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The Tower of Fools

The Hussite Trilogy #1 / 3 ✓
by Andrzej Sapkowski
The Tower of Fools (The Hussite Trilogy #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski
★ 7.12 / 9
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A brand-new historical fantasy from a legend of the genre. Fans of Bernard Cornwall, Conn Iggulden and Joe Abercrombie will love this.

Reinmar of Bielawa, sometimes known as Reynevan, is a doctor, a magician and, according to some, a charlatan.

Discovered in bed with the wife of a high-born knight, he must flee his normal life. But his journeys will lead him into a part of Europe which will be overtaken by chaos. Religious tension between Hussite and Catholic countries is threatening to turn into war.

Pursued not only by the affronted Stercza brothers, bent on vengeance, but also by the Holy Inquisition, and with strange, mystical forces gathering in the shadows, Reynevan finds himself in the Narrenturm, the Tower of Fools. The Tower is an asylum for the mad, or for those who dare to think differently and challenge the prevailing order. The 'patients' of this institution form a gallery of colourful types including the young Copernicus, proclaiming the truth of his heliocentric solar system.

But can Reynevan escape the Tower, and avoid being drawn in to the conflict around him, without losing his own mind?

The first in an epic new trilogy set during the vibrantly depicted Hussite Wars by Andrzej Sapkowski, author of the bestselling Witcher series that has become an international phenomenon and inspired a bestselling videogame and Netflix show.

Translated by David French, who worked with Sapkowski on six Witcher books.

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FantasyHistorical FantasyTranslation
Release date: October 27, 2020

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Andrzej Sapkowski

Andrzej Sapkowski

Few writers have reshaped the fantasy landscape like Andrzej Sapkowski—though he never set out to become a legend. Long before The Witcher earned its place in gaming lore and Netflix queues, Sapkowski was a Polish economist with a love for stories that didn't flinch. In the late 1980s, he entered a short story competition with a sharp-edged tale about a monster hunter named Geralt. He didn’t just win; he kicked open the doors to an entirely new world—one filled with political tension, moral ambiguity, and beasts that often looked a lot like men.

Read more ...

What sets his fantasy apart isn’t just the swords or sorcery—it’s the bite. Sapkowski’s writing walks a narrow, dangerous path between folklore and philosophy. His characters grapple with power, prejudice, and survival in a world where the lines between good and evil are constantly blurred. It’s dark, often brutal, but laced with sardonic wit and an undeniable sense of mythic gravity. His storytelling draws heavily from Slavic legends, blending the ancient with the cynical, the magical with the all-too-human.

Born in Łódź, Poland, Sapkowski brought a post-Communist realism to fantasy that felt anything but escapist. His Witcher Saga, which includes titles like Blood of Elves, Baptism of Fire, and The Lady of the Lake, doesn’t just follow Geralt’s journey—it challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths, all while navigating a treacherous world where every choice has consequences.

Though he's famously skeptical of adaptations—once noting, “I can’t stop people from doing stupid things; I just wish they wouldn’t do them with my books”—his influence is undeniable. The international acclaim of his series has opened doors for Eastern European fantasy on a global stage, drawing comparisons to genre titans while maintaining a voice that’s distinctly, unapologetically his own.

Sapkowski’s work continues to resonate not just because it entertains, but because it unsettles. In his world, monsters aren’t always the ones with claws—and sometimes, a silver sword isn’t enough.

Photo: Elzbieta Lempp

The Hussite Trilogy

The Hussite Trilogy consists of three books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

The Tower of Fools (The Hussite Trilogy #1)
★ 7.12 / 9
Warriors of God (The Hussite Trilogy #2)
★ 8.00 / 4
Light Perpetual (The Hussite Trilogy #3)
★ 7.50 / 2


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