Magician – A Novel by Raymond E. Feist

Posted : December 29, 2019

Fantasy is a beloved genre for countless readers. Diving into a massive epic, and leaving your own world behind, is a joy that has been experienced by humans since the dawn of civilisation. With so many writers to choose from, it can be a bit difficult to decide on what comes next. Raymond E. Feist’s ‘Riftwar Saga’ is a good place to start, with the first novel in the series, ‘Magician’. Lord of The Rings set the stage for fantasy writers. Countless stories have emulated its setting, some to a greater effect than others. Magician is a story that seems to do the same, borrowing much of its ideas and themes from the epic. Feist manages to build his own magnificent set of characters and plot, however, expanding on this formula in a magnificent way. The story revolves around a clash between two worlds, separated by endless light years, joined together by an accidentally formed rift that connects two very different civilisations. On one side, we have Midkemia, a nation modelled around the traditional medieval European standard. It has knights and princesses, lords and beggars, but most importantly, magicians. The other planet hosts a people known as the Tsurani. These people are loosely based on a fusion of Japanese and ancient South American cultures. They are a vastly superior people in terms of military strength, and begin flooding Midkemia with their forces, in an attempt to take it. The samurai-like warriors, brandishing mighty broadswords, clash brutally with the horsemen and knights of Midkemia. This novel is charged with epic battles, political subterfuge and plots, and daring missions. Our main character is caught up right in the middle of this cataclysmic war, but his humble origins could never predict such monumental happenings. Beginning his life as a lowly servant boy in the main castle of a land called Crydee, Pug would never guess he’d soon begin his training as an apprentice magician. After a chance encounter with a powerful sorcerer called Kulgan, who sees magical potential in the boy, Pug’s life is forever changed when he begins nurturing his ethereal talents. In time, Pug becomes an integral player in the war, becoming involved in a complex journey that takes him far, far beyond Crydee. Pug isn’t the only integral character though, there are many lovable heroes in this tale. From upstanding lords, to treacherous villains. Magician is a spellbinding tale, and you are assured to race through its lengthy page count.