Tomes of Spellcasting--Magician: Apprentice

Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Magician: Apprentice
Author: Raymond E. Feist
Publisher: Bantam Spectra
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1982

The orphan, Pug of Crydee, has had the opportunity--or misfortune--of coming of age in a tumultuous era in the history of Midkemia. Apprenticed to the wizard, Kulgan, and ennobled by the Duke of Crydee, Pug has responsibilities enough to endure without the added burden of loving--in his own way--the Princess Carline, daughter of the duke, and certainly more than enough without the additional problem of a strange warship battered to pieces by a violent storm. And he certainly doesn't need the difficulties of an invasion from another world. But that is what he faces, him and his friends and acquaintaces alike. For such is the might of this enemy that even the dark-hearted moredhel cannot stand long against the forces brought against them. And if even the powerful Dark Brothers cannot halt the tide of invaders, what can an apprentice wizard without access to his magic hope to accomplish?

Magician: Apprentice starts the Riftwar Saga, a collection about the war that rages between two worlds linked only by a magical rift through space and time. Don't let that space-time thing fool you, though: this is definitely a fantasy novel. We have muddled successions to the throne, inhumanly beautiful elves, powerfully competent dwarves, and even dragons and wraiths. You won't see a really great extent of magic this time around--never mind what the title says--or at least not on Pug's part, but that's okay. Kulgan does more than his fair share of spellcasting, and besides, Pug's the apprentice, and an apprentice is still learning, right?

One of the best parts of this book is, to my mind, probably the scene where the besieged keep of Crydee suddenly gains a new defender in one of the strangest ways possible. It's interesting, really, how an unblooded, untried fighter can cause so many casualties to the enemy on her first try. And if you think I'm about to give away more than that, forget it. Read the book instead. But this is really a good scene. I especially liked the way those around her are first too frightened to move, and then to frightened to sit still. It's interesting, really, how terror can cause such disparate changes in a single person, isn't it?

Magician: Apprentice is only the first book in a terrific series of books. The books that follow continue the strong, compelling story begun here, and you won't want to start the other books until you've finished this one because, unlike some books in other series, these are most definitely tied together. And that's the way I like it!

Rating: Thumbs up! Being invaded by aliens from another world doesn't make it sci-fi, not when the aliens are humans themselves!

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