Bad. The story just became smut and Ciri getting SAed

I had wanted to love the book saga. I truly do. I love the three prequels, especially Season of Storms. I can tolerate the first two books, trying to reason that it’s a "world-building stage" serving the same role as the first three Harry Potter books. The third book is a bit more enjoyable, save for the pointless, long Ciri in the desert chapter in the middle. But the fourth book really soured me. I came into the fifth book hoping that it would get better.

Unlike many readers, I actually already know the plot of the final book through some intentional research. I know the kind of ending that it offers. I personally don't mind the tragic ending because, despite the author’s insistence that the game isn't canon, I treat it as such, and therefore, many of the tragic ending is actually undone in the game. 

What sours me is not the plot per se but the way the plot is delivered. It seems to me that throughout the five books, Sapkowski is trying different writing styles to see what sticks. That doesn't do it for me. My major criticism for the second book is related to how the author jumps not just from the perspective of one character to another but also jumps from one timeframe to another without much indication to the readers. This book only makes it worse by jumping the universe on a whim.

I decided to cut my losses at 26% in the middle of Chapter Four. Thanks to ChatGPT and various internet sources, I pretty much already know what I need to know regarding the plot. I believe the rest are fillers and details that I will probably forget once I get to my next book anyway. 

the rage that filled me upon finishing this book.... i should have stopped after the 3rd one i'm fuming