fantasy books | The Obsessive Bookseller

Title: Magician: Apprentice

Author: Raymond E. Feist

Series: Riftwar Saga #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan Pug came to study with the master magician Kulgan. But though his courage won him a place at court and the heart of a lovely Princess, he was ill at ease with the normal ways of wizardry. Yet Pug’s strange sort of magic would one day change forever the fates of two worlds. For dark beings from another world had opened a rift in the fabric of spacetime to being again the age-old battle between the forces of Order and Chaos.

The Review:

When customers approach me for a fantasy recommend, I always ask: have you read Feist? As the long-time favorite of my family, “Magician: Apprentice” is the book that first inspired my love of the genre. I’ve gone through hundreds of books since then, and it is still one of the best novels I’ve ever read. It’s got all of the elements I loved about the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but it is written in a much more vibrant and story-driven manner. I’m a stickler for good characters, and all of the characters in this series are incredibly well-developed and memorable. Elves, dwarves, dragons, and magic are all woven together in an adventure that will leave you eager for the next book.

This is the first book in the Riftwar Saga, and each book in the series is as good as the last. If you would like an introduction to the fantasy genre, this is the novel for you. As for the hardcore fantasy fans, this book should definitely be on your list of “must-reads.”

Recommendations: As much as I loved this book, it’s hard to believe that I loved a trilogy by Feist and Wurts even more. Read the “Magician: Apprentice” and “Magician: Master” first, then take some time to read the “Daughter of the Empire” trilogy before moving on to the third Riftwar book (Silverthorn).

Other books you might like: