A
Andrzej Sapkowski
Polish fantasy writer
Blood of Elves
- Pages
- 320
- Published
- 1994
- Language
- English
Synopsis
The first full novel of Sapkowski's Witcher saga picks up the thread of destiny left dangling by the short stories. Ciri — princess, orphan, and child of an ancient prophecy — is being hidden and hardened at Kaer Morhen, the crumbling keep of the witchers, where Geralt of Rivia trains her to survive. But her latent powers are volatile and dangerous, and half the Continent wants to seize or kill her.
As war gathers and Geralt seeks out the sorceress Yennefer to teach Ciri to control her gift, the monster hunter who prides himself on neutrality is pulled into a gathering political storm — kings, mages, spies, and the elven guerrillas of the Scoia'tael all circling the girl.
Trading episodic adventure for a sweeping, character-driven epic, Blood of Elves is a story of fate, prejudice, and the fierce, unlikely family forming around a hunted child.
Genres
Characters
Geralt of RiviaProtagonist
A monster hunter drawn into political conflict while protecting Ciri.
CiriProtagonist
A princess and child of prophecy being hidden and trained at Kaer Morhen.
Yennefer of VengerbergSupporting
The sorceress who takes on Ciri's magical training.
Triss MerigoldSupporting
A sorceress and friend who helps look after Ciri.
David Gemmell Legend Award (2009)Janusz A. Zajdel Award (1994)
Frequently asked questions
Is Blood of Elves the first book in The Witcher series?
Blood of Elves is the first novel in The Witcher Saga, but it is not the first book in the overall series. The saga is preceded by two short story collections, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, which introduce many of the main characters and the world's foundational lore.
Is there a TV adaptation of Blood of Elves?
The Netflix series The Witcher draws heavily from the events and characters introduced in Blood of Elves, alongside material from the preceding short story collections. While not a direct, one-to-one adaptation of this single novel, its narrative arc incorporates key elements from it.
Does Blood of Elves end on a cliffhanger?
This novel concludes with several plot threads unresolved, setting the stage for the subsequent books in The Witcher Saga. It focuses on character development and world-building rather than providing a definitive conclusion to its overarching narrative.