Netflix Created 1 Weird Cottage Industry For The Witcher Books (& It's Not Good)

The success of Netflix’s The Witcher has been overshadowed by its different controversies, and it ended up creating a weird cottage industry for the books, which is not a good sign. Before Netflix adapted it into a TV series, the world of The Witcher was already quite popular thanks to the books it’s based on and their video game adaptations. Created by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher book series began with the short story of the same name published in 1986 as part of a competition held by a Polish magazine.

This story was so popular that Sapkowski wrote 14 more stories before starting the novel series. Known as The Witcher Saga, it kicked off with the short story collection The Last Wish, in 1993, and culminated in 1999 with The Lady of the Lake. In 2013, a standalone prequel novel, Seasons of Storms, was published, set between the short stories from The Last Wish. Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher Saga brought a new audience to Sapkowski’s book series, but it has also made way for a weird cottage industry that isn’t good, nor does it speak well of Netflix’s TV show.

Witcher Book Fans Are Trying To Find Covers Without The Netflix Logo

The Netflix Logo Is A Problem For Most Fans Of The Witcher Books

Book covers are not just what catches the eye of potential readers, but many of them, with time, can end up becoming collectors’ items. When a book gets a film or TV adaptation, it’s common practice for it to be re-released now with the poster as the book cover, usually accompanied by a sticker about the book now being a film or TV show. In the latter’s case, the sticker includes the network or streaming platform where the TV show is airing, and while this could be useful information to some, it has become a problem for some fans of certain books and book sagas.

Such is the case for The Witcher books, but instead of having a sticker with the Netflix logo, it’s part of the cover, thus it can’t be removed. This has led to fans looking everywhere for The Witcher books that don’t have the Netflix logo, and there are many forums online of fans asking where they can get these editions. This has sparked the creativity of many, with fans creating sticker covers that hide the logo or their own covers for the books, but that obviously raises the price for the books.

Fans have also had to look in old bookshops, second-hand shops, and sites like eBay in hopes of finding at least one of The Witcher books without the Netflix logo on the cover. While the creativity and passion of The Witcher fans are impressive and must be commended, it doesn’t speak well of the reputation of the Netflix show among fans of Sapkowski’s books.

The Witcher Netflix Show Has Alienated Fans Of The Books

Fans Looking For The Witcher Book Covers Without The Netflix Logo Is A Bad Sign

Books with the movie’s or TV show’s posters as covers are usually not well received by fans mostly due to their design, but The Witcher’s case is different, as it’s not the design but the presence of the Netflix logo. Although season 1 of Netflix’s The Witcher was a success, it didn’t take long for the series to spark controversy due to the many (mostly unnecessary) changes it made to the books’ stories and characters.

Fans of TheWitcher books and video games have been quite vocal about their dislike for the Netflix series, so with that in mind, it’s not surprising they’re going to lengths to get book covers without the Netflix logo. Unfortunately, Henry Cavill’s departure and Liam Hemsworth’s casting as Geralt of Rivia have alienated fans even more, and no matter how close to the books the next two seasons of the show are, it’s unlikely it will earn the fans’ love and respect.

The Witcher

Based on the novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and the video games, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. “Ciri” Cirilla is the Princess of Cintra, who has magical abilities and whose fate has been linked to Geralt’s. Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress who trains to become a mage before deserting her duties and going solo, is also a main character in the Netflix series. The show’s storylines are intertwined but told throughout different timelines, all of which eventually catch up to Ciri’s, whose timeline of events is the most recent. Set on the Continent where men, monsters, and elves exist together, the characters all have separate journeys, though their destinies bring them into each others’ orbits.

Cast

Tom Canton , Maciej Musial , Björn Hlynur Haraldsson , Anna Shaffer , MyAnna Buring , Lars Mikkelsen , Royce Pierreson , Eamon Farren , Wilson Radjou-Pujalte , Joey Batey , Jodhi May , Therica Wilson-Read , Anya Chalotra , Mimi Ndiweni , Henry Cavill , Freya Allan , Adam Levy , Amit Shah , Liam Hemsworth , Laurence Fishburne

Release Date

December 20, 2019

Showrunner

Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

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