Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Collins (1993), Edition: 2nd, 704 pages
Description
At Crydee, a frontier outpost in the tranquil Kingdom of the Isles, an orphan boy, Pug, is apprenticed to a master magician and the destinies of two worlds are changed forever.
User reviews
LibraryThing member RoboSchro
"Martin spoke with no emotion, just a statement of fact. 'It's your life should you breathe a word of it to anyone.'
"Amos settled himself against the rail. 'I'm a bad man to threaten, Martin Longbow.'"
Gracious, elegant elves? Check. Gruff, hardy dwarves? Check. A bearded, pipe-smoking wizard?
The string of fantasy clichés that Feist uses here almost made me hate the book. But I couldn't, in the end. There are enough good ideas around to balance out the poor ones. Most of the book covers a war with strange people from another dimension, who are invading in huge numbers. These invaders, the Tsurani, are well thought out, and their society pleasingly unusual. And, while the writing never really strikes one as excellent, the scope and pacing as the war develops are very well handled.
Maybe the clichés were a bit more forgivable back in 1982, when this was first published. If you're allergic to such things, you might want to avoid this. But if you don't mind them, there's a good, epic story here too.
"Amos settled himself against the rail. 'I'm a bad man to threaten, Martin Longbow.'"
Gracious, elegant elves? Check. Gruff, hardy dwarves? Check. A bearded, pipe-smoking wizard?
Show More
Check. Scheming noblemen? Check. A dark, silent yet noble woodsman with a secret history? Check. A mysterious old man of great magical power? Check. A young, insignificant boy, from a small town, who is about to learn many things and grow up and save the world? Check.The string of fantasy clichés that Feist uses here almost made me hate the book. But I couldn't, in the end. There are enough good ideas around to balance out the poor ones. Most of the book covers a war with strange people from another dimension, who are invading in huge numbers. These invaders, the Tsurani, are well thought out, and their society pleasingly unusual. And, while the writing never really strikes one as excellent, the scope and pacing as the war develops are very well handled.
Maybe the clichés were a bit more forgivable back in 1982, when this was first published. If you're allergic to such things, you might want to avoid this. But if you don't mind them, there's a good, epic story here too.
Show Less
LibraryThing member WillieD
This is my numbe one fantasy book of all time. Second is David Gemmell's Legend. Can you imagine your typical looking fantasy world being invaded by aliens? Sounds like a terrible idea - but it's not!!! Feist is a great writer and creates a fascinating world that leaves you breathless. Even better,
Show More
once you've read this and finished the trilogy, the Empire series waits - another trilogy about the aliens' world. Show Less
LibraryThing member nakmeister
Pug and Tomas are apprentices, with dreams of glory, imagining themselves heroes, but they are just boys of the keep with only modest prospects. But then one day a mysterious and alien ship is shipwrecked off the coast of Crydee. This is the first sign of an invading army from another world seeking
After a break of several years, I at last return to this classic, one of my all time favourite books. I first read it when I was thirteen, and have read it at least 10 times since then. It has all the hallmarks of a typical fantasy novel – elves, dwarves, magic – but it is very well written the characters come alive as you read the book, and you are quickly transported into another world. And unlike most fantasy books, including most of Feist’s later works, this can, and indeed was originally intended, to be read as a stand alone novel. Voted for by the British public as one of the BBC's Big Read top 100 novels. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Show More
to conquer the Kingdom of Isles, and suddenly the world will never be the same again. Pug and Tomas find that they are propelled by fate towards greater things, all they have to do is survive…After a break of several years, I at last return to this classic, one of my all time favourite books. I first read it when I was thirteen, and have read it at least 10 times since then. It has all the hallmarks of a typical fantasy novel – elves, dwarves, magic – but it is very well written the characters come alive as you read the book, and you are quickly transported into another world. And unlike most fantasy books, including most of Feist’s later works, this can, and indeed was originally intended, to be read as a stand alone novel. Voted for by the British public as one of the BBC's Big Read top 100 novels. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Show Less
LibraryThing member theboylatham
Nine out of ten.
The first book in the Riftwar saga this book follows an apprentice magician and his best friend as they get drawn into a world of magic and war with an alien race. A brilliant book that encourages you to read the rest of the saga.
The first book in the Riftwar saga this book follows an apprentice magician and his best friend as they get drawn into a world of magic and war with an alien race. A brilliant book that encourages you to read the rest of the saga.
LibraryThing member Lizparker
One of the first books I owned, given to me by an old boyfriends mother. A true legend in the genre, a book I can read over and over again.Pug is an orphan in a nobles court and along with his friend Tomas are caught up in a war which spans both kingdom and universe.
LibraryThing member nursewidener
One of my most favorite books of all time. This is the ultimate young person to Savior of the world or both worlds in this case. Fiest is a god among sci-fi fantasy writers.
Pug-a misfit that no one wants but becomes the ultimate magician that saves the universe.
It is worth the time to find this
Pug-a misfit that no one wants but becomes the ultimate magician that saves the universe.
It is worth the time to find this
Show More
old book and get hooked on the series. It is massive and continues to grow, it is sooo cool. Show Less
LibraryThing member jayne_charles
I'm not normally a big fan of fantasy novels (I didn't get on with Lord of the Rings for example), this one wasn't too bad, all things considered.
The start didn't grab me particularly, and I was a bit confused by the Magician thing - in the UK we would surely call him a Wizard as in Harry Potter -
The start didn't grab me particularly, and I was a bit confused by the Magician thing - in the UK we would surely call him a Wizard as in Harry Potter -
Show More
a Magician is someone who produces rabbits from hats and cuts ladies in half....isn't he? But no matter. 'Magician' picked up about a quarter of the way in, with the introduction of the wonderfully bonkers King Rodric, and the use of a temporal rift spiced up the storyline. The author isn't afraid to let the reader think the plot is heading in one direction then turn it completely on its head. Show Less
LibraryThing member damenzie
Feists's best book - I recommend reading this older version if you can find it over the newer revised editions.
LibraryThing member clstaff
About 15 pages in...great so far. I'll keep you updated.
LibraryThing member squarespiral
Not badly written, but the story is not very innovative and the stereotypes come so thick that they contradict each other in places. The characters are as flat as modern mobiles and not a single one of them comes with a complete set of believeable motivations.
If you enjoy reading reading stereotype
If you enjoy reading reading stereotype
Show More
phantasy with dwarfes, elves, mages, princesses and little boys that meet them all while growing up to become master magicians, go ahead this is your book. Show Less
LibraryThing member seekingflight
Feist’s first novel, written in 1982, and the first volume of the Riftwar saga.
As other reviewers have noted here, it’s easy to criticise this for the genre clichés (e.g., the orphan protagonist, the coming of age tale, the dwarven mines etc), and the sometimes bland, characterless and lazy
And yet there was also a lot to like in this novel. The sobering reality of a protracted war, that commences just as our protagonists are entering adolescence, and forces them to put all the futures that might have been on hold, to deal with their current reality. The fascinating world-building and descriptions of the Tsurani culture, which seemed to me to combine some of the most interesting aspects of the Japanese culture with ancient Rome.
This wouldn’t be first in my list of recommendations to introduce a friend to the fantasy genre, but it’s nonetheless a book that I found worth persevering with.
As other reviewers have noted here, it’s easy to criticise this for the genre clichés (e.g., the orphan protagonist, the coming of age tale, the dwarven mines etc), and the sometimes bland, characterless and lazy
Show More
prose (e.g., “his emotions written on his face”). Some of the characters facing some of the biggest dilemmas as the book nears its end still felt to me like little more than cardboard cut-outs, and this did disappoint me, and undercut some of the dramatic tension that these developments might otherwise have inspired. I was particularly disappointed by the way in which the female characters felt like caricatures of everything a princess in a fantasy novel is expected to be, and yet I suppose many of the male characters similarly lacked depth. And yet there was also a lot to like in this novel. The sobering reality of a protracted war, that commences just as our protagonists are entering adolescence, and forces them to put all the futures that might have been on hold, to deal with their current reality. The fascinating world-building and descriptions of the Tsurani culture, which seemed to me to combine some of the most interesting aspects of the Japanese culture with ancient Rome.
This wouldn’t be first in my list of recommendations to introduce a friend to the fantasy genre, but it’s nonetheless a book that I found worth persevering with.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Eruntane
I've heard this book described as everything from a meisterwerk to a literary trainwreck, so I approached it in a spirit of curiousity and found it to be neither. I understand this was Feist's first novel, and it shows in places - a certain clumsiness of expression, and some slightly hackneyed plot
Show More
elements and characters. But that said, the story kept me turning the pages, the characters were mostly likeable, and he did introduce some long-running plot elements that kept the tension going right to the end. A very enjoyable read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Black_samvara
Bought this to replace the (third?) copy that went missing. Solid, classic fantasy with everything you could possibly hope for. Magicians, elves, heroic deeds, young people with destinies.
LibraryThing member karliboo
I bought this in when it first came out in paperback & have (after not being able to find my copy) recently bought another extended paperback edition.
This to me, was one of the best books of the series.
This to me, was one of the best books of the series.
LibraryThing member cmh14979
First book by Raymond Feist I read. This is the revised edition, which brings Magician Apprentice and Magician Master into one volume.
One heck of a book, to kick off a plot that goes beyond the three books of the riftwar saga and is still going strong in the later books. Strong characters that one
Highly recommended as a beginning to reading more books from this great author (I wouldn't recommend jumping in on his later books as you will miss subtle references throughout). Even now, after reading it from cover to cover several times, I find myself picking it up. As Feist put it himself - it is a 'ripping good yarn'.
One heck of a book, to kick off a plot that goes beyond the three books of the riftwar saga and is still going strong in the later books. Strong characters that one
Show More
can identify with, in a fantasy world that is as unique and easily as recognisable as Middle Earth.Highly recommended as a beginning to reading more books from this great author (I wouldn't recommend jumping in on his later books as you will miss subtle references throughout). Even now, after reading it from cover to cover several times, I find myself picking it up. As Feist put it himself - it is a 'ripping good yarn'.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ragwaine
The first book started off with some amazing cliches. Pipe smoking wizard, mountains too snow covered so must go through dwarven mines, a young boy with powers he doesn't understand as a main character. But overall it wasn't bad. The bad guys were just starting to get interesting when it ended and
The second book was better. The characters started to grow on me a bit and the world of the Tusranni was detailed and very cool. It was not too long winded and the action was pretty steady. Writing was average, not bad enough to be distracting but not good enough for me ever to notice a beautiful line of prose. Not bad for a fantasy novel written 20 years ago.
Show More
the magic armor and sword seemed like they were heading somewhere very cool. The second book was better. The characters started to grow on me a bit and the world of the Tusranni was detailed and very cool. It was not too long winded and the action was pretty steady. Writing was average, not bad enough to be distracting but not good enough for me ever to notice a beautiful line of prose. Not bad for a fantasy novel written 20 years ago.
Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
One of the classics of the fantasy genre. Two small boys grow up into a mighty warrier and powerful magician fighting against the everpresent evil to save a kingdom and find true love.
LibraryThing member Svenvc
My first fantasy book I read and still one of the best books all time!!
LibraryThing member coffeesucker
Phenomenal series - highest rating!
LibraryThing member DebbieMcCauley
This is the first book in the 'Riftwar Cycle', first published in 1982. Pug, a young orphan boy with undeveloped powers is apprenticed to a master magician in Crydee, a frontier outpost in the Kingdom of the Isles. Suddenly the Kingdom is overrun by alien invaders who have come through a rift from
This book was originally reduced in size by it's editors, but re-published in 1992 in an edition entitled 'The Author's Preferred Edition' which has seen much of the original text restored. To be honest, I wish I had read the original version. The story seemed to drag on interminably and I found myself becoming exasperated and skimming more and more pages in an almost desperate bid to finish it and move on to something better. I found the characters underdeveloped and this meant that I couldn't really identify with and empathise with them. There also seems too many unnecessary characters - the inclusion of a character list at the beginning of the book would have helped here. Too much unnecessary detail and dialogue detracted from other good points of the story. Very disappointing, I will not bother with the sequals.
Show More
another world. Pug and his friend Tomas are swept up into the conflict which lasts for many years. This book was originally reduced in size by it's editors, but re-published in 1992 in an edition entitled 'The Author's Preferred Edition' which has seen much of the original text restored. To be honest, I wish I had read the original version. The story seemed to drag on interminably and I found myself becoming exasperated and skimming more and more pages in an almost desperate bid to finish it and move on to something better. I found the characters underdeveloped and this meant that I couldn't really identify with and empathise with them. There also seems too many unnecessary characters - the inclusion of a character list at the beginning of the book would have helped here. Too much unnecessary detail and dialogue detracted from other good points of the story. Very disappointing, I will not bother with the sequals.
Show Less
LibraryThing member NannyOgg13
I love the book, but was annoyed with the narrator.
While his normal in-character narrating voice is just fine (the kind of voice I associate with big, bearded, pipe-smoking old wizards), any time he tried to act out some strong emotion it sounded... constipated. And it's very much not fun
And then there's all changing voices for minor characters (sometimes even in the middle of a sentence).
So yeah, not really in love with the narrator, but the books is still great fun, in writing and in audio :)
While his normal in-character narrating voice is just fine (the kind of voice I associate with big, bearded, pipe-smoking old wizards), any time he tried to act out some strong emotion it sounded... constipated. And it's very much not fun
Show More
listening to a young lady sobbing in the voice of a constipated middle-aged man. And then there's all changing voices for minor characters (sometimes even in the middle of a sentence).
So yeah, not really in love with the narrator, but the books is still great fun, in writing and in audio :)
Show Less
LibraryThing member JohnFair
This is the first book in Raymond Feist's huge, mega volume saga set on the worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan. As a games designer, Feist is familiar with a fantasy setting and this book, detailing the invasion of Midkemia by the Tsurani of Kelewan is set in a world that would be almost familiar to
Like a lot of fantasy books of this era, we have a young boy who dreams of better things - first a rather improbable (though not improper!) friendship with his lord's daughter then a magician's apprentice, though he's not very good at putting his master's lessons into practice. When an alien ship arrives off the coast of Crydee - Pug's home town, the Duke decides that news of this possible invasion has to get to the King in the far off east. He takes Pug and his friend Tomas along as witnesses but there are aliens in the forests between Crydee and the rest of the Kingdom who decimate the duke's party, chasing them into the deep mines of the dwarves. There, Tomas gets separated from the rest of the party. In this edition we get the full story of what the participants think of as the Rift War - later editions split the story into two sections.
Although not quite as obvious in this book as in others in the series, the fact of Feist's game design background can sometimes have the sound of dice rattling around in the background, and the 'powering up' of the various characters can be seen as the series continues. This reread actually went quite well
Show More
the average inhabitant of mediaeval Europe, though some of the tactics and weaponry presented here would seem to be more at home a few centuries later - that's Midkemia. Kelewan, The home world of the Tsurani seems more happily based on an idea of Japan of a similar time period, though Kelewan is more of a cypher than Midkemia in this particular book.Like a lot of fantasy books of this era, we have a young boy who dreams of better things - first a rather improbable (though not improper!) friendship with his lord's daughter then a magician's apprentice, though he's not very good at putting his master's lessons into practice. When an alien ship arrives off the coast of Crydee - Pug's home town, the Duke decides that news of this possible invasion has to get to the King in the far off east. He takes Pug and his friend Tomas along as witnesses but there are aliens in the forests between Crydee and the rest of the Kingdom who decimate the duke's party, chasing them into the deep mines of the dwarves. There, Tomas gets separated from the rest of the party. In this edition we get the full story of what the participants think of as the Rift War - later editions split the story into two sections.
Although not quite as obvious in this book as in others in the series, the fact of Feist's game design background can sometimes have the sound of dice rattling around in the background, and the 'powering up' of the various characters can be seen as the series continues. This reread actually went quite well
Show Less
LibraryThing member ashooles
Despite trying to enjoy this book more, I just couldn't. I liked aspects, but found myself more enthralled by the Tsurani storyline and people than the major characters.
I first read Feist's Empire Trilogy, which inspired me to read more of his work. I have been unable to enjoy others as much,
I understand this is one of his earlier works, but even reading the revised edition didn't do it for me.
There were enjoyable aspects and I find his characters endearing and spark emotion in me, but for me there was simply too much battle and not much of anything else.
I'll still read the next two with hope I'll find them more enjoyable.
I first read Feist's Empire Trilogy, which inspired me to read more of his work. I have been unable to enjoy others as much,
Show More
though.I understand this is one of his earlier works, but even reading the revised edition didn't do it for me.
There were enjoyable aspects and I find his characters endearing and spark emotion in me, but for me there was simply too much battle and not much of anything else.
I'll still read the next two with hope I'll find them more enjoyable.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sundowneruk
I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to any fantasy readers
LibraryThing member Carol_W
This is a British edition of a work apparently originally published in the ‘80’s as two books. The division into two books seems fairly arbitrary since it’s all one story without an intermediate resolution. It is an early work by this author and is a fantasy tale that traces events across ten
The central conflict involves a protracted war fought between two worlds across a magically created rift. The novelty of that set-up goes some way towards making up for the strong Tolkien influence on one of the worlds, Midkemia. The other world, Kelewan, is more original and more interesting. I appreciated the fact that the trans-rift invaders turned out to be very human, with good and bad individuals. This raised the prospect of a diplomatic solution to the conflict and I was disappointed by the intervention of the powerful magician Macros who was apparently possessed of foreknowledge and was manipulating events to satisfy what was fated to occur. I would have rather seen the other characters solve their own problems to a larger extent.
There were some interesting and likable characters. The villains were a bit disappointing, however, being spoken of, but not appearing (Black Guy, the “Enemy”), or appearing only briefly (the Warlord and his magicians). One doesn’t actually exist (Ashen-Shugar) except as an influence that Tomas must struggle against. That struggle was well-done, but had too little impact on the resolution of the story. Though it’s a minor point, I was bothered by the name Pug, which made me think of a dog. Pug’s apparent brainwashing (which we didn’t see happen) that made him loyal to the Tsurani Empire also bothered me. He was both too aware of it and too little disturbed by it for it to feel very convincing. It seemed more a plot device. Scenes involving Pug’s mastery of his powers were impressive, but ultimately he was upstaged by Macros in terms of his impact on events. The powers that Macros exhibited suggested to me that he could have intervened much sooner and saved a great deal of bloodshed. Apparently it wasn’t fated to be that way. I never care for such arbitrary interference by god-like beings. It robs the characters of control and makes the plot less satisfying.
The writing was impressive in places, though more so in the latter parts than at the beginning. There were many things that were told rather than shown. Showing them would have strengthened the book, but also lengthened it. Possibly the story should have been spread out over more volumes. Overall the book held my interest but left me unsatisfied in too many respects.
Show More
years of time. The story seems a bit ungainly. It tries to focus mainly on one character, Pug, and to lesser extent on his friend Tomas, but both of these characters are left for long periods (years) while other events or characters are being followed. By the end of the story when they are reunited, I had almost forgotten what the original friendship of Pug and Tomas was like.The central conflict involves a protracted war fought between two worlds across a magically created rift. The novelty of that set-up goes some way towards making up for the strong Tolkien influence on one of the worlds, Midkemia. The other world, Kelewan, is more original and more interesting. I appreciated the fact that the trans-rift invaders turned out to be very human, with good and bad individuals. This raised the prospect of a diplomatic solution to the conflict and I was disappointed by the intervention of the powerful magician Macros who was apparently possessed of foreknowledge and was manipulating events to satisfy what was fated to occur. I would have rather seen the other characters solve their own problems to a larger extent.
There were some interesting and likable characters. The villains were a bit disappointing, however, being spoken of, but not appearing (Black Guy, the “Enemy”), or appearing only briefly (the Warlord and his magicians). One doesn’t actually exist (Ashen-Shugar) except as an influence that Tomas must struggle against. That struggle was well-done, but had too little impact on the resolution of the story. Though it’s a minor point, I was bothered by the name Pug, which made me think of a dog. Pug’s apparent brainwashing (which we didn’t see happen) that made him loyal to the Tsurani Empire also bothered me. He was both too aware of it and too little disturbed by it for it to feel very convincing. It seemed more a plot device. Scenes involving Pug’s mastery of his powers were impressive, but ultimately he was upstaged by Macros in terms of his impact on events. The powers that Macros exhibited suggested to me that he could have intervened much sooner and saved a great deal of bloodshed. Apparently it wasn’t fated to be that way. I never care for such arbitrary interference by god-like beings. It robs the characters of control and makes the plot less satisfying.
The writing was impressive in places, though more so in the latter parts than at the beginning. There were many things that were told rather than shown. Showing them would have strengthened the book, but also lengthened it. Possibly the story should have been spread out over more volumes. Overall the book held my interest but left me unsatisfied in too many respects.
Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1982-11
Physical description
704 p.; 4.37 inches
ISBN
0586217835 / 9780586217832