{"id":12254,"date":"2022-06-13T03:41:52","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T03:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sfintranslation.com\/?p=12254"},"modified":"2025-11-24T15:15:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T15:15:34","slug":"daniels-reviews-the-tower-of-fools-by-andrzej-sapkowski","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sfintranslation.com\/?p=12254","title":{"rendered":"Daniel’s Reviews: The Tower of Fools by Andrzej Sapkowski"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Daniel Haeusser reviews short works of SFT that appear both online and in print. He is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Canisius College, where he teaches microbiology and leads student research projects with bacteria and bacteriophage. He\u2019s also an associate blogger with the American Society for Microbiology\u2019s popular Small Things Considered<\/span><\/a>. Daniel reads broadly in English and French, and his book reviews can be found at Reading1000Lives<\/span><\/a> or Skiffy & Fanty<\/a><\/span>. You can also connect with him on <\/a>Goodreads<\/span><\/a> or Twitter<\/span><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I came upon <\/span><\/span>The Witcher<\/i><\/span><\/span> party late, probably upon the announcement of the Netflix series. Too tardy for me to consider picking up the multivolume novel series, and I stubbornly refuse to watch adaptations of anything before reading the source material. But, with elation I soon learned that Orbit would start publishing English translation of a separate series by Andrzej Sapkowski, <\/span><\/span>The Hussite Trilogy<\/i><\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first book, <\/span><\/span>The Tower of Fools<\/i><\/span><\/span>, appeared in October 2020 with David French translating from the original Polish, and I finally got my opportunity to easily gain introduction to Sapkowski. One of my favorite things I read during that period, I have since bought the follow-up translation, <\/span><\/span>Warriors of God<\/i><\/span><\/span>, which I\u2019ll have to devour before the upcoming October 2022 release of the translated final volume, <\/span><\/span>Light Perpetual<\/i><\/span><\/span>. In the meantime, I\u2019m beyond due for reviewing <\/span><\/span>The Tower Fools<\/i><\/span><\/span> and encouraging readers to get into this fabulous series if they haven\u2019t already.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given this site is <\/span><\/span>SF in Translation<\/i><\/span><\/span>, a note about the translator: David French would already be familiar to Sapkowski fans in the English-speaking world. He has translated several of <\/span><\/span>The Witcher<\/i><\/span><\/span> novels to acclaim. I personally have no ability to assess the translation, but I have seen nothing but praise from those who do.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An opening section of the novel establishes the series\u2019 historical setting to the Hussite (Bohemian) Wars of the early 15<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span><\/sup> Century in the region (Duchy) of Silesia, which is found mostly within modern-day Poland (as well as the Czech Republic and Germany). For readers like myself who are unfamiliar with this historical setting, the opening pages of the novel can be some dense text, akin to reading an actual history book. To really comprehend, appreciate, and enjoy the novel, I found it necessary to slowly crawl through the start alongside a browser tab opened to Wikipedia. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the novel progressed and I became familiar with general historical details, I had to rely on this less often, and I\u2019d enjoy skeptical or wary readers to bravely carry on. The little bit of slow effort is well worth it. The series is historical fantasy, heavy on the history, and as the historical introduction of setting is passed and the actual story beings, Sapkowski does do an admirable job at relaying relevant historical details through his characters in way that allow modern readers to get their bearings. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main character, and protagonist of <\/span><\/span>The Tower of Fools<\/i><\/span><\/span> (and I assume the entire <\/span><\/span>Hussite Trilogy<\/i><\/span><\/span>) is Reinmar of Bielawa, also known as Reynevan. Trained in Prague as a physician, Reynevan also has some secret knowledge of alchemy, and a bit of experience with its magic. However, a young and lustful scoundrel at heart, he has more practice with seducing women, and escaping any resulting complications, than with the medical or magical arts. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Reynevan\u2019s sexual dalliances set in motions events, and a journey of, that pits the young man against multiple powerful forces personal and political, secular and religious, from a dishonored family to the Catholic Church and the pre-Protestant offshoot followers of Christian reformer Jan Hus. Though cognizant of the dangers he faces on multiple fronts, and always willing to flee them to preserve life and limb, Reynevan also meets his circumstances with callow and careless disregard. Bordering on blissful buffoonery, he allows the chaotic reality around him storm and surge, carrying him wherever it happens to and only then worrying about responding or dealing with things to continue on. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sapkowski writes his protagonist as a lovable, blithe fool, a man who we forgive and adore for his ignorant good intentions, despite some moral defects and an inability to make responsible decisions. He is our window into this history (and fantasy) that we can then read with equal parts humor and horror befitting the ruthless historical context. He\u2019s an approach to the absurdity of life, being equally absurd right back at it. Reynevan\u2019s personality (as well as events in the novel) provide its title <\/span><\/span>The Tower of Fools<\/i><\/span><\/span>, or <\/span><\/span>Narrenturm<\/i><\/span><\/span> in its original. Translating as Fool\u2019s Tower, a Narrenturm refers to physical towers where people with mental disease might be isolated during the Middle Ages. Later in history than the novel is set, an actual Viennese hospital called the Narrenturm opened, which remains standing today.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reynevan\u2019s journey through the Silesian region from city to countryside, from freedom to the tower, intersect with forces of the Church Inquisition and the Hussites, as he makes new friends and finds old acquaintances to help him along the way. These secondary characters are all constructed as richly as Reynevan himself, a strength in characterization that Sapkowski is apparently well-known within his better-known series as well.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What sets <\/span><\/span>The Hussite Trilogy<\/i><\/span><\/span> apart from <\/span><\/span>The Witcher Series<\/i><\/span><\/span> most glaringly is not style, but genre and intellectual demands. From what I gather second-hand, the latter series is entertaining and easy reading, full of fantasy elements. The historical details of <\/span><\/span>The Tower of Fools<\/i><\/span><\/span> make it relatively more demanding. But the fantasy elements are also far more nuanced and infrequent. I may discover that this focus changes in latter novels of the series, but <\/span><\/span>The Tower of Fools<\/i><\/span><\/span> takes a while to make the reality of the magic apparent and to fully introduce non-human intelligences amid the large cast of shifting characters. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rich historical detail and vivacity of characters within The Tower of Fools<\/em> made it both an entertaining and educational read. Unless one is really averse to put any work in reading fiction, the only aspect of the novel that I would consider that some might find problem with would be Sapkowski\u2019s treatment of women. Even with historical context to consider, he doesn\u2019t write women well or provide them significant agency or investment in the plot. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each chapter of the novel begins with a summation of events that occur, but phrased in witty. tongue-in-cheek fashion and flowery vocabulary that leaves some enticing mystery for just <\/span><\/span>what<\/i><\/span><\/span> might occur, and <\/span><\/span>how<\/i><\/span><\/span>. This architecture, along with its overall balance of genre and blend of dark and humorous overcame any of the defects in the novel for me. Beneath the story and its characters there is also a deeper philosophical discussion going on regarding the nature of humanity. While I may not agree with Sapkowski\u2019s thoughts entirely, I found this another nice layer to the novel that made it well worth consuming with care. I look forward to starting its sequel soon, and hope I\u2019ll get to review the series conclusion along with that second volume later this year on <\/span><\/span>SF in Translation<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Daniel Haeusser reviews short works of SFT that appear both online and in print. He is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Canisius College, where he teaches microbiology and leads student research projects with bacteria and bacteriophage. He\u2019s also an associate blogger with the American Society for Microbiology\u2019s popular Small Things Considered. Daniel reads<\/p>\n

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