- In “Time of Contempt,” tensions between the Northern Kingdoms and Nilfgaard escalate while Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri are separated once again in an effort to protect the girl half the Continent is hunting.
- Everything culminates at the great gathering of sorcerers on the island of Thanedd, where politics, espionage and betrayal erupt into a bloody clash that splits the trio apart again and strands Ciri in an unknown land.
- The novel reads fast and chaotically, and it’s most compelling because Geralt finally realizes his neutrality is no longer sustainable.
“Hmmmm…” – Geralt
With “Blood of Elves” behind us, we arrive at the dark “Time of Contempt”… and now things really start heating up.
The Northern Kingdoms are trying to find a way to provoke Nilfgaard into resuming the war, banking on the idea of a quick counterattack — not knowing that the ruler of Nilfgaard already has his own plans for these kingdoms.
Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri are separated once again, all in the name of protecting the former “lion cub of Cintra.”
Geralt is trying to track down a mysterious sorcerer who’s after Ciri, with the help of “lawyers” (a peculiar sort of office that solves all kinds of problems and digs up hard-to-reach information), and he’s rather motivated to shorten him by a head (the sorcerer, not the lawyer).
Meanwhile, Yennefer is trying to protect Ciri and, along the way, do something about her magical potential. So she comes up with the idea of enrolling Ciri in the magic school of Aretuza on the island of Thanedd, while she herself attends the great gathering of sorcerers. While Yennefer discusses some financial matters with her banker (as well as the status of a certain white-haired man, you know the one), Ciri — calm and level-headed girl that she is — manages to cause a small short-circuit while sightseeing around town. But Ciri isn’t thrilled about the idea of being all but imprisoned on an island and not seeing Geralt for a long time, so she seizes the chance to slip out of the city and find him. Naturally, Yennefer takes off like a whirlwind in pursuit.
After an unexpected reunion of this trio, brought together by Destiny, they all decide to return to Thanedd together. Ciri will begin her schooling, while Geralt and Yennefer have rediscovered their closeness – spiritually, emotionally… but mostly physically 😁.
Meanwhile, everyone is preparing for one of the most serious secret events on the Continent: the great assembly of the most influential and powerful sorcerers around – and that, my friends, is politics at the highest level. Most of them are advisors to various kings, they look after their own interests, they air-kiss each other with “oh darling, you look divine!” while they’d happily pour sulphuric acid into each other’s eyes… and on top of all that, there’s a suspicion that some of the mages are in bed with both Nilfgaard and the Squirrels (I assume you remember those renegade units that seem to have a deal with Nilfgaard).
And at that gathering, somewhat unexpectedly, there will also be Geralt… who won’t have the faintest idea just how much he’ll be the quiet star of the evening – from the lustful looks of the sorceresses (and Yennefer’s subtle jealousy), to assorted spies, to certain individuals subtly making it clear to Geralt that he won’t be able to stay neutral, that he’ll have to “side with an empire” because of his connection to Ciri, since Ciri may be the key to which power ultimately prevails on the Continent.
All of this culminates the following morning in a massive (bloody and political) clash, because of which Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri will be separated yet again. And worst of all, during her escape, magic will send Ciri off to a completely unknown land, where she’ll have to fend for herself as best she can… assuming certain people don’t catch her first…
“Time of Contempt,” like its predecessors, is a very quick read. Beyond the fact that the novel simply goes down easy, everything now unfolds fast and chaotically. More and more (dangerous and influential) people are aware that Ciri is alive, offering huge rewards and hiring dangerous men to find her at any cost (it’s particularly interesting that the Nilfgaardian ruler Emhyr is so persistent in his hope of finding her that the reader starts to wonder whether locating Ciri is purely a political-strategic matter for Nilfgaard, or whether there’s something more to it).
We see that Geralt (though not by his own choosing) has never been busier trying to protect Ciri, and that he no longer knows who might stick a knife – or something worse – in his back. He’s also increasingly realizing that his idea of neutrality is falling apart, and that he can no longer just mind his own (witcher’s) business as he once did, but must take action and pick sides, especially if he wants to protect the few people closest to him.
I don’t have much more to add. “Time of Contempt” keeps up a great pace and leaves you barely able to wait to see what happens next.
So – see you in “Baptism of Fire”…
Rating: 3.5/5
Worth your time if: you love the “Witcher” series and you’ve already read the previous books (because why stop now 😁)
