The first 7 books are excellent (Magicians, Empires & such) & well worth reading. The story paled for me with the next 5 & I never bothered to read any of the Kondor series. Feist is an excellent writer, just the world got old for me. If you like fantasy novels, you really have to read the first 7 though. ( )

Pug is an ordinary kitchen boy, an orphan in the kingdom of Crydee, the western-most duchy of Midkemia. He and his best friend, Tomas, await the day they will be selected for an apprenticeship, marking their ascent into adulthood. Tomas is chosen to apprentice as a soldier, while Pug, to everyone's surprise, is chosen to apprentice the magician, Kulgan. Pug has a boyhood crush on the Princess Carline, but soon finds her to be snobbish and willful. After rescuing her one day from trolls, he finds himself awarded a title and land, eating meals with the Duc and his family, a peer of the realm and an object of fascination for the princess. When a mysterious ship crashes upon their shores, Pug and the others realize they are on the brink of invasion by an alien nation from another world, the Tsurani, a warlike people driven by powerful magicians. The Duc of Crydee sets out for the far East in the hopes of warning the king, taking both Pug and Tomas with him. Along the way the boys get separated, Pug continuing on with the duc and Tomas wintering in the mountains with the dwarves - during this time both boys begin to discover their destinies. The story ends on a cliffhanger, with Pug being captured by the Tsurani and taken to their world.

Feist's style of writing is a bit different from what I am used to reading. It seems to lack a certain depth and emotion, almost as if he is just skimming the surface of description - like a man lacking imagination (not trying to sound sexist). The magic that is alluded to is mentioned only briefly and then shunted aside with no real development. It is a quick read, though, and once I got used to the writing I enjoyed the book enough to make me want to read the sequels. ( )

A good story, and a good premise (albeit one overused), but I found the characters lacking a certain depth -- everyone came off as shallow or static to me. ( )

I just couldn't stand this book. There was about %2 original material. So glad to finish, and get it out of my head. ( )

The First Church of Tolkienism welcomes you. Today's sermon will deviate a little slightly from our current coverage over the validity of "The Hunt for Gollum" and what Tolkienologists have to say about it.

Today, we're visiting the more apocryphal passages of the Legendarium, those believed to be penned not by Tolkien the Greater (or even Tolkien the Lesser), but instead by the Prophet Feist.

Feist, for those of you not familiar with the lesser prophets, stands apart from the others, such as Terrance of Brooks, First and Second Eddings, and Stephen The Son of Donald, as his epistle is not, as with the others, at times easily confused with works penned by Tolkien.

He is, in fact, considered the least of the tolkienoid prophets, minimally retelling the tales we all know and love from the Legendarium.

In his epistle, The First Book of Magician: Apprentice, he tells a tale that crosses some controversial lines with many experts. The tales of the Legendarium do not condone cross-dimensional traveling. Such tales dwell too close to the teachings of the Moorcockadans.

Nevertheless, this epistle tells the tale of a lowly boy named Pug, who is apprenticed to a magician, and who is rather indifferent to such a vocation. Shortly after the discovery of of a strange rift in the universal fabric, allowing soldiers from a strange new world to march on their land, the people of the land attempt to retaliate. However, it is not an our world versus their world, as the treachery of the dark elves waylays their plans, yet the boon of the dwarfs give succor. A nation at war with itself and with another world gives rise to many facets of drama.

On the whole, scholars believe this work to be greatly inspired by Tolkien, but not to the point in which it would be considered too similar. Such writings may appeal to those who find works considered "Fantastic" to be of value, but may fall short of the expectations of devout Tolkienians and their families.

May the light of the silmaril constantly light your paths. ( )