The Witcher 3's Expansions: My Thoughts

Recently I finished the final parts of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, specifically its two expansions; Hearts of Stone, released in 13^th October 2015 and Blood and Wine, which came out on the 31^st of May 2016. I showed up late to the party but the two expansions still made their mark; the most fitting review I can find for both Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine comes from Steam user TomWelcome: “Other developers make a DLC and call it a full game, CDPR makes a full game and calls it DLC”. Both expansions set the standard in a games industry filled with rip-off DLC and poor value products.

Once again be warned; MAJOR SPOILERS are abound for both expansions. Complete them first if you haven't already and come back later.

Hearts of Stone has an outstanding and wholly original story that takes a seemingly insignificant character from the opening of Wild Hunt and places him in the centre of an emotional rollercoaster filled with intrigue. Gaunter O’Dimm or “The Man of Mirrors” as he’s known is very much a jester along the lines of Rumpelstiltskin, tempting individuals with deals and pacts with often chilling strings attached. He tasks Geralt with fixing Olgierd von Everic, a man who cannot die. He has many dark deeds to hide and where the story succeeds the most is the way it gradually reveals more about this person, through a chain of unique quests. Blending some down-time with a spot of humorous ghost possession gave Shani the spotlight (another one of Geralt’s lovers mentioned in places in the books) followed up by a full-blown heist that reminded me of Grand Theft Auto 5’s heist missions with interchangeable recruits. Both quests were entertaining in their own ways but it’s the final dive into a painting that really places Hearts of Stone among some of the best DLC packages of all time. It tells a heart-breaking story of how Olgierd, in his obsession with control, threw away everything, including his lady love Iris by dabbling in dark magic he should never have approached. It’s a very emotional cap-off to an adventure in the land of the strange. Much like Velen’s Bloody Baron before him, it is up to the player to decide whether Olgierd deserves forgiveness, a second chance after all his foul dealings.

Hearts of Stone’s weakest aspects show through the way it takes place in similar settings in and around the town of Oxenfurt. High-level enemies such as the disgusting Arachnomorphs can only get you so far when you’re fighting them in the same areas you played through in the main game. New gameplay facets are also limited, with HOS placing this task into the hands of a travelling Ofieri merchant who can enchant Geralt’s gear with runes. Aside from Olgierd’s house (which inevitably gets burned to the ground), much of the game takes place in familiar territory. Other than that, the expansion nears perfection.

Blood and Wine on the other hand, may have a more straightforward story but it adds a ton of things to do and plenty of creative gameplay scenarios all placed against a more humorous, light-hearted tone. It’s meant to be played last and it really shows throughout. Most of the expansion’s origins can be traced to Andrej Sapkowski’s seventh and final book in The Witcher saga, “Lady of the Lake”. In it, Geralt and his company (Which includes the noble vampire Regis) stop off in Toussaint for a time, with the white haired Witcher taking on a monster contract here and there. With Regis being one of my favourite side characters from the books, it was a real treat to take in all the little references. What makes the only good vampire in the series so engaging is his similarities with Geralt; both men have returned from the dead and both exist somewhere in-between ordinary humans and feral monsters, making them shunned by the people around them. Just exploring the expansive fields was also a pleasure; much like the original game I found myself stopping just to gaze at the surrounding landscape; in keeping with its lighter tone, the Duchy of Toussaint looks absolutely gorgeous, bursting with colour everywhere you look. This also shows through the quest design; between taking a bard on an investigation, singing and composing a ballad along the way and finding the location of a statue’s missing “assets”, there’s plenty of lively humorous fun to be had with the Blood and Wine quests. Yet this also gives way to irony as this idyllic paradise is often shattered by the appearance of some of the most disgusting creatures in the game; giant centipedes, toxic killer plants, hulking vampires and crawling Kikimores boasting some of the deadliest attacks in the game. 

Then there’s Detlaff, a formidable final boss (should you choose to face him) with three separate forms; I ended up dying to him more times than anywhere else in Wild Hunt. It’s one hell of a way to make the player put all their skills together. Wrapping up the story with three different endings and a final word with Regis wound things down perfectly, right down to the smile that Geralt gives towards the screen. It’s as if the developer is pointing directly at the player saying thank you; for sticking with the series and supporting them in all the demanding work they’ve done.

The only major weakness of Blood and Wine for me comes right at the very end; “Be it ever so humble” is a fine farewell but it does have some missed potential. Upon returning to his vineyard, Corvo Bianco, Geralt finds an unexpected visitor; depending on your choices this could be Yennefer, Triss, Dandelion or Ciri. It’s too bad the expansion didn’t bring all of these characters together for one last gathering alongside the likes of Zoltan, Priscilla, Roche, Ves, Eskel and Lambert.

Surprisingly it’s Bioware of all developers who manages to outdo CD Projekt here. Back in 2013, the Canadian company rounded off Mass Effect 3 with the Citadel DLC; easily the best content pack of the bunch, it brings together all the characters the player has gotten to know over the trilogy for a round of tongue-in-cheek action and comedy, not to mention throwing a massive party to create a poignant send-off to Commander Shepherd before the galaxy-spanning crew heads off to tear the Reapers a new one. CDPR could have taken some inspiration here and given the entire cast a full closure. As it stands though, I’m still happy with Geralt settling down with Yennefer for the rest of his days.

After pouring in just under 60 hours into both expansions (On top of 60 for the main game) do I have a favourite? Not at all; both are so well done and have their own individual strengths that quickly overcome any of their shortcomings. All in all, it felt a little emotional to make it to the end of a game so lovingly crafted; it’s something I haven’t really felt since getting to the end of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. I’m anxious to see what CD Projekt Red has planned for CyberPunk 2077; if it’s anywhere near as polished as The Witcher 3 then I can hardly wait.

(Images used for the purposes of review and criticism under fair use)

Dunkirk Movie Review

Released: 21st July 2017 (UK and US)

Length: 106 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles, Mark Rylance, Jack Lowden, Aneurin Barnard, James D'Arcy and Tom Hardy

Shifting from one genre to another, Christopher Nolan has consistently made his mark on the film landscape, delivering a best-in-class direction with every release. The auteur has now turned to the war genre with Dunkirk, a fantastic production that makes extensive use of threes to deliver an unrelentingly tense and visually striking take on a widely adapted period.

Dunkirk tells the real-life story of the northern French town as it took centre stage in a mass-evacuation in World War II. Surrounded by the rapidly approaching forces of the Nazi Blitzkrieg, the evacuation of British troops, alongside French, Dutch, Polish and Canadian combatants was a bitter struggle. The allied forces were forced to dig in and wait for rescue while being buffeted by aerial bombardment and underwater attacks by German U-Boats. Dunkirk places the viewer in the heart of this military disaster and never lets up. Keeping the action entirely centred on Dunkirk, the UK town of Dover and the sea in-between, it tells the story from three separate timelines; the land (Taking place over a week) in which a collection of soldiers young and old duck and cover, the sea where civilian boats were requisitioned for the rescue efforts (Over one day) and the air (In one hour) as RAF pilots in Spitfires did what they could to hold off enemy vehicles despite turning up late to the conflict. Characters end up in separate locations and some are subjected to horrible injuries; Nolan is no stranger to using non-linear narratives and here the sense of three very different perspective shines the brightest; for the soldiers on the land, the agonising wait for rescue felt like an eternity and by contrast the civilians on the boats knew they only had so many hours in the day to get across the channel for the rescue efforts. Simultaneously the RAF pilots only had about an hour in the air before they ran out of fuel so this timeline is the most fast-moving of the bunch. The audience is exposed to all three of these perspectives, solidifying Dunkirk as a film that covers all aspects of the extraordinary event. Flow is a core component of the plot; despite juggling three separate timelines, you’re always very aware of where the narrative sits, even as it swings back and forth, gradually filling in the gaps as it moves towards a breath-taking climax. On the other hand, the action is also based solely in the realm of escape rather than direct combat. You never really see the German soldiers, but the film makes their devastating power and presence felt in a variety of ways. The mixture of paces affording by the multiple timelines creates an incredibly unique form of narrative, setting Dunkirk apart from every one of its contemporaries.

The characterisation of Dunkirk is very broad; you shouldn’t come in expecting soldiers reminiscing about what is waiting for them back home as Dunkirk focuses on no one character. Across a spectrum of individuals in each timeline, the film builds its portrayal of war not on personal stories of a small group but on the shared experiences and emotions of every individual involved in the evacuation. This delivers a superbly balanced viewpoint with emotions of hopelessness, fear mistrust and desperation leading to hope and salvation. Whether it’s the horror of a sinking vessel of the tension of an aerial dogfight; these feelings transfer themselves onto the audience. Cillian Murphy personifies a shell-shocked trooper, one rendered so horrified by the battle that he may end up turning against his fellow men. Kenneth Branagh makes for a very convincing commander and pier-master, worried at how great the losses will be. Fionn Whitehead stands in as the main private of the film and the hardships his fellow young men go through ground the film in the period of conscription that existed at the time. Mark Rylance as a civilian sailor who ventures out to rescue the soldiers conveys the most grounded and wise perspective of the bunch. Some may roll their eyes at the casting of Harry Styles but I was pleasantly surprised to find that he does a decent job. His character, another young private, becomes wary of his comrades at one point and he really captures that unease that filled the minds of every soldier waiting for rescue. Finally, Tom Hardy makes his third appearance in the director’s films and just like Bane and Mad Max, he proves his skill at acting with only his eyes once again. As the RAF pilot Farrier, his pupils are focused and fast-moving, getting you into his character’s mindset. Each actor in Dunkirk sells their individual perspectives incredibly well, which complements the narrative shifts that swap back and forth throughout its runtime.

Every part of the filmmaking in Dunkirk works to pull the audience in further while also stressing the harsh nature of the evacuation. As the film shifts from one timeline to the next, the camerawork also moves to accommodate it; the land features slower far shots to give off the scale and distance of the beaches while the air combat is close, intimate and tight, reflecting the enclosed nature of the Spitfire cockpit. The music, composed once again by Hans Zimmer, is a constant ticking that rises with the tension, phenomenally emphasising the feeling of danger present throughout the town. sound design conveys immense power and weight, especially when it comes to the rounds fired off overhead. There is no CGI here; every single part of the naval shoot (which is one of the biggest in film history) made use of real ships and models, not to mention over 6000 extras that populate them. The destruction brought about by the German forces and the hellish scenarios the soldiers endure all feel real, generating a fundamental impact that ranks up there with the best of the genre. Enough can’t be said about how much the wider 70mm format and other enhancements provided by IMAX add to the film. It amplifies the film’s technical presentation to a level rarely seen in modern war films. Because of the audio and visuals working in such seamless tandem, Dunkirk accomplishes all its suspense and tension without the use of graphic violence, which is often a fixture in setting the grim and brutal nature of war.

Compared with other war films, Dunkirk is far more wide-reaching and expansive, moving away from the closer analysis of the human condition that permeates the genre. When you put all three pieces of the puzzle together, they form one of the most intense, authentic and unconventional war films ever produced; one which envelopes the audience fully in one of the biggest military operations in history. Nothing less from the work of a cinematic master.

Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)

Ultralife Album Review

Release Date: 14th July 2017

Published jointly by Island and Republic Records

After some time out on tour around the world, one of the more underrated duets in modern music has made a full comeback. Oh Wonder’s Ultralife is another great addition to the current alt-pop genre.

Josephine and Anthony first entered the music scene through 2014 and 2015 with a self-titled release that proved incredibly successful despite being made for around £400 (according to their documentary). They took in over 500,000 in sales and a silver certification in the UK market. Adding a drummer and bassist to the mix, not to mention a full-blown studio in London has allowed them to go deeper with album writing.

Range and variety both work in tandem to make every track hit home, though thematically many of them are very different. Much of Ultralife was written around Gucht and West’s travels on tour and the people they surrounded themselves with; there’s also a ton of focus on the more intimate bonds that tie everyone together but on occasion they dip into a few world issues which throws things off balance a little. “Lifetimes” which is centred around climate change and “All about You”, which lays down an almost confrontational tone to the self-important, stick out from the other more personal themes in the album. Despite this though, the compositions themselves are incredibly inventive. The duo really experiments with their complementing voices and tempos here, with Anthony breaking into a laid-back rap at one point alongside a few background chants; overall, the album feels a lot brisker, the liveliest song being “High on Humans”. Synthesizers fizzle to life through many songs, giving many of them a slick feel to the editing. Two songs; “Bigger than Love” and “My Friends” channel the poignancy of Oh Wonder’s first album, resulting in incredibly peaceful numbers. But the album’s namesake: “Ultralife” is easily the best and most uplifting track of the bunch; it absolutely nails those summer vibes with its higher octave piano notes and swaying rhythm. When it comes to how the tracks are arranged; “Solo” and “Waste” open and close the track list seamlessly, gently easing you in and out of the music with their calmer undertones.

Cheerful, zany and upbeat, Ultralife is a brilliant second offering from Oh Wonder which showcases their creativity while stepping beyond the slower, contemplative pace of their first. You get the sense that the duo are really letting their hair down here, which speaks volumes of their charm, creativity and charisma. It’s only weak spot is the way it bounces around thematically as you go through it.

Rating: B (Good)

See more from Oh Wonder at their Facebook Page

Post-Viewing: How the new Planet of the Apes sets the standard for doing reboots right

War of the Planet of the Apes recently released worldwide and it stands as the best film not only of its trilogy but also 2017 in general. When you put the three together; Rise, Dawn and War, you have a smashing success both critically and commercially, something rarely seen in a modern film scene chock full of sequels and remakes. Why does the new Apes series stand out? How is it able to stand alongside its older inspiration without being in its shadow? I’ll try to summarise things here, starting just after the turn of the millennium.

The 2001 Tim Burton re-imagining may have brought a lot of attention in the lead-up to release thanks to strong marketing, but it ended being too strange and too random to really make an impression. The ridiculous ending with apes dressed in modern day police outfits probably didn’t help either. Sometime after the 2001 version came and went, Rupert Wyatt came up with the idea to reintroduce people to the series the same way Christopher Nolan did with Batman Begins in 2005; a film that would wash away the bad taste of a previous effort while also tying in to the original 1968 classic with a prequel story. From the offset, the right mindset was carried into the series; the understanding that the older film can never be topped.

Putting all three films back-to-back reveals how they fit together and complement each-other and this I think is done in several ways. Be warned as I''m spoiling quite a bit of the series here.

1. The gradual shift from humans to apes as the main protagonists

The transfer of roles is a massive contributor to the themes in the rebooted series and as it goes on, you see the overall perspective change. Rise is very much focused on humans and our mishandling of science and ethics with James Franco’s Dr Will Rodman at its centre. It feels relatable to our own society, with the intrusion of corporate businessmen who demand results and profits at the cost of careful consideration. Dawn mostly plays it half and half; you have Caesar’s tribe in the woods and the surviving humans still living in the city ruins, desperate to restore power but also teetering on the edge of full-blown anarchy. The glimpses of humanity are very brief here. By the time War released this year the series has completely switched to the other side of the spectrum, with Caesar and the apes as the protagonists. The film sees fit to create a huge disconnect with the humans of the film, representing them (and indeed our worst characteristics) with a grim, unflinching viewpoint; it piles on so thick that many will root against the humans. The way the series moves characters and their roles from one side of the narrative to the other not only reinforces the themes of race and human nature but it also fuels Caesar’s personal journey from lowly test subject to a powerful leader, immersing the audience even more.

2. The endings of each film tying into the next one while also having individual plots that stand on their own

Many franchises nowadays expect to be treated like franchises, laying down a fairly blatant teaser to bait audiences into seeing the next one without really offering a compelling narrative on their own; this holds true for the likes of The Mummy earlier this year and Fant4stic in 2015. But the rebooted Apes franchise not only delivers enticing threads to follow but also offers strong character bonds that really set each of the three films apart. Rise is the closest to our own reality, with a few bad apples among our species that end up exacerbating things for both sides of the struggle; the Apes breaking out from their captivity and causing chaos across San Francisco is a thrilling climax that sets the sequels in motion. On top of that, the film ends with what is easily one of the best cliff-hangers I’ve seen from a modern film; upon turning up for work, a commercial air pilot catches a symptom of the Simian flu, but instead of seeking help he dismisses it and goes on with his work. A darkly foreboding music track steals in as the flight paths chart out an infection vector that quickly spreads worldwide. It’s rather scary when you think about it; in our connected, globalised world, an untreatable disease could spread very quickly without proper quarantine measures. The way the film creates such a high anticipation for the next entry is very skilful, relying on visual and audio cues rather than shock value or graphic violence.

Dawn is based in the realm of unease and rising tension and as a middle chapter, it’s difficult to tell which way things will swing. Perspective is an incredibly important theme here, with the vengeful Koba filled with rage over what was done to him by the humans. All it takes is one spark to set off a chain of events and Koba does, rebelling against Caesar and allowing his hatred of humans to take control. Again like Rise it also lays the foundations for a sequel very well. After being forced to kill one of his own, Caesar faces up to the prospect that war is inevitably coming and there is nothing they can do to stop it, despite Koba’s demise. Much like its predecessor it’s a cynical ending but as I mentioned above, the series steps towards making Caesar and the Apes the main protagonists fluidly. The series ultimately obtains a flow from one film to the next that few of its contemporaries can claim to match.

3. Making use of modern tech to make a similar impact to the original

Planet of the Apes in 1968 was singled out for its great make-up effects; physical make-up artist John Chambers was nominated for an academy award in 1969 and even today the older film still stands as a major showcase. As Tom Burman, another artist who worked on the original put it: “Planet of the Apes was the turning point for make-up. The studios didn’t realize you could make a movie around wonderful characters, and put make-ups on big actors like this. It changed the telling of the stories.” When it came to producing the reboot series, again the filmmakers made the wise decision to not copy the original’s effects and instead make their own mark. To do this, they turned to WETA studios, known for their work on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings King Kong and Avatar in the 2000s. From 2010 onwards, the technology had improved tremendously and the studio was able to take full advantage of the motion capture suit. According to an article from TechRadar, 53 separate markers were used on each person to create and articulate every facial and body movement; these were then animated with multiple layers to create all the delicate details while also blending it with the live action performances. The results are on display everywhere in all three films, a masterful use of special effects that stands on its own while also channelling the same care and attention that went into the 1968 classic.

As you can tell, I can’t recommend the rebooted Apes series enough at this point; over the course of six years it has had a monumental amount of effort put into its production, thanks to great direction, thoughtful themes and pitch-perfect motion capture work make it one of the best modern blockbusters ever produced.

(Images used for the purposes of review and criticism under fair use)

War for the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

Released: July 11th 2017 (UK)

Length: 140 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Matt Reeves

Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary, Devyn Dalton and Amiah Miller

2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes revitalised the science fiction series after years of absence and since then, the reboot series has continued to scale the ranks of the best summer blockbusters. The closing chapter of the trilogy, War for the Planet of the Apes, reaches a climax that few third entries manage to reach.

Opening with a brief text recap from the last two films, War is fully centred on the apes this time; Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his tribe are still holed up in the woods near San Francisco, acting only in self-defence against the endless band of soldiers sent to attack their home. When one assault goes too far, Caesar and a small band of comrades set out to hunt down the man responsible while also sending the others on to look for a new home. As the journey takes them into the snow-capped mountains, Caesar and his close friends come face-to-face with the darkest recesses of humanity. This serves the springboard for the darkest and most bleak Apes story yet; humans have degenerated into little more than violent monsters, hellbent on preserving their own survival at any cost. By contrast the apes have the closest bonds with each-other, their mercy often being rewarded by even more brutality. There’s a key theme here; destruction brought on by human nature, something caused by senseless infighting, an inability to listen and understand, not to mention a nasty dose of cruelty that comes with it. Without giving too much away, the film does deal with elements that relate to our own modern disagreements as well as a setting filled with Holocaust imagery. It goes a long way to convey just how close the apocalypse is to the humans and how low they have fallen in terms of conscience and remorse, the opposite of how they were portrayed in the first film six years ago. The plot itself keeps a firm focus on Caesar, meaning we never lose sight of his struggle.

While War has the most intense action of the series, it smartly places the characters at the forefront of its narrative. Caesar, having been hardened by the events of the last film is a living legend in the eyes of his species; the point-of-view shot of the apes kneeling before him is a seamless re-introduction. For this film Andy Serkis works in some inner conflict, a few hints of temptation to throw away his caring morals. The film ultimately brings his tale to a close in a meaningful way. On the opposite end sits Woody Harrelson as the Colonel. He leads the human military forces in a ruthless, almost nihilistic fashion that makes him a formidable opponent; he also takes some inspiration from Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now. The interactions he has with Caesar are incredibly thought-provoking and the fact that he has no name further solidifies his absolute disconnect from humanity and emotion. The most intriguing thing of all in War for the Planet of the Apes is its ability to convey so much with hardly any dialogue; because it focuses more on animals as opposed to humans the facial expressions must deliver much of the emotion. The orangutan Maurice (Karin Konoval) and the bond he shares with a young girl (Played by Amiah Miller) who also cannot speak, Rocket (Terry Notary) and his willingness to give everything for Caesar and the newcomer Bad Ape’s (Steve Zahn) solitary ways; they’re all incredibly impactful and emotive, drawing you in to their struggles as well as any traditional performance can. The bonds that tie them together make you believe in their struggle, not to mention their group as a whole.

There are numerous special effects in War of the Planet of the Apes and they all work in tandem to create the most atmospheric and absorbing backdrop of the series. Motion capture work has always been one of the strongest qualities of the rebooted Apes series and War doesn’t falter one bit; in its quest to perfect the art of the mo-cap suit, each actor once again pours in all their efforts to make the ape characters come to life. The fur and facial expressions are once again at the top of the class but it’s the wounds on the apes that feel particularly visceral this time, reinforcing the film’s grim tone. The lighting is just as good, with many foreboding, low lit set-pieces that portray the human characters with a sense of darkness that pollutes their motives. With a cold, uninviting setting as its centrepiece, the action is mostly placed at the beginning and end of the film, making use of long shots to give a sense of scale alongside more military vehicles and explosions to give off their destructive nature. The music by Michael Giacchino is both haunting and ambitious with unique themes rolling into place for every character. At every turn War for the Planet of the Apes lives up to its title, laying its central themes of destruction and cruelty on thick to create a perfect complement to its story and characters.

Powerful themes, emotional character moments and impeccable special effects; these are items that third entries in trilogies sometimes fall short on. But War for the Planet of the Apes is a truly outstanding production, not to mention a phenomenal cap-off to what is easily the best reboot franchise of all time. It’s an absolute must-see for anyone looking for something thought-provoking this summer. (Just be sure to watch Rise and Dawn first!)

Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)

R3: The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski

Five out of seven Witcher books make up my collection, with The Last Wish and Blood of Elves lent out to family and friends

Released: Between 1993 and 1999 (Polish) and 2007 and 2017 (English)

Genre: Fantasy

Number of Pages: 2704 (All seven books)

Books (In order of appearance): The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and Lady of the Lake

Having recently exploded in popularity worldwide with the release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in 2015, it’s easy to forget that the franchise made its debut in Polish fiction. At first, I got into the series to keep up my fantasy fix as the long-awaited Winds of Winter from George RR. Martin is still so far away from releasing. As the Witcher franchise shares some similarities with the wildly popular Song of Fire and Ice, it was already an enticing alternative. The seventh and final book, Lady of the Lake, was translated and released in English by Gollancz in March 2017.

The series follows Geralt of Rivia, also known as the White Wolf, a professional monster slayer trained in the use of swordplay, magic and alchemy, not to mention enhanced by brewed mutations that make him far more resilient and hardened than ordinary men. His adventures to take on hunting contracts for coin often see him wrapped up in complicated affairs involving numerous colourful characters both friendly and aggressive including sorceresses, spies, soldiers, mercenaries, other Witchers and even members of royalty. This collection of faces works to switch up the action and keep you guessing as to what predicament will pop up next.

Geralt himself feels especially moody here, mostly keeping to himself and feeling reluctant to intervene in greater events. The bonds that tie characters together are incredibly strong, particularly between the Witcher, the strong-willed sorceress Yennefer and later Ciri, a child of prophecy with immense magical power. Further down the line, Geralt forms a company of many different races and beliefs, something which you’ll really be rooting for as the series reaches its inevitable climax. Sapkowski also sees fit to flesh out other characters by portraying their own perspectives; the Kings of the Northern Realms, Foltest of Temeria, Henselt of Kaedwen, Demavend of Aeidern and Radovid of Redania all have their own unique characteristics which make their squabbles and disagreements very believable. All told, there’s a complicated web of motives and desires that runs through the veins of the saga.

Thematically, The Witcher deals with issues of race, political machinations and hidden motives. Truly there is no definitive line between good or evil here which makes for compelling drama; characters motives are rarely clear, it just so happens that some individuals are more sadistic and ruthless than others. Again, much like Game of Thrones it’s a very adult tale with scatterings of sensual tension alongside gruesome violence. Yet despite these components making their way into the narrative, there’s still a moment or two for some comedic banter between Geralt and his compatriots or a different spin on an older fairy tale; for example, in the first book: “The Last Wish”, a curse broken by true love has some parallels to Beauty and the Beast. There’s also some vivid description going on here to set the tone whether it’s all the disgusting details of a loathsome monster or the surrounding landscape that works to pull the reader in.

While the first two books focus mainly on Geralt through a set of short stories, the later entries begin to focus more on Ciri and her time spent out on her own in a world where countless factions wish to use, abuse and exploit her. You really do grow attached to her over this time as she endures many hardships and often horrific spates of brutality. Things quickly expand to include the doings of the Northern Realms and an ever-growing tension with the Southern Empire of Nilfgaard, led by the Emperor Emhyr var Emreis. By deepening the world with countless factions and conflicts, the series becomes even more engrossing. In-between the warring humans we also have the persecution of dwarves and elves, adding another layer on top; the way in which they often fight for themselves in small bands and the connections they share with Geralt, who is also a non-human, adds further ambiguity. It’s this depth and the continued expansion of the lore alongside the central plotlines that make The Witcher saga a worthy member of fantastical fiction.

The only real issue I had with the books is the way the narrative point of view quickly shifts, particularly from Blood of Elves onwards. Sapkowski often cuts around to several different perspectives at key moments and in the case of the seventh book; Lady of the Lake, he also moves forward and back through time to show the reflections and aftermath of a major battle scene. On the one hand, it emphasises the scale of major events and the effect they have on the world at large but they also need a fair bit of focus to navigate through which may be a challenge for some readers.

Current Polish Covers of The Witcher Saga

Recommended?

Fans of fantasy (Adult one’s mind) should pick up The Witcher saga; over the years it’s become something of a national treasure in Poland. If you happen to have played any of The Witcher games from CD Projekt Red (Which take place after Sapkowski’s original saga) these seven books are essential as they create a complete tale, not to mention bring context to numerous characters and past events. It’s great to have the books fresh in your mind as you play through the trilogy, picking up on specific moments and perhaps even altering your perspective on the choices made and shaped by Geralt in the game trilogy.

Currently the series is on hold, though Andrzej Sapkowski did publish Season of Storms, a shorter book set in-between The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. This is due to be released in English in May 2018. A Netflix series is also in the works which may well end up following the original seven-book saga. Personally, my favourite of the books would be a toss-up between Sword of Destiny and Lady of the Lake as both feature some of the biggest events in the franchise but these are best left to be discovered by the reader.

Spider-Man: Homecoming Movie Review

Released: 7th July 2017 (UK)

Length: 133 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Jon Watts

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr, Laura Harrier, Jacob Batalon and Jon Favreau

Spider-Man, one of the most relatable and well-known superhero characters, has been synonymous with film-goers for over a decade. Three years after Sony’s second try at the character fell flat, (and a quick appearance in last year’s Captain America: Civil War) the web-head is now making his way back to Marvel in a solo adventure that stands to the side of most superhero flicks currently being released.

Taking place sometime after the events of Civil War, Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is bouncing between his responsibilities in Queens, New York. Between juggling his schoolwork, chasing after local flame Liz (Laura Harrier) and impressing Tony Stark in a bid to become a full member of the Avengers, Parker stumbles across a scheme by a villain known as the Vulture (Michael Keaton) who has formed an underground weapon dealing network using remnants of alien technology. Cutting between Peter’s exploits, the Vulture and a few sprinklings of Avengers for good measure, things proceed well. For starters, Spider-Man: Homecoming does contain many links to the Avengers and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it doesn’t become overbearing. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Played once again by the always capable Robert Downey Jr) makes an appearance here as Peter Parker’s mentor but he never takes over the proceedings from Spider-Man. Homecoming balances several plot details very well for the most part, though Spider-Man’s connection with the city, that friendly neighbourhood charm is the only thing absent here. There’s some time dedicated to Spider-Man doing the petty things from rescuing cats out of trees to getting a restaurant owner out of his collapsing building but there isn’t much of a sense that the city is rallying behind him, something that would have set him apart from his fellow heroes in the MCU.

With a more laidback tone, the characters of Spider-Man: Homecoming aim for a more relatable mood. Tom Holland really owns Spider-Man here; just like Tobey Maguire before him, he nails the duality of the hero; often you’ll feel his frustration as his duty to protect his city pulls him away from his normal life time and time again. On top of that, there’s a great arc here as he balances between his humble roots with Aunt May in Queens and the extravagant lifestyle of the Avengers. It’s also impressive that Holland manages to get a lot across using only his voice; with his face beneath the mask through much of the film. Sidekick characters can fall into the trap of being irritating but I was surprised to find that Ned Leeds’ Jacob makes his presence known by helping Spider-Man out at several points, taking him beyond that quippy base. As for the villain, Michael Keaton is a smart choice; he’s had experience in Tim Burton’s Batman in 1989 and more recently the 2014 Best Picture Winner Birdman. He imbues the Vulture with motives we can understand, a man tired of being ruled over by elites and the connections he shares with Peter create a fair amount of unpredictability as the film goes on; in short, he’s easily the best adversary for Spider-Man since Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, quite the accomplishment indeed. The most glaring performance here is Marisa Tomei as Aunt May; she just doesn’t have that much to contribute here; while it’s refreshing to see Homecoming not redo Spider-Man’s origin story, their relationship feels rather basic.

Spider-Man Homecoming is a very cheerful flick overall which ends up working both ways; on the one hand, the film has a very youthful spirit to it as it traverses the highs and lows of school life, but on the other the stakes aren’t raised too high, making for a mostly safe adventure. There’s a lot of action going on in Homecoming, much of it taking place away from the towering skyscrapers of New York which is great for variety, something also afforded by the expansions to Spidey’s suit. The acrobatics are kept at arm’s length with the cinematography delivering the extravagance effortlessly. At the same time though they don’t quite manage to reach full-on intensity which other Marvel films have been building to over the years. The music by Michael Giacchino isn’t all that memorable either; because of the choice of tone it doesn’t make much of an impact, instead serving to populate the background of most scenes. When it comes to technical details, Spider-Man Homecoming’s tone can be both a blessing and a curse, especially when compared to the darker direction the MCU is heading.

Spider-Man: Homecoming may not reach the heights of Sam Raimi’s smashing first two films but it’s still a contained down-to-earth romp that solidifies Tom Holland’s Spidey as a full-time member of the MCU. I look forward to seeing this version of the character return in future phases.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)