Before I approached The Tower of Fools, one of my favourite elements of Sapkowski’s writing was that he created great supporting characters, groups, brotherhoods and fellowships ... This strength of the author’s is present throughout The Tower of Fools too, with characters like Scharley, Samson Honey-Eater and Urban Horn being just as complex, colourful and interesting to read about as the novel’s lead is ... Recommended for fans of Sapkowski’s The Witcher Saga, and those who enjoy a dark fantasy take on historical events.
It’s a typically sprawling narrative set in 15th-century Europe during the chaotic Hussite revolution, in which religious reformers fought Catholic armies loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor ... Sapkowski peppers the story with telling period detail, vivid and violent set pieces, and scatological humour. After a slow start, in which the historical and political backdrop is filled in by characters discoursing at length, the narrative settles into a bloody but satisfying picaresque.
While the sheer amounts of characters, historical names, and untranslated Latin may daunt some readers, Sapkowski’s energetic and satirical prose as well as the unconventional setting makes this a highly enjoyable historical fantasy. Recommended for Sapkowksi’s many existing fans and for fans of historical fantasy in general.
The Tower of Fools by Andrzej Sapkowski will be a fitting read for an enterprising European history enthusiast ... The Tower of Fools brings readers into a richly referential world of Christian history as it casually dissects the events leading to the Protestant Reformation ... While the book is strongly grounded in the real events and politics of Catholic history in Europe, Sapkowski delights in depicting a range of magical abilities and creatures in his version of medieval Europe ... Sapkowski’s primary draw is his ability to weave rich historical context with a complex atmosphere of magic and superstition ... The Tower of Fools is not an easy read, but it’s quite rewarding for readers ready to take the plunge.
Sapkowski, author of the bestselling Witcher saga, sets a sharply detailed fantasy of magic, lust, and mayhem ... The carefully painted landscapes and intricate politics, meanwhile, effortlessly draw readers into Reinmar’s life and times. This is historical fantasy done right.
