We are back to the core of what truly matters, 'The Conclave of Shadows' and its mightiest magicians.

Pug, Magnus, Nakor, and Bek embark on a journey into the second realm of reality, while Miranda is left on the first realm to handle the Assembly of Black Robes in Kelewan.

Adding the mad and extremely powerful magician Leso Varen, now inhabiting a Great One's body, to the equation makes things truly intense.

Meanwhile, on the Dasati world, we gain a peek into the chaotic, barbaric, and deeply disturbing society of the Dasati through the eyes of Valko, a Deathknight who has just returned from the Hiding and is undergoing training to become the lord of his house.

The Deathknights, Deathpriests, TeKarana, and the Dark God himself offer an abundance of insights into the twelve worlds that构成 this very dark plane of reality.

As a side-plot, Caleb's sons are dispatched to Roldem to continue their education and initiation into the Conclave.

Matters come to a head at the end; Miranda is captured by the Dasati Deathpriests, Valko realizes his true destiny as the harbinger of revolution and facilitator of the resurgence of the White, Pug's group of the most powerful Midekemian magicians finally reaches the home of the Dark God of Dasati, and most importantly, the return of the most powerful magician ever, Macros the Black!

Feist does an excellent job of concurrently handling the 4 plot-lines, although the part with Tad, Zane, and Jommy does seem rather pointless. It is a really well-written book with a wonderfully intricate plot and many philosophical abstractions to contemplate. The series is now beautifully set up for the finale!

This part of the series provided a lot of answers and information!

The Second Circle is fascinating and although generally rather gruesome, the new characters bring about an interesting change. There are enough old characters to maintain the balance.

Some lines in the story were predictable, but sometimes it was confusing because it often jumped to another storyline. I would have preferred to see that the line of the boys, Tad, Zane, Jommy (and later Geoffrey, Servan and Grandy) was kept separate from this book. Still, the overall sense of build-up increases and the absolute cliffhanger ending makes it almost impossible to stop reading.

It was interesting to read about the Dashati and their world, however gruesome they sometimes were. The book was a bit darker compared to the other stories of Feist. Some characters from the previous books end up in unusual situations.

The book seems to be a good build-up to De toorn van een waanzinnige God.

No spoilers but the boys have come of age (for the most part) and are starting to do the serious work of the conclave in this second book.

The tone is significantly darker, which adds a new layer of intensity to the story. It finally introduces us to the main adversaries of the series, allowing us to see beyond the simple label of "evil."

Through an entirely new POV character, we are granted a unique perspective, one that reveals the entire world and mindset of the enemies that the conclave is set to fight.

I think that kind of insight is truly valuable. Too often, the enemy is simply billed as "evil, without mercy, utterly irredeemable." However, as we get to know them through this new character's eyes, we realize that the reality might be more complex.

While the pacing is a bit slower in some spots than I would have liked, it still manages to build anticipation and set the stage for the next book. Overall, it's a solid lead-in that leaves me eager to see what comes next.

I am a die-hard Feist fan, and I have followed his works with great enthusiasm. However, this particular series has been a source of frustration for me. There are several issues that have detracted from my enjoyment of it.

One of the major problems is the errors in the time lines. It can be quite jarring when events seem to occur out of sequence or when there are contradictions in the chronology. This lack of attention to detail makes it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story.

Another issue is that the author seems to repeat himself at times. Some of the themes and plot elements feel recycled, which gives the series a sense of déjà vu. I was hoping for more originality and fresh ideas.

The style of writing also leaves something to be desired. It doesn't have the same sparkle and polish as all the previous series. The prose feels a bit flat and unengaging, which makes it a struggle to get through some of the chapters.

Luckily, there is a glimmer of hope. The very last book in the series shows some improvement. The story becomes more engaging, and the author seems to have addressed some of the issues that plagued the earlier installments. While it may not be enough to completely redeem the series, it does give me some hope for Feist's future works.

This book was considerably better than the first of this saga.

I particularly enjoyed how there were so many different stories happening simultaneously. It was fascinating to see how the author managed to switch between these stories seamlessly without having to break into new chapters.

The Dasati were also extremely interesting to read about. Their unique culture and society added a new dimension to the Riftwar cycle.

The story of Valko was especially fresh and engaging. It brought a new perspective to the overall narrative and kept me hooked from start to finish.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the Riftwar cycle or epic fantasy in general. It is a great addition to the series and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Another highly enjoyable escapade of Pug and the gang awaits.

The descriptions of the Dasati people and their world are truly captivating. There is an abundance of scope for exciting stories and in-depth exploration.

It's impossible not to be enthralled by the vivid details that bring this alien race and their environment to life.

One can't help but anticipate the arrival of book three with great eagerness.

The adventures and mysteries that lie ahead are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

With each installment, the world-building and character development continue to grow, making it a truly immersive and engaging series.

Readers will undoubtedly be eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Pug and the gang's adventures.

3 1/2 stars

This is the middle book in yet another edition of Feist's fabulous world. A new world is introduced here, and it is truly horrifying. To be honest, I have to admit that the violence in this book really shocked me. It's rather strange for me to say this because Feist is well-known for his vivid descriptions of battles. However, this particular world and its people (who are in this situation through no fault of their own) are just a little bit over the top for my taste. I'm really struggling with whether I should rate this book 3 or 4 stars.

Nevertheless, it is still a decent addition to the overall story. However, I was quite let down by the abrupt ending. It really needed more substance in its closing. There were so many loose ends that were left unresolved, which made me feel a bit unsatisfied. Despite this flaw, the rest of the book had its moments of excitement and intrigue. I just hope that the next installment in this series will tie up these loose ends and provide a more fulfilling conclusion.

Another excellent book is "Stakes Slowly Rising Again for Midkemia".

It features more of Pug and his companions compared to previous installments. The story has a bit of a tendency to jump around from one group of characters to another, and at times, the connection between them is not very clear.

However, as we get to explore the Dasati world and the Dasati themselves, the narrative builds up nicely. The only drawback is that it ends rather abruptly, leaving the reader on tenterhooks and eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.

Overall, it's a captivating read that fans of the Midkemia series will surely enjoy.

This might be the weakest Feist book so far.

Although there were many nakor and pug in it... I don't understand why there is the jommy tad zane strand in it :(

Feist's works usually have complex storylines and vivid characters, but this one seems to lack some of the magic.

The introduction of the jommy tad zane strand feels a bit out of place and doesn't quite fit with the overall tone and theme of the book.

Perhaps Feist was trying to introduce something new and different, but it just didn't work out as well as expected.

Overall, while there are still some good elements in the book, it doesn't quite live up to the standards set by Feist's previous works.

Pug is back on the stage.

I'm a huge fan of this universe, so I truly relished reading this book. However, it unfortunately succumbs to the "middle book in a trilogy" syndrome. It comes after the climax in the first part and lays the foundation for the last one.

The story progresses, but I yearn for an epic conclusion where all the independent storylines converge. Here, they are somewhat open, and the parallel stories haven't joined together yet.

I was really captivated by the Desati world depicted in this book. It was extremely grim and added a unique flavor to the narrative.

I'm eagerly anticipating the latest installment of the trilogy, hoping that it will bring all the loose ends together and provide a satisfying conclusion to this engaging story arc.

I can't wait to see how the author ties everything up and takes the readers on one final thrilling adventure in this remarkable universe.

A fan of Feist's setting and world imagination will absolutely love the stuff being introduced and painted here. It expands far beyond Midkemia and Kelewan, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities and adventures.

To start with a rant though, some of the bad things from the previous book carried over. There are repetitive descriptions of a character's trait or behavior. It's as if the author feels the need to explicitly remind the reader of it every few chapters. This can be quite tiresome and takes away from the overall reading experience. The proofreading also left something to be desired, primarily towards the end. There were obvious grammatical mistakes and missing words, which could have been easily caught with a more thorough edit.

Still, ignoring those flaws, the plot did not fail to be engaging. It was great seeing new characters being introduced, each with their own unique personalities and backstories. However, the existing cast didn't get much development. We only got to see what happened to them, rather than truly understanding their growth and evolution. Despite placing most of them in supposedly dangerous situations, I couldn't really get any feeling of suspense. None of them appeared to be in any real danger, which made the story feel a bit flat at times. And all those "things that are happening" are really the essence of the book - setting things up until the third book. This was nailed in with the book having no real finale to it, leaving the reader eager for more.

The pace of all the plot lines is good, and it keeps the reader engaged and wanting to turn the page. Each chapter jumps around several plot lines, perhaps a little too often. It's not enough to throw the reader off, but it is just noticeably frequent. This can make it a bit difficult to keep track of everything that's going on, but it also adds to the excitement and unpredictability of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's better than the first book and the previous trilogy in terms of being engaging. It may not be a huge improvement, but it's a step in the right direction. I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next book.

The 25th book in the series has arrived, and right after the criticism of recycling previous stories, here comes Feist with two pitchers of freshly squeezed lemonade, offering a refreshing treat for everyone.

Typically, this kind of "infiltration in a society and working to undermine and conquer from within" plot is something we are accustomed to seeing the bad guys undertake. So, it was quite interesting to follow the actions of those whom we know are the good guys engaging in what could be considered "villainous 1.01".

This installment is only marginally better than the previous book, leaving me with a plethora of questions. One question stands out louder than the others: what was the significance of that entire "invasion" of the pirates plot?

It seems rather puzzling and makes one wonder if there was a deeper purpose that wasn't fully explored or if it was simply a misstep in the storytelling.

Overall, while the book has its moments, it still leaves room for improvement and further exploration of its themes and plotlines.

Perhaps future installments will provide more clarity and satisfaction for readers.