A Darkness at Sethanon is the concluding installment of the Riftwar Saga, which is the first subseries within Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar Cycle.

Similar to the previous books in the series, this one offered a captivating story that maintained my interest throughout. However, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as its predecessors. There seemed to be a reduction in the enjoyable banter that I had relished in the earlier books, although there were still several excellent moments. Additionally, while the book wrapped up the story fairly well, I had some reservations about the way it was done.

I'll now expand on my previous comments:

I felt that the Pug and Tomas storyline was a bit excessive. These were the only parts where my attention waned. Fortunately, they constituted only a small fraction of the book. It appeared as if one "grand event" was being piled on top of another. Yes, it was indeed high time an oracle was introduced. And what great fantasy tale doesn't include a visit to the Halls of the Dead? Oh, and a long hallway with portals to numerous different worlds would be a neat addition. I'm omitting a few details here. Each place they visited was purportedly more incredibly challenging to reach than the last. Tomas and Pug also seemed to possess or acquire overly powerful abilities. Tomas' powers, in particular, seemed to emerge out of nowhere, with a rather nebulous explanation that the existence of the Valheru granted him additional powers that he no longer had at the end of the book once they were defeated.

I was far more engaged in the more down-to-earth aspects - the near-assassination of Arutha, faking his death, the search for Murmandamus, the massive battle at Armengar, the race to Sethanon, and so on. This made it all the more frustrating for me that many of these actions didn't amount to much or, in some cases, actually aided the enemy in the end. For instance, the battle at Armengar, where they managed to kill a large number of invaders, only served to strengthen Murmandamus as he fed off the deaths of both friends and foes. Arutha's battle with Murmandamus didn't truly achieve anything, and even Pug's and Kulgan's efforts to keep the rifts closed and Tomas' fight with the Valheru only postponed the destruction. The real "hero" was the lifestone, or perhaps the gods, which somehow destroyed the Valheru in an inexplicable manner. We don't even know if Tomas' sword in the lifestone had any impact or if it was merely a coincidence. After spending so much time reading about the actions and sufferings of my heroes, I simply wanted to see their efforts amount to more.

Despite my sarcastic remarks, I truly did enjoy most of the story, and I have a great affection for the characters. However, I also have to admit that there are some issues. Nevertheless, the aspects that I do love make up for it, and I'm certain that the nostalgia factor is playing a role.

From the very beginning until the end of the Riftwar Saga, Feist has masterfully crafted a web of expectations for the captivating world of Midkemia. Indeed, in "A Darkness at Sethanon", the fourth and final installment, he not only meets but exceeds these expectations in the most remarkable way. He presents a story that is strong, complex, and rich, delving deeper into both the characters and the world-building itself. This takes us on an incredible fantasy adventure that spans across space and time.

A year has elapsed since the events of the mysterious Silverthorn. Now, as the people of the Kingdom of the Isles gear up for the Festival of Presentation, those previous adventures seem like distant memories. However, lurking in the shadows, the ancient Enemy is meticulously formulating his plans for the domination of Midkemia. One day, young Jimmy receives an unexpected message from an old fellow-thief, and he discovers that the evil plots to destroy Prince Arutha and the Kingdom of the Isles are perilously close. This brings great turmoil to the heart of Krondor, thrusting them into new challenges and even greater adventures.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Pug, having unearthed some of the secrets of the forgotten elf race, commences his own adventure along with Tomas - the Prince-Consort and Warleader of Elvandar. They embark on a quest to find an ancient sorcerer who was believed to have passed away at the end of the Riftwar with the Tsurani. This sorcerer, with the help of Pug and Tomas, holds the key to restoring the hope they so desperately need and saving the world of Midkemia before it's too late. But with the army of the ancient Enemy on the verge of striking, their adventures this time will be far more arduous than ever. Failure could mean not only the destruction of Midkemia but also of the entire multiverse.

When I first embarked on this series, I must admit, my expectations were not overly high. At the time of its publication, the Fantasy genre was still in its nascent stages, seeking its footing. However, as I progressed from one book to the next, this gradually changed, and the story became something far more exciting than I had anticipated. Feist not only managed to raise those expectations to a high level but also won me over through his engaging characters, making me fall in love with them.

Now, finally reaching the end of this first leg of the "huge" series, Feist has delivered a powerful and epic story in this book. His writing has ascended to another, higher plane than in the previous two installments. He immerses us in a great war, where the heroes must confront new challenges and difficulties, while also creating an incredibly wonderful multiverse that leaves us in awe of his imaginative ideas.

To be sure, I cannot claim that Feist's writing is flawless. Nevertheless, he manages to maintain the story's interest and entertainment value throughout the book, which, in my opinion, is the most crucial element. In conclusion, I would like to state that the last book of this series, in my belief, meets every expectation. Although Feist initially appears to be adhering to the common standards of the Fantasy genre, he manages to break free and bring his own unique style, breathing life into the characters, constructing a beautiful world, and presenting an even more thrilling story.

On the Russian Mountains

The conclusive act of Riftwar is fun and enjoyable, even though it includes in the package some trinkets that serve as a runway for narrative resolutions that it would be a compliment to call abhorrent (the final duel, but also the entire initial part dedicated to the seer or the ubiquity of Guy the Dark).
Conversely, it is striking to note how some objectively interesting intuitions - the identity of the Enemy, the time trap with Pug and Macros - seem almost to be confined within the dimension traced by the novel. After taking into account the highs and lows of the work, the entire conclusion of the trilogy is nothing more than the classic deployment of the forces at play, in view of a conclusive battle that, perhaps, turns out to be more one-sided than expected.

The Riftwar trilogy is an excellent compromise for those who would like to read a well-crafted fantasy, especially in terms of character characterization and worldbuilding construction, without sacrificing a rather classic framework for this.
It is still necessary to underline, however, that we are far from the deep ambitions pursued by modern sagas such as A Song of Ice and Fire, The Wheel of Time or The Malazan Book of the Fallen.

**A Review of “A Darkness at Sethanon”**

“A Darkness at Sethanon” concludes “The Riftwar Saga” trilogy. It offers a climactic ending with some truly epic moments. However, it also has its flaws. The story picks up a year after “Silverthorn” and focuses on the battle against Murmandamus. While the premise is exciting and the battles are well-written, the book suffers from a lack of focus on the characters that the reader has come to love.

Pug and Tomas, who were the main characters in the first book, are sidelined for much of the story. Instead, we are given large segments on Arutha and Jimmy. While their story is important, it feels like a missed opportunity to not explore more of Pug and Tomas’s powers and their role in the final conflict. The predictability of the storyline also detracts from the overall experience.

Despite these flaws, “A Darkness at Sethanon” is still a good book. The battle sequences are intense and the final confrontation at Sethanon is truly epic. The book ends the series on a satisfying note and leaves the reader with a sense of closure. Overall, “The Riftwar Saga” is a classic fantasy series that is worth reading. While “A Darkness at Sethanon” may not be the strongest book in the trilogy, it still offers an exciting and engaging story that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Kaboom! Puff.

Koniec.

Murmandamus is once again gathering his dark forces to strike at the Kingdom. What mystery draws him to Sethanon? Pug and Thomas, two once inseparable friends, are once again standing side by side to find a solution and save their homeland. Are they able to defeat the unknown power that they will have to measure up against?

I don't like the last volumes. One gets attached to the characters throughout the whole cycle, gets used to them, and then it's the end and that's it. "Mrok w Sethanon" doesn't deviate from the other parts, although I must admit that at times it contained a bit too much philosophizing for my taste (especially when we were wandering with Pug). In my case, the most important thing is the action, not the musings about the essence of things (I guess I should fight against that).

7/10

The final book of the Riftwar series truly brings all the previous elements to a crescendo. It is a captivating and fast-paced action story that brims with even more excitement than its predecessors. To be quite honest, I had completely forgotten everything from my initial reading of this book, so it felt entirely new to me. :)

I was truly delighted by the way the story reached its conclusion. However, what truly left a lasting impression on me was the remarkable expansion of the world-building within this book. The way the history is meticulously pieced together spans across an entire multiverse of space and time. At one point, some of the main characters embark on a journey back to just after the big bang. This not only presents a plethora of possibilities but also elucidates a great deal about how Feist managed to pen 30 or more books set in the same worlds.

This time around, I am inclined to award it 4 stars rather than 5. Over the past 30 years, I have delved into a vast amount of epic fantasy, and this particular offering just doesn't quite measure up to the 5-star standard anymore.

I have just finished reading this saga and I can only be satisfied with what I have read.

It is not George Martin or Robert Jordan. It is not a saga that brings something new. In essence, it is all about the struggle between good and evil. When this happens with greater or lesser difficulty, one knows which side the balance will tilt towards, which makes the ending somewhat predictable. However, this does not prevent one from saying that we are facing a very good saga, with surprises after surprises, very interesting characters and a very coherent plot. And to all this, we must also add a very fluent writing, which helps us not to have great breaks in the reading rhythm, making it consistent, always pleasant and full of action and revelations.

I really liked the first two volumes (in the original, one volume) which had several interesting factors and which in essence closed a cycle, but it had not been something that had captivated me as much as the following two volumes.

When we move on to "The Silverthorn", the main arc of the plot is changed. I think that on the one hand, the inclusion of a new villain, mysterious and always leaving us sighing to know more, the inclusion of a secondary character, Jimmy, a street urchin to whom no one will be indifferent, the demand that the group has to go through and of course, already preparing for the end of the story, I think it has ultimately brought an enormous added value to the plot.

But when we move on to this volume (for me, the best of all), where we finally start to be given a lot of information that we were lacking to understand all the motivations of the above-mentioned villain, what moves him, what is at stake, then I think the writer did very well. It was original, it surprised me with some revelations and it prepared everything for a well-developed end, where the loose ends were properly tied up and everything was well explained.

Of course, I am not going to make great revelations here, but I loved the idea that Arutha had for Jimmy, leaving me with enormous curiosity to read the following sagas, which fortunately will be possible and already this year, as the publisher has already confirmed that it will continue to publish Feist ;)

Obviously, there was a lot to discuss about the saga/book, but I also don't want to spoil anyone and to be honest, I'm not very good at criticism either :P

This will surely be one of the best books I have read this year and a serious candidate for the best book of 2012. So, I can only recommend its reading.

**Original Article**: This is a simple article. It has a few sentences. It can be rewritten and expanded.

**Expanded Article**: This is a rather simple article.

It consists of just a few sentences.

However, it has the potential to be rewritten and expanded to make it more engaging and informative.

By adding more details, examples, and explanations, the article can be transformed into a more comprehensive piece.

For instance, we could elaborate on each sentence, providing additional context and clarifying any ambiguous points.

We might also include relevant statistics or facts to support the statements made in the article.

Furthermore, by using more vivid and descriptive language, we can make the article more interesting to read.

In conclusion, with a little effort, this simple article can be rewritten and expanded into a much more valuable and engaging piece of writing.

Overall, it can be said that this trilogy reaches a satisfactory conclusion.

It's important to note that it's not exactly the entire series as the author has written a few more works set in the same world, but this trilogy concludes the essential part that should be read in close succession.

There is just one aspect that I wanted to mention.

Remember that these books are regarded as a classic in fantasy writing from the mid-1980s.

One of the characters in the story is a magician who seems to have an exceptionally long lifespan.

He makes appearances at crucial moments in the first couple of books and then reveals some of his history towards the end of this volume.

His father was a merchant who was cursed by a magician who was about to be executed.

As the years went by, he discovered that he was no longer aging and couldn't die.

No matter how severely injured he was, his body would eventually heal itself.

After a few centuries, he began to long for death and started looking into stories about the man who cursed him.

And to quote from the text: "But one story kept surfacing: that three magic artifacts associated with the dead man had the power to cure, to bring peace, and finally, remove curses. As I understand it, they were a wand, a cloak, and a cup. My father began at once seeking those artifacts."

Does this sound familiar to anyone else? I was quite astonished when I reached that part on the train ride home tonight.

This is a truly great conclusion to an outstanding series.

The story has been captivating from the very beginning, and this final installment ties up all the loose ends in a satisfying way.

The characters have evolved and grown throughout the series, and their arcs reach a natural and fulfilling climax here.

The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.

The writing is engaging and descriptive, painting a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

Overall, this is a must-read series for anyone who loves a good story.

The conclusion is a fitting end to a remarkable journey, and it will leave readers with a sense of satisfaction and a longing for more.

Well done to the author for creating such a wonderful and memorable series.

A Darkness at Sethanon, written by Raymond Feist, is the third book of the Riftwar Saga. It is also notable as the first book, Magician, is split into two separate books, with this being book III and the fourth book having the title Marcus Redux, which I believe means "Retrieving Marcus the Black". The ISBN of this special overseas edition published by Grafton Books in 1987 is 0-586-06688-8. It was printed and bound in Great Britain by Collins, Glasgow, with a cover illustration by Geoff Taylor. For more information about this marvellous illustrator, visit his website at https://www.geofftaylor-artist.com.

The text on the back cover describes it as the final stunning volume of Feist's great heroic fantasy trilogy. As prince Arutha and his companions rally their forces for the final battle with an ancient and mysterious evil, the dread necromancer Murmandamus has unleashed his dark sorcery. The fate of two worlds will be decided in a titanic struggle beneath the walls of Sethanon, as the link between Kelewan and Midkemia is revived. The book has received praise such as being called "the best new fantasy concept in years" by Dragon and "well-written and distinctly above average…intelligent…intriguing" by Publishers Weekly.
The story features a large cast of characters. Arutha conDoin, the prince of Krondor, is a central figure, along with his wife Anita and their sons Borric and Erland. His sister Carline and her husband Laurie, the Duke and Duchess of Salador, are also important. There are many others, including Squire Locklear, Jimmy the Hand, Amos Trask, Guy du Bas-Tyra, and many more. Each character plays a significant role in the events that unfold, as they face the threat of Murmandamus and his armies.

The detailed summary of the personages provided gives a good overview of the complex web of characters in the book, although it's possible that some names may have been missed. Overall, A Darkness at Sethanon is a captivating and engaging fantasy novel that continues the exciting story of the Riftwar Saga.

This is my comprehensive review of the entire Riftwar Saga, not just this particular book.

There are indeed some captivating fantasy elements within this series. Although it is highly influenced by The Lord of the Rings, it has its own unique charm. I am particularly drawn to the ancient lore aspects that blend space, planets, stars, the big bang with gods, magic, and ancient wars. However, to be honest, there just isn't enough substance here to truly satisfy or fulfill.

On the positive side, I do appreciate how some of the characters are crafted. The main characters are generally well-written, but there is a lack of significant individual character growth, despite the series spanning over 14 years.

Now, let's move on to my complaints. I feel that I have read enough of Feist's books (7 to be exact) to have a good understanding of his style. One major issue is his inability to write women convincingly. Almost every major female character is slender, fair, beautiful, witty, and yet not like other girls. This series, like many fantasy books written by men, suffers greatly from the male gaze. Whenever a new female character is introduced, I find it extremely difficult to continue reading due to the overly idealized and stereotypical descriptions that cater to the "perfect" fantasy damsel princess. Fortunately (or unfortunately), there aren't many prominent female characters.

Another aspect that I strongly dislike is Feist's pacing. In my opinion, this series has worse pacing than the Empire trilogy. While there is always something interesting happening, much of it feels repetitive and ultimately becomes quite boring. There is an excessive amount of the book dedicated to following non-magical characters as they are besieged in castles or chased through the mountains and woods by enemies. And then, only偶尔, do you get to read about the truly interesting parts, such as the two main magical characters exploring the universe and uncovering the deep and fascinating lore of the world and universe.

For me, without these sections involving the magical characters' exploration of the universe, the books have little to redeem them. Without this element, the world seems rather mundane, with the prince and his friends simply trying to survive and fend off an invasion from dark elves with the help of elves and dwarves. It's all rather unremarkable.

I also want to touch on the two magical characters I mentioned earlier. It's quite humorous yet frustrating and further highlights Feist's problem with pacing the plot. Very early on, even before the end of the first book, these two young kitchen serving boys become the two most powerful magical beings in the entire world. As a result, the rising threats in the books don't seem very threatening because these guys could easily eliminate everything with a wave of their hands if they so desired. So, how do the books handle these super beings? By coming up with excuses throughout the entire trilogy as to why they can't be at the center of the action. The prince, who is a very close friend of these guys, is being pursued by assassins? Nope, they have to build an academy for wizards. An extremely powerful dark elf leader has emerged in the north, seeking to destroy the world with an army never before seen in thousands of years? Sorry, they have to relax in the forest with their elf wives and raise their children. Great.

In conclusion, the series is rather dated in its portrayal of women, which makes it a challenge to read. The plot is just okay, enough to hold my attention but nothing特别值得一提. The writing style is decent in my opinion. And the most redeeming quality is the lore of the universe. Overall, it's a very meh (bordering on bad) fantasy series with interesting world-building.