THE TOWER OF THE SWALLOW, A NOVEL BY A. SAPKOWSKI, WITCHER BOOK #6 (REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION)

In this post, I shall review The Tower of Swallow (published under the title The Tower of Swallows in USA).  The Tower of Swallow is the sixth book and the fourth novel in the Witcher series. I'm currently reading the sequel to this novel (i.e  The Lady of the Lake). That basically means you can expect the review for the final book in the series soon. I have sure enjoyed reviewing this fantasy series so far! I hope you have found the reviews interesting. If fantasy isn't your cup of tea, don't worry for there are many book reviews and recommendations to come. It might take some time, though. Writing good book reviews is quite time-consuming, especially when you're reviewing books of quality.

I have listened to an audio version of this novel in English. As you probably know, the books were originally published in Polish. I've read some of the books in Croatian and some in English translation. I didn't really notice much difference between them. Since I don't have the actual copy of the book with me, I edited the photographs to feature covers. As for the photography in this post, it is by my husband (editing by me). As for the two outfits I'm sharing, they feature the same pair of leopard heels and  burgundy bag (sustainable fashion and all that). The one on the right features a tea-green set from fashion designer Stanka Zovko and one on the right a second hand hippie dress. You know I'm shopping my closet like a pro!

“The priceless writing from the Dark Ages burned with a tall, bright flame. For a few short moments the centuries spoke with the soft whisper of paper blackening in the fire. And then the flame went out and darkness covered the earth.”

Location: Mostar /Photography: by my husband, editing by me.

“No. I'm a witcher! When they were teaching me, I swore I would act against Evil. 

Always. And without thinkin...'
'Because when you start thinking,' she added hollowly, 'killing stops making sense.

 Revenge stops making sense.”

“The world you envision is made for a witcher. A witcher would never be short of work in it. Instead of codes, articles and peevish platitudes about justice, your idea creates lawlessness, anarchy, the licence and self-serving of princelings and mandarins, the officiousness of careerists wanting to endear themselves to their superiors, the blind vindictiveness of fanatics, the cruelty of assassins, retribution and sadistic vengeance. Your vision is a world where people are afraid to venture out after dark; not for fear of cut-throats, but of the guardians of public order. For, after all, the result of all great crackdowns on miscreants is always that the miscreants enter the ranks of the guardians of public order en masse.”

THE WITCHER SAGA- WHAT BOOKS I HAVE READ AND REVIEWED SO FAR?

THE LAST WISH, THE FIRST BOOK IN THE WITCHER SERIES

The Last Wish could just be the best book in the series for me. It is definitely my favourite among the Witcher books I have read so far. The Witcher series started with short stories. In my opinion, the short story format works really well for this series, especially with the white wolf as protagonist. Geralt is an absolutely fascinating protagonist. He is not a typical hero. Geralt has a wicked sense of humour and an anti-political attitude towards the world. Once you learn more about this fantasy world, you start to understand Geralt and his philosophy of neutrality better. It's a dark and grim world filled with monsters of all kinds.

 

SWORD OF DESTINY , THE SECOND BOOK IN THE WITCHER SERIES

Sword of Destiny consists of six short stories. All of the stories feature Gerald, the witcher as the protagonist. The stories are told by an all knowing narrator whose voice is often rich with irony and sarcasm. The writing style is simple and descriptive, but at times also poetical. The stories are generally chronological, but they are not tightly bound one to another. It's not exactly sure how much time has passed between the stories or what exactly happened in that time. So, the chronology of the stories is loose. In that sense, you could say that the stories are independent one of another. All the six stories feature at least some the recurring characters from the Witcher universe. Some of these characters will become heroes of the books and novels to follow.

BLOOD OF ELVES, THE THIRD BOOK (AND THE FIRST  NOVEL) IN THE WITCHER SERIES

Once I started reading Blood of Elves, I immediately felt drawn into the story. The novel is well plotted and well paced.  It's rather conversation heavy so that slows down the pacing but it helps us to get to know the characters better. Moreover, I really enjoyed the dialogues.  I enjoyed learning more about this fantasy world, so I'm not complaining. 

Published in 1994, this fantasy novel further develops the life story of Gerald of Rivia. It introduces new subplots and characters, but remains focused on the main characters. Gerald, Ciri, Dandelion and Yennifer are the main characters in this novel. The narrative in this novel is told from from the third person but with alternative points of view. The protagonist is, as always, Gerald the witcher, but the focus is often on Ciri. Gerald will have to go to great lengths to protect her. It could be argued that Ciri is really the most important character of the Witcher's saga. 

TIME OF CONTEMPT, THE FOURTH BOOK AND THE SECOND NOVEL  IN THE WITCHER SERIES

Time of Contempt is a direct sequel to Blood of Elves. Honestly, at first I hardly noticed the transition from one novel to another. The first part of Time of Contempt might as well be included in Blood of Elves as it almost feels like the same novel. In addition, I was able to read the novels one after the other so the transition was especially smooth. However, as Time of Contempt develops, some differences between the two novels can be spotted. Published in 1995, Time of Contempt takes off where Blood of Elves ended, but it feels more fast paced than its prequel. Blood of Elves is all about world-building, particularly in the sense of explaining the politics of this fantasy world. Time of Contempt adds more action and in that sense feels more true to the first two books in the series. 

BAPTISM OF FIRE, THE FIFTH BOOK AND THIRD NOVEL IN THE WITCHER SERIES

As the novel opens, the war is still in progress. Our heroes were utterly unprepared for an attempted coup at the mage meeting that turned into complete chaos and left the protagonist separated. Yennefer is missing, Geralt is recovering from his serious wounds with the help of dryads. As we learned from previous novel, Dandelion is by Geralt's side so he is not completely isolated. Moreover, another strong female character is soon introduced. 

One thing I really appreciated is how the witcher world  is depicted as quite complex and morally ambiguous. As the war wages on, one understand the Witcher's wish for neutrality better and better. The Squirrels ( Scoia'tael ) guerrilla group is responsible for much killing and is famous for its cruelty.  Previous novels have provided enough context for this conflict. Therefore, it is hard for us as readers to choose sides.  I think the author was really clever the way he went about this.  On overall, I enjoyed Baptism of Fire a lot. The new characters introduced were very interesting and he familiar ones didn't disappoint. The plot with all its subplots was well developed. I only wish that more time and perhaps attention was devoted to Yennefer and Ciri.

“It is better to go forward without a goal, than to have a goal and stay in one place, and it is certainly better than to stay in one place without a goal.”

Now that we went through previous Witcher reviews, I'm now ready to  review this novel.

“The Witcher had no work, for though the Dank Wilderness was so dank it would have been difficult to imagine anything danker, we did not encounter any monsters.”

Published in 1997, The Tower of Swallow is a direct sequel to Baptism of Fire.  Like in my last post, I shall do my best to avoid spoilers.  Some of my Witcher reviews are filled with spoilers, mostly because I enjoy writing detailed reviews and when you go into details, the spoilers are hard to avoid. However, this time, I'll keep things short and sweet. Scroll down to read my review.

THE TOWER OF THE SWALLOW, A NOVEL BY A. SAPKOWSKI, WITCHER BOOK #6 (REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION) 4.4/5

The Tower of the Swallow opens with Ciri waking up in a safe location. One of my complaints about the previous novel was that it didn't feature Cirilla and Yennefer enough. While I understand the reason for their absence, that is, the fact that the novel cannot trace all subplots and characters simultaneously, I still felt like they could have been included somehow. For example, they could have been present in the thoughts of other characters. Whereas it is obvious that Geralt is thinking of them in the prequel novel, it is not exactly shown. In a nutshell, Ciri and Yen are key characters, so their absence is always felt. This novel, however, more than makes up for it. Yen and Ciri take the front stage in this novel.

“Mistrust regarding me?'
'Regarding the world, Ciri. A world in which a deceptive appearance dons the mask of truth to pull the wool over the eyes of another truth - a false one, incidentally, which also tries to deceive.”

 Ciri matures a lot in this novel and becomes the kind of heroine she was destined to be: fierce but also wise. Ciri not only makes amends for her recent bloody past but develops her moral compass and critical thinking. Yennefer, on the other hand, reveals herself as an extremely powerful women. When it comes to protecting Ciri, she is ready to do anything and face anyone. Yen has always been written as a strong and ambitious woman, but her love for Ciri gives her portrayal another dimension. Yen has always been fiercely loyal to her friends, but this boss lady was also extremely ambitious. There was a hunger for power in Yennefer that made her act calculated and manipulative. In this novel, the true extent of Yennefer's love for Ciri is revealed in that she really acts like Ciri's mother. It makes for an interesting and believable character development. 

THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF CIRI AND YEN IS SUPERBLY  WRITTEN

 So, this novel focuses on Ciri and Yennefer. Ciri is recovering from her injuries, being cared for by an elderly hermit Vysogota.  The hermit in question  was once a renown philosopher but was forced to flee his homeland due to his independent thinking.  

.....

“Do you know, Ciri, what university studies give a person?”

 “No. What?”

 “The ability to make use of sources.”

......

“In the same place as you, darling.’ ‘How many mice you have here, Vysogota!’ Ciri said, breaking off her story and looking down at the floor, where a veritable mouse circus was taking place in the circle of light thrown by the oil lamp. One could only imagine what was happening in the gloom beyond the light. ‘A cat would come in useful. Or, better still, two.’ ‘The rodents,’ the hermit coughed, ‘are coming inside because winter is drawing nigh.”

As Ciri recover from her injuries, she retells the philosopher her past. Thus, we as readers learn about the recent events through digressions. 

‘An accurate statement,’ said the hermit, while adding another skin to the appropriate lot. ‘And how inevitably it leads to the conclusion that we, Ciri, we know nothing about each other. We know only the appearances and they lie.’

He waited a moment, but Ciri did not hasten to say anything.

‘Although we both have succeeded in making a preliminary inquiry, we still don’t know anything. I do not know who you are, you do not know who I am…’

This time he deliberately waited. She looked at him and her eyes burned with the question he was expecting. Her eyes flashed when she asked:

‘Who will start?”

Ciri also engages into philosophical debates with Vysogota.  These debates were not only interesting to read, they were also an insight into Ciri's moral and philosophical development. 

 “Why should I give up revenge? On behalf of what? Moral principles? And what of the higher order of things, in which evil deeds are punished? For you, a philosopher and ethicist, an act of revenge is bad, disgraceful, unethical and illegal. But I ask: where is the punishment for evil? Who has it and grants access? The Gods, in which you do not believe? The great demiurge-creator, which you decided to replace the gods with? Or maybe the law? 

There is a side in Ciri that sides with violence and revenge. Not surprisingly, given Ciri's recent traumatic experiences. Ciri will need to find her own reasons for refraining from violence when possible. In the meantime, Ciri makes valid arguments why fight against violence is necessary. 

" I know what evil is afraid of. Not your ethics, Vysogota, not your preaching or moral treaties on the life of dignity. Evil is afraid of pain, mutilation, suffering and at the end of the day, death! The dog howls when it is badly wounded! Writhing on the ground and growls, watching the blood flow from its veins and arteries, seeing the bone that sticks out from a stump, watching its guts escape its open belly, feeling the cold as death is about to take them. Then and only then will evil begin to beg, 'Have mercy! I regret my sins! I'll be good, I swear! Just save me, do not let me waste away!'. Yes, hermit. That is the way to fight evil! When evil wants to harm you, inflict pain - anticipate them, it's best if evil does not expect it. But if you fail to prevent evil, if you have been hurt by evil, then avenge him! It is best when they have already forgotten, when they feel safe. Then pay them in double. In triple. An eye for an eye? No! Both eyes for an eye! A tooth for a tooth? No! All their teeth for a tooth! Repay evil! Make it wail in pain, howling until their eyes pop from their sockets. And then, you can look under your feet and boldly declare that what is there cannot endanger anyone, cannot hurt anyone. How can someone be a danger, when they have no eyes? How can someone hurt when they have no hands? They can only wait until they bleed to death.”

The philosopher hermit is patient with Ciri, his attitude to her is paternal. Understanding that Ciri has been to hell and back, Vysogota tries to install belief into humanity into her. At the same time, he is not perfect. Sometimes he underestimates Ciri and she is ready to point it out and stand up for herself. 

“And so it's an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Blood for blood? And for that blood, more blood? A sea of blood? Do you want to drown the world in blood? O naive, damaged girl! Is that how you mean to fight evil, little witcher?”

As Ciri retells her story, we learn the extent of horrors she has suffered that lead her to consider taking her own life. When Bonhart forces Ciri to fight in an arena, Ciri wants to kill herself but is unable to do it. Not from the lack of courage, as Bonhart implies, but rather because of her bravery. Ciri chooses to live and fight, even in the most desperate of circumstances. Ciri has been demonstrating her exceptional courage from the day she was born.

“You won't do it.' Bonhart's voice resounded in the complete silence. 'You won't do it, witcher girl. In Kaer Morhen you were taught how to kill, so you kill like a machine. Instinctively. To kill yourself you need character, strength, determination and courage. And they couldn't teach you that.”

CIRI'S TIME WITH BONHART- THE NOVEL TURNS VERY DARK AND GRAPHIC

I must admit that I wasn't too keen of the depiction of this Bonhart character. I sometimes felt that Bonhart was given too much space in the novel, especially since some potentially fascinating characters are not further developed. In a saga known for crafting complex characters that are neither bad nor good, Bonhart stands out as a typical stereotypical bad guy.  At times I felt like this psychopathic killer was given too much space and time. I understand that not all the characters should and could be depicted as morally complex and grey. Clearly, evil characters without redeeming qualities should also exist. Moreover, their existence makes the writing more realistic because genuinely rotten individuals obviously exist. 

It is just that I feel that this purely evil character does not add much to the novel. The chapters featuring him are too violent and dark for my taste. I think we could have done with less graphic descriptions of Bonhart's numerous killing. While it is true that graphic violence is a part of the Witcher saga, it never felt so overbearing before. The whole Bonehart episode felt like too much. Some other sadistic characters are introduced by him, so vile even Bonehart despises them, but their destiny isn't elaborated on which is a shame because their death would have been satisfactory. 

The first book in the Witcher series contains graphic violence and even elements of horror and gore, but somehow it felt more at place than in his novel. Perhaps because all those short stories were quickly paced and well rounded, whereas here the violence drags on and gets overbearing because of some general (albeit small) pacing issues. Somehow those pacing issues become distracting as he novel progresses. Not that the whole Bonepart's episode is without sense. His action start making sense towards the end. Moreover, we get to learn more about Ciri. Even in captivity, Ciri is able to move towards fulfilling her destiny. 

“You are not. The sword is for her, not for you. Come here, girl with a collar on her neck. Examine the marks etched into the blade. You don’t understand them, naturally. But I shall explain them to you. Look. The line delineated by destiny is winding, but leads to this tower. Towards annihilation, towards the destruction of established values, of the established order. But there, above the tower, do you see? A swallow. The symbol of hope. Take this sword. And may what is to come about, come about.”

 Bonehart's chapters serve to add to the bleakness and serve to highlight a common motif in the Witcher saga- and that is that humans can be worse than monsters. The Witcher saga isn't afraid to dig into the darkness of the human spirit. Trigger warnings, though. This novel often speaks of  about and depicts  abuse in different forms. At times, it's anything but an easy read.

“Mamma, are they demons? Is it the Wild Hunt? Phantoms from hell? Mamma, mamma! Quiet, quiet, children. They are not demons, not devils . . . Worse than that. They are people.”

MEANWHILE, GERALT'S VOYAGE CONTINUOUS

The subplot with Geralt and his company continues. I quite liked all the characters in his company, so I was happy to witness their character development. One thing that surprised me is Geralt and Cihir's understanding. It's like both men are somehow united by their desire to protect Ciri. However, some details in Cehir's description of saving Ciri seemed strange to me. Nevertheless, it was nice to see the unity of this travelling company. 

“And you? Don't you have dreams now?'
'I do,' he said bitterly. 'But seldom since we crossed the Yaruga. And I remember nothing after waking. Something has ended in me, Cahir. Something has burned out. Something has ruptured in me . . .'
'Never mind, Geralt. I shall dream for both of us.”
“Had someone crept up to the cottage with the sunken thatched roof that night, had they peered through the slits in the shutters, they would have seen in the dimly lit interior a grey-bearded old man and an ashen-haired girl sitting by the fireplace. They would have noticed that the two of them were staring silently into the glowing, ruby coals. But no one could have seen it. For the cottage with the sunken, moss-grown thatched roof was well hidden among the fog and the mist, in a boundless swamp in the Pereplut Marshes where no one dared to venture.”

One thing I found interesting is how Geralt seems to be ready to give up his witcher identity. He becomes devoted solely to finding Ciri. 

“I’ve stopped being a witcher. I’ve learned that now. On Thanedd, in the Tower of the Seagull. In Brokilon. On the bridge on the Yaruga. In the cave beneath Gorgon. And here, in Myrkvid Forest. No, I’m not a witcher now. So I’ll have to learn to manage without my medallion.”

Dandelion is still by Geralt's side, being himself. I do enjoy their bromance, I must say.

“Dandelion! You’re asleep in the saddle!’ 

‘I’m not asleep. I’m thinking creatively!”

We do learn more about the other members of the company, for example Milva. She is the strong female characters that we have learned to love.

You did not like your stepfather, I take it,’ said Dandelion after a short silence.

‘I did not.’ Milva audibly gritted her teeth. ‘Because he was a bastard. If my mother was not looking, he would run up and grope me, then claim he did nothing. So, I finally lost control and hit him with a rake, and as he fell I gave him a bit more – two kicks in the ribs and one in the course. He laid there for two whole days, spitting blood... And I ran away from home into the wide world, not waiting until he was healthy again. Then I heard that he died, and my mom shortly after he... Hey, Dandelion! Are you writing about this? Don't you dare! Don't you even dare, do you hear me?”

NEW CHARACTERS ARE INTRODUCED AND MORE WORLD BUILDING TAKE PLACE

This novel introduces new characters and places. It takes us into prisons and army camps. On overall, it is more focused on action than world-building but it does a good job revealing more about this world.

In normal gaols the inmates were still traditionally separated according to sex. In military citadels it was different. Emperor Fergus var Emreis – confirming women’s equality in the imperial army by special decree – had already ruled that if it was to be emancipation, then let it be emancipation. Equality ought to be complete and outright, without any exceptions or special privileges for either sex. Since then, inmates had been serving time in mixed cells in the strongholds and citadels.”

......

“When they learned what orders they were to execute, they fell into a panic. They were concerned about releasing more than three thousand people from prisons, internment camps and exile. House arrest was to be withdrawn from more than a hundred. ‘No, it didn’t only apply to bandits, common criminals and hired mercenaries. The pardons were mostly for dissidents. Among the pardoned were henchmen of the deposed King Rhyd and people of the usurper Idi, their virulent partisans. And not only those who had supported in word: most were in prison for sabotage, assassination attempts and armed revolts. The minister of internal affairs was horrified and papa extremely worried.

“No one wants to suffer. But that is the fate of each. And some suffer more. Not necessarily of their own volition. It's not about to enduring the suffering. It's about how you endure it.”

LEGENDS AND STORIES ARE FOUND RIGHT AND LEFT

Legends, prophecies and stories are not important just for the plot. They play an important part in world-building as well. I really liked it how some legends reinforced the atmosphere of the novel. One legend in particular, the one about Cintra princesses, was so well placed in the story. It gave Yen confirmation that Ciri is alive. Moreover, some legends are just beautifully written and imagined.

“The blood of the queens of Cintra,’ Crach began, ‘is uncannily bound to the sea. When one of the women of that blood dies the sea falls into sheer madness. It’s said that Ard Skellig bewails the daughters of Riannon. For the storm is so strong then that the waves striking from the west squeeze through crevices and caverns to the east side and suddenly salt brooks gush from the rock. And the entire island shudders. Simple folk say “See how Ard Skellig sobs. Someone has died again. Riannon’s blood has died. The Elder Blood”.”

Some stories are poetical, some more ironic and realistic:

...A certain Gabriel, a craftsman from Verden, had invented and patented a miniature crossbow. He advertised them with the slogan "Defend yourself". His handbill declared "Banditry and violence are rampant among us. The law is powerless and inept. Defend yourself! Don't leave home without a handy Gabriel crossbow. A Gabriel is your guardian, a Gabriel will protect you and your dear ones from bandits. " Sales were phenomenal. Soon every bandit packed a Gabriel during robberies...

THERE IS YET ANOTHER EPISODE WITH A BITTER ELF

Elves of the Witcher saga are bitter and it's hard to blame them for it. They are presented as sophisticated and advanced beings that are about to go extinct. The elfkind is dying and is aware of that. However, at times their hatred of humans seems to be their downfall. Maybe there should try to make compromises? They don't seem to consider humans their equals.

...

“Anyone,’ Avallac’h wiped his hands on a rag, ‘can foretell the future. And everyone does it, for it is simple. It is no great art to foretell it. The art is in foretelling it accurately.”

.....

“Avallac’h said nothing for a moment. 

‘Share?’ he finally drawled. ‘With you? Knowledge, my dear, is a privilege, and privileges are only shared with one’s equals. And why would I, an elf, a Sage, a member of the elite, share anything with a descendant of a creature that appeared in the universe barely five million years ago, having evolved from an ape, a rat, a jackal or some other such mammal? A creature that took around a million years to discover that one can execute some sort of operation with a gnawed bone using its two hairy hands? ”

....

“And then suddenly comes the Conjunction of the Spheres and you, people, appear here. Human survivors, come from another world, from your former world, which you managed utterly to destroy with your still-hirsute hands, barely five million years after evolving as a species. There’s only a handful of you, your life expectancy is ridiculously low, so your survival depends on the pace of reproduction. Thus unbridled lust never leaves you, sex totally governs you; it’s a drive more powerful even than the survival instinct.”

WE LEARN MORE ABOUT YENNEFER- AND SHE REALLY GIVES IT HER ALL!

Yennefer is a mighty impressive heroine in this novel. My only complaint is that Geralt seems weak in comparison.  Yen doesn't even consider looking for Geralt to ask for his help. It is not that Yen doesn't care about him, it's more that Ciri is a priority. Yennefer is the kind of woman that takes matters into her own hands. When Yen criticizes Geralt as incompetent, she seems to be right. At the same time, Geralt suspects Yen, so he seems to have had it coming.

This novel also offers an unique view into Yennefer's past. We get to see her as a child that was rejected by both of its parents. No wonder she and Geralt both have abandonment issues.

“Janka! Dear Janka! Take this hunchbacked monstrosity from me! I don’t want to look at it!

 She’s your daughter as much as she is mine.

 Indeed? The children I have sired are normal. 

How dare you… How dare you suggest… 

It was in your elven family that there were witches. It was you that aborted your first pregnancy. It was because of that. You have tainted elven blood and a tainted womb, woman. That’s why you give birth to monsters. It is an ill-fated child… 

Such was the will of the gods! She’s your daughter as much as she is mine! What was I to do? Smother her? Not tie the birth cord? What am I to do now? Take her to the forest and leave her? What do you want from me, by the Gods? 

Daddy! Mummy! 

Get away, you freak. 

How dare you! How dare you strike a child! 

Stop! Where are you going? Where? To her, are you? To her! 

Yes, woman. I’m a man. I’m free to sate my lust where and when I want, as is my natural right. And I loathe you. You and the fruit of your degenerate womb. Don’t wait with supper. I won’t be back tonight. Mummy… Why are you weeping? Why are you beating me and pushing me away? I was good, wasn’t I? Mummy! Dear Mummy!”

MORE MEMORABLE QUOTES

DEBATES, POLITICS AND PHILOSOPHY IN THIS NOVEL

“For the law is not jurisprudence, not a weighty tome full of articles, not philosophical treatises, not peevish nonsense about justice, not hackneyed platitudes about morality and ethics. The law means safe paths and highways. It means backstreets one can walk along even after sundown. It means inns and taverns one can leave to visit the privy, leaving one’s purse on the table and one’s wife beside it. The law is the sleep of people certain they’ll be woken by the crowing of the rooster and not the crashing of burning roof timbers! And for those who break the law; the noose, the axe, the stake and the red-hot iron! Punishments which deter others.”

........

“It isn't the evil and indecent who are flung down into the depths, no! Oh, no! The evil and decisive fling down those who are moral, honest and noble but maladroit, hesitant and full of scruples.”

.........

“Instead of codes, articles and peevish platitudes about justice, your idea creates lawlessness, anarchy, the licence and self-serving of princelings and mandarins, the officiousness of careerists wanting to endear themselves to their superiors, the blind vindictiveness of fanatics, the cruelty of assassins, retribution and sadistic vengeance. Your vision is a world where people are afraid to venture out after dark; not for fear of cut-throats, but of the guardians of public order. For, after all, the result of all great crackdowns on miscreants is always that the miscreants enter the ranks of the guardians of public order en masse. Your vision is a world of bribery, blackmail and entrapment, a world of turning imperial evidence and false witnesses. A world of snoopers and coerced confessions. Informing and the fear of being informed upon. And inevitably the day will come in your world when the flesh of the wrong person will be torn with pincers, when an innocent person is hanged or impaled. And then it will be a world of crime.”

.........

“Treaties are like marriage: they aren't entered in to with the thought of betrayal, and once they're concluded one shouldn't be suspicious. And if that doesn't suit somebody, they shouldn't get married. Because you can't become a cuckold without being a husband, but you'll admit that fear of wearing the horns is a pitiful and quite ridiculous justification for enforced celibacy.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed reading The Tower of Swallow. The novel was filled with some wonderful surprises, both it terms of introduction of new characters and the character development of existing ones. The novel was for most part well developed and plotted. There were some small pacing issues, but they didn't ruin the narrative or take away from enjoyment. However, I didn't like how graphic and violent this novel was. I'm not against gore in writing as long as it serves its purpose. The description of violence should always fit the context. In this novel, sometimes it does, sometimes it does not. To conclude, The Tower of Swallow is a great novel despite some minor flaws. Highly recommended!

Thank you for reading and visiting. Have a nice day!