowski's world through the eyes of Geralt of Rivia.

I purchased the Blood of Elves at once, ready to again inhabit the mind of a witcher and slay monsters for coin. This did not happen. The book begins from another character's point of view, and though the events indirectly involve the witcher, he takes no part. After this we take the perspective of a different character, also depressingly not Geralt.

It doesn't get much better from there. In fact, Geralt is involved in maybe half the events of the book, and we get less than half of that from his perspective. Most of the story is told from the perspective of a 13 year old girl, who while an interesting enough character, keeps the reader always away from the heart of the action. It was not the book I was hoping for.

Still, the mythology and lore of this world are incredible, and even if the story is lacking there is much to love about this book. The characters are complex and flawed, the politics Machiavellian and nuanced, and the social dynamics realistic. While I would have much preferred a story focused on Geralt, still the most interesting of the bunch, I happily fed on the scraps of my favorite character Sapkowski saw fit to drop in the Blood of Elves. Worth the read.