The Riftwar Saga

The Riftwar Saga #1-4

by Raymond E. Feist

4 book set of the Riftwar saga!

Includes:
Magician: Apprentice
Magician: Master
Silverthorn
A Darkness At Sethanon

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic, Classics

Paperback

First published February 7, 1986

About the author

Raymond 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.

Reviews

[John Montagne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a fantasy series filled with tropes... but it worked, nicely. It falls somewhere in-between what I'd consider 'High Fantasy' and 'contemporary fantasy'. If you're looking for some zany type fantasy world that you hadn't imagined, I wouldn't suggest this series. But if you like your dwarves dour and your elves in the woods (and pretty awesome descriptions as to wielding magic), then try these out. The character building is there, but the plots kinda pan out the way one expects - but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of reading them. This fantasy series is classic in a sense that it follows the scriptures of fantasy novels - but hey, sometimes we like our fantasy worlds/characters that way if done with a writing style that leads us on a merry adventure.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these many years ago as a kid and thought that Pug was the bomb. I was amazed at the magic and the depictions of war as not only blood and guts but an impressive exercise in tactics. Lordy, I hadn't even read LOTR at this point. Perhaps these books will still hold up upon a re-read, continuing Feist's worlds where I had left off at the then-current 4th book. I loved it then, perhaps I'll still love it now.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed revisiting the series, in written English this time. I grew up with it and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

[Ephraim Sisay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been so long since I’ve picked up a fiction book that I really didn’t wanna put down. Genuinely felt like I was watching a movie but in my head. It’s a decent sized saga, but it was such a scintillating read. I have a few qualms with how certain stories within the book would go, but I still am a big fan. I might have to get back into this whole fiction reading thing again.

In Rubin Karere’s words “Besides the Bible, this is the only book my dad has ever read.” I appreciate y’all lending me this❤️‍🔥

[Milo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raymond E Feist may have earned himself a name but for me his writing is nothing more than mediocre. From the beginning of the first book I could tell the Saga would be fairly dry but, like any devoted reader, I soldiered on. These books aren't all bad mind you, there are some saving graces; though the captivating battles and torture scenes are sparse. Mainly, the book sports a cacophony of pointlessness. Pointlessness chiefly due to vapid, sophomoric writing and the inconsiderate use of cliches. Considering the potential for scale in this saga Feist did a horrific job conveying the magnitude of the events unfolding. The character development was so weak and without any zeal that I was in fact repelled by many of them. I found myself not caring who lived or died. In fact, I would have preferred if the author had started killing people off just to start spicing things up. To Feist's credit a few of the characters were interesting like the thief boy Jimmy, and the dragon rider Tomas who inspired Paolini's Eragon.

In summation these books are worth a brief skim but nothing more. This saga is not endearing in any way.

[Paul Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first set of adult books i read as a 14 year old way back in the mid 90's and I have re-read them all a dozen times or more. I've now downloaded them onto Kindle so i can re-live the story at any time I want. Its very much a good vs evil novel with goblins & elves and magic and swords where the good guy always wins, but its an entertaining & fast moving ride through a world that has had a lot of thought put into its creation making it a comforting book to read and enjoy over and over and over again

[Rachel Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite series of all time. Feist got me back into reading when I couldn't stomach YA and didn't know where to go from there, when so much was changing along with my reading taste that I didn't even know what to look for in a book. The complexity of the plot, the sub-plots, and the most massive over-arching plot I have ever encountered, is astounding and wonderful. I expected at least some of the main characters to be obnoxious, but instead I got three beautiful princes, each with their own brand of kindness and leadership, plus a great magician and his supportive, capable best friend. I love everything about these books, and Feist completely changed my life; I have read many other great books in the last years because of this series.

[Paul Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doorway to fantasy

After reading an awful lot of crimes novels I decided to get back into the world of fantasy. I read these books as a teenager and loved them. I hoped that by reading them again it would open the door to my love of fantasy.
It didnt open the door, it smashed it down like the moredhel attacking Armengar.
I loved these as a teenager and I love them more as a grown adult.
Raymond E Feist is an amazing writer whose character are wonderfully 3 dimensional.
I would recommend anyone wanting to get into fantastic to read Magician.
It is still one of my favourite books of all time.

[D. A. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning, compelling, enthralling and darn well magical.

A must read for ALL fantasy fans.

[Rosen Valnarov · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the most entertaining book written in the dullest way with the noblest characters.
Let me elaborate - I’ll not go into details about the story. It’s huge. The world is huge. And I mean humongous. I’ve lost count of how many eleven races are there. Dwarves, trolls, mountain trolls. Everybody’s there. And - they are frienemies with another race and sub race from across the rift (portal). (In the first book they fight, but are real pals by the end of the third one - it’s ok. The books are so long that everybody has forgotten). My biggest beef with the books - the characters. Mary Sues. All of them. Very noble and beautiful and brave and… c’mon. I was waiting for somebody to die in a siege with 50k+ baddies, but no - everyone’s fine. Even the bad guy from the first book gets rehabilitated at the end of the third one and made advisor to the king - hurray. No interesting female characters. No intrigue. No backstabbing. No swearing. So much wasted potential.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great pleasure reading the books. Mr Feist is very good in building characters (Pug, Jimmy The Hand, Arutha etc). I loved the plot, the structure, the way the story unfolds. Witchcraft, power, evil and good, friendship, kingdoms; the books do not present something new to the reader. However, when you finally complete the saga, it makes you feel like a really good friend has moved to another city.

[Giselle]

This book, like most others of this genre, is basically about the struggle between good and evil, but I think it presents its argument in a very unique way, especially using science fiction e.g the settings on two different planets as well as time travel. There is also racial tensions between the inhabitants of both planets. A good reflection of the modern world,

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first two books in the series (essentially the coming-of-age story of Pug as he becomes a magician), but didn't enjoy the latter two books Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon, which struck me as more typical epic fantasy fare, so overall 3 stars.

[Linda Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series I loved very much so much so I have read the books a good few times as to date just finished reading them again at the end of last month these wonderful books are a must read for adventure lovers all over.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it as a child. Just remember that I loved it.

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

a favorite of my youth

[Mii · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great read!

[Ondrej Urban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's do a thought experiment. Imagine you are asked to write two reviews, first one of the gaming system - PC or console - that you had and used as a child or a teenager, and the second review of a gaming system that you have and use now ("now" being in the second half of your thirties). For me, the first review would contain reams of nostalgia. Even though no big gamer by any means, I still fondly remember the time spent trying to beat Prehistorik 2 (or, rather, watch my much more patient cousin do it), crawling behind enemies of Evil Islands or perhaps even the time I mentioned Heroes of Might and Magic 2 in a fan mail to Jane Welch. My second review - even though I am even less of a gamer now - would probably include fascination with open world games and their stories and whatever else. I'd imagine for you, this combination of nostalgia and fascination might be similar.

Now, imagine asking your kid to review the same. While today's offerings might be pretty sweet, the ancient games you played are difficult, have shit graphics, you beat them in half an hour when you are NOT doing a speed run and overall what is wrong with you. Afterwards you ground your kid for being a spoiled brat that has no taste.

In the context of me giving this series three stars, I am the kid. I read it for the first time in 2024, over forty years after it's come out and thus there is either not much nostalgia to colour my opinion - or I've seen the things it tries to do done much better by people that came later (this later bit is painfully unfair but well, however influential Buddy Holly has been for today's music, do you prefer him or something more recent?).

I picked the Riftwar Saga in time I felt like a bit of a run-of-the-mill old fashioned fantasy, on which front it delivers quite well. An orphan is taken under the wing of a good tutor and grows into an epic hero that would go on to change and/or save the world. There are castles, royals, thieves, inns, dragons, wizards and all the pieces you'd wish to be there. Dwarves are dwarves that live underground, elves are beautiful, orcs are evil and die by their thousands and so on. So far so good - especially if this is one of the first fantasy stories you read after the inaugural go at the Lord of the Rings. However, if this is not the case...

Writing in the world you created for your D&D campaign has been done breathtakingly well by Steven Erikson. Not to mention giving a stellar example of how to burn down the city in an epic way to end a siege (ahh, Y'Ghatan...).

In times of Riftwar, it was also apparently still okay to borrow VERY heavily from Tolkien, and thus get ready for a group of adventurers travelling west, where at some point they need to cross a north-south mountain range that they almost manage but ultimately fail and need to take a route under the mountains where one gets lost and finds an incredible piece of treasure. I'm not very observant as a reader, but... really??

Next would be characters that are a bit too flat - the royals are lawful good and not in their wildest dreams would they consider stepping down from their moral high horse, they want to rule their subjects well, they honour justice, they are willing to answer to their subordinates and so on. Make it more interesting!

Speaking of more interesting, since this story came out, many authors - hopefully Mr Feist included - that a story can end in a bit more of an interesting way than just wrapping up all the threads except the ones obviously setting up a sequel. The ultimate artifact is a bit of a time bomb but the main threat has been averted, the people involved rewarded by the king, some people might have lost something but the kingdom will pay them out, we are all united, waiting for the next problem the universe throws at us. C'mon! Why should everyone be happy at the end? Create some conflict - if I help a group A, group B would mind and vice versa. They both helped me as the king but how do I reward them? Will this cause grudges and problems later on?

Riftwar Saga was a nice but ultimately not too special ride. Worth your time but there appear to be better ones around.

[Janine]

Da dachte ich doch, ich hätte wieder eine Reihe genau für mich entdeckt – von wegen. Aber von Anfang an.
 
Raymond Feist ist Jahrgang 1945 und zählt damit zu den älteren Kalibern der lebenden Fantasy-Autoren. Die Welt Midkemia, in der die Geschichte spielt,  ist eine Rollenspielwelt. Und tatsächlich erinnerte mich der Beginn des Romans auch ein wenig an ein Rollenspiel (im positiven Sinne).
 
Die Riftwar-Saga besteht aus drei Bänden, doch die kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen umfassen noch wesentlich mehr Bücher (Serpentwar Saga, Darkwar-Saga, Demonwar-Saga sowie Chaoswar-Saga). Wir sprechen hier also von einer ziemlichen umfangreichen Sammlung. Daneben gibt es weitere Werke, die mit Mikdemia zu tun haben. Dies nur zu Einordnung, wie groß das Midkemia-Universum ist.
 
Wie kam es dazu, dass ich anfangs total begeistert war und diese Begeisterung immer weiter abflaute?
 
Es war bei mir ein schleichender Prozess.
 
Ich war sofort drin in der Handlung, als wir Leser auf den Jungen Pug, einem der Hauptcharaktere, trafen. Das Tempo war zügig, aber nicht zu schnell. Und so vergingen die Jahre in dem Roman, Pug wurde größer und der Titel „Magician: Apprentice“ (Der Magier: Lehrling) wurde Programm. Ich fand es gut und fast sympathisch, dass Pug nicht einfach durch das Fach „Magie“ durchmarschierte, sondern sich Magie als ein Gebiet herausstellt, das Geduld und Ausdauert erfordert.
 
Mir gefiel zunächst auch, dass das Buch nicht überladen war. Es war eine angenehme Abwechselung, einen Roman mit einem recht einfachen Handlungsstrang, seriellen Abenteuern und Figuren, die nicht plump, jedoch auch nicht überaus komplex waren, zu lesen. Pug hatte seine kleine Welt, Menschen, die ihm gut gesinnt waren, jedoch auch Leute, die Pug auf dem Kieker hatten. Dazu kamen Drachen und andere fantastische Geschöpfe.

Begeistert war ich zunächst auch von den Elfen. Zudem gab es eine wundervolle Szene mit einem Drachen, bei der ich einen Kloß im Hals hatte. Ja, ich fand es toll und so hätte es weitergehen können, ich hätte ewig weiterlesen können.
 
Doch dann begannen die ersten kriegerischen Handlungen. Da war die Welt für mich noch in Ordnung. Und diese Handlungen wurden mehr
 
und mehr
 
und mehr
 
und mehr.
 
Nun konnte ich definitiv nicht mehr über mangelnde Komplexität klagen, diese nahm stetig zu: Politische Intrigen wurden gesponnen, eine steigende Anzahl relevanter Charaktere tauchte auf und auch die Hintergründe der verschiedenen Völker/Wesen wurde beleuchtet, schließlich geht es um einen Krieg verschiedener Zivilisationen aus unterschiedlichen Universen. Krieg der Welten, nur im Mittelalter-Setting.
 
Und da allmählich begann meine Freude nachzulassen. Woran lag es? Während für mich zu Beginn die Figuren noch wegen ihrer Gradlinigkeit überzeugten, wurden sie für mich nach und nach farbloser. Es wurden zwar immer mehr Gestalten, aber ich hatte keine Figur dabei, die mich wirklich packte. Besonders bedauerte ich es bei den Elfen. Ja, ich hatte ein wenig Tolkien und Tad Williams vor Augen, und anfangs ging es auch bei Raymond Feist in die Richtung. Allerdings blieb die Entwicklung für mich irgendwann stehen und es wurde ein wenig fad. Der Kampf, Belagerungen und kurze Schlachten nahmen immer mehr Raum ein und die Charaktere wurden für mich fast schon austauschbar.

Es gab neben Pug noch den anderen Protagonist Thomas, doch besonders Thomas fand ich einfach langweilig. Während Pug eher der Typ für die geistigen Themen waren, mähte Thomas an anderer Stelle die Gegner mit dem Schwert rigoros um.
 
Ich glaube, für mich ist es nichts, wenn der Kampf zu viel Raum einnimmt. Das Problem hatte ich auch zunächst bei den Powder Mages von Brian McClellan, doch da versöhnten mich die Vorgeschichten, die starken Nebenhandlungen und die letzten beiden Bände rückblickend.
 
Lange Reder, kurzer Sinn: Nach 500 Seiten lege ich das Buch nun zur Seite. Wenn ihr High Fantasy mögt, probiert das Buch unbedingt aus. Es hat eigentlich alles, was es braucht, um für viele Stunden Unterhaltung zu sorgen.
 

[Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I needed a Go Bag, these books would be in it.

My mother gifted me the Empire Trilogy when I was 14. I read them back to back and was completely captivated. I later lent that set to my highschool english teacher who apparently abandoned a Stephen King book she'd already started in favour of them. It was somehow incredibly validating, that she also liked them so much.
That same year, I remember aimlessly walking through the aisles of my highschool library, a friend of mine was wrapping up a vigorous study session. I was really just there to lure her out so we could eat. While she was packing up her things, my eyes landed on the word FEIST and I pulled out the book to discover it was his first novel in the Riftwar Saga, Magician. At this point, I only knew Feist was a co author of the Empire Trilogy and figured I'd like this book since I liked that trilogy. Of course the pages later revealed that Magician was actually much more than a random novel. In fact, it was THE novel. At the time, I concluded that Magician was the start of "the other side of the story" in relation to The Empire Trilogy. But then of course as I discovered and read Silverthorn and A Darkness At Sethanon, I became certain that The Riftwar Saga was THE story.

Over the years I sought out and bought every Feist book I could get my hands on and continued reading in the recommended order. It was magical. I was in love with Midkemia and every book, every trilogy set, every character spin-off... All of them allowed me to completely indulge, as they were all in one way or another, related. Some books were like zooming out to see tales of older times/gods/wars while others were like zooming in and putting spotlights on individuals or moments. In all "zoom out/zoom in" cases, it always felt like seeing behind the curtain because these were the stories that were often referenced in the meatier trilogies, and always in a way that suggested true depth. So, any questions or curiosities I had for those "references" were well satiated by colourful and detailed novels of their own.

Over more years, each time I moved homes, I would take a suitcase of clothes and my Feist books. Always abandoning all other material items including many other books by many other authors. They are a part of me. Why review THIS particular trilogy? Well I've just completed the Firemane Saga, which I enjoyed, and I am swimming in nostalgia for this set in particular. I'm glad I read reviews on his latest set before reading it. I got the impression that the new series was completely set a part from his previous works and would have been disappointed by that fact if I'd discovered it in the pages. That being said, my jaw was on the floor when further secrets were revealed!

But back to this Rifwar Saga. As I mentioned, I take ALL my Feist books with me when I move homes, but after reading the last book of the Firemane Trilogy and feeling the nostalgia wash over me, I wondered what set I would put in a Go Bag if I could only take one. This set was the answer.

Why? Well, I understand I've said pretty much nothing about the these books. Partly because I feel I would do a shit job of it, and also because I'm now much older. I have bills now and a job to wake up early for, and it's late, and this review has already taken longer to write than I anticipated >.<

Just read the books, they're wonderful I promise :)

[Marijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

About 6 years ago, when I just started highschool, I first read these books on a reccomendation of my father. Back then, I absolutely loved all these books. Looking back, ever since reading these, I have been searching for nothing but the same. These books have shaped my taste in books for a little over a third of my life. Now, rereading them, I am sure they will for decades to come. Although I am reading these in a very, very hectic moment of my life, I have still endured the sleepless nights absolutely devouring these books. These books have shaped the person I am today and will most likely containue doing so for years to come.

[Lily Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this series! I could take it with me anywhere and reread it happily until the end of time. Wonderful characters - two beautiful but distinctly different worlds. Pug (although I hated his name the first time I read it) is a fantastic character. And Thomas as he struggles with becoming valheru makes my spine tingle and my heart soar every time I read it. One of the best fantasy series I've ever ever read. I also love the minor characters like Jimmy the Hand who get much weightier parts in the subsequent books. I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magician was my first paranormal fantasy read. I fell in love instantly and the rest as they say is history. I have each and every book in this series and they are so old the pages are yellow but that doesn't stop me from re reading them all the time.

Raymond E Feist is an author like no other.

It is through Raymond that I was introduced to Janny Wurts and so I fell in love with her work too.

Do yourself a favour and get stuck into this series now. You will love Pug and his journey through life and the many other characters in spin off books.

[Chantelle Kinrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tad of a teenage book? ..... Not sure of right word. Not as in depth in the way of caring about main characters... felt like more of watching from above. I will read the final saga to series .. to see it till the end (no 4 I believe at this point)..... "tis still a good fantasy tale" just not as in depth to character building ... more of a story. ... I am not eloquent with words ... my apologies

[andy noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good saga

I do enjoyed this saga when I read it almost 25 years ago. Although it has some great characters and ideas. It lacks an edge. You know the main characters no matter how terrible their situation will not die. Therefore it lacks that realism that modern fantasy has . The female characters feel very two dimensional as well. I still have given it 4 stars due to all the wonderful memories it brought back

[Rajkhul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the story. This was a slow burn that gave enough background on the two main characters so that you see how they interact with each other and threw in a few surprises along the way! I really liked the story. This was a slow burn that gave enough background on the two main characters so that you see how they interact with each other and threw in a few surprises along the way! I really liked the story. This was a slow burn that gave enough background on the two main characters so that you see how they interact with each other and threw in a few surprises along the way!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read these books about 35 years ago. Re-reading them has been like reading them for the first time. The first time I read them at breakneck speed to find out what happened. This time I got so much more from them, the characters and their motivations being the real meat of the books. Loved the books even more second time around

[Barath G D Krishnan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series starts of with a cliched character of an orphan, who has a "gift", his friend who almost goes over to the dark-side and in the end a suspiciously powerful Mage comes in and guides them towards saving man-kind.

P.S. This is the crux of the entire saga and I don't have it confused with Naruto.

[MR.M.J.LABANOWSKI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

From the first paragraph in the first book, to the end, this saga has kept me utterly enthralled and entertained. This should be read from the beginning, to get to know all the characters that come into the story, and the storyline as it unfolds to the end. Totally rivetting and outstanding, definately up there with the best I have had the privilege to read👍😊

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! It hits all the fantasy beats, whilst feeling fresh with its application of ideas. The magic system is vague enough to be mysterious but offers enough to dig into. Fun characters and really captures that lord of the rings scope in which large continent wide struggles can be contained in a band of characters. Fun fun fun.