Feist, Raymond E.

Into a Dark Realm (The Darkwar Saga, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Certainly not Feist's best
Stale
Good
Still better that most fantasy, but not Feist's best.
Oustanding

Into a Dark Realm (The Darkwar Saga, Book 2)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Flight of the Nighthawks (The Darkwar Saga, Book 1)
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Exile's Return (Conclave of Shadows, Book 3)

ASIN: 0060792809
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

The Conclave of Shadows has smashed the Nighthawks' dread plot to destroy the Empire of Great Kesh through civil war, putting an end to the murderous brotherhood's reign of terror. But there is no time for the victors to celebrate, for the mad sorcerer, Leso Varen, has taken refuge with the Magicians of the Assembly on the world of Kelewan, and is lost among the most powerful men and women of that empire. And a devastating new threat looms on the horizon: hordes of the Dasati—the most vicious warriors in the known universe—are massing to overrun both Kelewan and Midkemia.

The great sorcerer Pug knows of no power that will vanquish the invaders. And he realizes he must now enter another realm of reality if his world is to survive—and make his way to the poisonous heart of the Dasati Empire to find the answers he needs to defeat the fearsome enemy. Joining him on his quest into the dark unknown will be the brave Magnus and Nakor . . . and a disturbing young stranger named Bek, whose terrifying bloodlust and uncanny strength attest to a host of sinister secrets waiting to be revealed. But the champions of Midkemia will need every ally they can muster if their mission is to succeed in the most terrible place they have ever ventured—as they and all Midkemians prepare for battle against the encroaching doom that would swallow their world.

Customer Reviews:

Certainly not Feist's best.......2007-06-13

Let me start off by saying I have abeen a very big fan of Feist for many years. I must, however, say that this is probably the worst book he has written yet. Admittedly, most middle books in a series tend to leave you hanging and feeling somewhat disappointed, but this book was truly disappointing. First of all, the book tops out at 300 pages, of rather large print, making it a rather short book. The plot hardly advances at all, and much of the book is based around the 3 boys Tad, Zane, and Jommy, who do pretty much nothing productive, and aren't particularly interesting characters to start out with. Aside from a few interesting twists (and some annoying twists that make you wonder how insanely powerful and intelligent beings can be so friggin dumb), the book gives a definite sense that Feist got lazy on this one. I would suggest that people wait for the paperback to save some money, as you will probably feel cheated if you don't. Hopefully this is just a fluke, and the next installment in the series will be awesome, because otherwise Feist will have many angry fans on his hands.

Stale.......2007-06-09

I was a huge fan of Feist for a long time, and the riftwar saga has long been among my favorite series. Fairly formulaic, and nothing incredibly deep, but very entertaining and with good pacing that keeps the pages turning.

I have been disappointed with Feist's recent work, but having been led on by his early works, I keep reading the latest to learn more of Midkemia, and hope to capture some of the magic from the original series. Unfortunately, Into a Dark Realm does not, in my opinion, capture any of that magic.

Feist clearly has good imagination, so I don't know why every series degenerates to the same thing. Group of young boys comes of age and plays large role in major conflict with impact on titanic struggle between forces of good and evil capable of destroying everything. Meanwhile, magicians of incredible power basically are in the dark and can't do too much against opponents who also happen to be incredibly powerful, if a bit insane. All characters are constantly on the verge of titanic danger, but somehow there is never any real tragedy.

This book didn't really change any of that. In fact, I think it was even worse because the plot never really goes anywhere. Some may argue that it is just building for the next book in the series, but this book is so short, it could probably have been combined with the final book to present one decent novel. It wouldn't be hard to call this book being released 'milking' the series, as it doesn't really stand up on its own as a good story.

The book reads well. Feist is good with dialogue, description, and tone, and his style is as good as ever. But for any real meat, this book fails to deliver.

If you are a Midkemia fan who can't get enough, you might want to check this out once the final book is released. A couple stars here, a couple for that one, and together you might get one whole book worth reading. If you are a reader new to Feist, then I urge you to read he earlier work (riftwar saga) instead, and only then consider this book, with the above in mind.

Good.......2007-06-06

I really enjoyed this book. Feist is still producing good novels, but the depth of history that relates to the characters in Midkemia is becoming overwhelming. I almost have to reread previous books to relate to the present story line. This is good for a cult following, but limits new readers too.

Still better that most fantasy, but not Feist's best........2007-06-02

Into a Dark Realm is certainly not one of Feist's best books (and I've read them all, some more than once). Understandably, there is a lot of backstory that is laying the foundations for later books, but I can see why a lot of new readers might be turned off. As some other reviewers have stated, there is a lot of telling and not as much showing.

It's relatively easy for a dedicated Feist fan to make it through the book: the pacing is superb, the characters we know and love are at the forefront (except for Tomas; where is Tomas?), and the plot is intricate and easy to follow.

**Warning: Potential Spoiler Below**
However, there are some issues as well. Am I the only one who was rolling my eyes and laughing out loud at the scene with Miranda and her Dasati "kidnappers"? References to the long-necked, gray-skinned beings probing her with instruments and studying her as she lay immobilized sounded like a bad Sci-Fi channel documentary on alien abductions. Raymond! What's going on here man!? You are so much better than this.

Irregardless, I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Even at his worst, Feist is still entertaining and a whopping good read. For readers new to this series, read Flight of the Nighthawks first (Darkwar Saga book 1). It's not necessary to understand the story, but it will make some of Feist's mistakes more forgivable.

Oustanding.......2007-06-01

Raymond E. Feist is the greatest living fantasy author. The author of Magician and the subsequent books, Feist has created a vivid world full of interesting, wonderful characters that are a joy to read.

His latest work, Into a Dark Realm, is book 2 of a new series. It still exists in the world that has been created by the preceding books but begins a fresh epic. And boy it is an epic.

In the previous book, readers are given a glimpse into the world of the Dasati, a world in which evil reigns supreme. The sick and twisted Dasati live for cruelty and evil. It is their natural way. What's worse, they are looking to come to the world of Midkemia and Kelewan (where all the previous books have taken place on). These unstoppable, evil, super-warriors would love nothing less than to exterminate every living thing on the worlds we've come to know and love.

Magician hero, Pug and his friend Nakor, son Magnus and the mysterious and erratic warrior, Bek have taken a journey to the Dasati homeworld to figure out what can be done before it's too late.

The real joy of the book, however, comes as a great surprise in the form of Dasati characters. Feist builds an intricate backstory and culture for the evil world of the Dasati that is both frightening and exilerating. Seeing how a world of pure evil actually functions and, functions quite well and logically is amazing.

My only gripe is that, being the first book in a new series, it leaves the reader hungry for the next in the series. It is a must-read for any fan of Raymond E. Feist and not a bad start for any new reader. Few authors deliver such great characters and worlds as Feist does and this book represents a new triumph for the author.

Flight of the Nighthawks (The Darkwar Saga, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

The Saga Continues
continuing story
Flight of the Nighthawk
Fun Read!
Classic Feist, but some repitition with plot and characters

Flight of the Nighthawks (The Darkwar Saga, Book 1)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Into a Dark Realm (The Darkwar Saga, Book 2)
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Talon of the Silver Hawk (Conclave of Shadows, Book 1)

ASIN: 0060792795
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

A portent of annihilation awakens the powerful sorcerer Pug in the dead of night—a dread vision warning of a vast and terrible army descending upon the exposed heart of Midkemia. Even the formidable might of the Tsurani Empire will not beat back the alien invaders. And in far Stardock town, two boys—untrained, unready, and barely come of age—will be called upon by the mysterious Conclave of Shadows to confront a sinister plot that implicates even the highest-ranking nobles in the land. For a nightmare of treason, intrigue, and murder is brewing among an ancient Brotherhood of Death—a clan of merciless assassins whose name is spoken only in fearful whispers . . .

Download Description

A new evil threatens Midkemia, its web stretching from the deepest criminal underworld all the way up to the highest seats of power in ancient Kesh. And the Conclave of Shadows, charged unexpectedly with the training of two apprentices, must also best powerful agents of the darkest magic . . . for the fate of two worlds lies in the balance.

The New York Times bestselling author and master of fantasy Raymond E. Feist returns to his signature world of Midkemia in this first book in a gripping new trilogy that ushers in the third, and most dramatic, Riftwar yet: the Darkwar.

In the middle of the night on Sorcerer's Isle, the powerful sorcerer Pug is awakened from a nightmare that portends destruction for all of Midkemia. Disturbed by the dream, Pug calls for a convening of the Conclave of Shadows. Though Pug does not yet know it, his son Magnus has discovered the cause of Pug's prophetic dream: a beacon has been unleashed, directing a vast army of alien invaders to Midkemia, an army so formidable that even the might of the Tsurani Empire might fall before its fury.

Meanwhile, in far Stardock town, two boys are coming of age. But on the dusty path that leads them from home they are thrust by fate into a life undreamed of, becoming enmeshed in intrigue, murder, and treason. Though untrained and unready, they are called upon by the mysterious Conclave to travel deep into the heart of the Empire of Great Kesh, to confront a plot so dark and twisted it will implicate even the highest-ranking nobles of the Empire, even members of the royal family itself. And behind this plot they discover the ancient Brotherhood of Death, the clan of assassins known as the Nighthawks.

And Pug will find himself once again facing his old nemesis, the evil wizard formerly known as Sidi, now Leso Varen, in a confrontation with everything at stake: his honor, his life, and the future of Midkemia. "

Customer Reviews:

The Saga Continues.......2007-05-31

I am a Feist fan, and as such this book is an automatic choice. It is not Feist's best work, but it is a worthwhile addition, and it does present some changes in that the conclave is the center of this book (and probably the series) and the magicians play a major role.

The book is set mostly in Kesh, which is a pleasing surprise. The creation of Midkemia is by now so well developed I was so far a little disapointed at not having all major nations covered by the plot. The previous series covered the region of Roldem and this one takes us further away, with possible extensions to Kelewan in the next installment.

It's certainly not a book I would recommend for new readers of Feist, but if you reached this far in the Midkemia series, it's a must.

continuing story .......2007-05-29

Holds up to the rest of the body of work for Feist. I am a bit tired of the same old thing though... still a good read, there seems to be nothing even this good from todays' writers of the genre.

Flight of the Nighthawk.......2007-05-17

Very good series to read.. Hope their is more to this series..

Fun Read!.......2007-05-13

This was my first purchase of one of Mr. Feist's books. It was very interesting and easy to read. I'm afraid I'm hooked now and will have to go back to the start of the other series to learn more of the characters' past and backgrounds. This is a fun read at the beach or where ever you want to relax.

Classic Feist, but some repitition with plot and characters.......2007-04-18

Flight of the Nighthawks by Raymond Feist is the first book in his latest sage titled The Darkwar Saga. In order to fully appreciate the events of this book, and understand the names of countless characters that are merely mentioned, I think any reader should start at the very beginning of Feist's writing. That would mean starting with Magician: Apprentice and working your way up the story line. I realize there are a lot of books, and some better than others, but as a reader - you will get much more out of it that way.

With that being said fans who have kept up with the story, many names and faces will be familiar. Mr. Feist does a good job at blending old characters, Pug, Nakor, Kaspar etc with some new characters Zane and Tad to name a few. However, even though Mr. Feist adds new character perceptive readers will realize that while the names are different, the `character' is largely the same from previous books. Zane and Tad particularly stick out, and I am almost positive other readers will agree with that. While that may, or may not (depending on your views) be the case the characters in this book do have some character development thrown in for good measure. Some characters who you would expect to progress are rather stagnant, but other characters have a flurry of development. The majority of the character development is solid, and it is quite evident that (for some characters) there are bigger and better things planned for them. Overall, I found the characters solid, is, at times, rehashed versions of previous characters.

The plot of this book is clearly a larger set up for a future `big event(s)' Mr. Feist has some big things planned for these characters and allows the plot to slowly unfold. Fans of Mr. Feist will find a familiar feel to this novel. Its flow and pace are typical Feist, and I mean that in a good way. It lends itself to being an easy read, but one that also covers a lot of ground. However, much like the characters, at times this plot feels like I have read it before from Mr. Feist. There were no less than three instances where I knew what was going to happen in this novel, simply because I had read it before in a different novel from Mr. Feist. I usually don't have a problem with a slightly repeated plot, but from the same author and with the same outcome - is a bit much.

There is no question that Mr. Feist is a very good author. I have enjoyed the vast majority of his books. In particular the first two books in the Riftwar Saga were simply fantastic and I would recommend them to any fan of the fantasy genre bar none. While there have been some bumps in the road to the Darkwar Saga, I would still count Mr. Feist as one of my favorite authors and I fully intend to read future books from him. Never-the-less, I feel I would be remiss if I did not express a little dissatisfaction with the rehashed plot points and the couple characters. This simply could be Feist not being able to live up to my high expectations of him. However, I think there is some validity to my minor criticisms.

With that said, if you are a fan of the fantasy genre then I firmly believe you need to give Mr. Feist a shot, but as I said in the opening, start at the beginning and you will be more happy and have a fuller appreciation of his world, characters, story and just overall quality of his novels. I would still recommend this book to fans. I don't think it will disappoint even the hardened fans. There is something in it for everyone. Just make sure your expectations are tempered a little. All in all a good read.

Average customer rating:

It's good, not great
Honour Among Thieves

Jimmy the Hand (Tales of the Riftwar)
Raymond E. Feist , and Steve Stirling
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0006483909

Customer Reviews:

It's good, not great.......2005-08-20

I enjoy the world of Midkemia and everything that Mr. Feist has written. I enjoyed the other 2 novels in this series more than this one. I can tell you this, I have read novels by all three of the collaborating authors, and each novel is written in their own distinct style. I don't know if Mr. Feist gives a general outline to them, and possibly does some revisions, but this reads like a Stirling novel to me. That is all well and fine, but it didn't have the spark of Mr. Feist's usually work. All in all, it was enjoyable enough to read, and it does give you an even greater depth to the character, and the wonderful world of Midkemia.

Honour Among Thieves.......2005-08-07

First of all completely ignore what is written on the back of the book--I've seen publishers get information wrong before, but never this spectacularly. It explains that after running afoul of Guy du Bas-Tyra's secret police Jimmy the Hand flees north to Sarth where he tries to set himself up in "business" but finds "a dark secret." Actually Jimmy goes south to Land's End--Sarth is never mentioned.

I have enjoyed each of the collaborations of the Legends of the Riftwar series, and Jimmy the Hand was no exception. I'm sure Jimmy is a favourite of many readers of the Riftwar Saga, and I'm no exception. There is just something about the young thief that is endearing. However nice it was to see him in Prince of the Blood and the Serpentwar Saga it wasn't quite the same. Here Steve Stirling and Raymond Feist have managed to capture the youthful Jimmy and detail one of his adventures.

The story opens right as Arutha and Anita are escaping from Krondor with the aid of the Mockers. For several subsequent chapters we see the aftermath of the Crydee Prince's exploits through the city and Jimmy, of course, takes center stage. After matters get a bit too hot Jimmy and Flora, a fellow Mocker, make their way to Land's End. She is searching for her grandfather and a respectable life, while Jimmy just needs to get out of town.

The tale is well told and an engaging look at Jimmy. It does though switch perspective several times to Larrie (a young farming girl from near Land's End), the Baron of Land's End himself, and a couple others. These changes are disconcerting at first, but become understandable after a couple pages. Jimmy shows some flashes of nobility, perhaps inspired by Anita, but is still a pragmatic thief at heart, even when confronting dark magic. I was surprised at the level of magic in the book, but as it is something supposed to be used in Midkemia it was nice to see more than in Feist's other books where we generally just see Pug and others associated with him employ spells.

This really is what I've enjoyed most about the Legends series--we get the chance to see a coherent view of Midkemia (aided by Feist's collaboration) that is nonetheless different from his usual tack. If you've enjoyed Feist's works then you should definately check out this trilogy, and you can't miss this chance to learn more about Jimmy the Hand!

King of Foxes (Conclave of Shadows, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

He did it again
A Solid Novel
Fighting Galore
Decent bridge novel
Doesn't dissapoint

King of Foxes (Conclave of Shadows, Book 2)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0380803267
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Book Description

In the mountains of Midkemia,
a boy came brutally of age in blood and
in terror. And now he lives for one
purpose alone ... revenge!

An exceptionally skilled swordsman, young Tal Hawkins was the only survivor of the massacre of his village -- rescued, recruited, and trained by the mysterious order of magicians and spies, the Conclave of Shadows. Now one of the secret society's most valuable agents, he gains entrance into the court of Duke Olasko, the bloodthirsty and powerful despot whose armies put Tal's village to the sword, by posing as a nobleman from the distant Kingdom of the Isles. But the enemy is cunning and well protected -- in league with the foul necromancer Leso Varen, dark master of death-magic -- and to gain the Duke's trust and confidence, Tal Hawkins must first sell his soul.

Download Description

Young Tal Hawkins was the only survivor of the massacre of his village -- rescued, recruited, and trained by the mysterious order of magicians and spies, the Conclave of Shadows. Already exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship, he has since developed into one of the secret society's most valuable agents, keeping ever alert for the opportunity to arise when he can avenge the craven slaughter of his family and friends.

That time is now.

Posing as a nobleman from the distant Kingdom of the Isles, he gains entrance into the court of the Duke of Olasko, the bloodthirsty and powerful despot whose armies put Tal's village to the sword. But the enemy is cunning and well protected -- in league with the foul necromancer Leso Varen, dark master of death-magic -- and to gain the Duke's trust and confidence, Tal Hawkins must first sell his soul.

Only by swearing an oath of allegiance to his hated nemesis can Tal hope to get close enough to kill the Duke and bring his empire crashing down. But the tyrant demands that his new acolyte prove his loyalty with blood. Sent off to do his ""master's"" malevolent bidding -- each depraved mission more odious than the last -- the Talon of the Silver Hawk faces a spirit-crushing dilemma. Only through evil can his vengeance succeed, yet his alternatives are more terrible still: madness, torture, damnation, and a slow, lingering death in the Fortress of Despair. "

Customer Reviews:

He did it again.......2006-10-05

Wow is all I can say. Feist did it again. He keeps the book so intresting that you can't stop turning the pages until you are done. This book had one of the best and most touching endings of all the books so far (Talons ending).

The new characters where once again outstanding. Everytime I find out the books are about new characters I'm kind of bummed because I like the other characters so much and want to hear more about them. As I read on in the new books I find I come to like the new characters just as much and want to hear more about them. Its really a vicious cycle. I have come to enjoy all of Feists main characters, Pug, Thomas, Borric, Arutha, Nicholas, Erland, Nakor, James, Eric, Roo, Dashle, Jimmy, Talon, and the list goes on and just keeps being added to.

Bravo Feist. I look forward to more.

A Solid Novel.......2006-09-29

The second novel in this series has the arch type hero Tal serving Kasper, the man he has vowed to destroy. But with betrayal around every corner and issues beyond a man hungry for power, there are plenty of things to keep this novel interesting. Feist as always writes and interesting story. While I don't think it is his best, I did enjoy it and read the entire thing in little more than a week, which is fast for me. This book wraps up Tals story and the third book shifts focus to Kasper. So if you are waiting for all 3 books before reading, you can safely read the first two and get a story from start to finish.

Fighting Galore.......2006-09-09

King of the Foxes is a most compelling sequel to Talon of the Silver Hawk.

I would even go so far as to say that King of the Foxes is one of Feist's best work yet. Though I still like The Serpentwar Saga best. Talwin is a character at least as complex and well developed as Jimmy the Hand or Arutha were in the Riftwar saga.

It seems to me that the Conclave of Shadows is indeed an example of classic Feist, the Feist we all know and love. With his classic talents for keeping his readers unaware of the next twist or turn his novel will take, and his uncanny ability to create and develope characters we all connect with on many levels, Feist once again reclaims his title as the best.

Decent bridge novel.......2006-06-13

King of Foxes by Raymond Feist is the second book in the Conclave of Shadows trilogy with the first being, Talon of the Silver Hawk and the third being Exile's Return. This book continues to focus on Talon or Talwin as he is later known. However, towards the end of the books Pug again forces his way into the story. I wish there would be a story where those `super power' characters would have very little to no involvement. It just seems that every time they show up you know things will work out for the good guy's side. As I said in my review of Talon of the Silver Hawk, if you are contemplating reading this series I highly recommend going back and reading Magician: Apprentice and those books first. The story is much more enjoyable with all that background knowledge.

The plot of this book is fairly straight forward and continues right off of where the first book left us. Tal inserts himself into the entourage of Kaspar. Of course Tal has many reasons for being there, which I will not say here because I don't want to post spoilers like others have done. There are really very few side quests in this book. It mostly centers on Tal and his quest to avenge his destroyed people that we learned about in the first book. There is not much deviation in what the reader can expect to happen. Even though I had never read this book, I anticipated about 80% of what eventually happened. The pace of the book was fine, but I didn't feel the urgency to know what happened next as I did in previous books by Feist. I don't mean this wasn't a good book just that suspense was not as present as I have come to expect from Feist.

The characters in this book are mostly the same as the first book, and they have not changed all that much either. They are still rather bland and uneventful. There was really nothing about the characters that made me want to see them succeed or fail. In past Feist books the characters were so captivating that I either rooted for them or despised them along with the characters. The characters often drove the plot, not the plot pulling the characters. To me reading this book I just felt the characters were there and along for the ride. I can easily see how these characters could have been great, but I think Feist faltered a little in this category.

Overall, I got out of this book what I expected. A solid story with some fighting and some political intrigue. Like I said above, it's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe Feist is a victim of his own success here. After writing several gems the well had to run a little dry for a period of time. Feist includes a decent cliff-hanger at the end to almost make sure the reader will finish off the trilogy (which I will certainly do). Most fans of fantasy will find this book enjoyable. There are no huge magical battles, or monsters, so if that is what you are looking for you may want to look somewhere else. However, if you are looking for a solid tale that will keep you turning pages this will certainly suffice. I would certainly not hesitate to recommend any of the Feist books to fantasy fans.

Doesn't dissapoint.......2006-06-10

Keeps a good pace and doesn't dissapoint. It is exactly what you would expect from Feist. You may want to buy the third one at the same time because you will want to continue on to finish the series by the end of the book.

Average customer rating:

The exciting sequel to Magician
Not what you see
NO!!!! Don't leave NOW!!!
A Great Book
Feist Creates and enjoyable read

Silverthorn (Riftwar Saga, Volume 3)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553270540
Release Date: 1993-12-01

Book Description

A poisoned bolt has struck down the Princess  Anita on the day of her wedding to Prince Arutha of  Krondor.

To save his beloved,  Arutha sets out in search of the mytics herb called  Silverthorn that only grows in the dark and  forbidding land of the  Spellweavers.

Accompanied by a mercenary, a minstrel, and a clever  young thief, he wil confront an ancient evil and do  battle with the dark powers that threaten the  enchanted realm of Midkemia.

Customer Reviews:

The exciting sequel to Magician.......2007-04-14

In many respects, Magician (now sold as two books) was a saga unto itself - the time span, events, war, political intrigue, and heck even the physical length of the book. Coming out with a next installment worthy of the first, must truly have been daunting for Feist.

However, with Silverthorn I think he did well. He built upon some fine, solid characters, while introducing a few more. The pace is a little more frenetic, owing to the shorter time period which the book covers. Feist, as usual, laces his work with enough to intrigue us to keep us turning the pages (and wishing to skip pages too, so we can find out what happened next).

The novel centers around Arutha, Prince of Krondor, whose wife, in a failed attempt upon his life, falls to a poisoned crossbow bolt. The cure for the toxin is from a rare flower found only in the north, in the heart of moredhel country - these are the elves of the Dark Path who hate all others with a passion. The mastermind behind the attack is a mysterious and terrifying moredhel named Murmandamus. When Pug, the sole Greater Path magician of Midkemia, learns of this creature and the powerful force, the seat of true power, behind Murmandamus, he sets out for Kelewan to seek answers. This is a bold move, considering the trouble he caused in the Tsurani empire before he fled back to his homeworld of Midkemia.

So the story unfolds on two tangents - one following Arutha in his quest to find the Silverthorn flower (and in doing so, gauging to some degree the army being assembled in the north) and Pug to uncover the truth of this new and powerful foe out to destroy his world.

Against all of this arises the possibility of the existence of the eldar, and the question of whether the powerful sorcerer Macros the Black is truly dead...

I highly recommend this book, but would urge you to read the Magician novels first to understand the events in this one a little better.

Not what you see.......2007-01-18

I purchased this for a friend who wanted a hardcover edition of Silverthorn and is very happy with it because it is hardcover. However, the cover is a plain brown textbook and does not look like the book I saw online. I did go back and check it and it does say textbook only. Check the fine print before purchasing.

NO!!!! Don't leave NOW!!!.......2006-11-14

So basically everyone reads the two MAGICIAN books and thinks "Whoa, that was a great series". But they don't even suspect that the next two books could have anything to do with books 1&2. Wrong. In fact, they have so much to do with the books that that in book 4 the real Riftwar ends. But this book sets up for book one. This, in my opinion is the worst Riftwar book. But since I loved it, how much do you think I liked the others.

So, maybe it was kind of bad the Raymond E. Feist read LotR just then; he put clichés in that unluckily were very obvious. Except that this series has sort of turned around into a romance/fantasy saga, with drama like nothing else. It starts with a scene where Laurie and Carline are arguing over when to get married!

Storyline: Prince Arutha is about to be wed to beautiful Princess (can't remember the name) when Jimmy the Hand finds an assassin on the rooftops of Krondor while stealing from a rich man. The assassin is trying to assassinate Arutha. After a catastrophic turn around (at least for the assassin), Arutha is happy to say that he's getting married that day. However, another attempt on his life misses him, and hits the Princess. It turns out that the only thing that can heal her is a flower called Silverthorn. They must journey to the north to the Dark Elf capital, Sar Sargoth to get this plant, and then ride back. Will he, Martin, Laurie, Roald (a mercenary) and Baru (a Hadati) and of course Jimmy be able to survive?

Pros:
-Great storytelling; turns and twists that you never expect.
-A lot of INTERESTING characters.
-Action by the tons. Also, if you're an LotR fan, you'll love this more than me.

Cons:
-A heavy, brutal LotR cliché.
-A mind-killing beginning that annoys you.

A Great Book.......2006-02-11

That is exactly what this book is: a great book. It's absolutely amazing. It takes the story a little while to get going, but that's only a little while, and after that it's great, active, and enjoyable.
This book shows characters in a realistic way(even if the story isn't realistic). The characters all have good points and bad points, comprehension and confusion, and everything else a real person would have.
The story line is great, adventurous, and more like that. They have to do something, but at first they don't even know what. They find out pretty soon, without any idea of how to do it, then they decide to try. I'm not going to tell you any more about this because that would ruin the suspense.
The style of writing, past tense, third person, is great. I barely like any books written differently. Still, this book shows you the person as if they were narating, even though they aren't. This writing shows everything while still writing past tense, third person.
Overall, I can't think of anything to critisize about this book. Well, it's only three hundred something pages, which isn't quite as long as I like, but other than that it didn't have anything about it that I didn't find great.
I completely and wholy recommend this book to all readers. You should probably read Magician first, but this book still makes sense without.

Feist Creates and enjoyable read.......2006-02-07

Silverthorn is the 'second' book in the Riftwar Trilogy ( I say second because it can be considered the third since Magician is broken into two books ) This book is more a segway into the third - not much happens in the way of plot for the trilogy until near the end, but when it does it does it well.

I did enjoy this book, but seriously missed Pug and Tomas through the beginning as it began in the courts of Prince Atrhur (sp.) and Jimmy the Hand, though the part that included Jimmy were great. This story really told itself very well and was quite straightforward. That is, until we ran into Pug again ( later on ).

This was a story of love and the drive to save it at all costs. The prince's fiance' has been poisoned and the cure must be found for her to be saved. The drive that pushes him on verges on the edge of sanity and he comes close to losing himself in madness, but because of the control that he can take of the situation, and his love for his madien he pushes through even seeing what is ahead.

If you enjoyed Magician or any other Feist work then pick this one up. The story is a bit bland and done over, but it is enjoyable nonetheless.. ;)

Honored Enemy (Legends of the Riftwar, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Great read, decidedly different from the Feist novels
Great Read
Somewhat predictable.
Tense and Thrilling!!
Reminiscent of the Empire Series

Honored Enemy (Legends of the Riftwar, Book 1)
Raymond E. Feist , and William R. Forstchen
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Murder in Lamut (Legends of the Riftwar)

ASIN: 0060792833
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Book Description

As the Riftwar tears Midkemia apart, enemies trapped in the frozen Northlands must trust each other to stay alive. . . .

In the sprawling, embattled land of Midkemia, fate can form strange alliances. Nine years into the bloody and ongoing Riftwar, Dennis Hartraft's Marauders are cold, hungry, and exhausted. Having only just survived a disastrous encounter with their sworn enemy, the Tsurani, the soldiers are headed for a frontier garrison, where they will be able to rest and recover. But Hartraft's company arrives at the same time as a Tsurani patrol, and both sides discover the stronghold overrun by a migrating horde of dark elves called moredhel, a foe so deadly and vicious the bitter enemies must band together and fight as one.

But can their hatred for their mutual enemy overcome their distrust of each other? As the two groups, bound to each other by their common foe, make their way across the unknown Northlands to freedom, they have to struggle with not only the elements and the enemy, but also their consciences. For, with both sides carrying painful scars from past wars, each man must ask himself what is more important: one's life or one's honor?

Customer Reviews:

Great read, decidedly different from the Feist novels.......2007-06-08

This book was a good, solid ready to supplement Riftwar fans. Set in the battleground of the Tsurani - Midkemian Riftwar, this book does something most unusual for novels set in this world: almost no magic. I'm writing this having read the imported British release a couple of years ago, but I don't recall a single instance in which magic is involved.

What the reader is left with is a riveting account of battles and intrigue that provides a strange dose of realism.

If readers like George R.R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice, with its maneuvering and swords and non-sorcery flair, they will enjoy this novel.

Great Read.......2007-05-12

Really enjoyed this book, the theme of different races who hate each other
working together to survive a common enemy was rather engaging.

Somewhat predictable........2007-04-21

The set-up of two enemy units having to work together to escape an even more deadly enemy should have made for more suspense, but somehow you never doubted that it would happen and they would escape. The only interesting part to me was the side plot of Tinuva and Bovai, brothers who are sworn enemies.

Tense and Thrilling!!.......2007-03-11

I picked this up because Dr. Forstchen co-wrote it. I am a huge fan of his "LOST REGIMENT" series and was starving for some of his wonderful military "What if?" type of fiction. His presence can be immediately felt as this novel introduces his trademark culture clash style. What if enemies from totaly different backgrounds and ways of life were forced to band together in the face of an even greater threat? Dire enemies who are both human have to put aside their hatred for one another to survive the evil onslaught of a malignant non-human race of killer beings who wish to eradicate them both and have homefield advantage. Feist and Forstchen do a great job of allowing the reader to observe the ever escalating conflict through the eyes of all three combatant leaders as the running battle rages on and keeps us on the edge wondering if the humans can reach sanctuary before their luck or their tenuous alliance finally breaks. Along the way we get insight into the thinking and and cultural motivations of all three sides. The tension is nonstop and the ending is a worthy payoff for the reader. When it's over you'll wish for more and you will read this in the shortest possible time. It's a true "just one more chapter" type of read and I highly recommend it to military action fans.

Reminiscent of the Empire Series.......2007-02-20

For a while I was growing worried about Feist, with the "Krondor:" series he seemed to be losing his touch. Then came the Conclave of Shadows trilogy - very well written. This novel is the first collaboration of his that I am aware of since the Empire Series with Janny Wurts (a trilogy which got me hooked on her books also).

Like others, I am unfamiliar with Forstchen, and so was a little concerned...but I need not have been. This is an excellent novel, well paced with good character development, while giving nods to past Midkemia developments during the Riftwar.

For those unfamiliar with the Riftwar, it concerns the attack of an army from the world of Kelewan on the world of Midkemia, through the use of a Rift - a tear in the fabric of space and time to transport someone from one world to another. In this novel we find Tsurani soldiers from Kelewan banding together with Kingdom soldiers of Midkemia out of fear of a common foe - the moredhel, or dark elves. This tale sees the banding together of both groups against the elements and the moredhel, despite their distrust of each other, and the scars of past battles. Intertwined in this is the tale of a "Returned" moredhel battling against his brother - an interesting aside, as Feist has mentioned it before, but never in such detail.

While I highly recommend this book, it might be better to read Magician, Silverthorn and A Darkness At Sethanon first, for a better understanding of the Riftwar setting.

Murder in Lamut (Legends of the Riftwar)

Average customer rating:

A fast , fun Feist offering for Midkemia lovers...
A Big Disappointment for Riftwar Fans
Another Kethol, Pirojil, and Durine story
Differant
Mystery in the Rift War

Murder in Lamut (Legends of the Riftwar)
Raymond E. Feist , and Joel Rosenberg
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Into a Dark Realm (The Darkwar Saga, Book 2)

ASIN: 0006483895

Customer Reviews:

A fast , fun Feist offering for Midkemia lovers..........2006-09-25

As others have pointed out, if you're looking for an epic saga, this book isn't for you; but for those of us who have fallen in love over the years with Midkemia and Feist's characters (as well as Rosenberg's) this was highly enjoyable reading.

I like any books with Kethol, Pirojil and Durine as characters. To me they are at times reminiscent of the Three Musketeers and at other times the Three Stooges. I find myself laughing at a lot of their antics, and setting them down in the middle of the Riftwar was a great idea for these two authors.

This book has been panned a lot, but I think the problem may be with younger readers who don't appreciate the subtlety of some of the humor involved. It takes a lot of nerve (and fortunately the authors had it) to begin a story with, "It was a dark and stormy night." Then you have the soldiers marching to the old tune of, "We are marching to Bosonia.."

Tho the murder is almost peripheral to the story, I think it also had a truly humorous twist. I don't want to spoil the tale for anyone, but when I learned who the real perp was, I realized that the authors had fallen back on the oldest and most hackneyed of solutions - and I think they did it on purpose. This will again provide a laugh for those who think about the household position of the villian. Just substitute in your mind another name for his job description.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to Feist fans.

A Big Disappointment for Riftwar Fans.......2006-03-30

While the other books in the Legends of the Riftwar Series are quite good, this one was very disappointing!!! I guess if you're into court politics and intrigue it may hold some merit, but talk about BORING for the Riftwar and Feist fan. Too many names, titles, etc made this very confusing to read. There was also, virtually no action! I've been reading Feist since the 70's and have anxiously awaited each and every book, but this one falls way short of expectations!!! Your $$$ is much better spent on Honoured Enemy or Jimmy the Hand in the Legends of the Riftwar Series!

Another Kethol, Pirojil, and Durine story.......2005-10-13

I did a search for Joel Rosenberg some time ago and came up with
Murder in LaMut as a novel he wrote with Raymond E. Feist. I checked my local library system, they didn't have so put in an InterLibrary Loan request and within a month a paperback from Queen's Park Library in London reached me.
This novel seems to be written more by Rosenberg than Feist though I haven't read much by Feist. It was good to see Kethol, Pirojil, and Durine back together again as in more recent Rosenberg novels some of them have been killed off.
Reading all of Rosenberg novels that I could find, it is interesting to see how the three mercenaries start as minor players and as the series progress become more major characters.
I have been going through some personal reviews of my own thoughts and find the musings of these guys occasionally inspirational.
Anyway, this is a nice novel. Sometimes seems a little pointless but does point out differences in what people of different socio-economic levels expect and actually get. The real scumbags seem to be amongst the nobility but some show decent traits.
The murder comes late in the book, Pirojil's empirical methods provide a likely murderer who gets killed after the accusation by another nobleman. The Purojil figures out who really did the murder and convinces him to suicide but first writing out a note of confession.
All in all, a good read!

Differant.......2005-08-21

This was a change of pace in the whole Midkemia/Feist story. A lot of Joel Rosenberg in this. I enjoy his Guardian of the Flame series, so I found his writing to be up to snuff. I didn't really enjoy the apparent transplant of 3 of his popular characters into the world of Mr. Feist. It didn't feel like a perfect fit. This is a decent read, but not up to the standards of the rest of the Midkemia novels.

Mystery in the Rift War.......2005-07-29

This book was definately of a very different flavour than the rest of Feist's novels, however I believe it definately worked. If you are looking for an epic volume in the grand scheme of the Riftwars then this book is not for you. However, if you have fallen in love with Midkemia and Kelewan and you want to explore nooks and crannies of these worlds then Murder in LaMut is excellent.

Rosenberg successfully exports Kethol, Piroji, and Durine from his Guardians of the Flame series and they are unlike any of Feist's normal characters. Most of the original Riftwar cast consists of nobles, Elves, and honourable folk. These three however, are only in it for the money. It is refreshing to realize that there are more than just despicable villians and honourable hereoes in Midkemia--we get a close view into the life of three commoners (albeit well traveled mercenary commoners ;-)).

Now that I think about it I believe I would have been disappointed if this novel had followed the usual Feist fantasy "formula" (not that his writing is truly formulaic) and been some sort of a grand quest. This novel was meant to be a divergent view into Midkemia and it succeeds admirably in my view. It isn't just the books that I enjoy, it is the worlds Feist has shown us and Murder in LaMut exposes an entirely new dimension of Midkemia.

One last point, the murder mystery proper doesn't show up until the end of the book--however I believe this is a mistake on the publisher's part when they wrote the description for the back of the book. Really this book is about Kethol, Pirojil, and Durine more than just the murder. Furthermore, the mystery may not be polished--but this isn't a world of precise police procedure, or modern investigative methods, and the three mercenaries aren't professional detectives. :-)

I would also reccomend The Empire Trilogy written with Janny Wurts for a similarly expansive and different view of Feist's world.

Exile's Return (Conclave of Shadows, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Middle of the Road
About average for Feist. Not the conclusion of the story.
Kaspar???
Feist has past his prime...
Amazing Continuation to the Saga

Exile's Return (Conclave of Shadows, Book 3)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Krondor: Tear of the Gods (The Riftwar Legacy)

ASIN: 0380803275
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Book Description

Saved by a mage's intervention from certain death, Kaspar, the evil Duke of Olasko, is lord no more -- reduced to an exile's existence and forced to wander the harshest realms of the world he once enslaved.</center>

Merciless deserts, forbidding mountains, and vast oceans now separate the once powerful despot from his former seat of power -- his dark dreams of vengeance overwhelmed by the daily struggle for survival. But there is a larger drama that will entangle the broken dictator. An evil devastating and deadly seeks entrance to the land -- the mystical tool of a dark empire hungry for conquest and destruction -- and Kaspar has inadvertently discovered the key. Suddenly, Midkemia's last hope is a disgraced and exiled duke whose history is written in blood, and who now must wield his sword as her champion . . . if he so chooses..

Download Description

The evil Duke of Olasko is lord no more -- vanquished by his nemesis Tal Hawkins, the Talon of the Silver Hawk. Saved by a mage's intervention from certain death, the once-feared despot has been reduced to an exile's existence, forced to wander the harshest realms of the world he once enslaved.

Conclave of Shadows: Book Three

Only days ago, Kaspar, the powerful Duke of Olasko, had great armies at his command and was feared by nations. Now, half a world away from home, he is separated from his former seat of power by merciless deserts, forbidding mountains, and vast oceans. The fall of the tyrant is complete, his dark dreams of vengeance overwhelmed by the daily struggle for his very survival. But Kaspar's prodigious skills and cunning provide him the opportunity he seeks, guarding merchant travelers returning to the other side of the world and back to his homeland.

Yet there is a larger drama that will entangle the broken dictator. An evil more devastating and deadly than any encountered in Midkemia for centuries seeks entrance to the land -- the mystical tool of a dark empire hungry for conquest and destruction -- and Kaspar has inadvertently discovered the key.

The man responsible for the slaughter of countless men, women, and children must now assume a far stranger and most unlikely role -- that of hero -- if his world is to survive. For dire peril is advancing daily, and a long-slumbering malevolence is awakening to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting and unprepared. Suddenly, Midkemia's last hope is a disgraced and exiled duke whose history is written in blood, and who now must wield his sword as her champion ... if he so chooses."

Customer Reviews:

Middle of the Road.......2006-11-17

This one could have been titled Kaspar's redemption. Most of the book is used to show Kaspar as something other than the evil man he was in the first 2 books of the series. Thrown into exile, he must find himself and redeem himself as events force him back to his own realm. The star of the first 2 books Talon makes an appearence near the end of the story. The is well written, and will please most Feist fans. The only problem I have is that the story was basically a set up for the next trilogy. The books ends on a cliffhanger that leads right into his new series. I wouldn't have packaged it as part of trilogy with the first 2 books. Other than that minor thing, it is an enjoyable read.

About average for Feist. Not the conclusion of the story........2006-10-06

While this book is labeled as part three (ie the finale) of the Conclave of Shadows trilogy it's really just one more step in a story that continues into the Darkwar set of books. It's likely that the publisher is the reason why this is part three rather than a standalone book as it is easier to sell a trilogy than a two book series and a standalone novel. Technically, this book is a continuation of the previous two books, only from a completely different point of view.

This book focuses on the previous book's villain, Kaspar of Olasko. Transported by magic to Novindus a continent on the other side of the Midkemian world (that we first encountered in the SerpentWar series) we find that Kaspar isn't as bad a fellow as he was portrayed to be in the first two books. This change of personality is the result of Kaspar escaping the influences of the evil magician he employed as an advisor. Everything that went on during his time under the magician's influence is a bit hazy and Kaspar isn't really sure why he did some of the things he did. Unlike real politicians though Kaspar ends up taking full responsibility for his actions despite said influence and so ends up adequately filling the role of a good guy in this book.

In this book we follow Kaspar in various adventures that end up embroiling him (surprise!) in the defense of the world itself. Feist employs this world destruction gambit to once again bring Pug back into play along with Tomas and a host of other familiar characters from the Riftwar that never die. It remains to be seen how the story will play out as this book is really just the introduction of the world destroying plot.

While the book overall has good pacing and is a decent page turner it doesn't measure up as well to the first two books in the series. Kaspar isn't as interesting a character as Tal was in the first two books of the series. While Kaspar gets more fleshed out in this book his character still lacks some depth compared to Tal.

Exile's Return is about average for Feist which is why it gets a three star. It follows a formula that is eminently readable, but at this point a bit overdone.

Kaspar???.......2006-09-11

I was looking forward to more of Tal. Now we have a whole book dedicated to his enemy Kaspar? I didn't care for that. Shouldn't a trilogy sort of follow the same people. If the author wishes to add a book with another perspective, maybe add an additional one and call it Book 2b or something.

It was okay as far as the book itself goes, I just couldn't get over the Kaspar point of view. It did further the story and the ending wasn't what one would expect either. It sort of leaves you hanging in several spots that I understand will be dealt with in a subsequent series.

Feist is always enjoyable, even this book.

Feist has past his prime..........2006-07-16

It is a shame that Feist continues to let his readers down. After the Riftwar and Serpentwar sagas, I guess there was no place to go but down. I have read both sagas about 5 times and you could not pay me to read the conclave trilogy again. This trilogy appears to be writtin in 3 hours much like a bad sequel to a great movie. Tal Hawkins in the first book was a different spin and mildely entertaining, but this book is supposed to be the setup to a great finish, not a decent start to a painful conclusion. The last 2 books were so lackluster that I found it difficult to even finish them. Mr. Feist...please take a vacation and maybe you will get your swing back.

Amazing Continuation to the Saga.......2006-07-06

Loved part 1 and 2 and now having read part 3 i love it even more. Great mix of action, suspense, drama, and stimulation of one's imagination. Definetly a great buy, as always Raymond Feist is yet to let me down.
C.A.T.

Krondor: Tear of the Gods (Riftwar Legacy, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Tear of the Gods? ugh. Call it Lifestone the sequel.
Like it or Not
Krondor Tear of the Gods
By far the worst in the series
Wow, just horrible

Krondor: Tear of the Gods (Riftwar Legacy, Book 3)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Eos (HarperCollins)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0380978008
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Book Description

Return now to a kingdom in constant peril; a land magical, scarred, and wondrous, where great heroes rise up from adversity to battle fearsome enemies who covet the riches within its borders. New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist -- one of the world 's preeminent fantasists -- continues his extraordinary Riftwar Legacy with a sweeping tale of conflict, trial, and grim necessity, as the forces of good join together to staunch the golden lifeblood flowing from the pierced heart of Midkemia.

The vile sorcerer Sidi plans to strike the kingdom a fatal blow, setting his creature, the murderous pirate Bear, upon the high seas in pursuit of the vessel that is transporting Midkemia's most holy object: the Tear of the Gods. It is from this miraculous stone that all magic power is believed to flow. And if the Tear becomes the mage's trinket, the future will hold naught but terror, death, and unending night.

For Squire James, Lieutenant William, and the able magician Jazhara, the race is on to rescue the remarkable artifact from the bloodthirsty, unpredictable Bear and his despicable master who would use it to bring catastrophe down upon the world. But it will take greater-than-human swiftness. cunning, courage, and skill for the three to prevail. And the flight of her most peerless defenders will leave Krondor more vulnerable than ever to the terrible ambitions of the depraved.

For the mysterious criminal known as the Crawler is preparing to wreak bloody havoc to fulfill his dastardly secret agenda. Once again the sewers of Krondor teem with assassins and monsters as the hour of destiny nears. The fate of an imperiled world is in flux, as all manner of dark creatures are gathered for one unspeakable purpose: to breed the chaos that will hasten the destruction of Squire James and his brave companions...and bring about the total corruption of the Tear of the Gods.

Download Description

"Return now to a kingdom in constant peril; a land magical, scarred, and wondrous, where great heroes rise up from adversity to battle fearsome enemies who covet the riches within its borders. New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist -- one of the world 's preeminent fantasists -- continues his extraordinary Riftwar Legacy with a sweeping tale of conflict, trial, and grim necessity, as the forces of good join together to staunch the golden lifeblood flowing from the pierced heart of Midkemia. The vile sorcerer Sidi plans to strike the kingdom a fatal blow, setting his creature, the murderous pirate Bear, upon the high seas in pursuit of the vessel that is transporting Midkemia's most holy object: the Tear of the Gods. It is from this miraculous stone that all magic power is believed to flow. And if the Tear becomes the mage's trinket, the future will hold naught but terror, death, and unending night. For Squire James, Lieutenant William, and the able magician Jazhara, the race is on to rescue the remarkable artifact from the bloodthirsty, unpredictable Bear and his despicable master who would use it to bring catastrophe down upon the world. But it will take greater-than-human swiftness. cunning, courage, and skill for the three to prevail. And the flight of her most peerless defenders will leave Krondor more vulnerable than ever to the terrible ambitions of the depraved. For the mysterious criminal known as the Crawler is preparing to wreak bloody havoc to fulfill his dastardly secret agenda. Once again the sewers of Krondor teem with assassins and monsters as the hour of destiny nears. The fate of an imperiled world is in flux, as all manner of dark creatures are gathered for one unspeakable purpose: to breed the chaos that will hasten the destruction of Squire James and his brave companions ... and bring about the total corruption of the Tear of the Gods."

Customer Reviews:

Tear of the Gods? ugh. Call it Lifestone the sequel........2006-04-24

Has to win the award for most inane "artifact-that-is-vital-to-the-world". Come on! We already did this before. The heroes shouldn't have to defend/recover another stupid artifact. Lame. And I love this world.

Like it or Not.......2006-04-11

Personally I love Feist's epics. Having played the computer game (Krondor) and read every single book available in paperback, I'm dismayed by "fans" who find fault. Maybe I'm too forgiving? But what is important to me is that the world Raymond writes about, lives on. To my mind, that is all that is important! I can NEVER get enough!

The only reason I rate this book as a four-star is because he has written such wonderful tales before. Consider it a 'curve' grading, yes, he has done better in the past and present! But no library of Feist's fantasy would be complete without it!!!

Krondor Tear of the Gods.......2005-06-13

This book was great it ties up losse ends from many of Feist books form the Riftwar to the Serpent war saga. As the book goes you hear of a gem. The gem sussposely allows mortal to talk to the gods. Well every 10 year it needs ot be replaced. Well you meet the first new charcter a blood rage pirate named Bear. Hes paid to steel the gem and bring it back. Well as he goes for the gem his ship and both the holding place of the Tear of The Gods sink to the bottom while the pirates run off leaving there blood rage captain to die at the bottom. Well now the gem gone, this mean that no mortal can talk to a god for 10 years unless the new Tear is brought back to its place before the old one expires. Well like all Feist books a huge battle on the loom too between the Crawlers gang and the Mockers leaving Krondor in a state of choas and marshel law. This bring all charcter of Feist together to solve the problem and stop the now enrage pirate Bear killing everyone in sight and keeping the gem for himself. Will the TEar make it to the holy temple before the other TEar losses power. Will the Crawler and Mockers get along or will blood keep spilling. Read it to find out.

By far the worst in the series.......2005-03-13

You have to read it because it is part of the series but it comes across as a throw off. This has nothing of the detail that the other books have. Everything gets solved too easily and without detail. It really comes across a franchise book that needed to be in at by a deadline. More books like this and I won't be reading any further.

Wow, just horrible.......2003-08-21

Im a big big fan of Raymond Feist, his Riftwar and SerpentWar Sagas were totally amazing, as were his 2 "in between" books. Unfortunatly this hasnt carried over to the Riftwar Legacy. I had high hopes for the Legacy, that it would fill in some holes about Sidi and the Crawler that was only touched on in the Serpentwar saga. Unfortunatly it doesnt resolve anything, in addition the tear of the gods is single handidly the worse book ive ever read, and especially is Feist's worst book. Betrayl was good, Assassians was also good, but this book bit. Im not sure if its just becuase he was restrained by the video game, or if he just didnt care and just wanted to bust out a book about the game as quickly as possible, but either way, the only reason why you should read this book is to finish the series,and even then id think hard about it.

Shadow of a Dark Queen (The Serpentwar Saga, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

The worst book I've ever read
Thrilling trilogy
Big Fan of Feist, but not so much of the series
Great series
Great start to a new saga

Shadow of a Dark Queen (The Serpentwar Saga, Book 1)
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0380720868

Book Description

A dread darkness is descending upon a great land called Midkemia—a powerful and malevolent race of monsters that has slipped through a hole in the dimensions. And two unlikely young heroes—a bastard heir denied his birthright and an irrepressible scoundrel with a penchant for thievery—must take up arms in the struggle to protect their besieged world...two friends chosen by Destiny to stand at the fore of the battle that is to come against the gargantuan reptile army of the terrible Emerald Queen.

Customer Reviews:

The worst book I've ever read.......2007-05-22

If I could, I'd give it negative 5 stars. Definitely the worst book I've ever read. Couldn't continue at all after chapter 3. Why? The main characters are so pathetic and hatable.

Thrilling trilogy.......2007-04-11

This trilogy is very well written. Maybe not as good as the first, but still a very entertaining read. It let's the reader follow the incursion of a small band of hand picked soldiers who are pardoned from their death sentences on the condition of joining the ranks and traveling to the far off continent of Novindus. If you like the Riftwar trilogy, you'll enjoy this. You meet new characters, as well as old, well known ones.

Big Fan of Feist, but not so much of the series.......2006-10-31

I am a very big fan of Raymond Feist, but not really of this series. I have read all of the books up to the Darkwar saga and have always found them good reads and full of interesting characters.

This Serpentwar Saga does not have the same spark that his other sagas have had. I found that the characters are less than interesting, even ones that I have liked in past books and the books are just hard to get through. I also found that these books are full of young teenage rapes and really graphic details on murder of children etc... I don't remember this so much in his other stories. I understand that in Sci-Fi/Fantasy books things can get a little gory etc... but this time his books seem to be full of things that made me very uncomfortable and seemed completely unnecessary. I think in his other books he was able to show the horrors of war and the horrors of what people can become and/or do etc... without raping every teenage girl in the book and graphically describing children being thrown from cliffs etc...
I just really felt that this series was not up to snuff when it comes to books written by Feist. I would actually have to say that this is the first time I would recommend a parent think twice before they allow children to read this series.

All in all, this series to me is just filler. The books are not as good as the books that came before and are not as good as the books that have came after. You should read them for continuity, but don't expect too much.

Great series.......2006-02-26

This begins the best series I've ever read bar none. the Serpentwar Saga has been read by me over ten times. Can't get enough of it. I love Sho Pi and Nakor(Who is my favorite) His take on philosophy and the universe is original and plausible.
Excellent fantasy.

**A book I would also recommend is The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. This, the first installment of The Morcyth Saga is a great beginning for a new author. Battles, magic, gods, secret passages and intrigue, all the elements of a classic epic fantasy! Any fantasy reader will enjoy it

Great start to a new saga.......2006-01-05

Shadow of a Dark Queen is the first book in the Serpent War Saga by Raymond Feist. The action takes place on Feist's world of Midkemia and once again, Feist does a fabulous job of describing this rich and detailed world. Having read all the Feist books up to this one I was curious how new characters would be introduced and how the plot line(s) would change from previous books. My fear on long running story lines is that they become stale and un-interesting after awhile. That is not the case here; Feist continues to weave a wonderful tale that leaves the reader wanting more.

Feist starts off this book by introducing the main characters Erik and Roo. Those who have read Magician: Apprentice will see the similarities between Erik and Pug right away and Roo and Tomas as well. However, it is done in such a way that it seems new and there I not really more than a fleeting thought of the similarities between the pairs.

As with the earlier novels, the character development in this book is second to none. From the very beginning of the book it is easy to care about the characters and pull for them to make it through the problems they face. The journey that Erik takes through this book is one of heart-ache and perseverance, but is not filled with clichés that some `modern' fantasy authors fill their books with. Just for the character development alone this book is worth reading, yet there is also a fantastic plot as well.

There is of course the main plot that being the beginning of the serpent war, but there are several sub-plots sprinkled throughout the book. I will not post spoilers in my review, but suffice it to say the small sub-plots help add depth to the characters and make them more real. Feist spends a great deal of time fleshing out the serpent war progress and making sure the reader understand just how big of an army is amassing, yet does not come off as the sole purpose of the book. When I first started reading this one and realized this massive army was taking form was a little disappointed, in that it seems a lot of recent fantasy novels have these large scale battles in them now. However, this one seems different somehow. I can't make a conclusion because the saga isn't over yet, but it doesn't 'feel' like the others.

If you are contemplating reading this book and have read (and enjoyed the past Feist novels have no fear with this, I am confident you will enjoy it. If for some reason you didn't like a past novel by Feist, I would still recommend giving this one a shot - new characters, new setting, it's a good read. If you are just coming into Feist's work I would recommend you start at the beginning with Magician: Apprentice and go from there, that way there will be no spoilers for you and everything will make much more sense. All-in-all though I highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy novels and people looking for a solid fantasy author without all the theatrics of some authors now-a-days. Very good read.

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