The Witcher: Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzej Sapkowski

On October 5, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn English Translation, Extended Universe, FantasyLeave a comment

Publisher: Gollancz (Trade Paperback – 30 September 2025)

English Translator: David French

Series: The Witcher – 0.1

Length: 310 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Legendary fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski returns to the epic world of The Witcher with the outstanding and awesome prequel novel, Crossroads of Ravens.

I doubt anyone familiar with fantasy fiction is unaware of the cultural juggernaut that is The Witcher franchise. An exciting and intense fantasy series revolving around Geralt of Rivia, a wandering, monster hunting witcher who finds himself drawn into chaotic events that threaten the entire world. The initial series birthed seven original novels that were released in Poland the 1990s (later released in English), as well as a series of short stories. However, The Witcher novels would gain prominence around the world after they were used as the inspiration for an incredible video game series, as well as a later Netflix television show. I personally have enjoyed several excellent pieces of The Witcher fiction over the years, including the previous novel Season of Storms. As such, I was very happy when I received an early copy of the new prequel novel from the series, Crossroads of Ravens, which proved to be a gripping read.

Long before the events that would make him a legend, grant him the sobriquets of the White Wolf or the Butcher of Blaviken, or even before he claimed to be from Rivia, Geralt was a young, recently graduated witcher. Descending from the witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen for the first time, Geralt soon discovers that the world is a harsh place where ideals of heroism only get you into trouble, and that the entire continent holds nothing but disdain for his kind.

Swiftly finding himself on the wrong side of the law and a noose, Geralt is only saved by the intervention of grizzled veteran witcher Preston Holt. An enigmatic and damaged figure with his own agenda, Holt takes the young Geralt under his wing, teaching him the true reality of being a witcher and honing the important skills that the future White Wolf needs to survive.

Emboldened by this training, Geralt soon begins to gain fame as a witcher, serving the people previously protected by the ailing Holt. However, as Geralt wanders the land, he finds many eyes on him, including those who hold a grudge against his order. As new adversaries and dangerous secrets from the past are uncovered, Geralt will have to decide whether to become the noble hero he always envisioned himself to be, or the monster the world believes all witchers are.

Andrzej Sapkowski continues to expertly expand the lore of The Witcher universe with this exciting and action-packed prequel. Crossroads of Ravens was an amazing novel that takes the readers on a series of intense adventures, loaded with intrigue, conspiracy and death that all fans of the franchise are going to have an outstanding time with. I ended up powering through this novel in less than a day, and it proved to be a very impressive read.

Crossroads of Ravens was an outstanding and very exciting novel that piled on the action, intrigue and adventure in its fantastic story. Starting off with an effective bang that sees a young Geralt in trouble during his first foray out as a witcher, Sapkowski does an excellent job of quickly setting up the scenario and introducing Geralt, and the reader, to a new mentor figure with the entertaining Preston Holt. What follows is a series of compelling adventures, as Geralt initially learns from Preston, before journeying off into the wilds, facing off against various monsters and the even more troublesome human population of the land. Sapkowski has fun placing Geralt into a new, mostly self-contained adventure each chapter of Crossroads of Ravens, the events and characters of which may reappear later in the book. This allowed for a quick-paced and very interesting overall narrative, and it was entertaining to see the young Geralt in action.

While there is a good focus on Geralt’s independent adventures, Crossroads of Ravens has a larger, overarching narrative, that sees Geralt seeking knowledge of a historical attack on Kaer Morhen many years earlier. Thanks to hints revealed in some of the earlier adventures, a run-in with a complex secondary antagonist, and in-universe notes from intelligence officers keeping watch on Geralt and Preston, readers get the general shape of this matter in the first half of the book, and it lies like a dark shadow over Geralt’s main adventures. Everything comes to a head perfectly towards the last quarter of the book, as Geralt fully understands the threat towards him and those he cares about, and decides to act. This leads to a tragic series of events, especially as Geralt faces the consequences of his action and his order’s history, while also trying to determine whether he should stay as a selfless witcher or become something far more vengeful. Sapkowski makes sure that several open story threads from the protagonist’s previous adventures are also tied together by the end of the book, and it was interesting to see how certain plot elements from these earlier chapters came into play in the conclusion. The result was an excellent and highly enjoyable story that serves well as both a standalone adventure and a prequel to the rest of The Witcher series.

I rather enjoyed how this great prequel Witcher novel came together, as Sapkowski imbues Crossroads of Ravens with his usual flair and wry humour. Loaded with action, quick-paced stories and an array of unique monsters, Crossroads of Ravens was very reminiscent of early Witcher novels, especially as containing certain adventures to a specific chapter is very similar to the series’ original short-story format. Naturally, this novel will be best enjoyed by those established fans of The Witcher franchise, especially readers of Sapkowski original novel series. Crossroads of Ravens features various references to future events or characters in its pages, which long-running readers of the series will enjoy, and there is some great early characterization of the protagonist as well. There are also interesting alternate versions of events readers might have seen in other media, including the historical attack on Kaer Morhen, which was featured in the Nightmare of the Wolf anime film. While older fans will get the most of this book, anyone with any knowledge of the franchise will be able to enjoy Crossroads of Ravens to a great degree, especially as it is the earliest book in the current canon of The Witcher series. As such, this novel will have a lot of appeal to wide array of readers, who will be in for a great time with the action and adventure.

As with all The Witcher books, Crossroads of Ravens features an excellent array of characters, including a great supporting cast around protagonist Geralt. I very much enjoyed Geralt in this novel as Sapkowski features a young and inexperienced version of his iconic protagonist. It was fascinating to see Geralt’s initial forays into both the world of ignorant humans, and monster hunting, especially as his reactions to both are different at a young age. A great example of this can be seen in one adventure where Geralt attempts to save a girl turned into a striga, which parallels The Witcher short story, which is the first entry in Sapkowski’s original novel/short story collection, The Last Wish. This adventure in Crossroads of Ravens goes very differently from the author’s original story, and it was fascinating to see how a younger, less confident Geralt dealt with the same situation. I also quite enjoyed seeing Geralt, upon experiencing loss, go on a mission of vengeance, which threatens his previous attempts to be a respected hero rather than a monster. I felt that Sapkowski cleverly balanced Geralt’s conflicting emotions in these sequences, and the end scene where he makes a choice about what sort of witcher he is, was a great finish to his story. Throw in an array of excellent additional characters, including a wise, vengeful mentor, a dedicated investigator, a kind healer and many other fun figures, and Crossroads of Ravens proves to be an awesome book for fans of Sapkowski’s entertaining characters.

With another fun and captivating adventure, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series continues in all its monster-hunting glory with Crossroads of Ravens. An outstanding prequel novel that features an array of fantastic storylines and characters, Crossroads of Ravens serves as a highly entertaining entry in this acclaimed series that will appeal to a wide audience of fantasy fans. I had a great time reading Crossroads of Ravens, and it’s worth checking out for anyone in the mood for fun action and an interesting narrative from an excellent established series.

Amazon

Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Television Series based on Books

On November 1, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday revolved around Unlikable Characters You Can’t Help but Love. While this was an interesting subject, it wasn’t one that I felt I could contribute to, so instead I thought I would go off on my own tangent and look at my favourite television shows that are based on books.

It has been no secret that in recent years, the various television companies and streaming services have put a great deal of effort into adapting popular novels and books into television series. While this is nothing new, with books having been converted into shows for decades, this has become particularly prevalent in the last decade, particularly as these services are attempting to find their next mega-hit. While some of these shows have failed, either due to the original source material or general problems with production, many have turned out to be exceedingly epic television series that I have deeply enjoyed. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, especially after enjoying some great examples of these sorts of series, so I thought I would try and list my absolute favourite television shows based on books. This will be a bit of a continuation of another list I did recently, which looked at my favourite films based on books, which proved to be extremely interesting to produce, and I thought I would have just as much fun by looking at television series. I actually had this list mostly written up a couple of months ago, but I decided to hold off due to the imminent release of two very popular fantasy shows (I’m sure you can guess which two).

To appear on this list, the relevant television series needed to be based on a book in some shape or form. In trying to work out what my absolute favourite book-inspired series are, I looked at a few things, including the generally quality of the show, how much I enjoyed it, as well as whether it is a good adaptation of the source material. In a few cases, I may not have read the book the shows are adapted from, but I have still included them here due to the quality of the series. I decided not to include any television series based off comics on this list, as that is something I will probably try and list at a future date. Despite this, I still ended up with a ton of potential entries for this list and I had to do some cutting to get it down to 10 with my usual generous honourable mentions section. The end result is pretty interesting and I think that it does a great job reflecting which television series adapted from novels are my favourite.

Honourable Mentions:

Elementary

Elementary Poster

One of the two most impressive recent television adaptations of Sherlock Holmes set in the modern era, Elementary was a fantastic series that I had a lot of fun watching. Featuring a lot more quantity than the other Sherlock Holmes series (which is also appearing on this list), Elementary was an excellent and grounded series featuring a great cast and a compelling alternate setting in New York.

Hannibal

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An intriguing and innovative adaptation of Thomas Harris’s classic novels, Red Dragon, Hannibal and Hannibal Rising, the Hannibal television show was brought to life by Bryan Fuller and features his distinctive and mind-bending style. Featuring a brilliant cast, led by Hugh Dancy as Will Graham and the supremely talented Mads Mikkelsen as Dr Hannibal Lecter, this was an incredible psychological thriller series that pit a murderous cannibal psychiatrist against a troubled FBI agent. Tense, gruesome, and featuring some beautiful, if horrifying shots of food, Hannibal is a deeply impressive and shocking series that will stick in your mind.

Bones

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A fantastic and awesome long-running crime series that I am a massive fan of. Based on the novels by Kathy Reichs, this was an outstanding series that helped popularise forensic anthropology to the wider world. A great series if you’re in the mood for a clever and funny serialised crime fiction fix.

Inventing Anna

Inventing Anna Poster

One of the more entertaining shows from the first part of 2022. Inventing Anna, which is based on a series of journal articles (hence its inclusion as an honourable mention), told the remarkable true story of a fake heiress who conned New York’s elite. Utterly addictive and strangely compelling, I deeply enjoyed this wonderful show, weird accent included.

Top Ten List:

Game of Thrones

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I don’t think anyone is going to be too surprised that Game of Thrones made this list. Based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series, Game of Thrones is one of the biggest and best television shows of all time and is highly responsible for the current fantasy fiction resurgence in film and television. Featuring an epic cast, many of whom made their name through this show, Game of Thrones had a brilliant combination of clever writing, brutal action, and some of the biggest twists and turns in television history, as well as some brutally surprising and eye-catching moments and epic battles. There are honestly too many awesome moments to discuss, but generally everything about this show, whether it was bloody massacres, tragic character deaths, massive fights against ice zombies, or its well-crafted and witty dialogue, was extremely memorable and quickly became the world’s greatest obsession. While the last season was a bit disappointing, I feel that this honestly does not diminish the impact that the first several seasons had, and this is still one of the best shows I have ever watched. An easy and epic inclusion in this list.

Orange is the New Black

Orange is the new Black Poster

Next, we have Netflix’s ground-breaking prison series, Orange is the New Black. An adaptation of the memoir Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman, Orange is the New Black was an outstanding series that showed the trials and tribulations of a women’s prison. Featuring an excellent mixture of comedy and drama, Orange is the New Black was something special, and viewers were quickly wowed by its clever story and brilliant characters. While the central storyline around main character, Piper, wasn’t always the most enjoyable, I felt that the various side characters and supporting storylines more than made up for this, and by the end, the unique and crazy cast was the real draw. An awesome show that had its ups and downs, but it is well worth chainwatching all seven seasons in a single sitting.

The Witcher

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From prisons to monster slaying, the third entry on this list is Netflix’s attempt to fill the fantasy hole left after Game of Thrones with The Witcher. Based on the iconic books by Andrzej Sapkowski (such as Season of Storms), this fast-paced and powerful show places Henry Cavill in the titular role as Geralt of Rivia, a mutated and magic wielding warrior, known as a Witcher, who makes a living killing monsters. Drawn by destiny to protect a young princess and fall in love with a chaotic mage, this series does an excellent job adapting Sapkowski’s novels and features some of the grittiest and most epic fight scenes on television today. I love everything about this show, although I must give a special mention to Joey Batey’s Jaskier, the travelling bard, whose returns in the second season was heralded by a hilarious breakup song about Geralt. However, this series is not without controversy, and I am sure that many will be aware that Cavill will be leaving show after the third season (allegedly due to disagreements over the writer’s interpretation of the source material), to be replaced with Liam Hemsworth. It remains to be seen how much that will diminish the show’s quality going forward (I’m not particularly hopeful), but this doesn’t take away from the fact that the first two seasons are pretty epic and one of the more exciting Netflix shows at the moment. It will be very interesting to see how this show progresses in the future, and I will also be keeping an eye out for the upcoming prequel series, which could be good.

The Lincoln Lawyer

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Next on this list we have an amazing legal thriller series with The Lincoln Lawyer. Based on the Mickey Haler books by Michael Connelly (which include awesome reads like The Law of Innocence), The Lincoln Lawyer is an outstanding legal thriller series. The first season of this show adapted Connelly’s 2008 novel, The Brass Verdict perfectly, and presents readers with a complex and intense legal case and associated murder. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo shines in the lead role and presents a suave and intelligent defence attorney, who is also carrying some substantial emotional baggage. I powered through this entire show in a weekend, and I was very impressed with how it all came together. A second season of the show is apparently in production at the moment, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

House of the Dragon

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It seems the fantasy works of George R. R. Martin can do no wrong, as I had very little choice but to include the impressive House of the Dragon here. A prequel to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon adapts part of Martin’s novel Fire & Blood and shows a blood civil war amid the dragon-riding Targaryens. I was initially very sceptical about this series when it was first announced, especially after the problematic final season of Game of Thrones, but I am very happy to say that I worried for nothing. House of the Dragon is actually a very exciting and captivating series, which took the entire franchise in an intriguing new direction. Featuring a whole new cast of characters and talented actors (Matt Smith for the win!), the writers built up a compelling and intense tale of internal struggle and battles for power as various potential heirs for the throne battle for domination. While a little slow at the start, the show got better with each episode, and I loved seeing the entire series come together into a thrilling tale of Machiavellian manoeuvres. While I know some people didn’t like the use of the time skips, I thought they actually were utilised extremely well, and brought the story along at a much more natural pace. The clever insertion of different actors to represent the aging characters was a particularly impressive bit of casting, and every major actor shined in their roles. While it hasn’t reached the heights of peak Game of Thrones yet, it has an awful lot of potential, and I can’t wait to see how it continues.

Sherlock

Sherlock Poster

Next up we have one of the most entertaining and enjoyable takes on the iconic Sherlock Holmes books, with Sherlock. A clever adaptation set in the modern day; Sherlock was an absolute revelation that everyone became instant fans of. Created by the legendary team of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in the main roles, this incredible series reinvented and modernised the Sherlock Holmes tales into 13 powerful and long episodes. There are some absolute gems in this series, with every episode featuring a clever mystery alongside the entertaining antics of its exceptional cast. An excellent and epic series that are a must watch for everyone.

Good Omens

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Another captivating show you need to check out is the fantasy comedy series Good Omens. Serving as an adaptation of the book of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens follows an angel and a demon as they attempt to navigate and eventually stop the upcoming apocalypse. Featuring the extremely talented Michael Sheen and David Tennant in the main roles, this was an exceptional show that had me laughing the entire way through. Sheen and Tennant are a brilliant partnership, and their oddball friendship is just perfect, especially with the flashbacks showing them throughout history. I had an exceptional time with the first season back in 2019, and there is apparently a second season coming out at some point in the future as well.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

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While I did really enjoy the film adaptation with Jim Carrey, to my mind the best adaptation of the iconic Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events is this wonderful television series. The show follows the suddenly orphaned Baudelaire children who are being pursued by the evil and dastardly Count Olaf, who desires their vast inheritance. However, they soon discover that there is a far greater mystery in play as their parents were involved in a shadowy secret society. Neil Patrick Harris has an absolute blast as the eccentric Count Olaf, which he perfectly plays off the three great child actors, as well as the extended cast of guest stars and over-the-top characters. A must watch for all fans of this iconic young adult series, I had such a fun time watching this show.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings - The Rings of Power Poster

Now, I know this is going to be one of the more controversial entries on this list, but I had to include The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power here. An adaptation of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Rings of Power was an intriguing fantasy ride that ended up getting a lot of internet hate. I honestly don’t get why everyone was so down on this show, as I had a brilliant time getting through it. The show features some of the best elements of the iconic films, from the breathtaking landscapes, epic sets, impressive costumes, and beautiful music, not to mention that it had some pretty exceptional special effects, most of which was so much better than the rushed CGI in The Hobbit films. While the story was still finding its feet in the first season, mainly as they were working to set a lot of stuff up, I got pretty hooked on the captivating tale, and the fresh new take on the ancient war. While they were unable to adapt a few of Tolkien’s writings about this period, such as The Silmarillion, I felt that the writing team did a good job coming up with an interesting narrative, and I liked seeing younger versions of some iconic characters, and the unique stories they had to tell. I have high hopes that this series will continue to improve as it goes on, and I am sure that the continued quality will eventually win critics over.

M*A*S*H

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For the final entry on this list, I chose to include one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time, M*A*S*H, which was a very easy choice for me. A spin-off from the 1970 M*A*SH film, which was itself an adaptation of MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, this might be slightly stretching the definition of a book adaption, but I’m fine with it because its M*A*S*H. A captivating show about doctors serving in the Korean War, we all know how amazing M*A*S*H is, as it has been making people laugh since the 1970s. Featuring an outstanding cast and some poignant storylines that perfectly blended drama with comedy, M*A*S*H still holds up to this day, even though it ended more than 40 years ago. Easily one of the best sitcoms of all time, M*A*S*H is too damn good to exclude from this list, and I love it to death.

Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are some brilliant television adaptations of great books out there, and I think that the above does a great job of reflecting my personal favourites. This is probably a list I will come back to in the future, especially as there are more and more television adaptations of novels coming out every year. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite show based on books are in the comments below.

Top Ten List – What Upcoming Television Shows could Replace Game of Thrones?

On May 21, 2019 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Like many people, I spent last night watching the Game of Thrones finale. While many are currently debating the quality of the final season, and will probably keep debating it for many years to come (I think I’ll keep my own opinion about this final season secret for my own safety), you cannot deny the impact that this show has had on worldwide television.

We are living in a moment of time where there are some incredible television shows out there, and the cultural impact and popularity of Game of Thrones is partially responsible for it. Not only did the show introduce the world to a whole new group of actors, many of whom are going to be major stars for years to come; it also showed world that television can be just as big, if not bigger than movies. Game of Thrones contained a huge amount of CGI, drama, dialogue and action sequences that put many major films to shame, and the quality of the CGI and action improved when the show’s budget ballooned out. I would argue that the popularity of shows such as Game of Thrones has encouraged more actors who gained fame in movies to jump back into television shows, often to great effect. It is also interesting to note that the success of Game of Thrones has allowed for more fantasy shows to be made, as studios were more eager to back fantasy series, such as American Gods, after seeing how many people were interested in Game of Thrones. Now, with Game of Thrones gone, there is a substantial void in the television line-up that many networks are working to fill.

That’s where this article comes in. Ever since the end of the show has been announced, I have been wondering what television show is going to step up and be the next big epic television show. What is going to be the next Game of Thrones? As it happens, there are quite a few big and intriguing television shows on the horizon and this is a Top Ten List that I came up with that talks about which series I think have the most potential to fill the void left by Game of Thrones.

This sort of an article is a bit of a departure from what I usually write about; however, I’m going to justify it by saying that most of the shows I will be talking about are adaptations of books or comic books. I will be excluding shows that have already been airing for a while, although I did consider some of the sequels, prequels of spin-offs that have been announced. I am not saying that future seasons of shows such as Stranger Things, The Handmaid’s Tale, American Gods or The Walking Dead are not epic; it’s just that I am more interested in what new stuff is coming out. I admit, this is also a bit of a list of shows I am probably going to watch in the future, but I think they could all have the potential to emerge from Game of Throne’s significant shadow.

Upcoming The Lord of the Rings Television Show

For the No. 1 position, I put the show that many people think has the most potential to outshine Game of Thrones, the new planned television adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Without a doubt, The Lord of the Rings has to be the most iconic and popular fantasy book series of all time. The book series have already produced some incredibly epic movies, as well as the somewhat enjoyable The Hobbit movies. Naturally, any television show based on The Lord of the Rings books is going to be massive, and there is so much potential for massive battles and elaborate sequences, especially if the series is done right. Added in to that is the fact that the various production companies (mostly Amazon) are pouring some serious money into the show, and it will apparently be the most expensive television show ever made, taking the spot currently held by Game of Thrones.

There are not too many details about the show at the moment. A press release indicates that the show will look at “previously unexplored stories based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s original writings”, which indicates that they will be looking at stuff set way before the events of The Hobbit. Many people believe that this could mean that the series will cover Sauron’s first attempt to take over Middle Earth in the Second Age, as well as the forging of the One Ring, and you have to admit there are some amazing storylines that could be explored there. There is currently no release date for the show, nor has anyone been officially cast, but I think that no matter what happens, the sheer potential and appeal of The Lord of the Rings, as well the massive production budget, will turn this into a show really worth watching, and one which will prove to be the biggest challenger to Game of Throne’s reign as biggest television show of all time.

The Mandalorian

Now, this may be because I am a massive Star Wars fan, but oh boy, oh boy, am I keen for The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian is an upcoming live-action Star Wars television show, set to be released on 12 November 2019 as one of the starring shows of the new Disney+ streaming service. Set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, the show will be set in the outer reaches of the galaxy and focus on the criminals and bounty hunters living out there. The show will primarily focus on the Mandalorian, a lone gunslinger with the iconic Mandalorian amour and weapons that Bobba Fett made famous.

While some of the latest Star Wars movies have been less than stellar, there have been some outstanding television shows, books and comics set in the Star Wars extended universe (check out my reviews of some of these here). The Mandalorian will be the first Star Wars live-action television show and has a huge amount of potential. Not only is Disney pumping in $100 million for the first 10 episodes but the show is being written and produced by showrunner Jon Favreau, whose previous production credits include Iron Man, The Jungle Book and The Lion King. They are also bringing in some significant talent to act and direct the various episodes. Favreau is directing an episode, but so is Takia Waititi (whom I worship after Thor: Ragnarok), Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Crow.

Let’s also talk about the cast: you have Game of Thrones and Narcos star Pedro Pascal as the titular Mandalorian, which is going to be pretty awesome, even if he’s wearing a helmet for most of the show. You also have Gina Carano, from Deadpool, as the female lead; Nick Nolte; Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito; Apollo Creed himself, Carl Weathers; as well as a bunch of other great actors, including Taika Waititi voicing a murderous droid, which should be fun.

All of these add up to one hell of a show, and the recently leaked trailer and footage look pretty damn awesome. Expect movie quality graphics here, as well as some top-level acting and direction. I was extremely tempted to put this as my No. 1 show, and I am so very keen to check this out.

Watchmen

Watchmen, by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins, is considered by many to be one of the greatest comic book series of all times, and HBO is pinning their post-Game of Thrones future on a television adaptation of the series. Most people would already be familiar with Zack Snyder’s movie adaptation of the series (which is a bit mixed, but I liked it), and this upcoming television adaptation has some real potential as well.

Set to be released in late 2019, the new Watchmen adaptation already has a large and impressive cast put together, including Regina King, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson and Jeremy Irons. Not a lot of plot details have been revealed, although I believe it is going to be set after the events of the comic series and movie, especially as Jeremy Irons is playing an older version of Ozymandias. The first trailer showed a group of people dressed up like Rorschach, and it is possible they want to reveal the truth told in Rorschach’s journal that was sent to the New Frontiersman. I also believe that part of the plot will be pulled from the current series, Doomsday Clock, minus all the DC characters.

If done right, this Watchmen show can easily become one of the top shows of 2019, and the showrunners can take the series pretty much anywhere they want to. With the huge comic book fanbase already interested in this show, expect Watchmen to attract a huge audience.

Upcoming MCU series

Quite honestly, nothing is hotter at the moment than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Avengers: Endgame only just recently blowing everyone’s mind and getting closer and closer to becoming the highest grossing film of all time, fans are eager to see where the story goes from here. For many of the characters, their story will be continued not in a movie but in a television show on Disney+, which I am jointly making my No. 4 choice. I admit I am cheating a little here, but as it is likely that these series will be somewhat connected (I am sure there will be crossovers and the like) and Marvel are creating a massive television universe, I am going to look at them together.

There are currently four planned live-action shows set to be released in 2020 and 2021, including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki and a currently untitled Hawkeye series. There is also an animated Marvel’s What If…? series that will air on Disney+ but will not be connected to the other series.

With cast members from the movies leading each of these shows, there is no way that this will not be an amazing bit of television. By themselves, each of these shows has more potential than any other comic book television show currently out there thanks to their connection to the MCU, but when considered together these shows will be incredibly awesome. Expect Disney to spring for all manner of cameos from the MCU for the series, as well as some other impressive casting decisions (what big-name actor isn’t going to want to get involved in this?). I am also looking forward to seeing where all of these characters go after the events of Endgame, and there should be some awesome storylines happening here.

It looks like my Marvel comics/MCU addiction is going to be well taken care of in the next few years, and I am really looking forward to each of these shows, although I have some slight concerns about how much I’ll enjoy WandaVision. I think I am looking forward to Loki the most, mainly because Tom Hiddleston is just outstanding as the character. The Hawkeye series and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will also be great, and I am especially keen to see how Falcon and Bucky go without Cap holding them together (hoping for a bunch of Chris Evans cameos there).

The Witcher

You can bet your bottom dollar that Netflix is more than keen to get in on the fantasy game, especially after losing all their Marvel series. They actually appear to be set to have one of the first series to fill the hole that Game of Thrones leaves in the fantasy genre with their adaptation of The Witcher. Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher books are a well-loved series, especially in Europe, but their adaptation into the outstanding videogame series of the same name has also made them an extremely popular series in America.

The Witcher series follows Geralt of Rivia, a magically empowered monster hunter who wanders the land by himself, shunned by most other people. He encounters all manner of people on his journey, including a mysterious princess and a powerful sorceress, and he is constantly fighting for his own survival. As a result, this is a television series that can take its story practically anywhere and can adapt stuff from the books and games, as well as making new storylines as required.

The series is set to be released later this year, and the lead role has already been filled by Superman himself, Henry Cavill (who rocks the character’s trademark silver hair fairly well). I am a fan of this series (check out my review for the last The Witcher book here), and I have a feeling that this could be a massive series. It’s definitely going to have a huge and varied audience, with casual viewers, fantasy fans and gamers all keen to see this. I have not seen any footage of this show yet, but if the creators can get some good storylines and graphics going with this show, it could easily become one of the best fantasy television series on the market.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Live Action)

OK, before I talk about this, let us just agree that M. Night Shyamalan’s movie adaptation, The Last Airbender, never happened. OK? Good!

In my opinion, Avatar: The Last Airbender is easily one of the best animated shows of the last 20 years. Featuring some first-rate storylines and a style heavily inspired by Japanese anime, Avatar is set in a world where certain people, known as benders, have the ability to control the various elements: earth, fire, air and water. Only one person, the Avatar, has the ability to control all four elements, and they take up a peacekeeper role for the various nations. But when the Avatar, a young airbender called Aang, disappears, the ruler of the Fire Nation engages in a genocidal war against the other nations, wiping out the Air Nomads and all the airbenders. After being trapped for 100 years, the still young Aang emerges and, with the help of his new friends, must train in the remaining three elements in order to become powerful enough to oppose the Fire Nation.

Netflix announced they were doing a live-action remake of this series last year, and fans were excited to finally get the live-action version of the show they deserved. Both of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s creators, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, are set to be executive producers and showrunners, and if anyone can produce a great Avatar live action series, it is those two. They have already announced that they will be casting a culturally appropriate, non-whitewashed cast, which is already a huge step ahead of Shyamalan’s movie.

The series is currently set to be released in 2020, and I think it will be one of the best shows of next year. I absolutely loved the animated show and cannot wait to see where DiMartino and Konietzko take this series. This is one that will appeal to a younger audience than the other shows on this list, although all those people who are already fans of the animated series are bound to watch this as well. I think this new Avatar adaptation will be an easy hit, and if the creators can replicate the magic of their animated series, then this could be massive.

Game of Thrones spin-off series

I cannot talk about potential successors to Game of Thrones without mentioning the various Game of Thrones spin-off shows that are currently being planned by HBO. I know some people might not be keen on these after the last season of the main show, but there are a huge number of spinoff shows out there that proved to be very successful, and if any series is capable of producing an iconic spin-off series, it is Game of Thrones.

There are currently three Game of Thrones series in early production at the moment. Two are currently being written, although their setting is yet to be confirmed. George R. R. Martin has suggested that some of these new series would be based on stories from his companion book, Fire and Blood, which chronicles various stories about the Targaryen dynasty. Readers can possibly expect stories about their initial conquest of Westeros, their fight to maintain it, the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, or perhaps an adaptation of the Tales of Dunk and Egg.

There is also one series that is currently being filmed. This series is going to be a prequel series set around 10,000 years before the events of Game of Thrones, in the Age of Heroes, and is likely to focus on some of the major events that occurred during this time, such as the foundation of some of the great houses and the first time the White Walkers attacked Westeros. This series has already pulled together a massive cast, with Naomi Watts as the lead. A huge range of up-and-coming British talent has also been cast, as well as a few veterans like Miranda Richardson and John Simm (Queen Mab and the Master in Westeros, should be interesting). I’m not sure when this series will be released, but if they are filming at the moment, expect a 2020 release.

I honestly do not see why these series could not be just as awesome as Game of Thrones, and I am sure that many fans will be keen to see different periods of this fantasy world’s history. I think that the writers of this series will really have to up their game in the face of the criticism of Game of Thrones season 8, and it remains to be seen whether there is a certain fatigue from Game of Thrones fans that affects viewer numbers for this show.

Snowpiercer

For the eighth show on my list, I am looking at the upcoming television adaptation of Snowpiercer. This show might be a tad too niche and out there to fill the Game of Thrones gap, but I think it has the potential to appeal to a certain audience. Snowpiercer is an adaptation of a 1982 French graphic novel, Le Transperceneige, which was previously adapted into the 2013 movie Snowpiercer starring Chris Evans. This show will be a fresh adaptation, unrelated to the movie, aside from the overarching premise of humanity escaping frozen conditions on a giant moving train. There will also be similar themes of class warfare, social injustice and the examination of politics aboard the train, as well as certain secrets coming to the surface.

Snowpiercer has already put together a pretty massive and impressive cast, including Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connelly, and the various character descriptions that have provided sound like a lot of fun. The show is set to premier in 2020, and I think that Snowpiercer could turn into quite an entertaining and popular series.

Star Trek: Picard

There has been a bit of a Star Trek television revival in the last few years, with Star Trek: Discovery coming out in late 2017, and several additional series planned for the horizon. While Discovery has had a pretty solid run, the show that many Star Trek fans have been looking forward to is Star Trek: Picard, which sees the return of Patrick Stewart in his most famous role of Jean-Luc Picard.

Picard is set to be released later this year and will be set 18 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis. Plot details about this series are still a bit vague at this point, but it sounds like in the intervening years Picard has left Starfleet, possibly under controversial circumstances. However, events such as the destruction of Romulus (as shown in the 2009 Star Trek film) have forced him back to Star Fleet. Not only will this story focus on Picard’s present but it will also act as a sequel to Star Trek: The Next Generation, showing why Picard is no longer the captain of the Enterprise. It also sounds like this will be a much darker story, with more morally ambiguous supporting characters and a much more different Picard.

Out of all the upcoming Star Trek series, this has to be the most interesting one, and the one most likely to attract a massive following. Having Patrick Stewart return is a real coup for the Star Trek creators, and I am really interested in seeing how much the character has changed. This one promises to be a really good show, and I think it has some real potential to be one of the best Star Trek shows of all time.

The Kingkiller Chronicle.

I finish my list off with a show that I think could be as popular as Game of Thrones if it gets off the ground. I previously mentioned how much I loved Patrick Rothfuss’s epic book series The Kingkiller Chronicle, which is probably one of the best fantasy book series out there at the moment.

A planned television adaptation has been in the works for some time, with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda attached as an executive producer and composer. Unfortunately, like the third book in The Kingkiller Chronicle, an adaptation of this series has yet to appear, and no real details about it are available at the moment. I’m a little uncertain if this one will actually happen, and if there were some more details this would be way higher up on this list. Still, if it does eventuate, I think it could be absolutely amazing and could be exactly what those fantasy fans waiting for the next Game of Thrones are looking for.

Honourable mentions:

Based on the amazing series, Y: The Last Man by comic legend Brian K. Vaughan, Y is set to be released in 2020. I loved the comic, which features a post-apocalyptic world where every male mammal, with the exception of one human and his monkey, suddenly died. The comic it is based on was pretty epic, but a promised adaptation of this series has been in development hell for years. If this one does get released next year, it should prove to be very good and attract a large fanbase.

Good Omens

Out in a few days, and featuring David Tennant and Michael Sheen, this one should be really fun, but it might have a much more limited audience than most of the other shows on this list.

Star Wars: Cassian Andor series

Another upcoming Star Wars series, this planned series which will appear next year on Disney+ will act as a prequel to Rogue One and fill focus on the character Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna. A spy thriller with the complex character of Cassian Andor sounds incredibly awesome, especially as Alan Tudyk is set to return as the voice of K-2SO. I think The Mandalorian will be bigger at this point, but I am sure this will also be incredibly fun and pick up a lot of viewers, provided we are not saturated by Disney live-action series at that point.

I hope you enjoyed my list. What shows do think could be the next Game of Thrones. Let me know if the comments below.

Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski

On June 4, 2018October 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn English Translation, Fantasy6 Comments

Season of Storms Cover

Publication: Gollancz

English Edition Translated by David A. French

Publication Date – 19 April 2018

Amazon

The legendary Andrzej Sapkowski returns with a fun and exhilarating addition to one of the best fantasy franchises to ever come out of Europe, The Witcher.

Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, a powerful mutant tasked with protecting ordinary people from the monsters that infest the various kingdoms and lands of the Continent. Witchers wield a range of weapons in the fight against evil, from magical signs to powerful potions. However, their main weapons are two swords: one made of steel, the other made of silver. These swords are a symbol of status for a Witcher and are irreplaceable.

However, after being falsely arrested by corrupt city guards, Geralt’s swords disappear, having been stolen by unknown thieves. Upon his release, Geralt will move heaven and earth to reclaim his weapons. But all manner of people desire the weapons of a Witcher, and his search only throws up false leads.

The theft could not have come at a worse time. In order to obtain his freedom, Geralt is coerced by the sorceress known as Coral into hunting a demon around the sorcerer stronghold of Rissberg. Geralt must determine who among the fortress’s scheming sorcerers is summoning the demon forth, and stop their rampage. At the same time, he and his old friend Dandelion must contend with the various plots taking place within the court of the King of Kerack as his heirs battle for power.

Can Geralt contend with the foes set against him, or will the loss of his faithful swords result in his destruction?

Sapkowski is one of the most popular and well-known writers of fantasy fiction in Central and Eastern Europe, where his books have achieved a cult following. Sapkowski is best known for The Witcher series of books. This series, which was mostly written in the 1990s, focuses on the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia and his adventures throughout Sapkowski’s dark fantasy landscape. These books served as the basis for the popular video game series of the same name, which is how many people would be familiar with Sapkowski’s characters and stories. The Witcher books were also adapted into both a movie and television series in Poland, called The Hexer, and Netflix has recently commissioned a new American television series based on the books, also called The Witcher, which is currently in the early stages of production.

Season of Storms is the latest The Witcher book Sapkowski has released. It was originally published in 2013 in Polish, but an English translation of the book has only just been published. This is a standalone book that is set between some of Sapkowski’s original short stories which were captured in his second book, The Last Wish. While Season of Storms is a standalone book, it does contain a number of hints to some The Witcher stories chronologically set after it. It also features a number of characters from the other books in the series, including a series of interludes that focus on Nimue, who appeared in two previous books and who many may recognise as the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legends. The scenes featuring Nimue in Season of Storms are set more than a hundred years after the rest of The Witcher books and contain some potential hints about the eventual fate of the series’ main characters, as well as some cryptic discussions between characters that could be open to some interesting interpretations. As a result, people who have read the other books in the franchise will really appreciate Season of Storms for these call-backs and references. However, while the book may be especially appealing to past readers, it is also a perfect place for readers unfamiliar with Sapkowski’s work to get started, as it does not rely on other books in the series for plot details.

Sapkowski continues to explore his fantastic fantasy world in this latest book, as Geralt quests into new areas of the Continent. Most of the story focuses on locations and settings not previously explored in previous books of the series, giving fans of this franchise a much wider view of this detailed fantasy world. Knowledge of the world is also expanded through the fun use of excerpts from in-universe fictional books, which offers a range of entertaining facts and jokes. Readers will also be impressed by the wide number of foes and monsters that Sapkowski has fit in this book. Throughout the story Geralt has to contend with magical mutations, humanoid hybrids, powerful magic users, werewolves, kitsunes, gangsters and marauding soldiers. This rich array of opponents adds a lot to the story’s excitement and is wildly appropriate for a story about a monster hunter.

Another notable part of Season of Storms is the range of intriguing mysteries Geralt needs to solve in order to complete his quest and survive. These mysteries are interspersed throughout the story’s fantasy adventure and include the main mystery of who stole Geralt’s swords, the political mysteries in the Kingdom of Kerack and the investigation into why summoned demons are attacking communities in the forest. These mysteries have a large level of sophistication and do a great job of keeping the readers interested and intrigued throughout the book. The various mysteries also combine really well with the book’s fantasy elements and strike a good balance within the book. This exceptional combination of elements within Season of Storms impressively captivates the readers and creates an enticing overall story.

The latest book in The Witcher franchise is a brilliant new adventure that stands just to the side of the previous short stories and established longer series. Season of Storms provides pulse pounding adventure in Sapkowski’s beloved fantasy world while also telling a series of intense interlocked stories that make great use of several riveting mysteries to drag in the reader’s attention. This is definitely a strong recommendation for those readers who have enjoyed Sapkowski’s literary works in the past. However, general fantasy fans and those who have only experienced The Witcher franchise through the games will enjoy this excellent and electrifying read.