I took the plunge and started reading the c.850-page long Magician, by R.E.Feist, which is the first of several series of books.

I devoured the first 300 pages on the very first day of reading and was introduced to the enchanting fantasy world of Midkemia. The book commences in a manner quite similar to that of Lord of the Rings, Sword of Shannara, the Ranger's Apprentice, or the first part of the Name of the Wind. The young hero is compelled to leave their original household or family and is forced to explore not just one, but two worlds or universes.

I became passionately intrigued by the resemblances to the Dungeons and Dragons original edition, AD&D, and the old Empire of the Petal Throne (EPT). These similarities are only noticeable if one is already familiar with these tabletop games.

I was conversing with my partner about how the book structure bore a resemblance to some of my D&D campaign background notes or summaries of adventures. These tend to be extremely long and filled with details, often overlooked by the players around my table, yet I relish drafting them anyway.

At that moment, I realized that the book was, in fact, based on the writer's D&D campaign, influenced by his homemade or homebrew settings, namely the D&D World and the EPT world.

I noticed several superficial influences from Tekumel, the Empire of the Petal Throne, and the world of Tsolyanu - especially similarities with Kelewan, the Tsurani Empire, the lack of metals and horses, and the Cho'ja.

But there are also influences from Jack Vance's Big Planet, Mazirian, or the Dying Earth, who is regarded by some as the grandfather of D&D and its magic system.

And at that point, halfway through the narrative, it became evident that the book dedicated a significant amount of time to discussing lore, gods, and magic systems, especially the Greater and Lesser Paths of magic. This made me realize that not only was the author explaining the origins of his game's campaign setting, but he was also elaborating in detail on the magic systems employed in those fantasy worlds. It was analogous to a Game Master who would clarify the difference between spellcasting in D&D 5e versus Ars Magica 5e.

Returning to LotR, it is clear that it also had some staples or tropes, but good ones, from Tolkien (or Tolkien via D&D via Midkemia’s origin as a homebrew D&D campaign world).

The story of the Midkemia campaign setting for a D&D-like game began in the 1970s when UCSD students created their homebrew world. The result was an entire game system and campaigns closely derived from D&D that they named "The Tome of Midkemia" and the "First Midkemian Campaign".

I understand this group was called the "Thursday Gamers" and "Friday Gamers". Some of them also published Cities (1979), a book that capitalized on the group's greatest strength, namely urban settings for their campaigns. Cities was later published again as RuneQuest Cities (1988) by Avalon Hill - which is still considered a "must have" in a game master's library.

The Magician by Feist was published in that context, among gamers and game masters, around 1980-82. And all the aforementioned campaign settings clearly drive the narrative behind this book.

In 1993, their campaign also became Betrayal at Krondor (1993), a highly acclaimed videogame RPG that was named "Best Game of the Year" by Computer Gaming World. Midkemia has since appeared in two other video games, the CRPG Return to Krondor (1998) and the text-based Midkemia Online (2009).

I adored the story and the details provided regarding the history and lore of both universes depicted in this series. Tomas and Pug are outstanding characters with excellent character development. It lacks a bit more female presence in the narrative, and perhaps I would have preferred to lose a couple of hundred pages of travels and descriptions of battles. However, I truly relished being introduced to Midkemia and its legendary heroes, which have shaped fantasy literature, game designing, and video games for the past few decades.

**"The Shattered Throne" - A Review**

Pug, the former magic apprentice, leads a miserable life as a slave on Kelewan, the homeworld of the Tsuranis, after being captured by them. However, his fate changes when his magical talent is recognized by an Exalted, a wizard of Kelewan. Meanwhile, the so-called Riftwar continues. Prince Arutha, his brother Lyam, their father Borric, the Duke of Crydee, and their allies, the elves and the dwarves, keep fighting against the invaders. Tomas, Pug's best friend from childhood, is also among the fighters, but the influence of the Dragon Lord, whose enchanted armor he wears, is increasing. Tomas is taking on more and more the traits of a Valheru - the former oppressors of the elves. As the war progresses, politics increasingly influences events. On both Kelewan and Midkemia, intrigues are being spun that could decide the war. Who will ultimately win?

My opinion: "The Shattered Throne" is the second book in the high fantasy series "The Midkemia Saga" and is a fantasy classic. This is evident again in the writing style - the overarching omniscient narrator who jumps from scene to scene and often makes not only changes in location but also time jumps in the narrative is not really modern today. In addition, this book in the series covers nearly ten years. This further enhances the impression of episodic storytelling. Although some main characters are in the foreground - the magic apprentice and slave Pug, the human dragon warrior Tomas, Prince Arutha of Crydee - the novel does not go very deep. The emotions of the characters remain superficial, and the distance to the characters is not really overcome when reading. However, it is worth getting into the story. The worlds, both Midkemia (a map of which is inserted at the front and back of the book) and Kelewan, are well-developed and convincing with their own cultures, various beings, animals, and plants. While Midkemia is more reminiscent of the European Middle Ages and "The Lord of the Rings" (there are elves, dwarves, trolls, dark elves, goblins, dragons, and kobolds in addition to humans), Kelewan is clearly based on Asian high cultures. The collision of these worlds and cultures is vividly described through the fate of individual characters, and somehow one can sympathize with both sides of the war by the end of the book. What Mr. Feist unfortunately cannot do well are love stories. I'm sorry to have to say this. Both Pug and Tomas and Arutha find their ladies love in this book, and for Pug, it is deep, true love after he had sex with his beloved for the first time. Uh, yes, of course. No, I'm sorry, Mr. Feist, but a deep emotional relationship looks different. However, I would like to give him credit for the fact that it is the women who decide whether they want a relationship with one of the men. The men pine, and the women make the first move. With this, Raymond Feist refreshingly distances himself from the old-fashioned view of female characters. Although it is also the men who go to war and protect the women, his female characters are strong characters, and Princess Carline and Princess Anita do not simply accept their fate. In addition, Princess Carline learns to fight in the first book and is also allowed to intervene in combat actions once. When one considers that the high fantasy series already dates from the 80s, this is not self-evident. Unfortunately, I still have one criticism: The book's proofreader unfortunately did not distinguish himself. There were shockingly gross mistakes in this book. More careful work should have been done here, and I was really annoyed by some of the mistakes in places. Especially in a new edition of a classic, one would have expected that these mistakes had already been corrected. I thought about deducting a star for this, but then decided against it because I only wanted to rate the author and his story. Overall, it has therefore become 4 stars.

I truly relished this conclusion!

However, I have to confess that for the sake of convenience, I am extremely relieved that Apprentice and Master are divided into their own volumes.

Two characters whom I remembered very fondly from the first time I read this series, Amos Trask and Jimmy the Hand, assume more significant roles here, and I am really excited to keep reading this series.

And although this is a conclusion of sorts, by the end there are still numerous questions posed and issues left unresolved.

This is precisely why it makes an excellent beginning to a remarkable series!

Feist's characters, more so even than his thrilling plotting, are what impel his novels.

After all, it has been over a decade and perhaps a thousand books between the first time I read them and now, and when Jimmy the Hand swept in or Amos arrived, I broke into a broad grin, affectionately recalling them and delighted to hear about them once more.

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And here it is: The first fantasy highlight of this year. This is an outstanding second book. It is just really, really cool. The story unfolds in a magical world filled with unique characters and thrilling adventures. The author's vivid descriptions bring the scenes to life, making the readers feel as if they are right there in the middle of the action. The plot is full of twists and turns, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. The characters are well-developed, each with their own distinct personalities and motives. You can't help but root for them as they face various challenges and obstacles. Overall, this is a must-read for all fantasy lovers. It will transport you to a world of magic and wonder and leave you craving for more.

I can't imagine what it would be like to read "Magician" as a whole when it first came out. After reading "Apprentice", I knew I had to read "Master" back to back. I felt that I needed to get a sense of the whole story from the perspective of both Book 1 and Book 2.

The spacing of years and the character story arcs definitely give the impression of being separated in both books, but it also doesn't feel like a completely cohesive single story. "Master" has the feel of the second half of one story, and the beginning of this book feels a bit off.

So, based on reading "Apprentice" just before this one, I'm giving the whole story a 5-star rating. Overall, it's a great epic story! The kingdom and all the characters at court are extremely cool. I loved the aspect of both worlds and the battles that take place. "Master" ends well, and I'm curious about how the remaining Rift War saga will continue.

My complaint regarding the first volume of this saga was that everything seemed extremely mundane. Feist might have been among the first to undertake these endeavors, yet there wasn't a great deal more to the book. It was satisfactory, but not thrilling. I have witnessed the "young man joins a band of heroic travellers; discovers destiny" trope countless times. I was criticized by some individuals for not acknowledging Feist as a pioneer in the field. However, my stance persists: that's okay. Perhaps if this were the very first of the genre that I had ever read, I would have been astounded. But being the first isn't the only factor.

Note: The remainder of this review has been withdrawn due to the alterations in Goodreads' policy and enforcement. You can peruse the reason for my decision here.

In the meantime, you can access the entire review at Smorgasbook.

The second part of one of the best series of epic fantasy ever.

This captivating story takes us on a thrilling adventure that continues to unfold. The world-building is truly remarkable, with richly detailed landscapes, diverse characters, and a complex plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. As the story progresses, we are introduced to new challenges and mysteries that add depth and excitement to the narrative. The characters are well-developed, each with their own unique personalities and motives. We root for the heroes as they face seemingly insurmountable odds and cheer them on as they overcome their obstacles. The second part of this series is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy, offering a truly immersive and unforgettable experience.

In the land of Midkemia, there exists a rift that serves as a gateway to another world. This world is the Empire of Tsuranuanni, which is loosely modeled after Japan during the Shogunate Era. And they have launched an invasion. This forms the backdrop for our story. A young boy named Pug is captured by the Tsurani and沦为 a slave. However, his命运takes a turn when he is taken in by a noble Tsurani family. There, it is discovered that he possesses remarkable magical ability. He is then taken by the Mages of Tsurani to be trained as a Great One.

There are numerous other characters in the story, ranging from high lords and Kings to noble lords who strive to enhance their nation while maneuvering through the perilous political landscape of Tsurani politics. Additionally, there are political machinations at play in Midkemia as an ailing king leads to various nobles vying for the throne. To complicate matters further, there is a group of "rogue" Tsurani who desire a peaceful resolution to this long-running war.

This is merely a glimpse into some of the story lines in this book. Overall, I found it enjoyable. Some aspects seem to deviate from the darker undertones of the story. It's as if the author had the potential to craft a truly dark tale but, at the last moment, changed his mind and opted for a lighter tone than perhaps was warranted. Nevertheless, the overall story remains quite engaging. Is it one of the greatest fantasy tales ever told? Well, not in my opinion, but it is indeed a good story.

As much as I adored 'Apprentice', this subsequent installment was truly a worthy follow-up and concluded in a manner that left me feeling satisfied.

Oh, there is an abundance of additional story that could be told, but I greatly appreciated the fact that I could set the series aside for a while. This was not the case when I completed 'Apprentice'.

I believe that when I commence re-reading the series again, I will pick up the Empire trilogy. However, I am currently awaiting to hear what Mr. Feist has to say on the matter. (He is conducting a Q&A in the Fantasy Book Club Series group where we are currently reading this.) I may or may not take his recommendation into account depending on his reasoning. Certainly, I do not think I will wait until July, when the group has it scheduled for reading.

;-)

Finally,

That was interminable.

Did it really only take two weeks to read? It felt like much longer. It felt as if ages and eternities had been piled on top of each other. My brother said that he felt Feist was one of the best authors he'd ever read and the Krondor universe was amazing. I think my brother is insane. It's odd because normally we very much like the same books. I would sneak into his room and steal the Terry Brooks novels that he'd finished and devour them while he was at school and then sneak them back. Eventually, he would just finish and hand them over to me. But this series? I really don't see what he likes about it. The diction is so tortured. Every line is so stilted, overwrought, and unbelievable. The characters' motivations are strange and hard to believe. The world-building is both far too complex and yet utterly shallow with no real depth. And the names! The names drive me crazy. I can kind of understand how the Tsurani would have so many different naming conventions, given they are a conglomeration of many different peoples and cultures. But they've been interbreeding and intermingling for millennia. Surely they would have either melded into one linguistic group and simplified all that complex phonology into a coherent system, or they would have splintered off into mutually unintelligible languages. In fact, the second option is far more likely. At the very least, everyone would be bilingual or multilingual, speaking the language of the empire with those outside their area and in education, and speaking the language of their people group in private and at home. This is what happened in every empire on this planet. They wouldn't be in this weird in-between zone of all speaking the same language and yet having completely random phonemes not present in their language as their names! Gah! Why don't fantasy authors ever consult linguists when they invent new cultures and languages? Everyone thinks 'Tolkien did it so I can too.' But he was an actual linguist! This frustrates me to no end. I understand that it doesn't bother most readers, but I often wonder if this is how biologists feel while reading science fiction books about cloning, or how roboticists feel while reading books about robots. It's just the sheer creativity of authors combined with absolute ignorance, and how it sometimes makes an inspiring story and sometimes just... flops. Anyway, yes. I read this book. I did not like it. I don't understand how I can love the Talon books by Feist and find this horribly boring. I don't have any desire to keep reading the series even though I know that the world will eventually lead to the Talon series. Must I slog through all the boring prologue books?

A classic fantasy novel awaits you. It is filled with intense battles that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The world of magic is vividly brought to life, with spells and enchantments galore. The struggle over who will be king adds an element of political intrigue and drama. There is also a fascinating clash of cultures, as different groups with their own beliefs and ways of life come into conflict. This novel is a great sequel to "Magician Apprentice," continuing the story and expanding the rich and immersive world that was first introduced. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed, and new readers will be quickly drawn into this captivating fantasy realm.