The Witcher Author Promises New Books: “Unlike George R.R. Martin, When I say I’ll Write Something, I will”
Recently, The Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski attended the Opole book festival and had a panel where he discussed various things, including writing more books, creative freedoms of adaptations and more. Sapkowski released Crossroads of Ravens just last year in Poland, which comes internationally to 19 countries this September. Despite that, he’s ready to write more Witcher books.
Andrzej Sapkowski will write another book, so fans don’t need to worry
Early in the discussion, before anyone even asked, Andrzej Sapkowski declared that he will write more and compares the situation to George R. R. Martin‘s The Winds of Winter: “If anyone in the audience asks that kind of question, I’ll tell you right now: I will write something else. Relax. No need to fear. And unlike George R. R. Martin—whom, by the way, I know personally—when I say I’ll write something, I will.“
Sapkowski further discussed that he understands why Martin isn’t finishing his books: “And also, listen, just between us I totally understand him. Because if someone had pulled a stunt like that on me, filming a series based on my books, and then getting ahead of what I intended to write, I’d also be wondering whether there’s any point in writing anymore. If it’s already been done, right? Makes no sense. It’s nice when they adapt your work, that’s the author’s bloody right, but to adapt what doesn’t exist yet, to extrapolate like that? That’s just indecent.“
Sapkowski discusses creative freedoms of adaptations
During the event, Sapkowski was also asked about how he feels about adaptations and specifically how he feels about the fact that Netflix’s Nightmare of the Wolf anime had a depiction of the Kaer Morhen pogrom since Sapkowski made his own canon version in Crossroads of Ravens:
“I haven’t seen that series. So, I’m sorry. That’s how it is. Well, what can I say? A film has its own rules, and Netflix has even more of them. But, well… Are we really going to argue over which version is better? Good, we’re not. I’m glad. Because, for example, I know [which version is better].“
On the rest of the Netflix adaptations: “I appear in the end credits. Which means: if I say something positive, you’ll say, “Well of course, the magpie praises its own tail.” And if I say something negative, you’ll say, “Idiot.” So I won’t say anything.“
He continued: “When it comes to other adaptations, well, it varies. Sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn’t. Like I said, I’m not a visual person. What I write, I don’t see it. That’s the truth. To me, it’s just letters. Nothing more. So when I suddenly see images, sometimes my jaw drops, I had no idea it could look like that.
And all adaptations, by their nature, are visual. So we’re working in that visual realm. And it does happen, well, there have been disagreements. And usually it ends with a short statement: “You don’t know shit about visual arts.” To which I had to shut up, because it’s true, I don’t know shit about visual arts.“
Sapkowski further discussed an author’s position in an adaptation with an anecdote: “I once spoke at a convention in the Czech Republic with Harry Harrison. He’s no longer with us, you know, ladies and gentlemen, God rest his soul, requiescat in pace.
And at some point, Harry Harrison asks me if I’d seen the movie Soylent Green. I say, yes, I’ve seen it. And he asks, “Do you realize it’s based on my novel, Make Room! Make Room!?” I said, of course I realize that, because I’ve read the novel too. “Aha,” he says, “so what do you think of the movie?” I say, it’s total crap”. And he says, “Yeah, I think so too, it’s total crap.” And I go, “Well, Harry, did you give the money back?” “No.” “Well then, hush.” So that’s how it is, unfortunately. That’s how it is.
So Martin still isn’t writing, probably because he got offended that they filmed the continuation [of Game of Thrones], but I bet he didn’t give the money back, knowing how life goes. I wouldn’t have given it back.“
Full video of the Andrzej Sapkowski panel can be viewed here:
The Witcher Season 4 is in post-production for a 2025 release. Andrzej Sapkowski’s new Witcher book Crossroads of Ravens is available in Poland and will be released internationally in September 2025. CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 4 is now in full production.
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