Andzhey Sapkovskiy

Andrzej Sapkowski is a Polish science-fiction writer and publicist, the author of the popular fantasy saga The Witcher.

He was born in 1948 in the city of Łódź. He graduated from the University of Łódź, Faculty of Foreign Trade. From 1972 to 1994, he worked in commerce.

In 1986, he wrote his first fantasy novella, Wiedzmin (The Witcher), in which he created his main character—the Witcher (Geralt of Rivia), a master of swordsmanship and magic who kills monsters and various mythical creatures in his fantasy world for money. The first several stories about the Witcher were published in the book Wiedzmin (The Witcher).

In 1990, the writer’s second book was published, consisting of seven novellas (both new and previously published) under the general title Ostatnie zyczenie (The Last Wish), which was reissued in 1993. In 1992, Sapkowski published a new book about the Witcher—Miecz przeznaczenia (The Sword of Destiny)—which included six more stories (all thirteen stories have been translated into Russian in the single-volume edition The Witcher).

In 1994, he began a five-volume saga about the Witcher and the Witch: 1994—Krew elfów (Blood of Elves), 1995—Czas pogardy (Time of Contempt), 1996—Chrzest ognia (Baptism of Fire), 1997—Wieza Jaskólki (The Tower of the Swallow), 1999—Pani Jeziora (The Lady of the Lake).

The Witcher’s adventures were also published as comic books illustrated by Bogusław Polch with text by Mateusz Parowski.