Fictional Time Machine Book Group: Current Selection

Call or email Eileen in Adult Services to get more information, to register, or ask any questions!
edennis.hav@rcls.org
845-786-3800 extension 23 (feel free to leave a voicemail if I'm not at my desk!)

Our next meeting will be on June 2, 2025.

This meeting will take place at 7:30 instead of 7.

Andrzej Sapkowski

Andrzej Sapkowski was born in Poland in 1948. He is a major heroic-fantasy writer: his oeuvre has received Poland’s Janusz A. Zajdel prize five times, as well as Great Britain’s David Gemmell Award for Fantasy, in 2009. In 2016, he received the World Fantasy Award—Life Achievement in the United States. What has made Andrzej Sapkowski’s style so successful is the unique blend of folk tales and very contemporary realism.

Other novels include: The Witcher, The Hussite Trilogy, 

Author's Amazon Storefront

Author's Instagram

While there is not a video discussion about this book with the author available online,

here is a short video with information about the Hussite Wars, which are the subject of this book and its sequels.

1. How does The Tower of Fools reflect or diverge from historical narratives of religious persecution and warfare?

2. What do you think of the novel's exploration of power dynamics, both within religious institutions and in the wider societal context?

3. Did you like the blend of historical details and fantasy elements? Do you feel that this adds or detracts from your ability to connect with the novel in the context of historical fiction?

4. How does Reynevan's journey of self-discovery and his evolving relationship with the Master shape the narrative?

5. How does the novel invite readers to reflect on the nature of truth, justice, and the challenges of confronting societal norms?

The Tower of Fools, written by Andrzej Sapkowski, translated by David French
Published by Independent Publishing House NOWA, January 1, 2002
549 pages

This month, the themed snack will be:

Stay tuned!

Reinmar of Bielawa, sometimes known as Reynevan, is a healer, magician, and according to some, a charlatan. When a thoughtless indiscretion forces him to flee his home, he finds himself pursued not only by brothers bent on vengeance, but the Holy Inquisition.

In a time when tensions between Hussite and Catholic countries are threatening to turn into war and mystical forces are gathering in the shadows, Reynevan's journey will lead him to 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. Escaping it, avoiding the conflict around him, and keeping his own sanity will prove more difficult than he ever imagined.

“A ripping yarn delivered with world-weary wit, bursting at the seams with sex, death, magic and madness.”
—Joe Abercrombie

“This is historical fantasy done right.”

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Sapkowski's energetic and satirical prose as well as the unconventional setting makes this a highly enjoyable historical fantasy."
—Booklist

“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 quite rewarding for readers ready to take the plunge.”

—BookPage