Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great work of high fantasy!, September 13, 2003
This book, originally published in two parts (Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master), tells the story of a war between worlds. Midkemia is a world of elves and dwarves, knights and castles, dragons and hedge wizards, which suddenly finds itself invadered by a human empire from another world, an oriental world whose vast empire has power beyond Midkemia's imagination. This is also the story of a group of young people on Midkemia, who grow up during the war, and develop beyond anything they might have imagined.This is a great work of high fantasy, perhaps the greatest since the Lord of the Rings. Author Raymond Feist succeeds in this story in bringing to fascinating life not one, but two worlds. I loved the world of Midkemia with its forgotten history of potent magic, and the world of Kelewan with its oriental flavor. Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and highly entertaining read. If you are interested in fantasy literature, then I must say that you have to read this book!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rags to riches - with a magical twist, January 8, 2007
This is perhaps my favorite fantasy book that I have ever read. This is actually split into two books in most publications (Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master). They follow the tail of Pug, a wayward lad whose dreams of riding off to war as a soldier are dashed when the only castle master who would take him in as an apprentice was an eccentric magician, Kulgan. His dreams then turn to becoming the world's most powerful magician, while boyhood friend Tomas sets his sights on the path of a warrior...he made it in the soldier's program, after all.
Little do the lads know the events they set in motion. They become unwitting catalysts in a war that engulfs two worlds, and potentially existence as a whole. Magician follows their tale from humble beginnings to a struggle that depends on their untapped potential to resolve.
The story is quite well written and is an enjoyable and engrossing read. While slow at times (particularly at the start), it's still a faster moving story than Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and many other fantasy writers. A smart combination of magic theory, war tactics, and political intrigue give this book many levels on which to enjoy.
Whether you're a longtime fantasy fan (and if you are, you have probably read this book) or a newcomer to the genre, this is a wonderful book to have, and will launch you into a fantastic trilogy of The Riftwar Saga. Enjoy!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A leader in fantasy..., April 7, 2006
This book is certainly a benchmark and one of the most important fantasy books of all time. Raymond Feist is an extremely talented writer, he develops his characters well and he certainly doesn't overdo the fantasy element. It has all the classic features of a tolkienesque tale - elves, dwarves, magic, and a dragon. Yes, in a way it is cliche and in later volumes his characters are perhaps a little over-developed in the sense that they become as gods, a kind of no-no in fantasy writing. However, if you pick up this book you will not put it down, nor will you have a bad thought about it as you read. The rest of the series is really, really good, and in this vein of fantasy Feist is quite unmatched. I hunted down a first ed. HB copy for my collection, and I have read and re-read it as well as the rest of the series. If you have any inclination towards classic fantasy, then look no further. The character development and a well woven plot will have you hooked.
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