Last Wish

How many of you guys and galls read Last Wish (I mention only this book since it was the only one translated so far)? What are your opinions about it and did it give you any new insights into The Witcher?

No, I haven't. I don't read fantasy/Sci-fi novels normally except some classics. Personally, I think the Witcher has near novel level quality but still not as good as good novels. I wonder if it is due to the said bad translation.

As I wrote in a thread, one thing bugged me is that I felt some of the theme of the Witcher rather repetitive. The gray-tone is O.K. but I didn't see a point in the thematic "choice" between humanity in monsters vs monsters in humanity. Simply following the (apparent) theme of the novels is not interesting while the other choice doesn't seem to be equally tempting. IMO, novels and role-playing games are different media and some things should have been treated in a different way. Maybe, I read it just for comparison with the game.

I've read the translated stories that are available online, but since Last Wish is still an import here, I'm waiting for US publication, which I think is in June. I can't say I've gotten much of a feel for the complexity of The Witcher's world from The Lesser Evil and the other, but the stories were definitely interesting and entertaining. There's a sense of something missing, though, and it's probably context.

I like to read works in translation because you often get nuances of a culture and PoV that are missing from mainstream American fiction--you have to work a bit harder to understand things sometimes, though. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on The Last Wish.

I'd rather ask someone who read the novel: Which presentation is better? The novel or the game? I know a simple comparison is rather naive but I still think the content may have been better expressed in a fixated way. I am asking this since I tend to find myself frustrated when I play games with stories.

Well, there's always going to be problems with preconceived notions--like the Book vs Movie debate that happens when someone's favorite book is made into a film--so I agree that games based on literary works have their own problems with execution. And some things can be expressed better in books or the written word than in film or games--which I think is what you're arguing. Then again, the best films can express all the ideas and much of the feel of a book, with an added dimension of visuals, sound and acting, so I think a story can be expressed well in more than one medium. How good games are at this is a good question. I haven't played too many that are drawn directly from established fiction.

Whether the game of The Witcher succeeds at being a valid representation of the books I don't know, but I know that it was the aim of the developers to try to do so. Which is a better presentation can only be a subjective decision by someone who's experienced both, so I can't comment.

I enjoy reading for its own sake, so I'll look at The Last Wish more from an enjoyment standpoint, and as background information. I doubt I'll be really able to experience Sapkowski's world as a native Polish speaker can, however.

Dusk, I am of an opinion that any book is almost invariably better than a film based on it, simply because book let's your imagination roam while the film is already somebody's (directors') point of view. Still, some films come close. And so is The Witcher. It isn't as good as Last Wish but it's damn close.
It "keeps the faith" with Sapkowski's ideas and I would say that the book and the game actually complement each other. The only discrepancy is dev's take on Adda. In the book, after Geralt frees her from striga curse, she is a comely and retarded (not suprising since she was a newborn when curse took it's hold) and I don't think that she would ever grow up into ravishing and demure redhead of the game…

I am in Chapter IV of the game now and, like with a good book, I am already sorry that the end is near but, unlike with the Witcher cycle, I don't have 4 more parts to look forward too just yet

I am looking forward to reading them and have only read the translated stories magerette was kind enough to link for us.

I would say books are better than game , especially when you read them all (short stories+novels) and have full pcture of story and world. But game is great and fulfill expectations of Sapkowski readers. It's because books are first, true and with only right vison of this world. But when you meet this world in diffreant order (game first), you can have other impressions.

I regret you don't have translatted "Sword of Destiny" too (second book with short stories) - short stories maybe are not so much conectted together but as a whole they give you feeling of "close figure" (Gestalt) and much more understanding of Gerlat. With every story you go more into his mind and heart. The comparison between first meeting with Geralt in first story (killing guys in the inn to meet with major) and last scene from "Sword of Destiny" (I don't tell you what happens there) shows you how much you learned about him.
Liking Spakowki books depends in some way on your ability of decentration - you don't have narrator which knows everyting and sit in charcters heads. You discover the world from characters words - they can lie, cheat or hide sth - you have to have a will to understand and have own interpretation of their emotions, motivation and that they are somtimes complex and absurdic.

I didn't check quaity of translation but know it can be really hard to do it properly (e.g. in English don't exist some grammar forms that are in Polish and translating them make text more flat). But in Polish his language is very plastic, proper and one of the most beutiful.

And about translation traps: I laughed a litlle when I checked comparison Polish voice in the game and English subtitles - long version; four diffreant words: kurwa, kurewska, jebana, chedorzyc[archaic] was translated into one: fuck .

Originally Posted by Dusk
No, I haven't. I don't read fantasy/Sci-fi novels normally except some classics.

In Poland, Sapkowski's Witcher books are pretty much considered classics.

Originally Posted by Dusk
I'd rather ask someone who read the novel: Which presentation is better? The novel or the game? I know a simple comparison is rather naive but I still think the content may have been better expressed in a fixated way. I am asking this since I tend to find myself frustrated when I play games with stories.

The game is not based directly on the books, it's a sequel set 5 years after the last novel, so it's not the same content.

Anyway, I'm not very fond of the translation of neither the book, nor the game.

That is true that The Witcher isn't based directly on the books but even in Last Wish and Sword of Destiny the topics which game deals with are there. Adda, "Lesser evil", "Beauty and the Beast" (Sapkowski's Beauty is WAY more unusual than Beauty from the game) ect.
As for the remininbg 4 books of the series…. I think that Sapkowski ended up suffering from mild form of "Pratchett Syndrome". The first two books are great and the third one is ok but the last one is a bit of a mess….

Last but not least: I have managed to get hold of Polish dialogues and subtitles so, next time I will replay Witcher I will be abble to do it in original and comparison with English language version should be interesting. Maybe some unaswered questions from the English version will be answered in Polish one?

You mean the remaining 6 books? There are 2 short story collections and 5 novels.

Well, so far I have read only Last Wish, Sword of Destiny and 4 novels so simply can't comment on the 6th. Next time I am in Poland, I will get myself the last part.

Originally Posted by zahratustra
Dusk, I am of an opinion that any book is almost invariably better than a film based on it, simply because book let's your imagination roam while the film is already somebody's (directors') point of view. Still, some films come close. And so is The Witcher. It isn't as good as Last Wish but it's damn close.

I can think of a few where IMO the film was better than the book: Stalker, Blade Runner, The Shining, and Carrie spring to mind.

(In fact, with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I thought the *game* was better than the short story. Not that the short story was bad or anything; it just wasn't *that* impressive. Read it for yourself if you're interested.)

I have said "almost" PJ. There are always exceptions. BUT Blade Runner (to name just one) wasn't a film version of Philip K. Dick's novel. It was only based on it!
And yes I an interested

Other movies better than their respective books: Planet of the Apes, K-PAX, The Prestige.

No,no.no…K-PAX book is much better .

The first K-PAX book is OK, although the movie is still better. The later books are simply silly and boring.