Over the past few months, I have been engaged in Buddy-Reading this remarkable series with a dear 'book-club' friend. She had never delved into Raymond E. Feist's work before. As for me, I have been a devoted fan of his writings for a long time. I often compare his works to The Lord of the Rings books, yet I must admit that I have derived even more enjoyment from this particular series. When I shared this sentiment with my friend, her curiosity was instantly piqued, and she eagerly wanted to read the series. What's more, she managed to convince me to read it along with her, which wasn't a difficult task for me at all

The conclusion to the Serpentwar Saga gives the impression of being a bit muddled.

There are numerous aspects within this book that I truly relished. Dash and James stand out at the top of that list, and indeed, Pug's encounter with Patrick was also ingenious.

On the other hand, a significant portion of the fighting seemed to be for the sake of fighting itself. Due to the extensive spread of the fighting across different points of view, I did not feel as deeply engaged in the battles as I was in the previous books that concentrated more on a single (or just a few) primary points of view.

Nevertheless, this book effectively sets the stage for the series to transition away from the seemingly never-ending wars and into a somewhat more covert utilization of force, which I value.

Overall, I would still assign a solid 7 out of 10 to this book.

Probably the worst book I’ve read from this author. It truly felt like one big epilogue that was somehow stretched out from the past three books in the series. The storyline seemed to lack the excitement and depth that I had come to expect from this author.

The ending did have a rather good battle scene, which was a small redeeming factor. However, the whole plot of the land rebuilding after a war just didn’t sit well with me. It felt a bit too simplistic and predictable. I was hoping for a more complex and engaging exploration of the post-war world and the challenges that come with rebuilding.

Overall, I was quite disappointed with this book. It didn’t live up to the standards set by the previous installments in the series. I had high hopes for it, but unfortunately, it fell short in many aspects.

It took me forever to get through the first half of this book.

I found it rather slow-paced and unengaging during that initial period. As a result, I ended up putting it aside for months.

However, I finally managed to pick it back up and was pleasantly surprised. The last third of the book was much more interesting and held my attention.

There were some exciting plot twists and developments that made it a more enjoyable read.

Despite this, overall I would still rate it as 3 stars. It just wasn't as good as the previous books in the series.

There were certain elements that felt lacking or didn't quite measure up to my expectations.

Nevertheless, it was still an okay read and I'm glad I gave it a second chance.

4.5*. This is truly a remarkable conclusion to yet another series that is set within this all-immersive universe. The story has been crafted with such precision and detail that it takes the reader on an unforgettable journey. From the very beginning, the author has managed to create a world that is both captivating and believable. The characters are well-developed and their arcs are engaging, making it easy for the reader to become emotionally invested in their fates. As the series comes to an end, all the loose ends are neatly tied up, providing a satisfying conclusion that leaves the reader with a sense of closure. This is a must-read for anyone who loves immersive universes and well-written stories.

I absolutely adored this conclusion to The Serpentwar Saga.

This time around, young Dash and Jimmy take the spotlight. The story draws parallels between the wars among men and the far greater perils that lurk beyond rifts and in the world of dreams. There are numerous instances of great battle strategy on display, which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

However, it is also heart-wrenching to see the loss of so many beloved characters. Their sacrifices add a layer of depth and emotion to the story.

Despite the losses, the conclusion sets up so much more epic storytelling to come. It leaves the reader eager to see what adventures and challenges lie ahead for the remaining characters. Overall, this was a thrilling and satisfying end to an amazing saga.

I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next.

The End of the Serpentwar. Another great book by Feist. Even though the big battle already took place in the previous book (The Power of a Merchant Prince), there is still plenty of action in this story.

I wish Feist was a bit more creative with names. I know he is trying to honor previous characters, but for most of the book, I got confused when he was talking about a current character in the storyline or a story from previous storylines. This also led to confusion over the relationships - when your father has the same name as your son and you are talking about both in the same discussion.

The focus was mainly on the brothers Jimmy (James) and Dash (el).

After the death of the Emerald Queen, you would think there was time to rebuild the land, but not so. Kesh is trying to occupy land that they consider their own. A general under the Emerald Queen proclaims himself King of the Bitter Sea and is looking for ways to expand his claim.

Because many have fallen in the war, the fate of the kingdom rests on the shoulders of Eric of Zwartheide and the brothers Jimmy and Dash.

Now I can finally continue in the Krondor series with The Betrayal, which I had previously stopped reading because the chronology was a bit strange.

This sub-series of The Rift War Cycle comes to a great conclusion.

If you are a fan of Feist's remarkable ability to pen intense battles, then you are certain to adore this book. The action never ceases, and there are numerous "What the heck?" moments (at least for me).

I am reading through Feist's entire library along with a friend, and it is truly wonderful to have someone to discuss this amazing world with. It has been a delight to witness how Feist has developed as a writer. I look forward to many more great reads as we continue. There are, I believe, a total of 31 books in the entire series, and this was number 13 for us.

So many of my beloved characters from this series have now departed, but Feist has managed to make me become attached to some new ones. Now, we are moving on to the next sub-series, The Riftwar Legacy: The Complete 4-Book Collection. It seems that this one will take us back in time. Perhaps some of those old characters will make a return

Same as the other installments in this series, I find it charming yet lacking in certain aspects.

I have an affinity for the Jamissons' building, as it inherits a portion (though not all) of what made their grandfather, Duke James, so extraordinary.

My main gripe here is the rate of magic buildup. When the larger series commenced, we had some less powerful Path magicians. Pug ventured out and retrieved the Greater Magic. Oh, no, scratch that, he's one of many paths. And, by the way, within these past 50 years, we somehow have amassed sufficient power for what lies ahead.

The sequence of constructions, the dream of the Mad God, the body-stealing sorceress who managed to elude the Demon - it's all a bit overwhelming. Dark Powers, okay, but armies of the undead are mostly enjoyable when training low-level characters in a video game.

Let Erik von Darkmoon fight his way to Yabon, actually engaging with fortifications and learning to apply all that theory he was made to read. Have him discover and overcome some character flaw.

Have Pug, Nakor, Thomas, and Miranda do something other than essentially stroll into a city, blast the latest attempt of the Mad God back into its unholy pit, and then single-handedly end a war because he was slightly irritated by an adolescent Prince.

Overall, it also emphasizes my major annoyance with the larger series. While the stories in each "segment," like this "serpentwar saga," focus on some endearing new characters who are evolving into who they should be, the conclusion usually involves some demigod magicians unleashing their power against some attempt at metaphysics in this fictional world. As the series progresses, the quantity of magic, gods, demons, and dreadlords just keeps increasing, and it becomes a bit excessive in terms of power creep.

Despite containing numerous references to events outside this series, which would require readers to explore additional works to fully understand, this book offers a wealth of entertaining action. The story is engaging as it seamlessly jumps between various battles, intense confrontations, and the diverse positions of different characters. Each scene is vividly描绘, pulling the reader deeper into the narrative. The pacing is excellent, keeping the excitement levels high throughout. And finally, it all concludes with a very satisfying ending that ties up loose ends and leaves the reader feeling fulfilled. It's a book that manages to balance the need for external knowledge with an exciting and engaging story, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Essentially, this book serves as a book-length epilogue to the epic confrontation in "Rage of a Demon King", and the more I reflect on it, the more it bothers me.

Although it's not overtly unpleasant to read, every aspect of it is disappointing. It had the potential to be truly interesting. It could have been a story about attempting to rebuild a devastated land amidst a three-way war. Feist could have merged the military story of Erik von Darkmoor, the economic story of Roo Avery, and the political story of Krondor's ruling nobility into a narrative about the compromises and struggles necessary to restore peace and prosperity.

However, instead, it was largely a pointless exercise in box-checking, with the main characters being mostly passive. The economic and political recovery of the Western Realm seems to happen on its own, with the protagonists merely being supporting characters. Most of the book is filled with desperate struggles, but in the end, they all become moot when a group of demigods finally decide to take action and resolve everything in a massive deus ex machina.

Feist repeatedly kills off characters, but their deaths rarely have meaning. Instead, they only serve to remove from the story characters who were just starting to become interesting and who matter mostly in their absence. The surviving characters are largely reactive. The most dynamic character in the series, Roo, is sidelined except for one brief episode in the middle of the book.

The villains remain as off-screen and flat as they were in "Rage of a Demon King", and this fault is even more egregious since the demonic-control justification for that struggle had already been removed in the previous book. Instead of allowing the former invaders to grapple with the enormity of the crimes they were forced to commit as they try to establish a home for themselves in the new land they've partially conquered, Feist simply creates a new mystical command, sort of a junior varsity army of darkness. The evil plot appears largely out of nowhere in the final act of the book and is resolved almost as quickly as it's introduced, with little help from the characters we've spent most of the book following.

Regarding the political plotline of the invasion from Kesh, we're presented with some second-rate skullduggery and a lot of ham-handed blustering from the mouth of Patrick, the new Prince of Krondor, who is uniformly regarded as incompetent and out of his depth (albeit generally decent). General Duko had the potential to be fascinating, an invader who makes a deal with his enemies and has to balance his own interests against those of his new masters, his old masters, and Kesh in a delicate power play. Instead, he's immediately identified as trustworthy and never gives anyone any reason to doubt this assessment.

Largely, this book exists to tie up loose ends from the first three books in the Serpentwar series and to lay the groundwork for the series to follow. Feist seems infinitely more interested in the latter than in the bland plot points he has to tick off in this book to get there.

If you've read the first three books in the series, you might as well read this one, but it's a letdown from start to finish.

Very cool! I've come to love most of the people in the series. Although it's not as good as the previous book, it's still an epic story and a really good ending.

Erik has become one of my favourite Feist characters. Just like Jimmy and Dash.

Even Roo has finally redeemed himself a little bit... Well, somewhat. Kind of.

After having now read most of the books, I think the epilogue in this one is extremely important going forwards. That was really cool!

The story is filled with exciting adventures and complex characters. Each one has their own unique personality and growth throughout the series. The world-building is also quite impressive, making it easy to get lost in this fictional universe.

Despite not being as perfect as the previous installment, this book still manages to capture the essence of the series and provide a satisfying conclusion. The epilogue gives a hint of what's to come, leaving readers eager for more.

Overall, I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves epic fantasy novels with great characters and engaging storylines.