When you lose your family, who can you count on? Separated by hundreds of miles and unable to achieve their goals alone, Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri are each stuck depending on the kindness of strangers, even if those strangers might not necessarily have their best interests at heart. As Geralt and his party continue their march toward Nilfgaard, they decide to take a shortcut through Fen Carn. It's a centuries-old elven cemetery, so no one can be shocked when they end up in a fight with a wrathful wraith (even if it's entirely Jaskier's fault for summoning the monster in the first place).
After four straight episodes on the road - and a slew of injuries that include Geralt's festering leg wound and Jaskier's busted forehead - it's time for the hansa to take a rest. Geralt, of course, resists, but when Milva warns him that the conditions of the river they need to cross are too dangerous, what choice do they have but to make a campfire and swap stories for the night?
The Witcher fans can now read Geralt of Rivia's origin story in Crossroads of Ravens, the latest novel in Andrzej Sapkowski's best-selling fantasy series. Originally published in Poland last November, the English translation released in the US this week (September 30). While Crossroads of Ravens is the ninth book in The Witcher series, you don't need to be a longtime reader to understand what's going on. The prequel takes place before the other Witcher novels and original short story collections, so it's a suitable starting point for fans of the video game and TV adaptations, too.