The latest Witcher novel, Crossroads of Ravens, finally arrived in English last September, giving fans their first proper look at Geralt of Rivia's earliest days as a monster hunter.I personally loved it, which probably won't come as much of a surprise given I've been eager to badger Andrzej Sapkowski with questions ever since I first picked up The Last Wish many moons ago.Well, I finally got my wish.I recently had the opportunity to chat with Sapkowski, the creator and author of The Witcher books, over email, alongside David French, the English translator of Crossroads of Ravens.See at Amazon UK - £9.49 (was £10.99)See at Amazon US - $15 (was $20)And, perhaps unsurprisingly, Sapkowski is every bit as sharp and disarmingly honest as you'd expect, with a wonderfully dry wit and a talent for delivering remarkably incisive answers. There's a scholarly flair to his responses, defined by a penchant for weaving classical Latin phrasing in wherever possible—a habit his English translator, David French, has also playfully dubbed "linguistic snobbery." Ha!As a longtime fan, I'm delighted by the interview with both gentlemen, and I can't wait to share it.We discussed (amongst plenty of other topics) the new Witcher prequel, Geralt's early years, the possibility of returning to that period of his life in future books, more short stories, and where Sapkowski sees the wider Witcher franchise going next. Whether that's a stage show like Game of Thrones, or another musical (yes, a musical, there have been two, I checked), Sapkowski said he's nevertheless open to unorthodox suggestions.An Interview with Andrzej Sapkowski, Author of The WitcherIn Crossroads of Ravens, we meet a younger, more inexperienced Geralt. What were the most rewarding and challenging parts of stepping back to write his early years?Sapkowski: Well, it's not easy for an author nearly 80 years old to step into the shoes of an eighteen-year-old teenager. Fortunately, I still remember a thing or two from my youth. Including some experiences I shall never forget.One of my favorite aspects of Crossroads of Ravens was seeing Geralt in rare moments of genuine panic, yet watching him make quick, split-second decisions and push through anyway. While I’m trying to avoid making a sweeping generalisation in questioning this—as Geralt certainly isn’t infallible in the main series—was it refreshing to write him in situations where he isn't yet fully used to what he’s dealing with? What was your thinking behind this?Sapkowski: The narrative premise of my books makes Geralt a product of a targeted mutation making him a kind of superman. However, such a superman - always victorious, never defeated, omniscient and never doubting - seemed to me narratively uninteresting - if not outright boring. Therefore, despite all the infallibility resulting from his mutation, in the plot I gave Geralt some fallibilities, i.e. some imperfections. As well as susceptibility to err. Sometimes gravely.What do you see as the biggest differences in mindset, morality, and temperament between the younger Geralt in Crossroads of Ravens and his older self in the main saga?Sapkowski: That's rather obvious. Lack of experience and the harsh lessons from life associated with it. Development, mental and moral. Overcoming obstacles that accompany development. In other words, a classic rite of passage. A canonical trope for fantasy genre.From your perspective, how does a full-length prequel novel demand an entirely different narrative engine and drive compared to something like the short stories from The Last Wish or the other Witcher novels?Sapkowski: As Isaac Asimov once said: a short story is a straight line, while a novel is a plane. Point A to point B versus A times B squared. A comparison vivid enough to explain everything.The relationship between Geralt and Preston was fascinating to read. What drew you to explore this specific dynamic, and how did you approach shaping a mentor relationship during Geralt's formative years? How does it differ from writing another mentor figure like Vesemir?Sapkowski: Preston Holt is another classic and canonical trope for fantasy: the surrogate father figure, the archetypal mentor, a guiding teacher during Geralt's rite of passage. The genre features numerous such quasi-fathers and mentors in coming-of-age stories. Gandalf from LOTR, Dumbledore from the Harry Potter books, Allanon from the Shannara series, or Obi Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, to name just a few. But, as it turns out - and as storyline dictates - Holt is a rather deceitful mentor and I surely wouldn't put him in the same league as Gandalf. Or Vesemir.Listen to Crossroads of Ravens and the rest of The Witcher books with a new deal at Audible. Amazon Prime members can sign up for four months of Audible Standard for just $0.99 per month.Crossroads of Ravens has also been released as a "Full-cast Audiobook" featuring Sam Stafford, Richard Armitage, Clare Corbett, and Tom Alexander. Full-cast editions of The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny will follow in November, with the remaining 6 audiobooks to come throughout 2027.Did you draw on specific fables or myth tropes when constructing the encounters in Crossroads of Ravens, or has your relationship with fairytale/folklore exploration and subversion evolved since the early days?Sapkowski: I evolve - or strive to evolve - on daily basis. Incessantly. And in every possible aspect. Or I wish it were like that. Either way, it amounts to the same thing. Wishes, contrary to popular belief, are horses. Sometimes.I’ve always loved how your dialogue dances with an almost Shakespearean rhythm—characters politely trading sharp barbs, maneuvering around complex political situations while effortlessly delivering world-building. How do you go about constructing that rhythmic flow in your writing? Is it something that just comes naturally, or is it something that takes a lot more practice and effort to create?Sapkowski: Both. Ease of writing is, as it seems to me, a feature of everyone who works with a pen, a condition sine qua non. If one doesn't have such ease, one doesn't become a writer. But ease alone is not enough. Without effort and painstaking work, one will not achieve good results.Are there any monsters, characters, or concepts you’ve held onto over the years that you never found the right place for? What made them so tricky to fit in?Sapkowski: First - at the beginning - is the idea and construction of the plot. The rest, including, quoting, "monsters, characters and/or concepts" results from the plot and serves the plot. Indeed, it happens that something from the mentioned suddenly begins to serve the storyline poorly or turns out as narratively damaging. Then it is thrown out of the plot and goes into the thesaurus. For possible use in the future.Given your background before becoming a full-time author, was writing always the ultimate goal? What is your single best piece of advice for aspiring writers?Sapkowski: My debut story entitled "The Witcher" was written when I was nearing 40, so it is rather difficult to describe my writing as my lifetime ultimate goal. I had many ultimate goals before I became a writer. Notwithstanding the fact that yes, now I think exactly so, I am now a full-time author and I intend to continue this state as long as possible. As for advice, I don't feel entitled to give it. I don't have the competence to advise.Across your entire body of work, what type of scene remains the most challenging or demanding for you to write? Were there any scenes in Crossroads that you found particularly exciting/ challenging to tackle?Sapkowski: Across my entire body of work? Every single one of them. Each was equally challenging as exciting.Would you ever consider writing more short stories/ short story collections for The Witcher - similar to The Last Wish? Whether that’s focusing on Geralt or other characters within the series? (The Last Wish is still one of my all-time favorites and a real comfort read for me throughout my life).Sapkowski: It is not an easy thing to create a good short story. This is much more difficult than writing a novel. Returning to Asimov's comparison: it is not easy to nicely and logically lead that straight line from point A to point B and that with a word count of less than some 8000 words. But if one succeeds, it is proof of writing mastery. May I remind just one example: Ernest Hemingway. Now, answering your question: yes, I am considering writing more short stories.Do you feel there is room to explore Geralt’s early years further in future prequel books?Sapkowski: Room? Sky is the limit.Having seen your characters expand into games, television, and comics, are there any unconventional formats or interactions you’d still like to see them explore? Stage plays, like Game of Thrones, for example?Sapkowski: Does a musical count as a stage play? If so, there were already two. What else? I am open to suggestions. Even unconventional ones.Why do you think Geralt resonates so deeply across medium boundaries—whether audiences are reading him on the page, watching him on screen, or playing as him in a video game?Sapkowski: It is not my place to judge nor draw any conclusions here. Surely, one might suspect that both the books and the character somehow appeal to the reader worldwide - but perhaps that assumption is too presumptuous?When writing Geralt’s dialogue, do you hear a specific mental voice for him? Does that inner voice differ between his younger and older self—and do famous screen/game audio performances ever cross your mind when writing?Sapkowski: I definitely strive to ensure that the written text captures the specificity of how each individual character from the book speaks. That is, after all, the foundation and ABC of a writer's work. "Famous screen/game audio performances" have no influence on my writing in this aspect. Not even the slightest.For any readers who have never read The Witcher before, how do you personally pitch or describe the essence of the series to them?Sapkowski: I am not good at making essences. That's the specialty of marketing people, those who write blurbs on book covers. It's an art in itself. Many times I was asked to write such a blurb for somebody's book. I always refused. I couldn't.Can you share any subtle hints or teases about what project you are working on next?Sapkowski: I would prefer not to. Begging your pardon.What books or authors have you most enjoyed recently, and do your current reading habits still bleed into your writing?Sapkowski: I have recently enjoyed a lot of books, let me be allowed to mention a few, whereby the order is random: Lev Grossman, The Bright Sword; Percival Everett, James; Joe Abercrombie, The Devils; Joe Hill, King Sorrow; Christopher Buehlman, Between Two Fires; Alix E. Harrow, The Everlasting. Did any of them - or any other, not listed - "bleed" into my writing? God forbid, no! And yes, confiteor, all of them. Somehow.What books would you recommend to fans looking for inspiration or their next read? Perhaps anything similar to The Witcher, fantasy or otherwise?Sapkowski: In addition to the titles just provided: Grady Hendrix, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls; Christopher Moore, Anima Rising; Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Oracle; V. E. Schwab, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil; Frances Hardinge, Unraveller; Stephen Graham Jones, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter; Richard K. Morgan, No Man's Land; Adrian Tchaikovsky, Green City Wars. Again, the order is random.An Interview with David French, English Translator for Crossroads of RavensSapkowski’s Polish mixes dancing prose, modern slang, and dry irony. What is your process for blending those elements into smooth, natural English?I’m a big fan of Sapkowski’s writing and I love the elements you’ve mentioned above. A list of various other elements in his writing could, of course, be much longer than that. I wouldn’t say he uses that much modern slang. He certainly sometimes uses words which might jar with purists in the broadly medieval high-fantasy universe he navigates – I remember I wasn’t sure when he used the word ‘terrorism’ in dialogues between characters. I suppose the process you’re asking about is essentially the work of a literary translator. So you have to have an ear for those variations and do your best to transpose them into English – or whatever language it is you translate into. I guess my process is: thinking up possibilities, giving myself options, searching for synonyms, reading them aloud to myself, drafting, re-drafting and coming back to hear if they sound right.Because Geralt is younger and less guarded in Crossroads of Ravens, did you adjust your choice of vocabulary or prose cadence to reflect his age?Andrzej did. And I followed his lead. The sequence that springs to mind at once is when Holt tells Geralt off for using colloquial language. I played around with how slangy it should be and my line editor and I arrived at a consensus.How do you preserve the sharp comic timing and dry wit of Polish dialogue when translating it for an English-speaking audience?I give it my best shot and then the editor reads it. I’ve been known to ask if a gag struck home in English. There’s dry wit, but also vulgarity and slapstick at times. Andrzej’s humour isn’t one-note, there’s plenty of toilet humour in there too, along with more sophisticated sarcasm.Were there any specific monster names, idioms, or turns of phrase in Crossroads of Ravens that gave you a real headache to translate into English?Zatrawiec in Polish – which ended up as cynocephalus in English – was a bit of a headache.What is one subtle quality of Sapkowski’s prose in Polish that you work hardest to protect across the language barrier?My immediate thought was that in general terms Sapkowski’s work has to be a ripping yarn in English, just as it is in Polish. I want readers in English to keep turning those pages over and get the same emotional experience as Polish readers do.But now that I think about it, I do my best to preserve Sapkowski’s linguistic snobbery, so I also try include words that some English readers might not have heard of – just as he does with obscure or archaic expressions most of my well-read Polish friends have no clue about.How closely do you collaborate with Andrzej when working on a new translation, and do you ever consult him when a phrase doesn't easily translate?We collaborate, in the sense that Andrzej now reads the entire manuscript after my work with the editor is complete. We started that with the Hussite Trilogy, which was full of real people from history and loads of geographical names, and we’ve continued it with Crossroads of the Ravens and the two new translations of The Last Wish and Blood of Elves. He’s a fluent and avid reader in several other languages than Polish and very thorough, so he offers various constructive suggestions. But it’s usually a handful or so. It’s happened in the past that I’ve asked him about something and he’s left the call up to me. I’ve also asked him to help me with the context and/or etymology and he’s replied to the effect that: ‘There isn’t any: I just made it up’.Given how deeply ingrained iconic game performances (like Doug Cockle's Geralt) are for English-speaking fans, do those external adaptations ever influence how you rhythmically translate Geralt's speech, or do you strictly tune into Sapkowski's original Polish cadence/something else entirely?There’s an infinite number of interpretations of any character in any literary work. It’s not the words on the page that change that, but the actor or reader speaking them. When I translate, it’s me and the words on the page. Nothing else is relevant.There are occasions when Sapkowski might indicate if a person has a squeaky voice or a low growl and that gives readers a clue. I’m sure there’ve been studies about whether readers reading books actually generate sounds in their heads when they read or if it’s all done in silence. It’s totally different with games and audiobooks when we ‘find out’ how a character speaks. It’s also true we’ve all probably been disappointed at times to hear the way an actor has brought a character to life in a medium that involves sound when we’d imagined them totally differently. Or we’ve been delighted and couldn’t imagine anyone else voicing the character.Sapkowski’s novels remain the bedrock of the series, but there's no denying that The Witcher has long since grown into something much bigger. Alongside the games and their upcoming sequels and spin-offs, there’s now a Netflix adaptation, comics, a tabletop RPG, manga, and even a cookbook keeping the Continent alive in new and unexpected forms.For help on where to start reading The Witcher, I'd recommend checking out our guide on the best order to read the incredible fantasy novels. And for more with the biggest fantasy authors, check out our big interview with Brandon Sanderson, where he discusses Game of Thrones, Wheel of Time, and the upcoming Mistborn movie.Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzej Sapkowksi (translation by David French) is out in paperback now in the UK, and September 29, in the US.