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The Riftwar Saga #4
A Darkness At Sethanon
A Darkness at Sethanon is the stunning climax to Raymond E. Feist's brilliant epic fantasy trilogy, the Riftwar Saga.
Here be dragons and sorcery, swordplay, quests, pursuits, intrigues, stratagems, journeys to the darkest realms of the dead and titanic battles between the forces of good and darkest evil.
Here is the final dramatic confrontation between Arutha and Murmandamus - and the perilous quest of Pug the magician and Tomas the warrior for Macros the Black. A Darkness at Sethanon is heroic fantasy of the highest excitement and on the grandest scale, a magnificent conclusion to one of the great fantasy sagas of our time.
Here be dragons and sorcery, swordplay, quests, pursuits, intrigues, stratagems, journeys to the darkest realms of the dead and titanic battles between the forces of good and darkest evil.
Here is the final dramatic confrontation between Arutha and Murmandamus - and the perilous quest of Pug the magician and Tomas the warrior for Macros the Black. A Darkness at Sethanon is heroic fantasy of the highest excitement and on the grandest scale, a magnificent conclusion to one of the great fantasy sagas of our time.
527 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 7, 1986
1,240 people are currently reading
12.1k people want to read
About the author
Raymond E. Feist
376Ìýbooks9,232ÌýfollowersRaymond 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,081 reviews
March 28, 2017
Lord have mercy, at one point I thought one of my characters was dead and I thought, don't be doing this to me today. Don't make me get all cray up in here! But, it's all good =)
This book and the one before it were my favorites. The whole series is sooooooo good though.
Everyone is back in this book even if it's just a little part here and there.
There some evilness out to kill Arutha again. I mean leave him the hell alone! So we are off to see the wizard again. <-- Heh, I didn't even realize how that sounded because you know, Pug is in it and he's a wizard and, oh forget it.
Arutha, Jimmy, Gardan and some others go off to where's it to figure out what's going on.
In the mean time we have Pug (yay) and Tomas (yay) back together. I remember when they were just little boys together =) But, they are grown and Pug is a masterful wizard and Tomas has some issues when he put on this armor. It was back when he was in a mountain tunnel with Dolgan the dwarf <-- remember him! He's back too. Anyway, Tomas put on this armor for reasons and he changed. He changed into something a little bizarre and he went to live with the Elves.
Well, we get to find out why Tomas changed in this book and it's cray, just like everything else.
AND THERE BE DRAGONS! I love Ryath �
Oh, and there is a wonderful revelation behind the dragons <-- pun intended to those who read the book and know what I'm talking about.
Pug and Tomas have to travel to a place (with Ryaths help) to find Macros. Yes, it turns out you can find that which you think is lost. They need his help to conquer some evil.
I loved the ending with the exception of one thing. :-/
They had a little battle and things went well for the most part. I just hate to see it end. I do have the other books in the Riftwar Saga and will get to read about some others, but still, it makes me sad.
Recommend to all fantasy peeps!
MY BLOG:
This book and the one before it were my favorites. The whole series is sooooooo good though.
Everyone is back in this book even if it's just a little part here and there.
There some evilness out to kill Arutha again. I mean leave him the hell alone! So we are off to see the wizard again. <-- Heh, I didn't even realize how that sounded because you know, Pug is in it and he's a wizard and, oh forget it.
Arutha, Jimmy, Gardan and some others go off to where's it to figure out what's going on.
In the mean time we have Pug (yay) and Tomas (yay) back together. I remember when they were just little boys together =) But, they are grown and Pug is a masterful wizard and Tomas has some issues when he put on this armor. It was back when he was in a mountain tunnel with Dolgan the dwarf <-- remember him! He's back too. Anyway, Tomas put on this armor for reasons and he changed. He changed into something a little bizarre and he went to live with the Elves.
Well, we get to find out why Tomas changed in this book and it's cray, just like everything else.
AND THERE BE DRAGONS! I love Ryath �
Time passed, and the stars overhead moved in their course. Then in the distance a sound of mighty wings beating upon the night air could be heard. Soon the sound was a loud rush of wind and a titanic shape blotted out the stars.
Landing in the clearing was a gigantic figure, its descent swift and light, despite its size. Wings spanning over a hundred feet on each side gently landed a body bulking larger than any other creature in Midkemia. Silver sparkles of moonlight danced over golden scales as a greater dragon settled to the earth. A head the size of a heavy wagon lowered, until it hung just above and before the two men. Giant eyes of ruby color regarded them. Then the creature spoke. "Who dares summon me?"
Oh, and there is a wonderful revelation behind the dragons <-- pun intended to those who read the book and know what I'm talking about.
Pug and Tomas have to travel to a place (with Ryaths help) to find Macros. Yes, it turns out you can find that which you think is lost. They need his help to conquer some evil.
I loved the ending with the exception of one thing. :-/
They had a little battle and things went well for the most part. I just hate to see it end. I do have the other books in the Riftwar Saga and will get to read about some others, but still, it makes me sad.
Recommend to all fantasy peeps!
MY BLOG:
March 14, 2025
A Darkness at Sethanon successfully provided a climactic final few chapters to The Riftwar Saga trilogy, but as an installment, it is also the weakest book of the trilogy.
I finally finished reading The Riftwar Saga for the first time. As a refresher, I have read the absolutely amazing Riftwar: Empire trilogy Raymond E. Feist wrote together with Janny Wurts several years ago. Having read Magician and Silverthorn, and now A Darkness at Sethanon, I am confident in my opinion that the spin-off series is superior. I expected A Darkness at Sethanon, the final book in The Riftwar Saga trilogy by Raymond E. Feist to deliver an explosive and satisfying conclusion to the series. And in some ways, it succeeded. But I would be lying if I said I did not struggle to keep my attention glued to the book during some sections. While A Darkness at Sethanon is still quite a good book in its entirety, it is—unfortunately—my least favorite installment in the trilogy. It took me two weeks to read this book, after all.
This quote above can be alluded to as the reason why I did not enjoy A Darkness at Sethanon as much as I hoped. A Darkness at Sethanon takes place one year after the end of Silverthorn. Right from the beginning, whether it is from Pug and Tomas or Arutha and Jimmy’s perspective, everything is geared toward finishing what has been established in Silverthorn, the battle against Murmandamus as he gathers the force of Moredhel to find the Lifestone and take over Midkemia. This premise promises an epic conclusion and battles, and A Darkness at Sethanon delivered that. So, what is my issue with the novel? Well, it is something I have had issues with since the beginning of the series. I wanted more of Pug and Tomas. Not Arutha and Jimmy. Even more so in this book. Because I knew with this kind of world-destructive conflict, Pug and Tomas would be invaluable to victory, and they would have to take charge of the battle to win the war. This is not hard to predict. It is formulaic, and it should be that way. They are essentially super-powered godlike beings now. Sometimes, I am okay with having a predictable storyline as the final book. As always, it depends on execution. However, for me, this can only work if we get large segments on Pug and Tomas instead.
In A Darkness at Sethanon, after the first few chapters, we ended up having to read multiple large segments of Jimmy, Arutha, and the other characters rather than Pug and Tomas’s story, which seems to be much more centered on the actual big conflict and the history of the worlds. Again, I get it. In my Silverthorn review, I talked about this as well. It is necessary to show the struggle of Arutha and Jimmy because they are normal human beings doing their best to fight against Murmandamus. It is also why Silverthorn was focused on their development as the main characters. And most readers would be okay with this. However, it is one of my pet peeves when the first book of a series (or two books, depending on which edition of Magician you read) has spent a lot of time developing the main characters and then they’re put on the sideline for the rest of the series instead. Case in point, The Raven’s Shadow trilogy by Anthony Ryan. The first book, Blood Song, spent all the pages on Vaelin al Sorna, and as the series progressed, Vaelin turned progressively into a weak figure that was barely important to the main conflict. With the number of pages spent on Arutha and Jimmy in Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon, I cannot help but feel—with this direction—it would’ve been better for the overall series if Pug and Tomas never became the main character in the first place instead.
Fortunately, everything related to Pug and Tomas was awesome to read. There is so much potential to the multiple worlds and rift concept Feist has established for Midkemia and Kelewan, and it is through their perspective we get to learn about them the most. Although I criticized the abundance of pages spent on Arutha and Jimmy, I must also admit the two big battle sequences in A Darkness at Sethanon were incredible. The battle of Armengar, in particular, did not involve Pug and Tomas at all, and it was well-written and vivid in my mind. It was great to see how Arutha, Jimmy, and their friends do their best to fight Murmandamus and his army. But, of course, the main highlight of the novel is written in the title: A Darkness at Sethanon.
The final battle at Sethanon was epic in scope. As we have learned about the identity of The Enemy, it was rewarding to see everything coming together for the final confrontations in the last chapters. It is understandable how The Riftwar Saga became one of the most important series in the 80s and 90s, even to this day, actually! There were some insane scenes in the last two chapters of A Darkness at Sethanon alone that would undoubtedly assure that.
A Darkness at Sethanon ended the series on a satisfying note. I do not regret reading this series. But I am quite shocked that there are still more than twenty books in the universe. Having read Magician without continuing and jumping straight to The Riftwar: Empire trilogy instead back then, I have always been curious about Silverthorn, A Darkness at Sethanon, and how reading them would affect my experience of reading The Riftwar: Empire trilogy again. My verdict? Overall... The Riftwar Saga is a good classic fantasy series. It is worth reading, even if you only want to find out how the series became one of the important classics of the genre. But if you only want to read The Riftwar: Empire trilogy, reading Magician alone would be sufficient for your enjoyment of the spin-off series. As for me, this is where I will part ways with The Riftwar Cycle. Note that I am not counting my future reread of The Riftwar: Empire trilogy in the equation. I will be rereading The Riftwar: Empire trilogy again. Sooner than later. I consider that series one of my top favorite series of all time, and I am excited about the thought of being back with Mara Acoma and her story.
You can order this book from: |
You can find and the rest of my reviews at | I also have a
Special thanks to my Patrons on for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: 406Raider, Andrew. S, Andrew. W, Arik, Arliss, Barbara, Bearded Book Beast, Ben, Benjamin, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Crystal, Cullen, Dan, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Erich, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, James, Jason, Jeff, Jenn, Johnny, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Melinda, Michael. S, Michael. T, Mike, Mike S, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, Rando, RCT, Redmischief, Sally, Samiadji, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Shawna, Stephanie, Trish, Tyler, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zachary, Zammar.
“Your destiny is now your own to forge as best as you may.�
I finally finished reading The Riftwar Saga for the first time. As a refresher, I have read the absolutely amazing Riftwar: Empire trilogy Raymond E. Feist wrote together with Janny Wurts several years ago. Having read Magician and Silverthorn, and now A Darkness at Sethanon, I am confident in my opinion that the spin-off series is superior. I expected A Darkness at Sethanon, the final book in The Riftwar Saga trilogy by Raymond E. Feist to deliver an explosive and satisfying conclusion to the series. And in some ways, it succeeded. But I would be lying if I said I did not struggle to keep my attention glued to the book during some sections. While A Darkness at Sethanon is still quite a good book in its entirety, it is—unfortunately—my least favorite installment in the trilogy. It took me two weeks to read this book, after all.
“I know you'll think this odd, but I find it strangely exhilarating not knowing what's coming next.�
This quote above can be alluded to as the reason why I did not enjoy A Darkness at Sethanon as much as I hoped. A Darkness at Sethanon takes place one year after the end of Silverthorn. Right from the beginning, whether it is from Pug and Tomas or Arutha and Jimmy’s perspective, everything is geared toward finishing what has been established in Silverthorn, the battle against Murmandamus as he gathers the force of Moredhel to find the Lifestone and take over Midkemia. This premise promises an epic conclusion and battles, and A Darkness at Sethanon delivered that. So, what is my issue with the novel? Well, it is something I have had issues with since the beginning of the series. I wanted more of Pug and Tomas. Not Arutha and Jimmy. Even more so in this book. Because I knew with this kind of world-destructive conflict, Pug and Tomas would be invaluable to victory, and they would have to take charge of the battle to win the war. This is not hard to predict. It is formulaic, and it should be that way. They are essentially super-powered godlike beings now. Sometimes, I am okay with having a predictable storyline as the final book. As always, it depends on execution. However, for me, this can only work if we get large segments on Pug and Tomas instead.
“Immortality, power, dominance, all are illusions. Don’t you see? We are simply pawns in a game beyond our understanding.�
In A Darkness at Sethanon, after the first few chapters, we ended up having to read multiple large segments of Jimmy, Arutha, and the other characters rather than Pug and Tomas’s story, which seems to be much more centered on the actual big conflict and the history of the worlds. Again, I get it. In my Silverthorn review, I talked about this as well. It is necessary to show the struggle of Arutha and Jimmy because they are normal human beings doing their best to fight against Murmandamus. It is also why Silverthorn was focused on their development as the main characters. And most readers would be okay with this. However, it is one of my pet peeves when the first book of a series (or two books, depending on which edition of Magician you read) has spent a lot of time developing the main characters and then they’re put on the sideline for the rest of the series instead. Case in point, The Raven’s Shadow trilogy by Anthony Ryan. The first book, Blood Song, spent all the pages on Vaelin al Sorna, and as the series progressed, Vaelin turned progressively into a weak figure that was barely important to the main conflict. With the number of pages spent on Arutha and Jimmy in Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon, I cannot help but feel—with this direction—it would’ve been better for the overall series if Pug and Tomas never became the main character in the first place instead.
“Debts of friendship are not debts.�
Fortunately, everything related to Pug and Tomas was awesome to read. There is so much potential to the multiple worlds and rift concept Feist has established for Midkemia and Kelewan, and it is through their perspective we get to learn about them the most. Although I criticized the abundance of pages spent on Arutha and Jimmy, I must also admit the two big battle sequences in A Darkness at Sethanon were incredible. The battle of Armengar, in particular, did not involve Pug and Tomas at all, and it was well-written and vivid in my mind. It was great to see how Arutha, Jimmy, and their friends do their best to fight Murmandamus and his army. But, of course, the main highlight of the novel is written in the title: A Darkness at Sethanon.
The final battle at Sethanon was epic in scope. As we have learned about the identity of The Enemy, it was rewarding to see everything coming together for the final confrontations in the last chapters. It is understandable how The Riftwar Saga became one of the most important series in the 80s and 90s, even to this day, actually! There were some insane scenes in the last two chapters of A Darkness at Sethanon alone that would undoubtedly assure that.
“One of the problems with being my age is you look at everyone who is younger as children, and when everyone else around you is younger, it means you live in a universe of children. So you tend to scold more than is proper.�
A Darkness at Sethanon ended the series on a satisfying note. I do not regret reading this series. But I am quite shocked that there are still more than twenty books in the universe. Having read Magician without continuing and jumping straight to The Riftwar: Empire trilogy instead back then, I have always been curious about Silverthorn, A Darkness at Sethanon, and how reading them would affect my experience of reading The Riftwar: Empire trilogy again. My verdict? Overall... The Riftwar Saga is a good classic fantasy series. It is worth reading, even if you only want to find out how the series became one of the important classics of the genre. But if you only want to read The Riftwar: Empire trilogy, reading Magician alone would be sufficient for your enjoyment of the spin-off series. As for me, this is where I will part ways with The Riftwar Cycle. Note that I am not counting my future reread of The Riftwar: Empire trilogy in the equation. I will be rereading The Riftwar: Empire trilogy again. Sooner than later. I consider that series one of my top favorite series of all time, and I am excited about the thought of being back with Mara Acoma and her story.
You can order this book from: |
You can find and the rest of my reviews at | I also have a
Special thanks to my Patrons on for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: 406Raider, Andrew. S, Andrew. W, Arik, Arliss, Barbara, Bearded Book Beast, Ben, Benjamin, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Crystal, Cullen, Dan, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Erich, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, James, Jason, Jeff, Jenn, Johnny, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Melinda, Michael. S, Michael. T, Mike, Mike S, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, Rando, RCT, Redmischief, Sally, Samiadji, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Shawna, Stephanie, Trish, Tyler, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zachary, Zammar.
June 16, 2020
I gave this a star rating back before I was adding reviews to every book - I am sad about that because this book is a great ending to a great saga and I hope that a verbal review will draw more readers to the flame of Feist's fantasy world! Even though this ends the Riftwar Saga, there are many more books in the series overall to keep this story going!
Thanks to Melissa for reminding me to come back and recommend this series to others! If you are a fantasy fan, you owe it to yourself to read this series.
Click here for Melissa's review - go over there and show her some love, too!
Thanks to Melissa for reminding me to come back and recommend this series to others! If you are a fantasy fan, you owe it to yourself to read this series.
Click here for Melissa's review - go over there and show her some love, too!
May 4, 2017
*** 4 ***
A buddy read with some friends @ BBB
"...“power is limited to the strength of will within the man who holds it. Falter in your resolve and you will fall. Remain steadfast and you shall prevail. Always remember that. "..."
This was a nice way to wrap things up for this first arc of 4 books in the Riftwar Saga. It started a bit shaky, there were some meandering passages, but overall, it was a classic Fantasy which hit a lot of favorite notes for the fans of the genre.
Loved Jimmy and Loky! Aruda was the man throughout and Pug, Tomas and the old Magnus were a pleasure to read about once again. The last three win the award for the most interesting characters, while the two young squires for the most compelling and relatable. We rooted for the good guys, forgave couple of the previously shady dudes, and felt mostly contempt for the bad fellows.
"...“the most ancient lesson of the Tsurani: duty is the weight of all things, as heavy as a burden can become, while death is nothing, lighter than air."..."
If I am completely honest, I was more invested in the first two books than the last two, but I think a lot of that had to do with my personal weird mood as of late... Maybe I need a bit of a break from the genre, which I have been reading non-stop for the last two years... Some fluffy historical romances might just do the job �! Despite all of that, I would recommend this more traditional Fantasy to fans of the genre, adventure and military fiction.
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
A buddy read with some friends @ BBB
"...“power is limited to the strength of will within the man who holds it. Falter in your resolve and you will fall. Remain steadfast and you shall prevail. Always remember that. "..."
This was a nice way to wrap things up for this first arc of 4 books in the Riftwar Saga. It started a bit shaky, there were some meandering passages, but overall, it was a classic Fantasy which hit a lot of favorite notes for the fans of the genre.
Loved Jimmy and Loky! Aruda was the man throughout and Pug, Tomas and the old Magnus were a pleasure to read about once again. The last three win the award for the most interesting characters, while the two young squires for the most compelling and relatable. We rooted for the good guys, forgave couple of the previously shady dudes, and felt mostly contempt for the bad fellows.
"...“the most ancient lesson of the Tsurani: duty is the weight of all things, as heavy as a burden can become, while death is nothing, lighter than air."..."
If I am completely honest, I was more invested in the first two books than the last two, but I think a lot of that had to do with my personal weird mood as of late... Maybe I need a bit of a break from the genre, which I have been reading non-stop for the last two years... Some fluffy historical romances might just do the job �! Despite all of that, I would recommend this more traditional Fantasy to fans of the genre, adventure and military fiction.
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
March 5, 2024
Had enough going for it to be enjoyable, but sadly the worst of the series by a decent margin. And for the last book of a series, that's disappointing.
November 8, 2020
This book is for� all of you who started this series. It’s a worthy and well-worded, adventurous conclusion to an epic saga I enjoyed being a part of.
� Overall.
The thing I like most about Raymond's writing is the many truths he weaves into his stories. They apply to the narrative I'm enjoying, but also can be put into a real-life context. It puts his plot into perspective and makes the struggles our beloved characters have to overcome relatable, no matter how much magic and interdimensional evil is involved.
Admittedly, I feel like Raymond gets sidetracked sometimes, which led me to occasionally skim a passage or two (or more, cough cough). I like it epic, but I don't like it 'Oh look, my story is so epic I take the liberty of putting plenty of irrelevant information/nonformation in between the important bits as well'-epic. I honestly think even the best writers do that sometimes, so he may be forgiven.
Altogether, I am extremely happy with how A Darkness at Sethanon concludes a saga that I started so unexpectedly over 2 years ago in a hostel on the Isla del Sol in the Lago of Titicaca, Bolivia. I wouldn't wanna miss Pug, Tomas, Jimmy and the lot for the world. Raymond uses the trusted fairytale-formula that sends our heroes on missions that promise reward and adheres to the belief that good will always overcome evil time and time again, yet it never gets old.
� What’s happening.
‘Immortality, power, dominance, all are illusions. Don’t you see? We are simply pawns in a game beyond our understanding�
Despite the insignificance of the individual, putting many efforts together can be the solution to successfully fight even the biggest enemy. And so Tomas, Pug, Arutha, Martin and the lot AGAIN embark on journeys, separated physically, but not in heart, to fight and defeat the great Murmandamus once and for all.
_____________________
4 STARS.Would stay up beyond my typical hours to finish it. I found some minor details I didn't like, agree with or lacked in some kind but overall, this was enjoyable and extraordinary.
April 25, 2016
A satisfying end to an acceptable fantasy series. The Riftwar books suffer by comparison to modern high fantasy series, but in their day, they were the next step for those looking for a LOTR substitute. At least Feist came up with his own version of The Enemy to deal with, instead of just dusting off Tolkien’s idea, changing a few names and calling it good.
Yes, there are elves, goblins, trolls, and such—and although they share some characteristics with their counterparts in other fantasy literature, Feist does try to make his versions stand off a little way and have some new & interesting characteristics. Pug/Milamber (both rather awful names for the same man) is a Gary Stu, seemingly able to learn everything and only rarely make mistakes (and those few then seem to work out in his favour). Enough familiar faces perish to make things more believable, as not everyone can live through such momentous battles. And some less familiar faces re-appear and make a much better impression in their second time around.
The siege and battle at Armengar was impressive, only vaguely resembling the siege of Minas Tirith (and that mostly in timing of the battle). I was happy to learn about the rather mysterious creation of the city before the book ended.
This final entry in the series was extremely light on what was happening with the female characters that we got to know in earlier installments. They seem to have been relegated to household and maternal duties and no longer get to truly participate in the action. I thought that some scenes from Anita’s or Carline’s points of view might have been interesting or at least a good contrast to the battle zone.
All the major characters seem to be suitably paired off by book’s end, leaving us to assume that things proceed happily ever after, but Feist doesn’t linger around examining the aftermath. The story ends when it is clear that all will be well—there is no “Scouring of the Shire� type follow-up.
Very good for its day and probably still a good choice for young readers searching for another story of noble quests and fierce battles.
Yes, there are elves, goblins, trolls, and such—and although they share some characteristics with their counterparts in other fantasy literature, Feist does try to make his versions stand off a little way and have some new & interesting characteristics. Pug/Milamber (both rather awful names for the same man) is a Gary Stu, seemingly able to learn everything and only rarely make mistakes (and those few then seem to work out in his favour). Enough familiar faces perish to make things more believable, as not everyone can live through such momentous battles. And some less familiar faces re-appear and make a much better impression in their second time around.
The siege and battle at Armengar was impressive, only vaguely resembling the siege of Minas Tirith (and that mostly in timing of the battle). I was happy to learn about the rather mysterious creation of the city before the book ended.
This final entry in the series was extremely light on what was happening with the female characters that we got to know in earlier installments. They seem to have been relegated to household and maternal duties and no longer get to truly participate in the action. I thought that some scenes from Anita’s or Carline’s points of view might have been interesting or at least a good contrast to the battle zone.
All the major characters seem to be suitably paired off by book’s end, leaving us to assume that things proceed happily ever after, but Feist doesn’t linger around examining the aftermath. The story ends when it is clear that all will be well—there is no “Scouring of the Shire� type follow-up.
Very good for its day and probably still a good choice for young readers searching for another story of noble quests and fierce battles.
January 5, 2020
Thus ends another series.
There’s not all actually that much that I really want to say that I haven’t said already in my review on the first two books, Magician and Silverthorn.
I did see one of the biggest cases of instalove(well technically two) that goes in the way of hey, you’re pretty, let’s bang. And after that they are off to get married. No build up, no chemistry, I mean, the characters got one conversation between them before they were having sex, and what do you know, they’re married. Essentially, the romances in this series is basically because of plot and the author said we had to.
The writing is honestly not that great compared to what is being put out today, it’s all very dramatic and event after event after event with no breaks. It’s also straight up telling things instead of, and I’m going to sound like an English teacher here, showing.
Also female characters serve no purpose in these series other than trophy pieces for men to stare at and get married. Not the series if one is looking for better representation. I was actually surprised at one part where woman where allowed to fight but that got quickly turned around when they were basically crawling over the guys. Look, I understand the time when this book was published and there are small instances to show that that the author did try. I’m merely comparing to modern standards where books openly deal with mental illness, feature main characters who are of colour and or LGBTQIA+.
To summarise: It all felt a bit underwhelming tbh.
6/10
There’s not all actually that much that I really want to say that I haven’t said already in my review on the first two books, Magician and Silverthorn.
I did see one of the biggest cases of instalove(well technically two) that goes in the way of hey, you’re pretty, let’s bang. And after that they are off to get married. No build up, no chemistry, I mean, the characters got one conversation between them before they were having sex, and what do you know, they’re married. Essentially, the romances in this series is basically because of plot and the author said we had to.
The writing is honestly not that great compared to what is being put out today, it’s all very dramatic and event after event after event with no breaks. It’s also straight up telling things instead of, and I’m going to sound like an English teacher here, showing.
Also female characters serve no purpose in these series other than trophy pieces for men to stare at and get married. Not the series if one is looking for better representation. I was actually surprised at one part where woman where allowed to fight but that got quickly turned around when they were basically crawling over the guys. Look, I understand the time when this book was published and there are small instances to show that that the author did try. I’m merely comparing to modern standards where books openly deal with mental illness, feature main characters who are of colour and or LGBTQIA+.
To summarise: It all felt a bit underwhelming tbh.
6/10
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May 26, 2022I think Raymond E Feis't's Riftwar Saga is better than Lord of the Rings
March 16, 2012
Meh.
Maybe I'm misremembering, but when I read Magician I thought Feist's writing was pretty decent, if heavy on fantasy tropes (some of which I'm sure he helped create). So I don't know if his writing got worse or my tolerance of it went down since then, but I just found this book a trifle tedious. The dialogue is trite, there's far too much overblown exposition, everything "seems" to do something or does something "as though" doing something else, and by god could you not change POV without warning? The story itself is ok, but the big reveal/plot twist wasn't that compelling to me. Some of the history of the Valheru and the different elf races is interesting, but it's pretty brief and conveyed in one of Thomas' annoying flashbacks. There was also very little tension in the book - maybe it's because I'm reading this years after it was published and know there are lots of books following - but I think the suspension of disbelief required to think the heroes might not triumph is impossible. It wraps up just too neatly, despite how messy things should have been. I know the advice can be overused, but in this case I think Feist would have been well-served by being beaten about the head with a sign reading "SHOW DON'T TELL."
All of that said, I never actively disliked the book while I was reading it. I imagine at some point in my past I might have found this very good, but I think my interests have turned toward stories that are a bit grittier and a bit more personal. Epic isn't bad, but if it's not grounded in believable, complex characters, it becomes cliched. You do have to give this guy credit for some pretty epic world building, but I think that novelty faded fast after Magician. Bottom line, I feel this book could have been quite a bit better, but it wasn't bad.
Maybe I'm misremembering, but when I read Magician I thought Feist's writing was pretty decent, if heavy on fantasy tropes (some of which I'm sure he helped create). So I don't know if his writing got worse or my tolerance of it went down since then, but I just found this book a trifle tedious. The dialogue is trite, there's far too much overblown exposition, everything "seems" to do something or does something "as though" doing something else, and by god could you not change POV without warning? The story itself is ok, but the big reveal/plot twist wasn't that compelling to me. Some of the history of the Valheru and the different elf races is interesting, but it's pretty brief and conveyed in one of Thomas' annoying flashbacks. There was also very little tension in the book - maybe it's because I'm reading this years after it was published and know there are lots of books following - but I think the suspension of disbelief required to think the heroes might not triumph is impossible. It wraps up just too neatly, despite how messy things should have been. I know the advice can be overused, but in this case I think Feist would have been well-served by being beaten about the head with a sign reading "SHOW DON'T TELL."
All of that said, I never actively disliked the book while I was reading it. I imagine at some point in my past I might have found this very good, but I think my interests have turned toward stories that are a bit grittier and a bit more personal. Epic isn't bad, but if it's not grounded in believable, complex characters, it becomes cliched. You do have to give this guy credit for some pretty epic world building, but I think that novelty faded fast after Magician. Bottom line, I feel this book could have been quite a bit better, but it wasn't bad.
December 16, 2018
Thank the gods of Midkemia - an ending worthy of the name. The final book of the Riftwar Saga brings all the threads together and weaves a seamless ending of multi-level conflicts filled with dramatic and emotional power.
This ending was a relief after witnessing some really terrible endings recently (Here's looking at you JKR and Netflix)... Enuf said.
As is typical with Raymond E. Feist, the story is rich with feeling, the characters are wonderfully developed, (except the bad guys - which we'll get to), and the narrative is consistently strong.
Feist is an intimidatingly good writer.
His one lapse is his inability to draw true evil as anything other than a form of madness. It's a limiting feature of his otherwise stellar storytelling ability. I'm not deducting a star for this, it seems to me to be a cultural issue rather than anything else, and JKR suffers the same lack of vision on this topic.
That said, Feist is in the same league as Tolkien, Wurts, and Erikson. If you love Epic Fantasy, you can't go past Mr. Feist's books.
This ending was a relief after witnessing some really terrible endings recently (Here's looking at you JKR and Netflix)... Enuf said.
As is typical with Raymond E. Feist, the story is rich with feeling, the characters are wonderfully developed, (except the bad guys - which we'll get to), and the narrative is consistently strong.
Feist is an intimidatingly good writer.
His one lapse is his inability to draw true evil as anything other than a form of madness. It's a limiting feature of his otherwise stellar storytelling ability. I'm not deducting a star for this, it seems to me to be a cultural issue rather than anything else, and JKR suffers the same lack of vision on this topic.
That said, Feist is in the same league as Tolkien, Wurts, and Erikson. If you love Epic Fantasy, you can't go past Mr. Feist's books.
February 29, 2012
Not one strong female in the entire series. After reading the entire Wheel of Time series (where strong females grace every storyline) last year I wandered off to see more of the fantasy genre. Sadly I will not be reading anymore Feist. I loved the fast pace but hated the sexism. The main women in the storyline are always beautiful and never have anything helpful to say. They are always badgering the male characters.
Like another reviewer I don't believe it was done maliciously, it just seemed to never occur to the writer. A tragedy.
Like another reviewer I don't believe it was done maliciously, it just seemed to never occur to the writer. A tragedy.
December 31, 2018
I'm so glad I squeezed it in for the end of the year. :) Reading A Darkness at Sethanon again after so many years and having loved the series BOTH times, I feel kind of sad having finished it. I could keep going forever.
Fortunately, I might be able to. Feist has kept writing since I finished these the first time. :) :)
We see a lot more of the dragons, Pug, and Thomas in this one. But let's not forget about Jimmy the Hand! Martin Longbow! Getting to know past enemies and butting heads with new is just as good now as then!
I think I forgot about all the twisty timey-wimey multiversal adventures! Riding a dragon, going to the halls of the dead, defeating the eater of worlds... but above all, it's seeing all the changes in ALL the characters. So much happens, so much intrigue, so much mind-blowing BIGNESS. It's something I'm used to in SF but generally, don't see all that much of in Fantasy... but it's perfectly suited to it. :)
All told, I'm very, very happy to be getting back into Feist. Now I can catch up with ALL the books I've been missing. *rubs hands together hungrily*
Fortunately, I might be able to. Feist has kept writing since I finished these the first time. :) :)
We see a lot more of the dragons, Pug, and Thomas in this one. But let's not forget about Jimmy the Hand! Martin Longbow! Getting to know past enemies and butting heads with new is just as good now as then!
I think I forgot about all the twisty timey-wimey multiversal adventures! Riding a dragon, going to the halls of the dead, defeating the eater of worlds... but above all, it's seeing all the changes in ALL the characters. So much happens, so much intrigue, so much mind-blowing BIGNESS. It's something I'm used to in SF but generally, don't see all that much of in Fantasy... but it's perfectly suited to it. :)
All told, I'm very, very happy to be getting back into Feist. Now I can catch up with ALL the books I've been missing. *rubs hands together hungrily*
September 9, 2019
A Darkness at Sethanon is the final book in the Riftwar Saga, the first subseries in Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar Cycle.
Like the previous books, this was a good story that held my interest all the way through. I didn’t enjoy it quite as well as the previous books, though. It seemed like there was less of the fun banter that I’ve enjoyed so much in previous books, although there were still some great moments. Also, although this book wrapped the story up pretty well, I had some complaints about how that was done. I still enjoyed this book a lot, but I think there are some things that I’ve just become pickier about now that I have more epic fantasy under my belt.
I’ll elaborate on my above comments a bit behind the spoiler tags:
Like the previous books, this was a good story that held my interest all the way through. I didn’t enjoy it quite as well as the previous books, though. It seemed like there was less of the fun banter that I’ve enjoyed so much in previous books, although there were still some great moments. Also, although this book wrapped the story up pretty well, I had some complaints about how that was done. I still enjoyed this book a lot, but I think there are some things that I’ve just become pickier about now that I have more epic fantasy under my belt.
I’ll elaborate on my above comments a bit behind the spoiler tags:
November 9, 2012
I found this is very satisfying last book in a series (within a series). The Riftwar Saga is home to some of my all time favourite characters and even the ones I just kinda liked rather than adored all had their place and contributed to my enjoyment of this book.
I'm so happy not to be experiencing the series hangover I often get at the end of a great trilogy since there are still many series within a series waiting to be read :) I've heard nothing but good things about The Empire Trilogy so I'm very excited to get into that soon.
Loved The Riftwar Saga and highly recommend it! :)
I'm so happy not to be experiencing the series hangover I often get at the end of a great trilogy since there are still many series within a series waiting to be read :) I've heard nothing but good things about The Empire Trilogy so I'm very excited to get into that soon.
Loved The Riftwar Saga and highly recommend it! :)
December 7, 2018
“They were images of terrible beauty, magnificent beings of astonishing power, in armor of bright color and splendid form, riding upon the backs of ancient dragons.�
The Enemy is here!
Quests, magic, intrigues, passion, mystery, and revenge culminate in an explosive battle to close out the Rift War Tetralogy.
Did I mention the DRAGONS?
After four books this was a real first pump of an ending! And there are thirty more books!
“Then we can celebrate. Damn me, but if we don’t have a reason, no one ever has.�
November 26, 2014
This book was a mixed one for me because some of it I really enjoyed whilst other parts were very slow and dragged on so much I couldn't be bothered with it. For the third book in the trilogy and the final part of this storyline I was expecting something rather epic, and although this storyline does have some wonderful aspects and some chilling and crazy scenes, a large majority of the story seems a bit redundant and dull.
This is the continuation of book 2 and is much more in line with the story of book 2 rather than that of book 1. It's a vast adventure storyline which is all about defeating 'the bad guy' and there's a lot of questing, fighting and mystery which makes it interesting, but also fairly standard in terms of Classic Fantasy writing. There were many twists which came into the storyline at the end and the pacing which started off fast, slowed drastically in the middle and then picked up again by the end was helped by these twists. However, it's fairly predictable in some areas so be warned.
Pug who is the main character of the first book and a large character in book 2 and 3 and Tomas who is his good friend and another major character are both thrown into a crazy storyline in this book. The have to travel through time and space, dimensions and magics in order to defeat 'the Enemy'. They are once again forced to question all that they know about magic and the dimensions of reality, the fabric of time and the nature of the universe, but at points this storyline can become so extraordinary and out of this world that I found myself slightly bored by the extravagance and madness it seemed to be.
In this book we get to see a lot more the the character of Arutha, Jimmy and Locklear. Jimmy was one of the characters I most enjoyed reading about in book number two for the way that he's resourceful and entertaining. He's a great character and although he's a main one, he doesn't feature the most within this story and I would have liked to see a bit more of him at some points. He's a great friend and he's loyal beyond a doubt but sometimes that means he gets himself into sticky situations. I like him a lot as a character and he was a glimmer of hope in this storyline for the feeling of fun that he managed to bring on occasion.
Equally Amos was another source of comedic relief in the midst of filler or dull storyline. He's an old Pirate and that's always a recipe for fun and sharp quips which made me smile.
Guy Bas-Tyra is another character who we've met in the series before and previously things hadn't gone too well with his storyline. Int his book he redeems himself and shows many of the other character the way they need to take in order to fight the Enemy. This is a battle that will take everyone's participation and the forgiveness of old grudges and hatred is a key element within his character progression and storyline.
Overall I would say that this is an okay fantasy read, it's not fantastic but there are moments which are, it's not bad, but there are moments which drag, and it's just a fairly average (but crazy in places too) storyline of good vs evil. I think if you have read book 1 and 2 and enjoyed both then it's worth continuing as there are some very cool revelations about the world and the nature of things from previous books within this, but if you didn't like book 2 I wouldn't recommend this as it's much more similar to that than the first book.
Let me know what you thought of this series if you have read it as I'd be very interested to know if you agree / disagree, for me it was 2.5*s - an okay read.
This is the continuation of book 2 and is much more in line with the story of book 2 rather than that of book 1. It's a vast adventure storyline which is all about defeating 'the bad guy' and there's a lot of questing, fighting and mystery which makes it interesting, but also fairly standard in terms of Classic Fantasy writing. There were many twists which came into the storyline at the end and the pacing which started off fast, slowed drastically in the middle and then picked up again by the end was helped by these twists. However, it's fairly predictable in some areas so be warned.
Pug who is the main character of the first book and a large character in book 2 and 3 and Tomas who is his good friend and another major character are both thrown into a crazy storyline in this book. The have to travel through time and space, dimensions and magics in order to defeat 'the Enemy'. They are once again forced to question all that they know about magic and the dimensions of reality, the fabric of time and the nature of the universe, but at points this storyline can become so extraordinary and out of this world that I found myself slightly bored by the extravagance and madness it seemed to be.
In this book we get to see a lot more the the character of Arutha, Jimmy and Locklear. Jimmy was one of the characters I most enjoyed reading about in book number two for the way that he's resourceful and entertaining. He's a great character and although he's a main one, he doesn't feature the most within this story and I would have liked to see a bit more of him at some points. He's a great friend and he's loyal beyond a doubt but sometimes that means he gets himself into sticky situations. I like him a lot as a character and he was a glimmer of hope in this storyline for the feeling of fun that he managed to bring on occasion.
Equally Amos was another source of comedic relief in the midst of filler or dull storyline. He's an old Pirate and that's always a recipe for fun and sharp quips which made me smile.
Guy Bas-Tyra is another character who we've met in the series before and previously things hadn't gone too well with his storyline. Int his book he redeems himself and shows many of the other character the way they need to take in order to fight the Enemy. This is a battle that will take everyone's participation and the forgiveness of old grudges and hatred is a key element within his character progression and storyline.
Overall I would say that this is an okay fantasy read, it's not fantastic but there are moments which are, it's not bad, but there are moments which drag, and it's just a fairly average (but crazy in places too) storyline of good vs evil. I think if you have read book 1 and 2 and enjoyed both then it's worth continuing as there are some very cool revelations about the world and the nature of things from previous books within this, but if you didn't like book 2 I wouldn't recommend this as it's much more similar to that than the first book.
Let me know what you thought of this series if you have read it as I'd be very interested to know if you agree / disagree, for me it was 2.5*s - an okay read.
June 27, 2023
Quite the ride, "The Riftwar Saga." Mr. Feist keeps you guessing right up to the end. Stories within stories and never a dull moment. Sorcery, demons, magic, evil which gives a new definition to evil and of course those who battle darkness. Elves, dwarves, nasty trolls, goblins and a host other imaginative beings.
Fantasy at its best. Characters who serve up a gourmet meal of many courses.
Fantasy at its best. Characters who serve up a gourmet meal of many courses.
August 22, 2008
I'm not a huge fan of this series, for starters. Still, it grew on me and I wondered what was going to happen enough to keep reading.
This book, I have to say, is the worst so far. It is incredibly predictable, to put it mildly. See below.
The audio recording I'm listening to is awful, which doesn't help the story. It's like the woman who's reading it is deliberately mispronouncing every name, place, and foreign word she can.
***Spoilers beyond this point***
I didn't believe Arutha was dead for one second and I was annoyed that it took the other characters so long to figure it out.
All of the women make me think of Gail Simone's and the men behave exactly as their character archetype dictates that they should.
Feist missed with this one; he took a kind of neat idea and made it into an incredibly boring book.
This book, I have to say, is the worst so far. It is incredibly predictable, to put it mildly. See below.
The audio recording I'm listening to is awful, which doesn't help the story. It's like the woman who's reading it is deliberately mispronouncing every name, place, and foreign word she can.
***Spoilers beyond this point***
I didn't believe Arutha was dead for one second and I was annoyed that it took the other characters so long to figure it out.
All of the women make me think of Gail Simone's and the men behave exactly as their character archetype dictates that they should.
Feist missed with this one; he took a kind of neat idea and made it into an incredibly boring book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2021
Veliko finale!
Istorija se razotkriva, svrgnuti bogovi pripremaju svoj povratak a ncin da to postignu lezi u krvavoj borbi epskih razmera! Tama iznad Setanona je savrseni spoj kvalitetno i detaljno izgradjenog izmastanog sveta i dinamicne radnje.
Istorija se razotkriva, svrgnuti bogovi pripremaju svoj povratak a ncin da to postignu lezi u krvavoj borbi epskih razmera! Tama iznad Setanona je savrseni spoj kvalitetno i detaljno izgradjenog izmastanog sveta i dinamicne radnje.
March 6, 2019
Let’s be honest here. The real reason I’ve given the last two books 4 stars is partly out of nostalgia. Was this the first time I read the series I would likely rate it 3 stars. But my 13-14 year old self would beat the crap out of me (I was more fit back then) if I gave the series less than 4 stars and you don’t mess with your past self. I will still always love it because it’s my roots (along with Eddings and Paolini) when it comes to fantasy.
I’m not too fond of the writing. It has a thing where it goes “X did/didn’t do bla bla because they bla bla� and it annoyed me to bits? They’re also some other stuff I can’t really put my words on. I also felt distanced to the characters, which might partly be because of the writing. I don’t know if it’s a very 80’s writing, I haven’t read enough fantasy (or other genres) to be able to see that.
I do love the world-building of both Midkemia and Kelewan. We get to see a lot of both through the characters' travels. Kelewan is especially interesting. The plot is also very enjoyable.
I also had wished for Pug to have more chapters. I’ve said it before but I’m saying it again. He’s so easy to root for. He’s also the first character you follow in the series, and you follow him for the bigger part of Magician: Apprentice. Then we follow him only sporadically. I wished more was added to his story or what was, was explored more because being the most powerful (re: overpowered) magician is pretty dang interesting.
Now, I have to see if, or when rather, I read the rest of the book in this universe, because it’s a lot and it’s intimidating. It is likely not be before summer because I got my master thesis to write and I have enough books to read already. I do want to check out Feist’s newest series.
I’m not too fond of the writing. It has a thing where it goes “X did/didn’t do bla bla because they bla bla� and it annoyed me to bits? They’re also some other stuff I can’t really put my words on. I also felt distanced to the characters, which might partly be because of the writing. I don’t know if it’s a very 80’s writing, I haven’t read enough fantasy (or other genres) to be able to see that.
I do love the world-building of both Midkemia and Kelewan. We get to see a lot of both through the characters' travels. Kelewan is especially interesting. The plot is also very enjoyable.
I also had wished for Pug to have more chapters. I’ve said it before but I’m saying it again. He’s so easy to root for. He’s also the first character you follow in the series, and you follow him for the bigger part of Magician: Apprentice. Then we follow him only sporadically. I wished more was added to his story or what was, was explored more because being the most powerful (re: overpowered) magician is pretty dang interesting.
Now, I have to see if, or when rather, I read the rest of the book in this universe, because it’s a lot and it’s intimidating. It is likely not be before summer because I got my master thesis to write and I have enough books to read already. I do want to check out Feist’s newest series.
July 6, 2016
I'm so disappointed in this series. I loved and , but after that, the series took a turn. and have a completely different feel than the Magician books. The magic practically disappears, and the majority of both books are composed of battle after battle after battle. It's incredibly tedious. The series should have stopped after .
If you're interested in reading this series, my recommendation is to definitely read the Magician books, they're really great. Then read the first 100 pages of . If you like it, you'll probably enjoy the rest of the series. If like me, you're bored to tears, quit there, and just read the plot summaries for the last two books on Wikipedia.
If you're interested in reading this series, my recommendation is to definitely read the Magician books, they're really great. Then read the first 100 pages of . If you like it, you'll probably enjoy the rest of the series. If like me, you're bored to tears, quit there, and just read the plot summaries for the last two books on Wikipedia.
June 2, 2020
The final book of the Riftwar series brings all the previous elements to a head. A good fast moving action story with a lot more excitement than the previous books. To be honest I did not remember anything from when I first read this book, so it was all like new to me:)
I really enjoyed the way the story finished up but what really impressed me was the extension of the world building that was in this book. The way the history is put together stretches across a whole multiverse of space and time. At one point some of the main characters venture back to just after the big bang. This offers a multitude of possibilities and explains a lot how Feist was able to write 30 or more books in the same worlds(s).
This time around I am only going to give it 4 stars and not 5. I have read a lot of epic fantasy in the last 30 years and this one doesn't quite make the 5 star rating anymore.
I really enjoyed the way the story finished up but what really impressed me was the extension of the world building that was in this book. The way the history is put together stretches across a whole multiverse of space and time. At one point some of the main characters venture back to just after the big bang. This offers a multitude of possibilities and explains a lot how Feist was able to write 30 or more books in the same worlds(s).
This time around I am only going to give it 4 stars and not 5. I have read a lot of epic fantasy in the last 30 years and this one doesn't quite make the 5 star rating anymore.
May 30, 2023
A great conclusion to this series. I think I'm most impressed with how different all three books felt, how all three were self-contained in many ways, yet still told an overarching story. The character arcs of Pug, Tomas and Arutha by the end were quite superb in execution. Although I did feel the narrative from a pacing stand point had a few moments of slowing in this book, the plotting itself was very well done. There were some fantastic set pieces which are quite memorable, and I loved the overall world-building, which went beyond the confines of just one world in this fantasy tale.
Of all the fantasy I read in the '80's that I've subsequently reread years later, Feist's world is the one that calls to me the most to read more. 4.5/5
Of all the fantasy I read in the '80's that I've subsequently reread years later, Feist's world is the one that calls to me the most to read more. 4.5/5
July 11, 2020
The final battle with the scourge Murmandus has arrived. Will Prince Arutha and friends be able to stop his deadly siege? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a great finale to this fantasy series. Be sure to check this out at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
This was a great finale to this fantasy series. Be sure to check this out at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
August 22, 2024
A Darkness at Sethanon - the final book in this trilogy - redeemed the The Riftwar Saga for me. At first it probably helped that Prince Arutha was . As at around that time things turned around for me and I got invested in the story again. I got reminded of my earlier laughs with Carline and Laurie, the sense of adventure from Thomas and Pug, and of the real Enemy. There were a few surprises in there too and another small rip-off from “Wheel of Time�. Well, I guess, one cannot always re-invent the wheel�
I have already read the next trilogy of the Riftwar Cycle, so I think, this book ends my adventure into this multi-world. My enjoyment is just too inconsistent, though I’m sure there must have been some positive development over the years!
I have already read the next trilogy of the Riftwar Cycle, so I think, this book ends my adventure into this multi-world. My enjoyment is just too inconsistent, though I’m sure there must have been some positive development over the years!
November 22, 2017
9/10
From the beginning till the end of the Riftwar Saga Feist managed to create a lot of expectations for the world of Midkemia and, indeed, in A Darkness at Sethanon, the fourth and final part, he comes and fulfils them in the best way bringing a strong, complex and rich story, as he gives more depth both to the characters and also to the world-building itself, and takes us to an incredible adventure of fantasy through space and time.
A year has passed since the events of the mysterious Silverthorn, and now, these adventures have been left in the past as the people of the Kingdom of the Isles prepare for the Festival of Presentation.
However, deep into the darkness the ancient Enemy prepares his own plans for the rule of the world of Midkemia and when one day young Jimmy receives an unexpected message from an old fellow-thief he will discover that the plots of this evil for Prince Arutha's and for the Kingdom of the Isles' destruction are much closer than they had expected; bringing a great turmoil at the heart of the city of Krondor that will put them against new challenges and even greater adventures.
While on the other side, Pug, having now discovered some of the secrets of the forgotten elf race, will begin, along with Tomas - the Prince-Consort and Warleader of Elvandar - his own adventures in search of an old, ancient sorcerer who was thought to have gone from this life at the end of the Riftwar with the Tsurani. A person who can, with Pug and Tomas’s help, bring the hope back that they so desperately need and to save the world of Midkemia before it is too late.
Only that, with the army of this ancient Enemy preparing to strike, their adventures this time will prove much harder than ever, and if they fail, it could bring the destruction not only of Midkemia, but also of the entire multiverse.
When I started this series, I have to say, I didn’t began with great expectations as, at the era it was published, the Fantasy genre was still trying to find its footings. But, that, from book-to-book started slowly changing and becoming something more exciting than I had expected with Feist managing not only to raise those expectations in a high level, but also to win me through his characters and to make me love them.
So, now, coming finally at the end of the first journey of this huge series, Feist manages to bring in this book a powerful and epic story - with his writing reaching into another, higher level than the previous two - as he brings us into a great war with the heroes having to face new challenges and difficulties, as also creating and an incredibly wonderful multiverse that you cannot help but be impressed by his ideas.
Certainly, I can’t say that Feist’s writing is perfect but, nevertheless, he manages to keep the story interesting and entertaining throughout the book, which, in the end, I consider and the most important element.
Closing, I would like only to say that the last book of this series fulfils, I believe, every expectation and, even though at the beginning Feist seems to be stepping on the usual standards of the Fantasy genre, he manages to escape from those and bring his own style from the characters, making a very beautiful world-building and an even more exciting story.
From the beginning till the end of the Riftwar Saga Feist managed to create a lot of expectations for the world of Midkemia and, indeed, in A Darkness at Sethanon, the fourth and final part, he comes and fulfils them in the best way bringing a strong, complex and rich story, as he gives more depth both to the characters and also to the world-building itself, and takes us to an incredible adventure of fantasy through space and time.
A year has passed since the events of the mysterious Silverthorn, and now, these adventures have been left in the past as the people of the Kingdom of the Isles prepare for the Festival of Presentation.
However, deep into the darkness the ancient Enemy prepares his own plans for the rule of the world of Midkemia and when one day young Jimmy receives an unexpected message from an old fellow-thief he will discover that the plots of this evil for Prince Arutha's and for the Kingdom of the Isles' destruction are much closer than they had expected; bringing a great turmoil at the heart of the city of Krondor that will put them against new challenges and even greater adventures.
While on the other side, Pug, having now discovered some of the secrets of the forgotten elf race, will begin, along with Tomas - the Prince-Consort and Warleader of Elvandar - his own adventures in search of an old, ancient sorcerer who was thought to have gone from this life at the end of the Riftwar with the Tsurani. A person who can, with Pug and Tomas’s help, bring the hope back that they so desperately need and to save the world of Midkemia before it is too late.
Only that, with the army of this ancient Enemy preparing to strike, their adventures this time will prove much harder than ever, and if they fail, it could bring the destruction not only of Midkemia, but also of the entire multiverse.
When I started this series, I have to say, I didn’t began with great expectations as, at the era it was published, the Fantasy genre was still trying to find its footings. But, that, from book-to-book started slowly changing and becoming something more exciting than I had expected with Feist managing not only to raise those expectations in a high level, but also to win me through his characters and to make me love them.
So, now, coming finally at the end of the first journey of this huge series, Feist manages to bring in this book a powerful and epic story - with his writing reaching into another, higher level than the previous two - as he brings us into a great war with the heroes having to face new challenges and difficulties, as also creating and an incredibly wonderful multiverse that you cannot help but be impressed by his ideas.
Certainly, I can’t say that Feist’s writing is perfect but, nevertheless, he manages to keep the story interesting and entertaining throughout the book, which, in the end, I consider and the most important element.
Closing, I would like only to say that the last book of this series fulfils, I believe, every expectation and, even though at the beginning Feist seems to be stepping on the usual standards of the Fantasy genre, he manages to escape from those and bring his own style from the characters, making a very beautiful world-building and an even more exciting story.
August 21, 2014
This is a difficult book to codify. I like a lot of things that occur in this book (Locklear's sudden jumps of character being at the top; he was my favorite character from the start, and where his arc goes in unexpected & interesting). And the first 2/3 of the book are not dull. And I liked that the reveal of the "Enemy," while a little less than mind-blowing, did make a lot of sense, and followed from the things the book had been focusing on, and was not just some sort of 'big threat from outside the universe.'
But this dovetails into what FAILED miserably for me. I will keep this as vague as possible to avoid spoilers that mean anything. There is a point in this book where certain characters are caught in a "time trap," where they are sent back in time, one second per every forward second. Their way to escape it is to speed the trap up so that they reach the Big Bang, BEFORE time, and therefore the kind of 'bars of the cage' are removed. So these characters go back to where they were, FROM THE DAWN OF TIME. They also glimpse hundreds of other worlds (one that's possibly ours, even), etc., etc. For my money, I feel like, if you have characters go to the dawn of time, then return, DO SOMETHING with that. For all the impact this had on the story, you COULD HAVE just had them get caught in a silly net trap in the woods that they hack their way out of. WHAT WAS THE POINT of all of that? Then there's a very, very long flashback right before the climax is set to kick in that is meant to be a big reveal, I think, but essentially just fills in minor blanks & reminds us of stuff we already knew. Overall the book was satisfying (if you like Feist's style - it's definitely an acquired taste), but full of some stuff that an editor should have pointed out added nothing to the story.
Also, the proofreading is atrocious. I have a pretty modern copy of the book (with the TERRIBLE cover art of a man with gout in one hand next to a woman who seems disinterested. Not sure who they're supposed to be), and I can't believe they didn't maybe throw a proofer on the book around 10 yrs in or something. "severa" instead of several, one random time "judgement" instead of "judgment," "to" instead of "too" ... the list goes on and on. Distracting and annoying.
But this dovetails into what FAILED miserably for me. I will keep this as vague as possible to avoid spoilers that mean anything. There is a point in this book where certain characters are caught in a "time trap," where they are sent back in time, one second per every forward second. Their way to escape it is to speed the trap up so that they reach the Big Bang, BEFORE time, and therefore the kind of 'bars of the cage' are removed. So these characters go back to where they were, FROM THE DAWN OF TIME. They also glimpse hundreds of other worlds (one that's possibly ours, even), etc., etc. For my money, I feel like, if you have characters go to the dawn of time, then return, DO SOMETHING with that. For all the impact this had on the story, you COULD HAVE just had them get caught in a silly net trap in the woods that they hack their way out of. WHAT WAS THE POINT of all of that? Then there's a very, very long flashback right before the climax is set to kick in that is meant to be a big reveal, I think, but essentially just fills in minor blanks & reminds us of stuff we already knew. Overall the book was satisfying (if you like Feist's style - it's definitely an acquired taste), but full of some stuff that an editor should have pointed out added nothing to the story.
Also, the proofreading is atrocious. I have a pretty modern copy of the book (with the TERRIBLE cover art of a man with gout in one hand next to a woman who seems disinterested. Not sure who they're supposed to be), and I can't believe they didn't maybe throw a proofer on the book around 10 yrs in or something. "severa" instead of several, one random time "judgement" instead of "judgment," "to" instead of "too" ... the list goes on and on. Distracting and annoying.
October 8, 2010
I'm slightly conflicted about the rating I've given this book. The problem is: any review of this book will inevitably be a review of the entire Riftwar Saga. Perhaps this novel is a better spiritual successor to Magician than Silverthorn was, since it elaborates more closely on the events of the aforementioned. On the other hand, Silverthorn introduced some pivotal characters and bridged the gap between Magician and A Darkness At Sethanon nicely. On its own, A Darkness At Sethanon probably garners a rating of 4, rather than 5. As the wrap up to the Riftwar Saga. Well, now that's an entirely different story...
Silverthorn lacked the scope and grandeur of Magician, but A Darkness At Sethanon pushes the epic-needle into the red. I have to agree with another reviewer - there are certain elements here that are better suited to Science Fiction and appear slightly out of place in a Fantasy novel. I'm not sure how Feist pulled it off, but he seems to have done so. Just how vast is the scope of this novel? Very. Those of you who have read the sequences with Pug and Tomas will know what I'm referring to. It gets positively psychedelic. Once again, this might be considered spoiler territory so I'll refrain from going into details.
The strength of the series lies in how Raymond E. Feist is able to juggle different worlds and settings and make them, and the people inhabiting them, believable. This is certainly a unique series. As for the magic system, I'm not sure I even understand half of it. The mysticism adds to the allure, in my opinion, but that is likely where other reviewers will differ from me.
So, the plot: Murmandamus is back, as we all expected, and we find out that there is a lot more to his crusade than was hinted at in Silverthorn. A LOT more. There are some awesome battle sequences and many surprises. The events in this book cast a whole new light on the events portrayed in Magician and a great few unresolved questions are answered. If you have come this far, you're going to read this in any case. You'd be criminally insane not to.
I enjoyed it immensely. I hope you will too.
Silverthorn lacked the scope and grandeur of Magician, but A Darkness At Sethanon pushes the epic-needle into the red. I have to agree with another reviewer - there are certain elements here that are better suited to Science Fiction and appear slightly out of place in a Fantasy novel. I'm not sure how Feist pulled it off, but he seems to have done so. Just how vast is the scope of this novel? Very. Those of you who have read the sequences with Pug and Tomas will know what I'm referring to. It gets positively psychedelic. Once again, this might be considered spoiler territory so I'll refrain from going into details.
The strength of the series lies in how Raymond E. Feist is able to juggle different worlds and settings and make them, and the people inhabiting them, believable. This is certainly a unique series. As for the magic system, I'm not sure I even understand half of it. The mysticism adds to the allure, in my opinion, but that is likely where other reviewers will differ from me.
So, the plot: Murmandamus is back, as we all expected, and we find out that there is a lot more to his crusade than was hinted at in Silverthorn. A LOT more. There are some awesome battle sequences and many surprises. The events in this book cast a whole new light on the events portrayed in Magician and a great few unresolved questions are answered. If you have come this far, you're going to read this in any case. You'd be criminally insane not to.
I enjoyed it immensely. I hope you will too.
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