'The Witcher' Author Andrzej Sapkowski Describes Witcher Schools As "Unworthy Of Development And Narratively Incorrect"
Andrzej Spakowski, the author of the Witcher novels, is not a fan of CD Projekt Red multiplying the Witcher schools in its video game series adapting his novels describing them as “unworthy of development and narratively incorrect.”
About a month ago, Sapkowski did an AMA on Reddit and he was asked about the various Witcher schools that have been added into the series via CD Projekt Red’s video game series, “The video game adaptation added a lot of extra witcher schools compared to the books (school of the viper, school of the bear, school of the manticore). What do you think of them and do you plan to add new ones in the books?”
Sapkowski replied, “The issue of “witcher schools” requires—I apologise—a longer explanation. A single sentence about some “school of the Wolf” mysteriously made its way into The Last Wish. I later deemed it unworthy of development and narratively incorrect, even detrimental to the plot.”
“Therefore, later I never included or referenced any Witcher Gryffindors or Slytherins again. Never. However, that one sentence was enough. Adaptors, particularly video game people, have clung to the idea with remarkable tenacity and have wonderfully multiplied these ‘witcher schools.’ Completely unnecessary,” he added.
As for what his plans to do with them moving forward he shared, “I’m still uncertain about what to do with this situation. Perhaps, taking the path of least resistance, I’ll erase the sentence about the ‘school’ from future editions of The Last Wish.”
“Or maybe I’ll want to expand and clarify the matter somehow in subsequent books? Perhaps I’ll shed some light on the issue of Witcher medallions, their significance, and their connection to specific individuals? There are many possibilities, and the sky is the limit,” he concluded.
For context in The Last Wish, Geralt informs Iola, “Then they taught me various things until the day when I left Kaer Morhen and took to the road. I’d earned my medallion, the Sign of the Wolf’s Schools. I had two swords: silver and iron, and my conviction, enthusiasm, incentive and … faith.”
the series is a mix of every 20th century pseudoscience and black legend mixed with unforgivable blaspheming that would make a 1950's grand psyclops blush.
Who cares?
There's too much left unexplained in that book quote, leaving plenty of room for speculation and adaptation.
Looks like the author unintentionally created a mystery box with that one line.
CDPR did an absolutely phenomenal job with the games and their adaptation of his work. And that includes various Witcher schools. If not for them, I seriously doubt the Witcher would have ever become more than a niche genre book outside of Poland.
And in truth, the games are better Witcher stories than the last several books of Ciri being the bestest ever, a lesbian, and the girl who's the key to everything. Lame AND gay.
If he had been a little more involved with the adaptation instead of not at all, he might have been able to correct this misconception.
I'm really surprised he's complaining here, as he owes an enormous discovery debt to CDPR, but at least he went on in that interview to explain that he's on much better terms with the video game people now that they've renegotiated the near worthless everything -upfront contract he himself insisted on because he had no faith in the project long-term.