Hmm sounds like I'll have to play the games with an open mind and treat it as differently from the books as I can to enjoy it. I was already finding Thronebreaker a bit of a tone-shock at times, so I should really just approach it as separate universes. Thanks!
I'd argue that the game's actually do a pretty solid job of maintaining the spirit of the books despite some liberties. Though I have only read the two short story compilations, I can't comment on the later novels(that admittedly are where the most divergent elements occur), but there is a unique charm to the game universe that is grounded and pays tribute that shouldn't exactly cause heavy concern.
Keep in mind that given the role-playing nature of the games, you are somewhat free to have Geralt commit to being somewhat empathetic, distant, or harshly unsympathetic dependent on decisions made throughout the games. The tone of the character and the responses can be very different. This isn't a Bioware title with social meters to min/max, but your choices will have an impact on how things unfold, from planting seeds that affect the narrative, to banal interactions that come and go. Geralt can kind of be molded to respond and act as you wish in a sense.
But yes, some characters are a bit different than you may know. But if you keep an open-mind and take the trilogy for what it is, there is an impressive amount of effort put into crafting the three games that pays homeage to the source, but molds a tapestry all its own. The three games very much feel tied together in a way that is impressive. You need not look hard for differences from the books, but you'll be missing out if your attention is clouded by expectations.
Oh and the Witcher 1 intro cinematic does an impressive job practically transforming its sequence from the page to the monitor from that very first short story.
