Book 2 - Riftwar Cycle, The Riftwar Saga

The Entire Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist---Don't forget
this name!! This 4 book series builds with almost nothing in
the way of fast happenings... It builds like quality foreplay
to that perfect conclusion: the satisfied reader!! Hints of
happenings dropped in the first book suddenly appear in the
4th book... never a loose string dropped: and there are many!
Everything throughout the 4 book series is interconnected.
The plot pulls along a beginning reader, drawing them into
a fascinating web of intrigue that continually builds...
To the college level readers... well you'll have to read the
entire series several times to catch the hundreds of nuances
that pop up and connect not just in one book, but the entire
series. If you read Lord of the Rings when you were younger
you MUST READ THIS ENTIRE SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

MAGICIAN: MASTER had a number of good elements that I have not seen in fantasy before. I liked the exploration of societal slavery, oriental themes and unique magics.

For the most part the story moves quickly, however, there are broad departures from this fast pace. There is a major side-adventure that adds little to the story. Unfortunately, it drags on for several pages (50+).

Furthermore, the climax and denouement of the book were both uninteresting and long. Like many movies nowadays, this book could have trimmed the length of the tale (by 100 or more pages here) and improved the story. I would have liked to read the original issue of the book: MAGICIAN.

Still, the tempo of MASTER is generally fast-paced. I enjoyed the look into the villain's motives. I also liked the exploration of the villain's society, which struck me as interesting and rare in the fantasy genre.

MAGICIAN: MASTER is a book that fits squarely into the 4-out-of-5 star category. You will enjoy it, but it won't blow you away.

Since I have read this book previously and enjoyed it, I felt like I'd be in for the same treat. Unfortunately, this series is failing to live up to what I remember it to be. Pug as a slave and a Great One was great. A powerful plot string and an intriguing look into another culture. Every other plot line in the book, however, failed to interest me. I skipped entire sailing and pirating sections of unimportant travel, as well as overly descriptive battle scenes. Tomas' plight was interesting, though having known what happened previously, I failed to pay too much attention. Some books benefit from multiple points of view, this one did not. With Pug being the only character deep enough for me to care about, I failed to enjoy glimpses of anyone else. Hopefully the secondary characters will gain a little more life and interest in future books, or I'm not reading for much longer. For Pug's journey alone this book is worth 3 stars, barely.

"Magician: Apprentice" and "Magician: Master" were entertaining, but my impression is that Feist cares more for his characters than he does his story. If you want only virtuous, very likable characters, happy endings and G rated banter between hardened warriors then he's your kind of writer. He's very good at this "safe" epic fantasy genre though (and I don't mean that disparagingly), and he does manage to keep things interesting. I prefer a little more reality and darkness and moral flavor in my fiction, personally. "Magician" was like Star Wars without the Empire. Or rather, Star Wars with a misunderstood Empire that's really good, but just set in its ways and in need of reform. It's the kind of adventure fantasy that I imagine aging, virginal, matronly English professors would enjoy ... if it had a bit more shear literary merit.

Never-the-less, if you like the kind of fiction I've described or you just want a change of pace, it's at the very least entertaining reading. Feist is a good story teller, even if he plays softball with his main characters, protecting them from any real tragedy.

Early in Magician-Apprentice, Pug joking "prophesies" that he will one day be the greatest Magician in the world. Then, when the action is reaching a peak, he disapears from the book, never to return.

In Magician-Master we discover why. Here we see Pug's growth to a Great One, a true Master of the arcane. Feist deftly tells the story of his character's growth and then returns him to the main storyline with a fluidity that is easy to follow and understand.

This book was so compelling I could scarcely put it down. Feist continues to amaze with his character development, and you truly share the characters triumphs and tragedies.

If you are a fan of high fantasy, this book will enthrall you.

This was a satisfying conclusion to the epic saga begun in Magician: Apprentice. Feist is a competent writer and he does a good job of creating a world and filling it up with a colorful cast of peoples and creatures. Although I thought this was very good, I thought the first installment was a little better. I was more interested in Pug, Tomas, Roland, Carline, et al, as they grew up together at the Keep in Crydee. In trying to keep up with the details of the war between worlds, Feist occasionally lost sight of the superb characters he so intimately brought to us in the first installment.
Feist sets the plot at a nice pace and despite the length of the two volumes they can be read relatively fast. Overall, this was entertaining and a worthwhile addition to the fantasy genre.

This book is absolutly amazing. It has been a long time since I have read a book this good. Even the first book wasn't this good. That book was Magician: Apprentence. The series is about a boy names Pug and a boy named Thomas. Pug starts out as a magicians apprentence learning spells. His master notices that he is able to do thaings that nobody has ever been able to do. Pug is captured by the enemy and sent back to their homeworld to work in the slave camps. While at the slave camps a "Black Robe" (magicain) finds him and trains him in the higher level magic of their world. When he has learned the higher level of magic, we find out that he is able to tap the power of two worlds. He is the only magican able to do this on either of the two worlds. There is a great scene in the book when Pug is outraged and calls down natures elements on the people of the world. The book provides a perfect description of how much power Pug has. "Here stood a figure to awe, arms stretched upward, body trembling with rage, eyes seemingly aglow with strength."(351) After this display of power, Pug returns to his world and helps destroy the passage that goes between the two worlds.
Feist is an amazing auther. His use of words and the way he writes are simply amazing. I am very glad that my friend turned me on to this series and auther. I recommed this auther to anyone who loves good books.

Pug a seemingly sub-average boy from the rusic duchy of Crydee. By saveing is teacher and freind Kulgan he is captured by the warrior race, the Tsurani. Accepting is fate as spending the rest of his life as a slave to Lord Kamatsu of Tsuranuanni. He is moved to his owners main estate where he is treated like a real person. One night at dinner he was attentding wiht Lord Kamatsu and his Great One brother his past studies of magic are found out. Taking him as property of the Assembly of Magician's Pug's life changes forever. The fate of EVERY world lies in the balance only Pug now Milaber does not know it.

This is the second book in Feist's original Riftwar Saga. It continues where Magian: Apprentice left off, and really develops the character introduced in that first volume.
The story is incredibly imaginative. I really would not want to say more than that about the story. The characters in this are incredible. Some you love to death, some you love to hate, and some remain mysterious. I must say Feist's character work is what makes this series stand out.
Do not read this unless you have read Magician: Apprentice. And, if you can, read this before reading the rest of the saga. As I said, it is incredibly original, imaginative, and very memorable.

This first offering in the Riftwar Saga is probably one of the best examples of epic fantasy that you'll likey find. Its main success lies in the "time-jumps" used in the novel - an unorthodox approach that often skips years at a time. In this way we come to fully appreciate the long struggles that the characters must undertake, giving a sense of realism to the whole situation. The characters themselves are subsequently brought to life, aided by a colourful examination of their changing hopes, classic adventures and enlightening interactions. The pace occasionally slows, but not enough to prevent this one from being a classic.

Magician: Master, is the second book in the Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist. In this fantastic epic fantasy, we see the main character, Pug, transform from a peasant boy with seemingly limited potential into a powerful magician. During this transition, we watch as the plot twists and turns and progresses. I had a very hard time putting this book down when I first read it over 12 years ago, and on subsequent reads, it still had the same affect for me.

Overall, I find the most compelling aspect of the story is the setting. In the first book, Magician: Apprentice, Raymond Feist weaves an expansive setting in his world of Midkemia. As if that is not enough, Magician: Master throws the reader into yet another hugely expansive world/dimension called Kelewan, while at the same time continuing the exploration of Midkemia. Seeing new cultures and traditions represented in the book, and watching the main character adapt and adjust, helps the reader get into both the plot and story, as well as into the characters emotions.

While many fantasy novels (or any fiction for that matter) follow similar threads of coming of age, Raymond Feist is able to add another layer into his story through the well-thoughout development of his rich universe. I thoroughly enjoyed Magician: Master, and it also motivated me to proceed through all of the books written by Raymond Feist.

I believe any fantasy lover would quickly become a fan of Raymond Feist by reading Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master.

I am totally displease with the publishers and Mr Feist in not allowing the US Market to have access to the Kindle Editions of the Riftwar Saga. I have expressed my frustration to the store. They refuse to sell the store.co.uk Books in the US. I am not really sure why since I am sure Mr. Feist, the publisher, and the store are making a tidy little profit.

This first offering in the Riftwar Saga is probably one of the best examples of epic fantasy that you'll likey find. Its main success lies in the "time-jumps" used in the novel - an unorthodox approach that often skips years at a time. In this way we come to fully appreciate the long struggles that the characters must undertake, giving a sense of realism to the whole situation. The characters themselves are subsequently brought to life, aided by a colourful examination of their changing hopes, classic adventures and enlightening interactions. The pace occasionally slows, but not enough to prevent this one from being a classic.

Magician: Master, is the second book in the Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist. In this fantastic epic fantasy, we see the main character, Pug, transform from a peasant boy with seemingly limited potential into a powerful magician. During this transition, we watch as the plot twists and turns and progresses. I had a very hard time putting this book down when I first read it over 12 years ago, and on subsequent reads, it still had the same affect for me.

Overall, I find the most compelling aspect of the story is the setting. In the first book, Magician: Apprentice, Raymond Feist weaves an expansive setting in his world of Midkemia. As if that is not enough, Magician: Master throws the reader into yet another hugely expansive world/dimension called Kelewan, while at the same time continuing the exploration of Midkemia. Seeing new cultures and traditions represented in the book, and watching the main character adapt and adjust, helps the reader get into both the plot and story, as well as into the characters emotions.

While many fantasy novels (or any fiction for that matter) follow similar threads of coming of age, Raymond Feist is able to add another layer into his story through the well-thoughout development of his rich universe. I thoroughly enjoyed Magician: Master, and it also motivated me to proceed through all of the books written by Raymond Feist.

I believe any fantasy lover would quickly become a fan of Raymond Feist by reading Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master.

I am totally displease with the publishers and Mr Feist in not allowing the US Market to have access to the Kindle Editions of the Riftwar Saga. I have expressed my frustration to the store. They refuse to sell the store.co.uk Books in the US. I am not really sure why since I am sure Mr. Feist, the publisher, and the store are making a tidy little profit.

As the war progesses Martin and Arutha head out the war...while the where abouts of master magician Pug is unknow. The where abouts of Pug are actully that there he on the home planet fo the war race Tsurani, where he spend his time in a slave camp than breaks free and rises through the ranks of the magician on the new planet. While there Pug gets a new, its now Milamber. Milamber becomes what is know as a Tsurani Great One. These magician hold power over everything and are feared by all. Well as the world gets going a new charcter reveals himself, he is called Marcos the Black. Marcos tell the court that he knows the where abous of Pug and will go find him and bring him back to there homeworld. Marcos find Pug and revels to him what is happening. Well this engrages Pug and he creates a sence. Ends up having to leave the Tsurani homeworld and help it out. In the end it comes to the attention that Marcos and PUg must use there power to close the rift if the Arutha and his troops have any chace of winning this war. Will they do? Read the book to find out

Magician: Master, is the continuing story of Pug, once a young boy living in rural Crydee, thinking himself unimportant, until one day the Duke's Magician chose him to be his apprentice. Since then Pug has undergone training, and survived a scrape or two. But now, he begins a new training, unexpected training, that will lead him to a path he never dreamed he would take. Meanwhile, the Riftwar is being wages between two worlds that Pug has grown to love.

This book is a very enjoyable read. Feist leads us down paths that we didn't see coming, throwing twists and turns in when you almost don't expect it. These stories are exciting first chapters to the Riftwar saga.

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

I love books like this that deal with an individual who has an inner power to do good for his people, and even manages to have a few girls with him... The most exciting parts about the book are the battles and heated discussions included in it. At times, though, I found myself reading on only to get back to the parts about Milamber. I you like fantasy books or are interested in becoming a wizard, read this book, because it is good most of the time.

feist invests a lot in making the character's personality, at this he may be one of the greatest masters. but the plot? the seemingly invincible people are turned into fractions fighting each other. there is not enough old fashioned action here. i expected much more. there's just a lot of the character's reactions as they walk around trying to fulfill whatever's expected of them. their adventure is never really that interesting. feist is uninventive, taking a little bit here, a little bit there.

The orphan pug, once apprentice to the magician Kulgan, is taken from his home to another world, Kelewan, as a slave along with his boyhood friend Thomas. It is then a great order of wizards called the Black Robes discover the potential of pug's abilities and teaches his the order. Now called Milamber, he learns of a great evil that is eager to destroy the world he now serves, and his distant home world Medkemia.
One of the best novels I have read of this nature. The plots are very deep and rich. You follow main characters from boyhood to maturity and bond with them as they continue their adventures. Get lost in a world of ancient magics, evils, gods, and noble deeds.

This book picks right up were you were left
"hanging" in Magician: Apprentice. It lays the roadwork for what becomes the most inviting and Mystically action packed series. Where the characters become family members, generation after generation, an ability of characterization few authors master!
I have read EVERY single book in the series TWICE!, simply because Feist could not put them out fast enough!

This book started out a little slow, building the characters for you. I read it while on det in Australia in the Marines. It took me three days to finish, (I was sharing the reading with two other Marines on different shifts.) And once it was done, we went hunting the next book. Raymond Fiest twists his tales fantastically, and I am awaiting his next venture having read hmmmm... 8 of them so far? Excellent read.

The book is well written and continues the tradition of Apprentice. The empire of Kelewan is even cooler then you could have imagined! Remember Macros? I hope so. We finally see magic in a light more consistent with Niven's Warlock's Era. (I recommend this too.) In comparison to the Hobbit and most TV shows, magic is done quite well here. The book has no major gaping flaws, although a couple of small logical disconnects. I think it's very good and shows what a true master Feist is. He doesn't drag you to his conclusions. It's entirely possible to miss them until Pug reveals them. The world is totally alien, yet the action continues on Midkemia. You won't believe the ending! Highly recommended.

Right from the first chapter, it grabbed my attention and I became enthralled by this amazing fantastical, medieval land. I could not wait to read the remainder of the series, which became my most precious collection. Wonderful themes and characters make this a terrific read.

This book was utterly compelling. When I first picked up this book, I was unable to put it down. I had to read all the way to the end to follow Pug and Thomas' adventures through the land of Midkemia. I could do nothing else for the duration of this book. The characters are wonderfully developed, the plot is superb. Nothing about this book is lacking in anyway. I would have to say this is my favourite book and I would strongly advise anyone to buy it and read it instantly! One thing though, I'm not sure if this is the way it is in the US or what but over here in Europe the book is called Magician and not seperated into Magician : Apprentise and Magician : Master

The compelling story of Pugs rise to master magician is riveting. The developing relationship between Thomas and the Elf queen also added depth to this novel . A page turner, you will not sleep once you start this book!

Every time I read this series (17 books which include most or relatives of original characters)I find that I have missed something. I read the riftwar saga the first time in high school back in the late 80's now it is the new millinium and he is still writing and I am still reading. I have read the series now going on my 9th yes that is right the 9th time. I have other writers that I read i.e. (melanie rawn) but none that have captivated me and made me to love the characters (melanie rawn comes the closest) if you have not read the series do you will enjoy every second... Michael in Missouri

Rather than growing the story further. The author created subplots that are really pointless, particularly the diatribe on this dude who want's to be king, thus affecting the war effort. But seriously, who cares. Readers want to read about how the battle between the good guys and the bad guys turns out. Not waste 50-100 pages on how the good guys are bitching about each other.

And naturally, the protagonist - Pug. After getting captured, get's trained by the enemy, absorbed into the community, and elevated to a level where he is 'above the law'. I mean, seriously, the logic is pretty flawed.

The ending was wrapped up pretty quickly as well, and naturally, against surmounting odds, the same old formula of a 'saviour' appearing from no where that cleans up the mess and saves the day was used.

Rather than growing the story further. The author created subplots that are really pointless, particularly the diatribe on this dude who want's to be king, thus affecting the war effort. But seriously, who cares. Readers want to read about how the battle between the good guys and the bad guys turns out. Not waste 50-100 pages on how the good guys are bitching about each other.

And naturally, the protagonist - Pug. After getting captured, get's trained by the enemy, absorbed into the community, and elevated to a level where he is 'above the law'. I mean, seriously, the logic is pretty flawed.

The ending was wrapped up pretty quickly as well, and naturally, against surmounting odds, the same old formula of a 'saviour' appearing from no where that cleans up the mess and saves the day was used.

Having read multitudes of fantasy works I still have to say that Magician is still my all time favourite. I have reread it countless times and still love it. I think all the other reviews sum up the book very well so all I can do is add my 5 star rating to the mix.
Magician is the beginning of a great adventure. Buy it now, but be prepared to fork out more cash to by the many sequels..all of which are definately worth it.

All the praises to Raymond E. feist who continue to excite me book after book beyond the wildest dream.
To all who haven't read this book: IT IS NOT TO LATE!
This magnificant story contains it whole - exciting plot, wonderfull characters and a thrilling imagination of the author.
In fact - the whole series of the world of mikdemia is recommanded. Once you started... there is no turning back.

When I read the rift war saga Magician Apprentice and Master were in the same book. So I don't know where Master picks up. I loved how it showed Thomas and Pug grow up and their lives start to seperate. I could barely put it down. It was simply one of the best books I read.

With his amazing description of magic and captivating writing, Feist has created a wonderfully entertaining novel. He does a great job of summing up what has happened, but yet leaving room for the plot of the next two books in the riftwar saga. This is definitely a book you will want to read again and again, and let Feist dazzle you with his masterful writing.

I started reading this book 2 years ago, since then I haven't been able to put any in the series down, each book in it's own right is a masterpiece! And the best thing is that Mr. Feist is STILL writing books for this series, he's up to about 14 so far. It may sound intimadating to have 14 or more books in a series but it's WELL worth the read!

OH YEAH! FIEST'S FIRST FORAY INTO FANTASY WAS FANTASTIC. I'VE GOT BOTH APPRENTICE & MASTER IN ONE BOOK & I CAN'T STOP READING THEM, AGAIN AND AGAIN. AFTER THIS I JUST HAD TO GO OUT & BUY SILVERTHORN, SETHANON & BLOOD (took me a year though).THIS IS GREAT PLACE TO START FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN STARTING THIS GENRE. YOU CAN'T MISS.