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Conclave of Shadows #3
Exile's Return
Saved by a mage's intervention from certain death, Kaspar, the evil Duke of Olasko, is lord no more -- reduced to an exile's existence and forced to wander the harshest realms of the world he once enslaved.
Merciless deserts, forbidding mountains, and vast oceans now separate the once powerful despot from his former seat of power -- his dark dreams of vengeance overwhelmed by the daily struggle for survival. But there is a larger drama that will entangle the broken dictator. An evil devastating and deadly seeks entrance to the land -- the mystical tool of a dark empire hungry for conquest and destruction -- and Kaspar has inadvertently discovered the key. Suddenly, Midkemia's last hope is a disgraced and exiled duke whose history is written in blood, and who now must wield his sword as her champion . . . if he so chooses..
Merciless deserts, forbidding mountains, and vast oceans now separate the once powerful despot from his former seat of power -- his dark dreams of vengeance overwhelmed by the daily struggle for survival. But there is a larger drama that will entangle the broken dictator. An evil devastating and deadly seeks entrance to the land -- the mystical tool of a dark empire hungry for conquest and destruction -- and Kaspar has inadvertently discovered the key. Suddenly, Midkemia's last hope is a disgraced and exiled duke whose history is written in blood, and who now must wield his sword as her champion . . . if he so chooses..
343 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
206 people are currently reading
4226 people want to read
About the author
Raymond E. Feist
289 books9,534 followersRaymond E. Feist was born Raymond E. Gonzales III, but took his adoptive step-father's surname when his mother remarried Felix E. Feist. He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts with Honors in 1977 from the University of California at San Diego. During that year Feist had some ideas for a novel about a boy who would be a magician. He wrote the novel two years later, and it was published in 1982 by Doubleday. Feist currently lives in San Diego with his children, where he collects fine wine, DVDs, and books on a variety of topics of personal interest: wine, biographies, history, and, especially, the history of American Professional Football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
May 7, 2019
This book took a slightly awesome direction, breaking the usual storytelling mold we've gotten used to in Feist-land.
The previous novel's villain just became this novel's hero. :) He was so crafty, so unpredictable and cool, he needed an encore. :) And he got an encore, exiled in a distant land, in chains, and left to his own devices.
And yet, he gets transformed in his journey. :) Not bad. Not bad at all. :)
Oh, and the Geas had nothing to do with it. :) Or the revelations that the whole world was about to become a feeding ground for evil pouring in through thousands of portals. Or the discovery that evil really is madness. :)
I think I had more fun with this one than I have in the last five or six novels. Maybe more. But then, I'm a sucker for redemption novels. :)
The previous novel's villain just became this novel's hero. :) He was so crafty, so unpredictable and cool, he needed an encore. :) And he got an encore, exiled in a distant land, in chains, and left to his own devices.
And yet, he gets transformed in his journey. :) Not bad. Not bad at all. :)
Oh, and the Geas had nothing to do with it. :) Or the revelations that the whole world was about to become a feeding ground for evil pouring in through thousands of portals. Or the discovery that evil really is madness. :)
I think I had more fun with this one than I have in the last five or six novels. Maybe more. But then, I'm a sucker for redemption novels. :)
August 22, 2018
In the last part of this trilogy, since we have nothing else to do, we go to a distant continent to begin the story almost from scratch. In this beginning, we are again exploring the concept of repentance, whether a man after having done a great evil change camp, and whether the victims can forgive him. Whatever the case the adversary in the first two books, free of any magical effect, feels remorse for his crimes and is looking for a way to make good. Quite randomly, the way finds him and without realizing it he is called upon to undertake a mission that will result in the salvation of the universe. Until then, he will meet many wise men and supernatural creatures who will analyze theologically what exactly is what he has to do and what danger is lurking.
As with the second book, so with that, I can not say that I was excited about what I read. The book begins as an interesting adventure, a survival battle with the subject of repentance to put the reader in some thoughts. Afterwards, however, the magical element comes in a very steep way, and somewhere I got confused. Theological conversations then confused me even more, and when the story came to the end, I confess I did not understand many things. In other words, in this book we find an alternation of simplicity and complexity with these two sides having their problems. Of course, story is somehow interesting, but ... that's all. I rate it somewhere in the middle with enough lenience.
Στο τελευταίο μέρος αυτής της τριλογίας, αφού δεν έχουμε τίποτα άλλο να κάνουμε, πηγαίνουμε σε μία μακρινή ήπειρο για να ξεκινήσουμε την ιστορία σχεδόν από την αρχή. Σε αυτό το ξεκίνημα εξερευνούμε ξανά την έννοια της μετάνοιας, το αν, δηλαδή, μπορεί κάποιος αφού έχει κάνει μεγάλο κακό αλλάξει στρατόπεδο και το κατά πόσο τα θύματά του μπορούν να τον συγχωρήσουν. Όπως και να έχει ο αντίπαλος στα δύο πρώτα βιβλία, απαλλαγμένος από οποιαδήποτε μαγική επίδραση, νιώθει τύψεις για τα εγκλήματά του και ψάχνει έναν τρόπο να επανορθώσει. Εντελώς τυχαία ο τρόπος τον βρίσκει από μόνος του και χωρίς να το καταλάβει καλείται να αναλάβει μία αποστολή που από το αποτέλεσμα της θα κριθεί η σωτηρία του σύμπαντος. Μέχρι τότε θα συναντήσει πολλούς σοφούς ανθρώπους αλλά και υπερφυσικά πλάσματα που θα του αναλύσουν θεολογικά τι ακριβώς τι είναι αυτό που πρέπει να κάνει και τι κίνδυνος παραμονεύει.
Όπως και με το δεύτερο βιβλίο, έτσι και με αυτό, δεν μπορώ να πω ότι ενθουσιάστηκα με αυτά που διάβασα. Ξεκινάει το βιβλίο ως μία ενδιαφέρουσα περιπέτεια, μία μάχη επιβίωσης με το θέμα της μετανοίας να βάζει τον αναγνώστη σε κάποιες σκέψεις. Μετά, όμως, έρχεται το μαγικό στοιχείο με έναν πολύ απότομο τρόπο και εκεί κάπου μπερδεύτηκα. Στη συνέχεια οι θεολογικές συζητήσεις με μπέρδεψαν ακόμα περισσότερο και όταν μετά η ιστορία έφτανε προς το τέλος ομολογώ ότι δεν κατάλαβα και πολλά πράγματα. Με άλλα λόγια σε αυτό το βιβλίο συναντάμε μία εναλλαγή απλότητας και πολυπλοκότητας με τις δύο αυτές πλευρές να έχουν τα προβλήματά τους. Έχει, βέβαια, κάποιο ενδιαφέρον η ιστορία αλλά... ως εκεί. Το βαθμολογώ κάπου στη μέση με αρκετή επιείκεια.
As with the second book, so with that, I can not say that I was excited about what I read. The book begins as an interesting adventure, a survival battle with the subject of repentance to put the reader in some thoughts. Afterwards, however, the magical element comes in a very steep way, and somewhere I got confused. Theological conversations then confused me even more, and when the story came to the end, I confess I did not understand many things. In other words, in this book we find an alternation of simplicity and complexity with these two sides having their problems. Of course, story is somehow interesting, but ... that's all. I rate it somewhere in the middle with enough lenience.
Στο τελευταίο μέρος αυτής της τριλογίας, αφού δεν έχουμε τίποτα άλλο να κάνουμε, πηγαίνουμε σε μία μακρινή ήπειρο για να ξεκινήσουμε την ιστορία σχεδόν από την αρχή. Σε αυτό το ξεκίνημα εξερευνούμε ξανά την έννοια της μετάνοιας, το αν, δηλαδή, μπορεί κάποιος αφού έχει κάνει μεγάλο κακό αλλάξει στρατόπεδο και το κατά πόσο τα θύματά του μπορούν να τον συγχωρήσουν. Όπως και να έχει ο αντίπαλος στα δύο πρώτα βιβλία, απαλλαγμένος από οποιαδήποτε μαγική επίδραση, νιώθει τύψεις για τα εγκλήματά του και ψάχνει έναν τρόπο να επανορθώσει. Εντελώς τυχαία ο τρόπος τον βρίσκει από μόνος του και χωρίς να το καταλάβει καλείται να αναλάβει μία αποστολή που από το αποτέλεσμα της θα κριθεί η σωτηρία του σύμπαντος. Μέχρι τότε θα συναντήσει πολλούς σοφούς ανθρώπους αλλά και υπερφυσικά πλάσματα που θα του αναλύσουν θεολογικά τι ακριβώς τι είναι αυτό που πρέπει να κάνει και τι κίνδυνος παραμονεύει.
Όπως και με το δεύτερο βιβλίο, έτσι και με αυτό, δεν μπορώ να πω ότι ενθουσιάστηκα με αυτά που διάβασα. Ξεκινάει το βιβλίο ως μία ενδιαφέρουσα περιπέτεια, μία μάχη επιβίωσης με το θέμα της μετανοίας να βάζει τον αναγνώστη σε κάποιες σκέψεις. Μετά, όμως, έρχεται το μαγικό στοιχείο με έναν πολύ απότομο τρόπο και εκεί κάπου μπερδεύτηκα. Στη συνέχεια οι θεολογικές συζητήσεις με μπέρδεψαν ακόμα περισσότερο και όταν μετά η ιστορία έφτανε προς το τέλος ομολογώ ότι δεν κατάλαβα και πολλά πράγματα. Με άλλα λόγια σε αυτό το βιβλίο συναντάμε μία εναλλαγή απλότητας και πολυπλοκότητας με τις δύο αυτές πλευρές να έχουν τα προβλήματά τους. Έχει, βέβαια, κάποιο ενδιαφέρον η ιστορία αλλά... ως εκεί. Το βαθμολογώ κάπου στη μέση με αρκετή επιείκεια.
January 14, 2023
Kasper - negativac iz predhodnog dela sada je covek na putu iskupljenja, njegovi vidici se sire i on svojim sposobnostima uspeva da se nametne kao relevantan igrac na strani dobra. U pozadini svega toga su oni vec dobro znani likovi, sa jedne strane Pag, Miranda, Nekor i ostali clanovi Konklave Senki i sa druge metamofrirajuca porsonifikacija zla i ludila.
Nad Midkemijom se nadvija nova senka zla koje se cak i sam Asen Sugar (Tomas) plasi, dok sam Pag stoji nemocan pred izazovom koje je ispostavice se bio suvise veliki cak i za Makrosa Crnog!
Nad Midkemijom se nadvija nova senka zla koje se cak i sam Asen Sugar (Tomas) plasi, dok sam Pag stoji nemocan pred izazovom koje je ispostavice se bio suvise veliki cak i za Makrosa Crnog!
February 8, 2020
Exile’s Return is labeled as the third book in the Conclave of Shadows trilogy, a subseries of Feist’s larger Riftwar Cycle. Unlike his other subseries, this book did not bring the current storyline to a clear conclusion. It ended not exactly with a cliff hanger, but with a looming (if not unexpected) problem revealed right at the end of the book plus a major unresolved mission.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story as much as the previous two in the trilogy, although it really veered off on a different path. The second book had wrapped up the main story surrounding the main character of the first two books, and this book has a different main character, one we have some reason not to be very fond of. He isn’t an unsympathetic character, but I didn’t warm up to him as much.
I thought the story was pretty interesting. It started off as one thing that I liked and that was told well, but I wasn’t sure I wanted an entire book of it. Before I could get tired of that, things got a bit stranger, even a tiny bit creepy for a brief time, and my interest grew. Then we started to learn how that fit into the bigger picture and that was interesting too, and there was some good action at the end.
I wasn’t quite prepared for the incomplete story after all the previous subseries had ended more conclusively. For me it’s not a big deal since I’m reading the whole series more-or-less all at once, with usually just a single-book break between each subseries. Still, it left me undecided on whether to take my usual between-subseries break after this book or jump straight into the next subseries while I still have the momentum going. I decided to go ahead and take my break anyway, but I’ll use one of the shortest standalone books on my list. If I had it to do over again, I’d have taken the break after the second book and then gone from this book straight to the next subseries. There are only 3 subseries left to go, and I’m wondering if the next two will both end in a similar way. Hopefully the last one won’t! The title of the very last book certainly sounds final.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story as much as the previous two in the trilogy, although it really veered off on a different path. The second book had wrapped up the main story surrounding the main character of the first two books, and this book has a different main character, one we have some reason not to be very fond of. He isn’t an unsympathetic character, but I didn’t warm up to him as much.
I thought the story was pretty interesting. It started off as one thing that I liked and that was told well, but I wasn’t sure I wanted an entire book of it. Before I could get tired of that, things got a bit stranger, even a tiny bit creepy for a brief time, and my interest grew. Then we started to learn how that fit into the bigger picture and that was interesting too, and there was some good action at the end.
I wasn’t quite prepared for the incomplete story after all the previous subseries had ended more conclusively. For me it’s not a big deal since I’m reading the whole series more-or-less all at once, with usually just a single-book break between each subseries. Still, it left me undecided on whether to take my usual between-subseries break after this book or jump straight into the next subseries while I still have the momentum going. I decided to go ahead and take my break anyway, but I’ll use one of the shortest standalone books on my list. If I had it to do over again, I’d have taken the break after the second book and then gone from this book straight to the next subseries. There are only 3 subseries left to go, and I’m wondering if the next two will both end in a similar way. Hopefully the last one won’t! The title of the very last book certainly sounds final.
July 26, 2023
I was a bit sceptical about this one given it centers around Kaspar, one of the primary villains from the previous 2 books of the trilogy, however I ended up liking it quite a bit, especially once the Talnoy entered the picture and the stakes got high. All my standard criticism about Feist's writing still apply, in particular that he can't write female characters to save his life.
Addendum:
This book has one of Feist's more eggregious examples of how poorly he portrays women, or more accurately the treatment of women by male characters:
That is problematic on multiple levels. To be fair Kaspar was a villain in a position of power, yet Feist seems to be trying to set up a feeling that Kaspar is actually a "good" guy, he just does it in a stunningly tone-deaf manner. And then 20 pages later Kaspar remembers that as a duke he carried gold for "wagering, brothels, or to reward good service" contradicting his own previous thoughts.
Addendum:
This book has one of Feist's more eggregious examples of how poorly he portrays women, or more accurately the treatment of women by male characters:
... and Jojanna had expected to be raped. Not that she wasn't attractive enough in a weather-beaten fashion, Kaspar conceded, but he had never acquired a taste for unwilling women - not even for those who feigned willingness because of his wealth and power.
That is problematic on multiple levels. To be fair Kaspar was a villain in a position of power, yet Feist seems to be trying to set up a feeling that Kaspar is actually a "good" guy, he just does it in a stunningly tone-deaf manner. And then 20 pages later Kaspar remembers that as a duke he carried gold for "wagering, brothels, or to reward good service" contradicting his own previous thoughts.
February 17, 2025
Om te reizen via boeken moet je toch ook vertrouwen hebben in de reisleider. Oké, ja, soms moet je ook eens durven springen met een onbekende leider anders leer je nooit een nieuw land of stad kennen. Maar met sommige reisleiders ga ik mee op vakantie zonder te kijken naar de prijs of naar waar we gaan. Raymond e Feist is er zo eentje. Met deze man wil ik wel alle delen van Midkemia en Kelewan bezoeken.
De auteur
Voor wie hem niet kent. Raymond e Feist is een Amerikaanse auteur ( ja ik weet het, terug een Amerikaanse auteur.) die de werelden Midkemia en Kelewan ontwierp om te gebruiken in het rollenspel Dungeons & dragons. Toen hij werkloos werd schreef hij het boek Magiër, wat de start zou zijn van een langlopende boekenreeks.
Waarom?
Wat voor mij Feist als favoriet merkt in het fantasiegenre is zijn wereldopbouw. Eigen landen, bevolking, religies en vooral veel politieke spelletjes. Magiër blijft het beste deel omdat daarmee de reeks begon en dus de start is van de magie.
Het boek?
In de terugkeer van de banneling volgen we Kaspar. Kaspar werd op het einde van het vorige boek door Magnus, een magiër, naar de andere kant van de Midkemia wereld verplaatst. Daar moet hij zich direct verdedigen tegen aanvallers. Waar hij in Olasko de grote man was, is hij in Novindus een nietig persoon. Zijn enige doel is terugkeren naar Olasko en wraak nemen op Claus Haviks. Wanneer hij enkele handelaars tegenkomt die rondzeulen met een soort harnas is hij niet meer zeker of hij de terugkeer naar zijn thuisland zal kunnen aanvangen. Hij doorkruist bijna volledig Novindus, maar raakt meer en meer betrokken bij de strijd tussen goed en kwaad op Midkemia. Het laat Kaspar stilstaan bij de keuzes die hij in het verleden gemaakt heeft.
Mijn gedacht
Zoals reeds gezegd, grote fan van deze auteur. In dit deel van de reeks wordt er wat minder aan politiek gedaan dan normaal in zijn boeken. Wat hij hier wel laat spelen in dit verhaal is het feit dat Kaspar stilstaat bij zijn verleden en naarmate het verhaal verder gaat meer en meer inziet dat hij niet zo goed bezig was. Karakteropbouw is belangrijk om het verhaal naar hogere sferen te kunnen trekken en dat is Feist andermaal goed gelukt.
Het verhaal trekt wat weg van Claus Haviks, die de hoofdrol kreeg in de vorige twee boeken, en volgt dus meer Kaspar en er wordt ook veel verduidelijkt over de werking van het conclaaf der schaduwen.
Het verhaal is over heel het boek wel spannend. Er gebeuren redelijk wat gevechten en achtervolgingen, intriges en er is nu en dan wat plaats voor meer amoureuze zaken. Dat mag ook wel eens gebeuren in een fantasieverhaal.
Het slot zit goed en spannend in elkaar. Hoewel dit het laatste boek is in de trilogie rond Het conclaaf der schaduwen blijft de deur wagenwijd open voor de volgende reeks De saga van de duistere oorlog. De opgebouwde spanning komt hier echt wel tot een explosie.
Conclusie
Laat mij ook eerlijk zijn. Niet al zijn boeken in deze reeksen zijn even goed. Ik vermoed dat dit ook niet mogelijk is in zo’n langlopende reeks. Maar dit boek is er terug één van de betere. Het einde van de ene reeks en de aanloop naar de volgende. Goed geschreven, vlot lezend en spannend alom.
Zijn er andere auteurs waarmee jullie zonder nadenken op reis vertrekken? Van Feist zal er waarschijnlijk wel minstens nog één boek de revue passeren dit jaar want ben nu en dan een boek aan het herlezen om nadien verder te lezen in zijn nieuwe reeks. Alhoewel ik daar een beetje bang voor ben. Wat als ik na al die jaren verslaaft ben aan de oude reeks en daardoor de nieuwe minder goed vind? Het laatste boek dat ik kocht van Feist koppelt wel de oude aan de nieuwe reeks door bepaalde personages tevoorschijn te laten komen in het nieuwe verhaal.
Moest er toch nog iemand interesse hebben in cijfers, hier komen ze.
Feist is mijn vijfde Amerikaanse auteur op rij maar mijn eerste fantasie verhaal van dit jaar. Ik deed twaalf dagen over 288pg’s wat dus gemiddeld 24pg’s per dag is. Gewoon wat minder tijd om te lezen en sinds deze maand terug op donderdagavond gestart met fotografieopleiding. Dus één avond per week kan ik niets lezen. Een boek geschreven in 2004, het oudste boek wat ik tot op dit moment gelezen heb dit jaar. Dit boek is ook mijn derde LUEK-boek van 2025.
Ben op dit moment niet content van mijn opbouw van recensies dus die zal hoogstwaarschijnlijk wel naarmate het jaar vordert stelselmatig aanpassen. (Dat nooit content kantje van mij.)
Iedereen nog veel leesgenot gewenst. Indien gewenst antwoordt gerust op de vraag met welke auteur jullie zonder nadenken direct mee op reis zouden vertrekken.
De auteur
Voor wie hem niet kent. Raymond e Feist is een Amerikaanse auteur ( ja ik weet het, terug een Amerikaanse auteur.) die de werelden Midkemia en Kelewan ontwierp om te gebruiken in het rollenspel Dungeons & dragons. Toen hij werkloos werd schreef hij het boek Magiër, wat de start zou zijn van een langlopende boekenreeks.
Waarom?
Wat voor mij Feist als favoriet merkt in het fantasiegenre is zijn wereldopbouw. Eigen landen, bevolking, religies en vooral veel politieke spelletjes. Magiër blijft het beste deel omdat daarmee de reeks begon en dus de start is van de magie.
Het boek?
In de terugkeer van de banneling volgen we Kaspar. Kaspar werd op het einde van het vorige boek door Magnus, een magiër, naar de andere kant van de Midkemia wereld verplaatst. Daar moet hij zich direct verdedigen tegen aanvallers. Waar hij in Olasko de grote man was, is hij in Novindus een nietig persoon. Zijn enige doel is terugkeren naar Olasko en wraak nemen op Claus Haviks. Wanneer hij enkele handelaars tegenkomt die rondzeulen met een soort harnas is hij niet meer zeker of hij de terugkeer naar zijn thuisland zal kunnen aanvangen. Hij doorkruist bijna volledig Novindus, maar raakt meer en meer betrokken bij de strijd tussen goed en kwaad op Midkemia. Het laat Kaspar stilstaan bij de keuzes die hij in het verleden gemaakt heeft.
Mijn gedacht
Zoals reeds gezegd, grote fan van deze auteur. In dit deel van de reeks wordt er wat minder aan politiek gedaan dan normaal in zijn boeken. Wat hij hier wel laat spelen in dit verhaal is het feit dat Kaspar stilstaat bij zijn verleden en naarmate het verhaal verder gaat meer en meer inziet dat hij niet zo goed bezig was. Karakteropbouw is belangrijk om het verhaal naar hogere sferen te kunnen trekken en dat is Feist andermaal goed gelukt.
Het verhaal trekt wat weg van Claus Haviks, die de hoofdrol kreeg in de vorige twee boeken, en volgt dus meer Kaspar en er wordt ook veel verduidelijkt over de werking van het conclaaf der schaduwen.
Het verhaal is over heel het boek wel spannend. Er gebeuren redelijk wat gevechten en achtervolgingen, intriges en er is nu en dan wat plaats voor meer amoureuze zaken. Dat mag ook wel eens gebeuren in een fantasieverhaal.
Het slot zit goed en spannend in elkaar. Hoewel dit het laatste boek is in de trilogie rond Het conclaaf der schaduwen blijft de deur wagenwijd open voor de volgende reeks De saga van de duistere oorlog. De opgebouwde spanning komt hier echt wel tot een explosie.
Conclusie
Laat mij ook eerlijk zijn. Niet al zijn boeken in deze reeksen zijn even goed. Ik vermoed dat dit ook niet mogelijk is in zo’n langlopende reeks. Maar dit boek is er terug één van de betere. Het einde van de ene reeks en de aanloop naar de volgende. Goed geschreven, vlot lezend en spannend alom.
Zijn er andere auteurs waarmee jullie zonder nadenken op reis vertrekken? Van Feist zal er waarschijnlijk wel minstens nog één boek de revue passeren dit jaar want ben nu en dan een boek aan het herlezen om nadien verder te lezen in zijn nieuwe reeks. Alhoewel ik daar een beetje bang voor ben. Wat als ik na al die jaren verslaaft ben aan de oude reeks en daardoor de nieuwe minder goed vind? Het laatste boek dat ik kocht van Feist koppelt wel de oude aan de nieuwe reeks door bepaalde personages tevoorschijn te laten komen in het nieuwe verhaal.
Moest er toch nog iemand interesse hebben in cijfers, hier komen ze.
Feist is mijn vijfde Amerikaanse auteur op rij maar mijn eerste fantasie verhaal van dit jaar. Ik deed twaalf dagen over 288pg’s wat dus gemiddeld 24pg’s per dag is. Gewoon wat minder tijd om te lezen en sinds deze maand terug op donderdagavond gestart met fotografieopleiding. Dus één avond per week kan ik niets lezen. Een boek geschreven in 2004, het oudste boek wat ik tot op dit moment gelezen heb dit jaar. Dit boek is ook mijn derde LUEK-boek van 2025.
Ben op dit moment niet content van mijn opbouw van recensies dus die zal hoogstwaarschijnlijk wel naarmate het jaar vordert stelselmatig aanpassen. (Dat nooit content kantje van mij.)
Iedereen nog veel leesgenot gewenst. Indien gewenst antwoordt gerust op de vraag met welke auteur jullie zonder nadenken direct mee op reis zouden vertrekken.
July 13, 2024
A very good read for the end of this series! I was pleased that this book centered around the newer character, Kaspar. His character went through a lot during this book and he turned out pretty good. I was hopeful that a few of his new found companions early in the book would make it, but in true Feist fashion no one is safe. Toward the end of the book we get to see some of my favorite characters make an appearance! This was welcomed and brought my early feelings of this world back. The ending was ominous and I think the next series is going to bring a lot of action!
May 19, 2015
Nakor: "We have a problem."
July 14, 2024
The final book in the Conclave of Shadows trilogy. The prior Duke Kasper, An important character from books 1 and 2 takes front and center and his journey was not something expected. He is literally dropped onto the other side of the world and becomes wrapped up in an ominous adventure. Kasper was a character to hate in the prior books, but his new misfortune humbles him and I enjoyed his character much more here. Our Magician friends are back, which is always great to see and the next series promises to be action packed.
September 28, 2016
A tale of redemption and revenge
“I fell prey to two worst faults of a ruler… make that three then.” (pg. 111) Kaspar is the ex-duke of Olasko, whose greatest problem isn’t how to rule. He has been been forced to be evil by an evil necromancer who can’t die, exiled by a powerful magician from his kingdom, and now is facing himself after doing all that. Not to mention, he has to save the world.
In the mysteriously magical world of Midkemia, almost anything can happen, but losing a Kingdom and being teleported to another continent is still very uncommon. He has just been forced to do so many evil things, and finally, his conscience is catching up to him. In this book, filled with surprises everywhere, constantly changing everything, Kaspar has to try to redeem himself in his new life, but is interrupted by a mysterious artifact, seemingly cursed, that could change everything.
I liked Exile’s Return because of how much the plot changes so much, revealing new details about everything and unlocking the mystery. On every page you find new details, or easter eggs, and every time you think something is going to happen, something else reveals itself with sometimes dramatic, sometimes comical endings.
Through all of this the book stays with an adventurous and heavy mood, even during good times, it has comical twists in unexpected places. In this story, expect to be surprised in the best ways possible. Anything can happen.
Feist, Raymond E. Exile’s Return. USA: HarperCollins Publishers inc. 2005. Print.
“I fell prey to two worst faults of a ruler… make that three then.” (pg. 111) Kaspar is the ex-duke of Olasko, whose greatest problem isn’t how to rule. He has been been forced to be evil by an evil necromancer who can’t die, exiled by a powerful magician from his kingdom, and now is facing himself after doing all that. Not to mention, he has to save the world.
In the mysteriously magical world of Midkemia, almost anything can happen, but losing a Kingdom and being teleported to another continent is still very uncommon. He has just been forced to do so many evil things, and finally, his conscience is catching up to him. In this book, filled with surprises everywhere, constantly changing everything, Kaspar has to try to redeem himself in his new life, but is interrupted by a mysterious artifact, seemingly cursed, that could change everything.
I liked Exile’s Return because of how much the plot changes so much, revealing new details about everything and unlocking the mystery. On every page you find new details, or easter eggs, and every time you think something is going to happen, something else reveals itself with sometimes dramatic, sometimes comical endings.
Through all of this the book stays with an adventurous and heavy mood, even during good times, it has comical twists in unexpected places. In this story, expect to be surprised in the best ways possible. Anything can happen.
Feist, Raymond E. Exile’s Return. USA: HarperCollins Publishers inc. 2005. Print.
June 15, 2016
[old lady from Titanic voice] it's been 84 years...
Well. Maybe 84 days since I left "Exile's Return" at 40% done. I had read 4 books already over the Easter long weekend, and the change in perspective to the antagonist rather bugged me.
But here we are. The novel did indeed get better, and it is a rather fitting end to the series "Conclave of Shadows". We are clearly building up to something big, no doubt to be resolved in "Magician's End" some 8 books away.
Once I got over my annoyance at having to read the antagonist's POV (and more to the point, old characters whom I love and adore showed up), I found that I enjoyed the last 60% of the novel.
It does sort of feel like a standalone more than a continuance of "Talon of the Silver Hawk" and "King of Foxes", but I don't mind. It had a solid ending, and I look forward to the next series in this expansive epic.
Well. Maybe 84 days since I left "Exile's Return" at 40% done. I had read 4 books already over the Easter long weekend, and the change in perspective to the antagonist rather bugged me.
But here we are. The novel did indeed get better, and it is a rather fitting end to the series "Conclave of Shadows". We are clearly building up to something big, no doubt to be resolved in "Magician's End" some 8 books away.
Once I got over my annoyance at having to read the antagonist's POV (and more to the point, old characters whom I love and adore showed up), I found that I enjoyed the last 60% of the novel.
It does sort of feel like a standalone more than a continuance of "Talon of the Silver Hawk" and "King of Foxes", but I don't mind. It had a solid ending, and I look forward to the next series in this expansive epic.
July 19, 2012
While the previous book made it seem like the story was over, we find out that it isnt. We get a whole new main character and story line and then the this saga is done? Leaving us on a cliffhanger? How this book goes with the other two is beyond me. Yes it happens right after but new character and new plot and new situations. It bothers me how this was the last book because it doesnt belong at all. So I dont know what happens next or what books im even supposto read next.
Book wise, it was alright. I highly suggest finding out the books that come after this or with this last book... I certainly dont know.
Youtube review with more detail:
http://youtu.be/sbcwnzH2OwM
Book wise, it was alright. I highly suggest finding out the books that come after this or with this last book... I certainly dont know.
Youtube review with more detail:
http://youtu.be/sbcwnzH2OwM
November 20, 2022
Läsning 2: Jag var hårdare än nödvändigt förra gången. Denna är inte bra, men verkligen inte dålig i annat än jämförelse med övriga Feist.
Läsning 1: En ganska likgiltig historia om hur förra bokens storskurk rehabiliteras genom lidande och kontakt med lidande. Jag rekommenderar den inte.
Läsning 1: En ganska likgiltig historia om hur förra bokens storskurk rehabiliteras genom lidande och kontakt med lidande. Jag rekommenderar den inte.
March 29, 2019
De beschrijvende tekst klopt niet helemaal. Claudius Haviks (Klauw) heeft nimmer Hertog Kaspar van Olasko gedood!
De hoofdpersoon in dit boek is niet Claudius Haviks, maar Hertog Kaspar, zijn vijand uit de vorige delen. De hertog heeft verschrikkelijke dingen gedaan. Na te zijn verbannen uit zijn land en naar Novindus te zijn gebracht is het aan Kaspar om te overleven. Dit lukt hem, ternauwernood. Kaspar zweert om terug te keren naar zijn land, en wraak te nemen op Claudius en Quint Havrevulen die zijn tirannieke regime omver wierpen. Niet langer onder de invloed van duistere magiër Leso Varen begint hij meer en meer zijn daden uit het verleden in twijfel te trekken.
En nu.. komt Kaspar in het bezit van iets zo duister en krachtig dat het het leven op Midkermia en de rest van de wereld kan vernietigen. En de enige die hem kunnen helpen om het te vernietigen zijn diegene die hem afgezet en verbannen hebben.
Langzaam begint de Hertog te veranderen, en uiteindelijk zal hij het Conclaaf der Schaduwen helpen.
Dit boek is het derde deel in een trilogy, maar is meer een op zich zelf staand verhaal dan een voortgang van de vorige twee delen Klauw van de Zilverhavik en Koning der vossen. Hoewel het boek traag startte kwam het al snel tot een goed te lezen verhaal. Hoewel ik het einde wel zag aankomen, kwam het toch als een verrassing.
Op naar De vlucht van de nachtraven.
De hoofdpersoon in dit boek is niet Claudius Haviks, maar Hertog Kaspar, zijn vijand uit de vorige delen. De hertog heeft verschrikkelijke dingen gedaan. Na te zijn verbannen uit zijn land en naar Novindus te zijn gebracht is het aan Kaspar om te overleven. Dit lukt hem, ternauwernood. Kaspar zweert om terug te keren naar zijn land, en wraak te nemen op Claudius en Quint Havrevulen die zijn tirannieke regime omver wierpen. Niet langer onder de invloed van duistere magiër Leso Varen begint hij meer en meer zijn daden uit het verleden in twijfel te trekken.
En nu.. komt Kaspar in het bezit van iets zo duister en krachtig dat het het leven op Midkermia en de rest van de wereld kan vernietigen. En de enige die hem kunnen helpen om het te vernietigen zijn diegene die hem afgezet en verbannen hebben.
Langzaam begint de Hertog te veranderen, en uiteindelijk zal hij het Conclaaf der Schaduwen helpen.
Dit boek is het derde deel in een trilogy, maar is meer een op zich zelf staand verhaal dan een voortgang van de vorige twee delen Klauw van de Zilverhavik en Koning der vossen. Hoewel het boek traag startte kwam het al snel tot een goed te lezen verhaal. Hoewel ik het einde wel zag aankomen, kwam het toch als een verrassing.
Op naar De vlucht van de nachtraven.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2022
This book moves away from Talon of the Silver Hawk and follows Kaspar, former Duke of Olasko, after he has been abandoned halfway around the world with very few supplies. He starts making his way back to Olasko, encountering various ways of life he hasn't seen before from his lofty noble perch. Despite the fact that this is a "prince becomes a pauper" type story, Feist doesn't make it a morality play about how blind Kaspar was to not see these things. Kaspar is still in many ways morally redeemed by the fact that his worst offenses were basically due to the malign influence of Leso Varen, and once free of this his baseline personality seems basically good. Interestingly, neither Kaspar nor many of the members of the Conclave of Shadows is happy with either the idea that Kaspar is entirely blameless or the idea that he's entirely to blame. Everyone involved recognizes that the situation is complicated and Kaspar doesn't get a free pass just because a magician made him do it, but also that he's not quite the villain he seemed to be at first. It's very refreshing to see a book that embraces this sort of ambiguity and complexity.
Notes on the story (which advances the plot in interesting and compelling ways, and is very engaging):
Notes on the story (which advances the plot in interesting and compelling ways, and is very engaging):
March 7, 2022
My 5 star rating is not only because this is my favourite author and I am re- reading the entire Riftwar cycle,
I really enjoyed Kasper who went from Villain to beloved character, Talwin actually opened a Restaurant,
So many people are saying that Mr Feist got tired of thinking up something new, its all just the same, war and 2 boys who fix it, but its comfort, there is always intrue and action and I just love all his characters, they are my friends
I really enjoyed Kasper who went from Villain to beloved character, Talwin actually opened a Restaurant,
So many people are saying that Mr Feist got tired of thinking up something new, its all just the same, war and 2 boys who fix it, but its comfort, there is always intrue and action and I just love all his characters, they are my friends
December 19, 2018
4.5/5. Better than I thought it would be, but i shouldn't be surprised with this series.
November 16, 2020
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
Surprisingly I really really enjoyed this one
Surprisingly I really really enjoyed this one
December 26, 2020
3.5 stars
March 31, 2025
Toujours aussi addictif
May 8, 2009
This book is no longer about Tal Hawkins from the previous books, this book is about the man he defeated, Kaspar, the duke of Olasko. And Feist's fantasy saga continues.
Kaspar has been sent by magic to the continent of Novindus instead of giving a death sentence. The former tyrant who murdered Tal's village seems to have no goodness in him, but this will change. He is caught by nomads but manages to escape and then start the long way home in order to seek revenge on Talk Hawkins. During his trip he will work as a farm hand, and slowly come to grasp the reality of his own people.
But there is a dark power lurking in the shadows and the aim is to destroy Midkemia. The Riftwar or the Serpent war will not compare on the madness that would be unleashed.
First, it was years since I read King Of Foxes, I have no idea what happened, or in the first book Talon of a Silver Hawk. I wanted to get the book in English but since it took forever I saw that they had it in Swedish...big mistake.
I love Feist's books, I have re-read Magician every summer for 8 years, and it's the book I would take with me to an deserted island. But since I loved his books I tried them in Swedish, and the translation is bad. The translator writes them in a way like they are addressed to teens and kids. Which in this book is strange cos Feist gets into this philosophical discussion with a god, and it shouldn't be written so lightly.
And yes I do love the cover, but then again it shows the market it's aimed at, the market all fantasy seems to be made at when it comes to Swedish books.
If you have read it, do say and let me know what you thought. I have a hard time knowing if it's the translation that makes it so very boring, or if it's actually the book. I do have a hard time saying anything about this book.
Well Kaspar redeems himself and I find myself liking him, then again I was never a big Tal fan. And we get to see Pug again and I do love Pug. The book leaves it open, or wide open for more and there is more. There is a war to be fought once more. I just hope I don't have to read that was in Swedish.
April 26, 2008
I especially liked this explanation of life, death and evil.
"But it's not, you see. It becomes heat, and light, and smoke and ash. When a man dies, the body becomes corrupt, and like everything else in nature, it is part of a cycle. We bury bodies or we burn them, but it doesn't matter if the body feeds worms or turns to ash, it is transformed, not destroyed."
"But the mind and spirit, they live on. The spirit we know goes to be weighted, and if worthy returns to a better place on the Wheel of Life. If less worthy, a lesser place. But what of the mind?"
...
"If every choice was weighed independently on a moral basis-that is to say, without claiming justification like justice, revenge, or necessary ruthlessness-then far less evil would be done in the world. Every faith in every temple has one creed in common, in one form or another: 'Do as you would have be done to.'"
...
"Good, because if you do, then you can see that the only explanation for evil beyond the justifications men make is that it is insane. It is destructive and it lends itself to nothing useful. In short, it is madness."..."Evil is wasteful. It consumes, but it never creates."
"So, by its very nature the Nameless One must be insane?"
...
"You do understand. The Nameless One has no more ability to be sane than a chicken can play a horn."..."No lips. You can teach a chicken all you want, but it'll never learn."
"But it's not, you see. It becomes heat, and light, and smoke and ash. When a man dies, the body becomes corrupt, and like everything else in nature, it is part of a cycle. We bury bodies or we burn them, but it doesn't matter if the body feeds worms or turns to ash, it is transformed, not destroyed."
"But the mind and spirit, they live on. The spirit we know goes to be weighted, and if worthy returns to a better place on the Wheel of Life. If less worthy, a lesser place. But what of the mind?"
...
"If every choice was weighed independently on a moral basis-that is to say, without claiming justification like justice, revenge, or necessary ruthlessness-then far less evil would be done in the world. Every faith in every temple has one creed in common, in one form or another: 'Do as you would have be done to.'"
...
"Good, because if you do, then you can see that the only explanation for evil beyond the justifications men make is that it is insane. It is destructive and it lends itself to nothing useful. In short, it is madness."..."Evil is wasteful. It consumes, but it never creates."
"So, by its very nature the Nameless One must be insane?"
...
"You do understand. The Nameless One has no more ability to be sane than a chicken can play a horn."..."No lips. You can teach a chicken all you want, but it'll never learn."
October 30, 2021
One of the most exciting books from beginning to end, but I'm also a fan of sympathetic antagonist stories where the enemy learns the error of their ways & emerges a hero
July 3, 2008
I have read almost all of Feist's many novels set in Midkemia and have found most of them good or very good. As long as you skip the "Krondor:...." trilogy, you are safe. this book is billed as the last in the Conclave of Shadows trilogy, but it reads as a fairly independent novel from the first two as Talwin Hawkins has only a small part. interesting in that this story is told from the point of view of the villain in the first two novels. it reads almost like a travelogue through the first dozen books, with references to almost every major battle and event of the past. the story itself is pretty good, although the redemption of Kaspar drags a bit. in the end, the book reads mostly as a set up for the next trilogy, of which at least two books are already out. on to the future!
March 29, 2015
Wow, and wow, I loved this book! I went into this book a little leery due to the fact that the first two books were about Talon, and the third book was about the villain Kaspar Duke of Olasko, and his journey from Magnus taking him to the other side of the world with nothing, to becoming a central part in exposing evil and helping the Conclave of Shadows.
The best part of the book for me was seeing some old friends that we have not seen in a long time, Thomas and the Elves!
To say I am excited about starting the next books in this series is an understatement!!
The best part of the book for me was seeing some old friends that we have not seen in a long time, Thomas and the Elves!
To say I am excited about starting the next books in this series is an understatement!!
February 1, 2017
Surprisingly good! When it started I was all "UGH, I'm sick of this guy, he's the WORST but I obviously see the way he's going to be rehabilitated" and then it was exactly like I thought it would be but it was more fun than I expected. The addition of the Second Level was great; I've started to think that Feist is really at his best when creating new worlds, but gets tired of them easily, and this brief glimpse of a brand new plane of existence really carried the book.
February 1, 2013
I'm very happy with this book. It made me want to read all his other books that are on my TBR-pile. I know that Feist is not the most poetic writer but his books are just entertaining, effortless readable and it feels like wearing an old sweater, warm and cosy when you are reading them
July 20, 2014
Quite good ending to the series and many leads for new series, but you could feel all the way that author tried to wrap it up. Many interesting new things revealed about universe, magic and gods which is always good thing if paired with lot of adventures and action.
December 30, 2021
Boy, oh boy, how do I review this? On one hand, this is a single novel, but on the other hand, it finishes a trilogy. So let's do this review in two: first as a single novel, second as part of a trilogy.
The novel itself
Exile's Return follows Kaspar, the former Duke of Olasko, as he is stranded at the other side of the planet. As his journey back progresses, he finds something from another dimension, and is forced to deal with it, delaying his return home.
I liked Kaspar as a protagonist: he is reasonably skilled, and uses those skills in places he wouldn't have thought he could use them. I especially liked how he recognized and dealt with despair in one of his companions.
I didn't like how, in the last part of this novel, Kaspar became a spectator and Pug became the new protagonist. The former duke lost agency, he couldn't use his skills anymore, and was merely driven by this thing from the other dimension. As such, I didn't find him fully redeemed, which was obviously the goal of this novel. This isn't helped by the fact that Leso Varen controlled the duke in the event before this novel, and since the wizard was killed in the previous novel, this control is gone. We, the readers, have not seen the duke before he had been controlled, and as such, there isn't much to redeem him for.
Its place in the trilogy
As for its place in the trilogy, that is a real mess. Talon Of The Silver Hawk was pure setup for the second novel, with no story thread which spanned more than a chapter for most of the novel. King of Foxes then followed Tal on his quest for revenge, which he succeeds in. That is strange for the middle book of the trilogy, but whatever. The author could have said that Leso Varen was not truly killed, so the last novel could focus on killing this wizard once and for all.
But no, the third installment of this trilogy focusses on a new protagonist and introduces elements that are (hopefully) resolved outside this trilogy. It gives me the feeling Conclave of Shadows is just a bridge between two other trilogies, which isn't helped by the obvious references throughout this novel to events that happened prior in this world.
However, besides the nagging feeling that Conclave of Shadows wasn't meant to introduce you to this immense book series, I somehow enjoyed reading this book. It however failed as a conclusion to a trilogy.
The novel itself
Exile's Return follows Kaspar, the former Duke of Olasko, as he is stranded at the other side of the planet. As his journey back progresses, he finds something from another dimension, and is forced to deal with it, delaying his return home.
I liked Kaspar as a protagonist: he is reasonably skilled, and uses those skills in places he wouldn't have thought he could use them. I especially liked how he recognized and dealt with despair in one of his companions.
I didn't like how, in the last part of this novel, Kaspar became a spectator and Pug became the new protagonist. The former duke lost agency, he couldn't use his skills anymore, and was merely driven by this thing from the other dimension. As such, I didn't find him fully redeemed, which was obviously the goal of this novel. This isn't helped by the fact that Leso Varen controlled the duke in the event before this novel, and since the wizard was killed in the previous novel, this control is gone. We, the readers, have not seen the duke before he had been controlled, and as such, there isn't much to redeem him for.
Its place in the trilogy
As for its place in the trilogy, that is a real mess. Talon Of The Silver Hawk was pure setup for the second novel, with no story thread which spanned more than a chapter for most of the novel. King of Foxes then followed Tal on his quest for revenge, which he succeeds in. That is strange for the middle book of the trilogy, but whatever. The author could have said that Leso Varen was not truly killed, so the last novel could focus on killing this wizard once and for all.
But no, the third installment of this trilogy focusses on a new protagonist and introduces elements that are (hopefully) resolved outside this trilogy. It gives me the feeling Conclave of Shadows is just a bridge between two other trilogies, which isn't helped by the obvious references throughout this novel to events that happened prior in this world.
However, besides the nagging feeling that Conclave of Shadows wasn't meant to introduce you to this immense book series, I somehow enjoyed reading this book. It however failed as a conclusion to a trilogy.
April 22, 2012
Exile's Return is another book in the roughly linear "Chronicles of Midkemia" novels, what I call the multiple series that Feist has written about different events in the fantasy world of Midkemia. Up to this book, this includes the Riftwar Saga (four books), a couple of freestanding books, the Serpentwar Saga (four more books), three books inspired by one of the most beloved computer role-playing games of all time, Betrayal at Krondor, the two books that precede "Exile's Return," and, if you like, three stand-alone collaborations with other authors. So that's either fifteen or eighteen novels, depending on your preferences. Some include the "Empire" books about the world of Kelewan (three more books) in this list, and call it the "Riftwar Cycle," but I like to think of the worlds as distinct and "Riftwar" as a misnomer for all of the books.
It'd been years since I'd read King of Foxes, the preceding book from Raymond Feist, but the delay was a positive one. More and more, I'm convinced that book series should never be read back-to-back; like TV shows episodes or film serials, the installments work better when you have some time (and other stories) between each one. Certainly it's the case with most book series, particularly as the authors assiduously provide plot summaries of what has come before (sort of a "Previously, on Lost" recap). Feist does it here, and there's little that you need to know about the previous books. Kaspar, Duke of Olasko, was fomenting war because he was sorcerously manipulated by one of his advisers, Leso Varen, who was actually a dread necromancer. Another member of the Duke's household, Tal Hawkins, was actually Talon of the Silver Hawk, last surviving member of an aboriginal tribe that Kaspar had eradicated years earlier. Talon infiltrated Kaspar's household as a representative of the Conclave of Shadows, a secret organization dedicated to protecting the civilized world from threats to Order and Life. Talon overthrew Kaspar, but, in a moment of pity, spared his life. The Conclave of Shadows, in the person of a magician, removed Kaspar and dumped him unceremoniously in the high desert of Novindus, a continent so far on the other side of the world that most people have never even heard rumors of his homeland.
This book begins with Kaspar stuck in the high desert, struggling to survive, both physically (the rigors of the high desert) and emotionally (recovering from the madness Leso Varen imposed upon him).
Feist's Midkemia setting is actually a role-playing campaign created by gamer friends of his, that he liked so much he used it as the setting for the bulk of his work. The different books often range pretty far in scope and tone from each other - Exile's Return includes a lot of ham-fisted philosophical treatise about the nature of Good and Evil, for instance - but there's always at least some element that seems taken directly from role-playing games in each one. In Exile's Return, this takes the form of a suit of fell armor that ensnares Kaspar and a group of grave-robbers in a geas to transport the armor across the continent. This is a tried-and-true classic game plot, up to and including the fact that the armor comes to life and kills anyone who attempts to derail them from their journey. As a gamer and fantasy fan myself, I love these aspects of Feist's books. It's the other stuff that wears thin, for me. In particular, the philosophy seems altogether superfluous to the plot. Feist makes an attempt to justify it by having Kaspar do a lot of soul-searching in his recovery from Leso Varen's manipulations, but it still lands like a beached whale each time he encounters high priests of various religions and, ultimately, the avatar of a god, to discuss philosophy with all of them. Not that I mind these sort of Bhagavad-Gita ruminations on principle, but the problem I had was that the philosophy espoused here is preposterously post-modern for a medieval fantasy society, particularly so when you consider that a large part of it is communicated from a god. Evil, the philosophy goes, is not in any way an archetype in opposition to Good, but rather literal madness. Even more galling, these philosophical discussions are told in the idiotic Socratic method, with one character (high priest, god, etc.) talking, and the other character(s) acting as "yes men" with no real opinions, asking no questions, disputing no assertions, and usually only something like "obviously, Socrates" to say. This sort of dialogue is appropriately lampooned in Monty Python and the Holy Grail in the scene where Sir Bedevere leads the crowd in a series of ridiculous logical leaps to the conclusion that the girl is a witch. This is the only way to view such dialogue: with a large dose of ridicule. The pacing of the book suffers as a result: the plot moves very quickly for much of the first half of the book, then is bogged down by these discussions for so long that the ending can (and has, judging by a lot of other reviews) seem very rushed by comparison. After the discussions, Of course, the travel sequences are glossed over, as in almost all fantasy, but for the rest... It all happens no faster than events in the first half of the book, but because of all the dithering with philosophy in between, it is given a bit less page space than it might have otherwise.
Feist's style has developed in an interesting way over the years. His "Riftwar Saga" (the first four books) is one of the most beloved examples of high fantasy ever written, and deservedly so. But with each successive book or series of books since, he has been moving more and more to a grittier, harsher low fantasy style, though on a grand scale, the plots have generally remained high fantasy. In part this has been a result of his moving from telling stories with multiple characters to more personal stories about a single character, such as Talon's story, bloodthirsty for revenge. In the background of Talon's story is the unfolding drama of the Conclave of Shadows, which is the high fantasy element and, to me, much more interesting. So it is here, with Exile's Return: the stuff with the Talnoy armor is what really engages me; while I find it mildly entertaining, I'm not all that interested in the more personal story of Kaspar's rehabilitation (and philosophical development).
It'd been years since I'd read King of Foxes, the preceding book from Raymond Feist, but the delay was a positive one. More and more, I'm convinced that book series should never be read back-to-back; like TV shows episodes or film serials, the installments work better when you have some time (and other stories) between each one. Certainly it's the case with most book series, particularly as the authors assiduously provide plot summaries of what has come before (sort of a "Previously, on Lost" recap). Feist does it here, and there's little that you need to know about the previous books. Kaspar, Duke of Olasko, was fomenting war because he was sorcerously manipulated by one of his advisers, Leso Varen, who was actually a dread necromancer. Another member of the Duke's household, Tal Hawkins, was actually Talon of the Silver Hawk, last surviving member of an aboriginal tribe that Kaspar had eradicated years earlier. Talon infiltrated Kaspar's household as a representative of the Conclave of Shadows, a secret organization dedicated to protecting the civilized world from threats to Order and Life. Talon overthrew Kaspar, but, in a moment of pity, spared his life. The Conclave of Shadows, in the person of a magician, removed Kaspar and dumped him unceremoniously in the high desert of Novindus, a continent so far on the other side of the world that most people have never even heard rumors of his homeland.
This book begins with Kaspar stuck in the high desert, struggling to survive, both physically (the rigors of the high desert) and emotionally (recovering from the madness Leso Varen imposed upon him).
Feist's Midkemia setting is actually a role-playing campaign created by gamer friends of his, that he liked so much he used it as the setting for the bulk of his work. The different books often range pretty far in scope and tone from each other - Exile's Return includes a lot of ham-fisted philosophical treatise about the nature of Good and Evil, for instance - but there's always at least some element that seems taken directly from role-playing games in each one. In Exile's Return, this takes the form of a suit of fell armor that ensnares Kaspar and a group of grave-robbers in a geas to transport the armor across the continent. This is a tried-and-true classic game plot, up to and including the fact that the armor comes to life and kills anyone who attempts to derail them from their journey. As a gamer and fantasy fan myself, I love these aspects of Feist's books. It's the other stuff that wears thin, for me. In particular, the philosophy seems altogether superfluous to the plot. Feist makes an attempt to justify it by having Kaspar do a lot of soul-searching in his recovery from Leso Varen's manipulations, but it still lands like a beached whale each time he encounters high priests of various religions and, ultimately, the avatar of a god, to discuss philosophy with all of them. Not that I mind these sort of Bhagavad-Gita ruminations on principle, but the problem I had was that the philosophy espoused here is preposterously post-modern for a medieval fantasy society, particularly so when you consider that a large part of it is communicated from a god. Evil, the philosophy goes, is not in any way an archetype in opposition to Good, but rather literal madness. Even more galling, these philosophical discussions are told in the idiotic Socratic method, with one character (high priest, god, etc.) talking, and the other character(s) acting as "yes men" with no real opinions, asking no questions, disputing no assertions, and usually only something like "obviously, Socrates" to say. This sort of dialogue is appropriately lampooned in Monty Python and the Holy Grail in the scene where Sir Bedevere leads the crowd in a series of ridiculous logical leaps to the conclusion that the girl is a witch. This is the only way to view such dialogue: with a large dose of ridicule. The pacing of the book suffers as a result: the plot moves very quickly for much of the first half of the book, then is bogged down by these discussions for so long that the ending can (and has, judging by a lot of other reviews) seem very rushed by comparison. After the discussions, Of course, the travel sequences are glossed over, as in almost all fantasy, but for the rest... It all happens no faster than events in the first half of the book, but because of all the dithering with philosophy in between, it is given a bit less page space than it might have otherwise.
Feist's style has developed in an interesting way over the years. His "Riftwar Saga" (the first four books) is one of the most beloved examples of high fantasy ever written, and deservedly so. But with each successive book or series of books since, he has been moving more and more to a grittier, harsher low fantasy style, though on a grand scale, the plots have generally remained high fantasy. In part this has been a result of his moving from telling stories with multiple characters to more personal stories about a single character, such as Talon's story, bloodthirsty for revenge. In the background of Talon's story is the unfolding drama of the Conclave of Shadows, which is the high fantasy element and, to me, much more interesting. So it is here, with Exile's Return: the stuff with the Talnoy armor is what really engages me; while I find it mildly entertaining, I'm not all that interested in the more personal story of Kaspar's rehabilitation (and philosophical development).
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