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Comments
Germanic_Viking t1_iyr8veq wrote
Exactly, seconding this! I'll also add that the prose isn't anything special, the books are enjoyable but trust me when I say that you won't ever come away feeling like Geralt is such an epic badass person.
To really get the feeling Henry Cavill gave it in another medium you could play the Witcher 3 game.
boxer_dogs_dance t1_iyruwk4 wrote
Such a good game. I'm not much of a gamer but the story really sucked me in.
spamjwood t1_iyrghee wrote
I really wish I could read the Polish version unfortunately I don't speak Polish. I forced myself through most of the Witcher books and just gave up halfway through the second from last in the series. It works for some but wasn't working for me and I really do think the translation is to blame. With how many there are out there who recognize this however it seems like someone would go through the work of translating it again instead of just keep republishing the poor translation. Anyone listening at Amazon?
eregis t1_iyrmy5s wrote
The problem is, Polish and English are very different languages, so translating between them is difficult. If a master translator made an attempt at re-translating Witcher it would probably improve, but in my opinion... not that much.
mayateg t1_iyrohvi wrote
Plus, the English translations are (in)famously poor.
eregis t1_iyrbcop wrote
Book Geralt is an awkward introverted grandpa with occasional badass moments lol. The show is a horrible portrayal of his character, imo.
Idk about the translation into your language, but the English translation is not that amazing tbh, at least the first two books, then it gets better because it's by a different translator. But why not try and see which you enjoy reading more, I guess?
robot_egg t1_iyraqeo wrote
Pretty sure all the Witcher stories/novels were originally written in Polish, and the English versions are translations. You don't mention what your native language is, but the novels may well be available in one or more languages you're more comfortable with.
(That said, your post is in excellent English, so perhaps you aren't giving your ESL skill enough credit!)
etre_be t1_iyr6qfm wrote
I'm delighted to be the one to inform you that you understand and speak English very well.
MaichenM t1_iyr6r3l wrote
Unfortunately, the translation of the books leaves a lot to be desired. I don't know whether or not that makes them harder to read for an ESL reader, but I can confirm that the prose is not great. It becomes even harder to enjoy when a common criticism of the series is that the plot is difficult to understand due to a confusing chronology. (And that isn't fixed just by reading English better.)
ViolettaHunter t1_iyriyz4 wrote
Read the translation in your mother tongue, if you are not a Polish native speaker. Why would you read it in English, when that's only another translation of the original?
FarArdenlol t1_iyrlqzu wrote
The Witcher prose is basic as hell, I assure you won’t have problems with it.
PuzzleheadedEmu6562 t1_iyrnfv1 wrote
Not so difficult if you just binge the show once.. i think
boxer_dogs_dance t1_iyrv4bo wrote
For a swashbuckler character in English read something like Fahfrd and the Grey Mouser.
CrazyCatLady108 t1_iys3imk wrote
Please post 'Should I read X book''What do I need to know before I read X' questions, in our Weekly Recommendation Thread.
JoeK76 t1_iyr81sh wrote
You are aware the Witcher series was originally written in Polish, right? What makes you think the English translation is more enjoyable than the Hungarian translation (assuming that's what you're currently reading)? The Netflix scripts are only loosely based on the source material, reading the English translation isn't going to materially change that.