The Witcher (Netflix Series Review)

For someone who has read a couple of books, some parts of The Witcher Netflix series felt a bit long-winded to me. A big portion of the story is in the dialogues (This is true even in the books) . Nevertheless, it reminds me that I still have a lot to catch up on the novels. Some events that I like were missing from the first season. Some parts were new to me though (especially Yen's and Ciri's), like they combined all the books and retell them in a sequence that befits the show.  

Noticed some inconsistencies between the show and the book, for example the part when Triss Merigold prepped Geralt for the striga encounter (in the book I think it was a different person). But that's okay, we'll just consider this an alternate Witcher world.

No complaints on Henry Cavill playing Geralt. Had to acclimatize to the Batman-like deep voice for a few episodes but fancy the subtle (Hm) grunt when he's amused or lost for words reflecting his introverted personality contrasting that of his travelling companion. Dandelion the bard (he uses a different name in the series, maybe his first name) is loud as expected (though I wonder if his feathered cap will ever make an appearance). When I read about him and Geralt, I have always imagined a picture of Donkey and Shrek and it didn't take long for someone to come out with a meme comparing the two pairs.

SPOILER

I think we have not seen the full potential of Ciri. The girl will later undergo training with both Geralt and Yennefer. Top that with her inherited lion roar and we'll get a powerful ruler by the end of the seasons. 

Yennefer is not how I imagined her though the purple eyes match. Interesting origin story especially before the transformation. One reason to catch up with the books.

I noticed people started comparing The Witcher with Game of Thrones. I wonder if they were really trying to go for that. If that was true, I think it took a toll on the live-action content. For example, the episode 'Bottled Appetites' is based on the short story 'The Last Wish' from the same-titled book which is one of the best told chapters in the novel, in my opinion. I felt that in the series' pursue to be more like GoT (if true), this story has lost its original charm. But then, people probably need to see something they can relate to. What do I know? 

Anyway, it is exciting to see the creatures from the book come to life. Previously, I had to rely only on my imagination. Monster hunting are a big part of the Witcher profession and their world is crawling with ferocious monsters. At least I know how a kikimora looks like now. The striga definitely did not disappoint.