It truly amazes me whenever I finish reading a Feist book. It's quite astonishing that none of his remarkable works have yet made their way onto popular streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime TV.

Without delving into plot details and such, I would assert that this particular book is on par with Black Widow in the Marvel Universe. Initially, I had provided the reasoning behind this comparison. However, upon further reflection, I realized that my explanation essentially gave away the entire plot. So, I'll simply leave it at that. Kasper is, in a sense, Feist's version of Black Widow.

I suppose that would make Milamber the equivalent of Captain America.

Overall, it was a solid read. I found it more enjoyable than Talon of the Silver Hawk, yet not quite as captivating as the King of Foxes. It has its own unique charm and allure that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

While the previous book gave the impression that the story had reached its conclusion, we soon discover that it isn't the case. Instead, we are introduced to a brand new main character and an entirely new story line. And then, is this saga really done? Leaving us hanging on a cliffhanger? How this book relates to the other two is completely beyond my comprehension. Yes, it takes place right after the previous events, but with a new character, a new plot, and new situations. It really bothers me that this was supposed to be the last book because it doesn't seem to fit in at all. So, I have no idea what happens next or what books I'm even supposed to read next.

Book wise, it was just okay. I highly recommend trying to find out the books that come after this or are related to this last book. I certainly don't know myself.

For a more detailed YouTube review, check out the following link:

http://youtu.be/sbcwnzH2OwM

There is a significant reason why authors often employ the "Chekhov’s gun" narrative principle to hint at the potential for future development within their stories.

One of the primary aims is that when such a change is introduced in the narrative, it doesn't come across as sudden and insincere, or worse still, merely added for the sake of shocking the reader.

In this book, following Kaspar's story, where he undergoes a change in his beliefs due to a half-year experience of assisting a suffering family of commoners and reluctantly forming a bond of companionship with a pack of mercenaries (all being influenced and controlled by external and unnatural forces), it feels both abrupt and unconvincing, despite Feist's efforts to present him in a new light.

The problem originated right at the end of the second book, when, for some illogical reason, the main villain was left without a trial and dispatched to another continent to "find himself."

Aside from being completely unjust, it also seemed rather elitist to me to leave him without a trial. So, while reading this book, it's no wonder I couldn't shake off that sense of injustice. We got off on the wrong foot from the start.

So, how did it end up with a 3/5 rating? Well, if we could somehow set aside our animosity towards the main character, the story is actually quite engaging, and it eventually veers back to the main plot of the series, adding depth to it and answering many questions that had inevitably accumulated during its absence.

The descriptive text is not entirely correct. Claudius Haviks (Claw) never killed Duke Kaspar of Olasko!

The main character in this book is not Claudius Haviks, but Duke Kaspar, his enemy from the previous parts. The duke has done terrible things. After being exiled from his country and brought to Novindus, it is up to Kaspar to survive. He manages to do so, barely. Kaspar vows to return to his land and take revenge on Claudius and Quint Havrevulen who overthrew his tyrannical regime. No longer under the influence of the dark magician Leso Varen, he begins to question more and more his past deeds.

And now... Kaspar comes into possession of something so dark and powerful that it can destroy life on Midkemia and the rest of the world. And the only ones who can help him destroy it are those who deposed and exiled him.

Slowly the duke begins to change, and ultimately he will help the Conclave of Shadows.

This book is the third part of a trilogy, but it is more of a self-contained story than a continuation of the previous two parts Klauw van de Zilverhavik and Koning der vossen. Although the book started slowly, it soon became an easy-to-read story. Although I saw the end coming, it still came as a surprise.

On to De vlucht van de nachtraven.

Now we're cooking!

Finally, it truly feels as if Feist is getting back on the right track in a complete sense and is meticulously setting up the elements for some truly epic and remarkable things. Overall, this particular installment was likely the best book within the Conclave trilogy. Kaspar, as a protagonist, is far more interesting compared to Tal. Although Tal sort of grew on me by the second book, Kaspar brings a new dimension and depth that makes for a much better novel.

All in all, this trilogy was most definitely worth reading. I'm extremely glad to witness Feist getting back into his groove after the two rather lackluster trilogies that preceded this one. With 8 more Riftwar books to go, there's a whole lot more excitement and adventure waiting on the horizon.

I can't wait to see what Feist has in store for us next in this captivating and ever-evolving world of his creation.

Boy, oh boy, how on earth do I go about reviewing this? On one hand, we have a single novel here, but on the other hand, it's supposed to wrap up a trilogy. So, let's break this review into two parts: first, looking at it as a single novel, and second, examining its place within the trilogy.

The novel itself, "Exile's Return," follows Kaspar, the former Duke of Olasko, who finds himself stranded on the other side of the planet. As his journey home unfolds, he discovers something from another dimension, which forces him to deal with it and delays his return. I quite liked Kaspar as the protagonist. He is decently skilled and manages to apply those skills in unexpected situations. I especially appreciated how he recognized and handled the despair in one of his companions. However, towards the end of the novel, Kaspar becomes more of a spectator, and Pug takes over as the new protagonist. The former duke loses his agency, can no longer use his skills effectively, and is simply driven by this thing from the other dimension. As a result, I didn't feel he was fully redeemed, which was clearly the intention of the novel. This is compounded by the fact that Leso Varen controlled the duke in the events before this novel, and since the wizard was killed in the previous installment, that control is now gone. We, as readers, haven't seen the duke before he was controlled, so there isn't much to really redeem him for.

As for its place in the trilogy, it's a real muddle. "Talon Of The Silver Hawk" was mostly just setup for the second novel, with very few story threads that lasted more than a chapter for the majority of the book. "King of Foxes" then followed Tal on his quest for revenge, which he successfully achieves. This is rather strange for the middle book of a trilogy. The author could have easily stated that Leso Varen wasn't truly killed, so that the last novel could have focused on finally eliminating this wizard once and for all. But no, the third installment of this trilogy focuses on a new protagonist and introduces elements that are (hopefully) resolved outside of this trilogy. It gives me the impression that "Conclave of Shadows" is merely a bridge between two other trilogies, especially with the numerous obvious references throughout this novel to events that occurred earlier in this world. However, despite the niggling feeling that "Conclave of Shadows" wasn't really meant to introduce readers to this vast book series, I still somehow managed to enjoy reading this book. Sadly, it failed miserably as a conclusion to a trilogy.

Surprisingly good!

When the story began, I was filled with a sense of "UGH, I'm so sick of this guy. He's the WORST! But clearly, I could envision the path of his rehabilitation." And as it unfolded, it was precisely as I had anticipated. However, it was far more enjoyable than I had expected.

The addition of the Second Level was truly outstanding. I've come to the conclusion that Feist is at his absolute best when he is in the process of creating new worlds. But it seems he tires of them rather easily. This brief peek into a completely new plane of existence truly elevated the book.

It added an element of excitement and novelty that kept me engaged from start to finish. I found myself eagerly turning the pages, eager to see what would happen next in this fascinating new world that Feist had crafted.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with this book and would highly recommend it to others.

Kasper - who was previously in a negative state - is now a man on the path of redemption. His horizons are broadening, and with his abilities, he manages to impose himself as a relevant player on the side of good. In the background of all this are those already well-known characters. On one side, there is Pag, Miranda, Nekor, and other members of the Conclave of Shadows. And on the other side, there is the metamorphosing personification of evil and madness.

Over Midkemia, a new shadow of evil is looming, which even Asen Sugar (Tomas) himself fears. Meanwhile, Pag stands powerless before a challenge that has proven to be too great even for the Dark Macros!

Kasper's journey of transformation is filled with both hope and uncertainty. As he continues to develop his skills and forge alliances with the forces of good, he must also face the powerful adversaries that seek to plunge Midkemia into chaos. The fate of the land hangs in the balance, and Kasper's actions will determine whether light or darkness prevails.

This was the third book in a captivating series. In the first two installments, the author had masterfully developed an engaging hero, whose exploits had me on the edge of my seat. Naturally, I eagerly looked forward to more of his thrilling adventures in book three.

However, to my surprise, the story took an unexpected turn and instead followed the villain of the first two books. This villain had been magically banished to the other side of the world. Through his arduous experience, he underwent a remarkable transformation and emerged as a compassionate crusader for the good.

The story was replete with magic, which, to me, seemed like a rather simple device employed to advance the plot. While this may be par for the course in the realm of fantasy, I must admit that I was truly relieved when it was finally over.

Despite this, the author leaves an intriguing cliffhanger that tantalizes the reader. However, I'm not entirely certain that I want to follow down that particular rabbit hole.

This chapter is definitely better than the previous two as it follows the story of the "antagonist" of the first two chapters on his journey of redemption.

However, there were some parts that bothered me as they made him appear too "good", with very high ideals, thus distorting the character described in the first two chapters as a determined and ruthless man.

The writing is smooth and quite enjoyable.

Overall, despite the small flaw in character portrayal, this chapter manages to engage the reader and keep them interested in the antagonist's journey.

It will be interesting to see how his story develops further and if he will truly be able to achieve redemption.

Perhaps in the next chapters, the author will be able to strike a better balance between showing his good qualities and maintaining the essence of his original character.

Only time will tell, but for now, this chapter has set the stage for an exciting continuation of the story.

I absolutely love this series of books.

When I first saw that Kaspar was cast in the role of the hero, I thought to myself, “You must be kidding me.” I had my doubts initially.

However, by the second chapter, he had completely won me over. I was truly impressed by the way his mind gradually cleared from the powerful influence of Varen’s magic.

The character development and the plot progression were so engaging that I just couldn't put these books down. I find myself constantly eager to turn the next page and discover what will happen next.

I'm already dreading the day when I'll finish reading all of them. I really don't know what I'll do with myself then. These books have become such an important part of my life, and I'll surely miss spending time with the characters and exploring the wonderful world created by the author.

I can't wait to see if there will be more installments in this amazing series.

The change in point of view was truly jarring. It was as if a sudden gust of wind had blown the story in an unexpected direction. However, within this chaos, the main character showed true growth.

At first, the main character seemed to be lost and confused, much like a ship adrift in a storm. But as the story progressed, he began to make sense of the new perspective. He started to question his own beliefs and values, and in doing so, he discovered a newfound strength within himself.

This growth was not only interesting but also quite inspiring. It showed that even in the face of adversity and sudden change, one can find the courage to adapt and evolve. The main character's journey became a metaphor for life itself, reminding us that growth often comes from the most unexpected places.

Overall, the story's use of a jarring change in point of view, combined with the main character's true growth, made for a captivating and thought-provoking read. It left the reader with a sense of wonder and a new appreciation for the power of change and self-discovery.