Hunting "The Witcher": around the pirate translation of the new part of the saga heated passions in the Network

Russian pirate translation of the new, literally at the end of November, released in Poland in the end of November, Andrzej Sapkowski's book from the super-popular fantasy series "The Witcher" has appeared on the Web. "The Crossing of the Ravens" tells the story of Geralt of Rivia's youth, his growing up and becoming a monster hunter. Translator Alexander Svistunov posted it for free for his subscribers, fans picked it up, and enterprising people decided to cash in on it, offering the book in digital or samizdat for 4 thousand rubles plus shipping. "Izvestia" found out how pirates managed to get just released a potential bestseller, what they think about it in the publisher-owner and whether fans should wait for the official translation.

Poles promptly leaked

Alexander Svistunov is a historian, journalist, and science editor. "Crossroads" Sapkovsky for him is not a debut, subscribers regularly come to him for a fresh portion of "banned".

As he told Izvestia, the book got to him on December 1 - right on the day of release in Poland. The Poles themselves very quickly "spirated" it and threw a copy on one of their largest repositories of digitized literature.

- I've known this resource for a long time, and I've grabbed a lot of good literature from it over the years. I started translating the same day," Alexander admits.

True, according to him, before engaging in pirate translation for fans of the universe of "The Witcher", he googled whether AST, which owns the rights to the series in Russia, announced the release of the book in Russian. But no information about this on the official website of the publisher did not find.

- I make a post in my Telegram channel: say, guys, I already have a new "The Witcher", would it be interesting for you to read it in my translation? I didn't even expect that there would be so many responses. After that, it was kind of ugly to give it back. Yes, and the official translation in the near future, apparently, will not be, - says Svistunov.

However, the editor-in-chief of AST Nikolai Naumenko told "Izvestia" that now are negotiating with the Polish side on the rights to publish "Crossroads of Crows" in Russia.

- Yes, we are planning to conclude such a contract, however, on the timing of nothing can not say anything yet, now everyone goes on Christmas vacation, - he specified.

Imitating Weisbrot

Since 1995, AST has published eight books about the witch doctor Geralt of Rivia, his friends, lovers, hunting for all sorts of evil in a world populated by werewolves, elves, dwarves, dragons. The novellas were published in different versions - hardcover, with illustrations from the popular Netflix series, gift volumes.

But the matter, of course, not only in the packaging, but also in the first-class professional translation by Eugene Weisbrot, who knew Polish as his native language - his father was from Warsaw, felt the language and from the first reading fell in love with witch fantasy. So much so that he even wrote a letter to Sapkowski with a proposal to translate his work into Russian. But the latter replied negatively, assuming that the Russian publishing house of those times would not pay him an interesting fee. In addition, his two stories about Herald of Rivia were not successful in Russia. Weisbrot did not calm down, and after several months of correspondence, the Pole gave up.

The first published in AST books Sapkovsky were "The Last Wish" and "Sword of Destination", they were an incredible success.

In the translation of Alexander Svistunov though guessed imitation Weisbrot, but lacks depth, versatility. Which is understandable. In a conversation with Izvestia, the historian admitted that he learned Polish on his own in order to be able to read scientific and popular science literature.

- I will say more - I shamelessly tried to imitate his (Weisbrot's. - Ed.) style. This is exactly the translation in which I read "The Witcher" as a teenager, and it was important for me to at least try to preserve this atmosphere in the new book - says Alexander Svistunov.

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Beware of piracy!

The book in an amateur translation spread across the web. And, of course, immediately there were enterprising people who wanted to capitalize on it.

- Some clever guys announced the sale of a printed version of "Crossroads of Crows", completely borrowing my translation, but tactfully blurring my name from the output data. As far as I remember, they asked for something around 3 thousand rubles for the book. I emphasize this, because the translation I posted on the Web in free access - so that anyone can read it, completely free of charge - says Svistunov. - If you see somewhere that it is sold - in digital or paper - know that it is done by bad people. And you don't have to pay them anything.

He himself hopes that one day AST will be able to officially release Perekrestok in Russia on good white coated paper, in hardcover.

- It may sound strange, but I am entirely on the side of our publishers and sincerely wish them to prosper and publish more interesting books in Russian," Alexander says.

He presents himself as a kind of Robin Hood, justifying piracy by the desire to bring foreign book novelties to the domestic reader.

- Many foreign authors and publishers have turned their backs on us. I categorically disagree with this. Therefore, I unilaterally cancel anti-Russian sanctions in the field of literature, - says Alexander Svistunov.

In AST with respect to the amateur translator is resolutely unfriendly.

- The answer here will be simple - as soon as we have the rights to publish, we will clean up this pirated translation, we will do everything to cover the sites where it is distributed, - said "Izvestia" Nikolai Naumenko.

It is unlikely that Andrzej Sapkowski approves of the appearance in the public free access to his new book. Especially since for this author the fee has always been very important. In 2018, the writer demanded from the studio CD Projekt RED, which created a series of games about the witcher, to pay him 6 percent of royalties, threatening to sue. Although initially the Pole refused to take a percentage of the profits, selling the rights to his works and promising not to interfere in the process. In 2019, the incident was settled, the studio paid Sapkowski compensation and, moreover, concluded a new deal with him to create videos, board games and other products on the "Witcher" universe. Perhaps, then, Andrzej was particularly in need of money - his son Krzysztof was gravely ill and passed away at 47 in 2019.

But, be that as it may, the author has every right to demand royalties for his work. And the publishing house, thanks to which thousands of fans of the "Witcher" universe appeared in Russia, - to do everything to destroy the amateur translation, even if noble pirate.