Review by Frank Plowright
In paperback the first Witcher Omnibus features the same content as the hardcover Library Edition issued two years beforehand. House of Glass, Fox Children and Curse of Crows were also previously available as trade editions, leaving only the far shorter ‘Killing Monsters’ as unavailable in previous collections.
The Witcher is Geralt of Rivia, who originated in Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy/horror novels, yet who found international fame as the star of a series of video games, then a TV series. He’s a protector against supernatural threats wandering Europe in the middle ages, using his knowledge to repel the supernatural, yet not without curiosity and a thirst for leaning exemplified in the opening story. It begins when he meets a melancholy hunter, unwilling to leave a district where at night he can still see his wife who’s become a vampire. Paul Tobin either writes or co-writes all content, and here collaborating with Joe Querio delivers an atmospheric story with moments of artistic beauty that’s not bettered in the remainder of the collection.
The same team are responsible for ‘Fox Children’, but while featuring an original threat, the tension is not generated by mystery, but by the gradual killing of the cast, most admittedly through their own greed and stupidity. An original and surprising ending doesn’t manage to render this remarkable.
‘Killing Monsters’ has Geralt searching for his for his sometimes lover Yennefer, accompanied by fellow Witcher, the condescending Vesemir, with whom Geralt has a grumpy relationship, his unsolicited advice unwelcome. They arrive at a town housing some brutal soldiers, but there’s something even more fearsome in the forest tearing people apart. Tobin ponders on what makes monsters, and the laws they adhere to, while Max Bertolini provides the dark atmosphere hanging over both town and forest. It’s a successfully brutal tale with a fitting ending.
After that, the closing ‘Curse of Crows’ disappoints in several respects. The first is artistic. Piotr Kowalski is exceptionally skilled, but in combination with colourist Brad Simpson he transforms Geralt’s world from darkness to light. After the look established over three previous stories it’s a stark and unsatisfying contrast. It’s also obviously designed to tie in with the Wild Hunt game with two game writers contributing to the plot, but the dabbling of too many writers results in an unfocused meander through many baths, encompassing multiple flashbacks and stilted dialogue from Travis Currit. It introduces Ciri to the comic reading audience, but is notable for some nice moments rather than the entirety.
This collection blows hot and cold, disappointing at times rather than poor, but the good just about winning out.
