[Macros]

Same again tonight. Picked it up intending to read another hundred pages, think I read about 300.

He sets up the chapters well that you really want to know what happens with the POV next as your leave it. But does it equally well with both so you just keep turning pages

[Mentalist]

Finished "Fated" . Yep, I'm definitely liking Alex Verus.

Given all the posts in this thread about it lately, I guess I'll make "Assassin's Quest" my next commute read.

[Andorion]

I finished Mistress of the Empire by Feist and Wurts yesterday and I have to say this is one of my all time favourite fantasy series.

The writing and plot are excellent, the characters are superb, the pacing is breathtaking especially in the second and third books.

Now I want to read more of the Riftwar!

[Macros]

What all have you read?

I'll give my standard Midkemia redo

Magician, Silverton, A Darkness at Sethanon. That's the original trilogy
Then the Empire Trilo (which you just read, curious, have you read much else by Feist before this, as Empire is (IMO) probably his strongest trilogy)
Then read Honoured Enemy, it's a novella but (again IMO) it's the best thing Feist has ever written.
Some liked Murder in Lalmut, I wasn't much of a fan but it's the right place to read it chronologically now.
Then comes the contraversial ones:
Flat out ignore the Jimmy then hand novellas, they are very very weak.
I would read Krondor: The Betrayal and Krondor: Assassins (need to check in which order). A lot of people don't really rate them but I found them short enough fun.
Ignore Krondor: Tear of the Gods, it's awful
Do read Prince of the Blood, and The Kings Buccaneer. People rail against the later a bit, but I feel both are essential as helping set up the last three books you should read:
The Serpent war Trilogy (yes trilogy, Book 4 does not exist) Shadow of a dark Queen, Rise of. Merchant Prince and Rage of a Demon King.

And then stop, pick up nothing chronologically after Rage, it's just a slow and steady slide into and below mediocrity and frustrating reading.

TLDR, get a wiki chrono list, start at magician, stop at Rage and skip Jimmy the Hand and Tear of the Gods

This post has been edited by Macros: 18 April 2018 - 09:18 AM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 06:28 AM, said:

What all have you read?

I'll give my standard Midkemia redo

Magician, Silverton, A Darkness at Sethanon. That's the original trilogy
Then the Empire Trilo (which you just read, curious, have you read much else by Feist before this, as Empire is (IMO) probably his strongest trilogy)
Then read Honoured Enemy, it's a novella but (again IMO) it's the best thing Feist has ever written.
Some liked Murder in Lalit, Inwasnt much of a fan but it's the right place to read it chronologically now.
Then comes the contractual ones:
Flat out ignore the Jimmy then hand novellas, they are very very weak.
I would read Krondor: The Betrayal and Krondor: Assassin's (need to check in which order). A lot of peoe don't really rate them but I found them short enough fun.
Ignore Krondor: Tear of the Gods, it's awful
Do read Prince of the Blood, and The Kings Buccaneer. People rail against the later a bit, but I feel both are essential as helping set up the last three books you should read:
The Serpent war Trilogy (yes trilogy, Book 4 does not exist) Shadow of a dark Queen, Rise of. Merchant Prince and Rage of a Demon King.

And then stop, pick up nothing chronologically after Rage, it's just a slow and steady slide into and below mediocrity and frustrating reading.

TLDR, get a wiki chrono list, start at magician, stop at Rage and skip Jimmy the Hand and Tear of the Gods

I wonder if this is why I haven't really warmed to Feist. The only trilogy I've read (Talon of the Silver Hawk, King of Foxes, Exile's Return) does not feature in your list! A lent copy of Magician is currently sitting on my coffee table though, keep meaning to pick it up.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 18 April 2018 - 09:00 AM

[Macros]

oh god that was really the worst place to start.

everything after Serpentwar is tired crap.

I would recommend reading Magician (is it the revised anniversary edition? its slightly better) and if you have any liking for it at all read Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon. then definitely The Empire trilogy its fantastic, and Honoured enemy is still one of my favourite books ever, its in a running competition with Gemmells Legend as to which has been read the most times

[Macros]

ha, just realised how much auto correct had changed there on me, edited to fix. ignore TRBs quote, she changed things to make me look stupid!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 09:16 AM, said:

oh god that was really the worst place to start.

everything after Serpentwar is tired crap.

I would recommend reading Magician (is it the revised anniversary edition? its slightly better) and if you have any liking for it at all read Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon. then definitely The Empire trilogy its fantastic, and Honoured enemy is still one of my favourite books ever, its in a running competition with Gemmells Legend as to which has been read the most times

Nah it's an older copy by the look of it. I'll give it a go

Ha, Legend is on my "most often read" list as well. Trades places with The Silmarillion a lot!

[Macros]

The revised was done like 20 years ago, first time I read it was a tattered revised edition. I've read Magician easily 10 times.

Afaik the revision was done to retrofit some stuff regarding the empire trilogy only like 10k words

[Abyss]

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 06:28 AM, said:

What all have you read?

I'll give my standard Midkemia redo

Magician, Silverton, A Darkness at Sethanon. That's the original trilogy
Then the Empire Trilo (which you just read, curious, have you read much else by Feist before this, as Empire is (IMO) probably his strongest trilogy)
Then read Honoured Enemy, it's a novella but (again IMO) it's the best thing Feist has ever written.
Some liked Murder in Lalmut, I wasn't much of a fan but it's the right place to read it chronologically now.
Then comes the contraversial ones:
Flat out ignore the Jimmy then hand novellas, they are very very weak.
I would read Krondor: The Betrayal and Krondor: Assassins (need to check in which order). A lot of people don't really rate them but I found them short enough fun.
Ignore Krondor: Tear of the Gods, it's awful
Do read Prince of the Blood, and The Kings Buccaneer. People rail against the later a bit, but I feel both are essential as helping set up the last three books you should read:
The Serpent war Trilogy (yes trilogy, Book 4 does not exist) Shadow of a dark Queen, Rise of. Merchant Prince and Rage of a Demon King.

And then stop, pick up nothing chronologically after Rage, it's just a slow and steady slide into and below mediocrity and frustrating reading.

TLDR, get a wiki chrono list, start at magician, stop at Rage and skip Jimmy the Hand and Tear of the Gods

Seconded. Feist is classic fantasy every fan should read at least once, but with the above guidance, because the rest imnsho really really detracts from the experience, unfortunately. Tho I might argue you could skip BUCCANEER too, but my issue with that book is pretty specific and Mac is right about its place in the story.

[Macros]

I think we've had the conversation about Buccaneer before specifically

Spoiler

the pointless decision to fix Nicholas' foot, which I agree adds nothing to the story and was a weak/fearful? Decision to make, having a crippled hero would have been very refreshing in the time it was written. But if you can get over feists obsession of having the condoins as wonderful human specimens I think it's essential reading to fully enjoy the serpent war

I still enjoy the book, in spite of this part

[Salt-Man Z]

Feist (and Magician in particular) is right up there with the Belgariad on the list of fantasy that I read at way too late an age to get any enjoyment from. (Having more-or-less gotten into the genre via Donaldson and Erikson.)

[Macros]

I read most of it quite early, not long after Belgardiad and co. It holds up a hell of a lot better than Eddings work (for me anyway)

[Abyss]

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 12:29 PM, said:

I think we've had the conversation about Buccaneer before specifically

Spoiler

the pointless decision to fix Nicholas' foot, which I agree adds nothing to the story and was a weak/fearful? Decision to make, having a crippled hero would have been very refreshing in the time it was written. But if you can get over feists obsession of having the condoins as wonderful human specimens I think it's essential reading to fully enjoy the serpent war

I still enjoy the book, in spite of this part

Yeah, that was the issue, and i do think it degrades the book on multiple levels vs the other 'good' books you ref. Even as a part of the whole story it more or less reintroduces elements made very clear in PRINCES OF THE BLOOD, but that said it has its place.

Salt-Man Z, on 18 April 2018 - 03:20 PM, said:

Feist (and Magician in particular) is right up there with the Belgariad on the list of fantasy that I read at way too late an age to get any enjoyment from. (Having more-or-less gotten into the genre via Donaldson and Erikson.)

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 03:22 PM, said:

I read most of it quite early, not long after Belgardiad and co. It holds up a hell of a lot better than Eddings work (for me anyway)

Between the two BELGARIAD is very much closer to YA while MAGICIAN etc reads as more like classic or perhaps 'high' fantasy. MAGICIAN specifically has some YA elements but the series outgrows that quickly. Feist tried to revisit that with the JIMMY THE HAND books, but that's hardly the only thing wrong with them.

[Andorion]

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 06:28 AM, said:

What all have you read?

I'll give my standard Midkemia redo

Magician, Silverton, A Darkness at Sethanon. That's the original trilogy
Then the Empire Trilo (which you just read, curious, have you read much else by Feist before this, as Empire is (IMO) probably his strongest trilogy)
Then read Honoured Enemy, it's a novella but (again IMO) it's the best thing Feist has ever written.
Some liked Murder in Lalmut, I wasn't much of a fan but it's the right place to read it chronologically now.
Then comes the contraversial ones:
Flat out ignore the Jimmy then hand novellas, they are very very weak.
I would read Krondor: The Betrayal and Krondor: Assassins (need to check in which order). A lot of people don't really rate them but I found them short enough fun.
Ignore Krondor: Tear of the Gods, it's awful
Do read Prince of the Blood, and The Kings Buccaneer. People rail against the later a bit, but I feel both are essential as helping set up the last three books you should read:
The Serpent war Trilogy (yes trilogy, Book 4 does not exist) Shadow of a dark Queen, Rise of. Merchant Prince and Rage of a Demon King.

And then stop, pick up nothing chronologically after Rage, it's just a slow and steady slide into and below mediocrity and frustrating reading.

TLDR, get a wiki chrono list, start at magician, stop at Rage and skip Jimmy the Hand and Tear of the Gods

I feel like I just got THE authoritative lecture on Feist!

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 09:16 AM, said:

oh god that was really the worst place to start.

everything after Serpentwar is tired crap.

I would recommend reading Magician (is it the revised anniversary edition? its slightly better) and if you have any liking for it at all read Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon. then definitely The Empire trilogy its fantastic, and Honoured enemy is still one of my favourite books ever, its in a running competition with Gemmells Legend as to which has been read the most times

Abyss, on 18 April 2018 - 03:42 PM, said:

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 12:29 PM, said:

I think we've had the conversation about Buccaneer before specifically

Spoiler

the pointless decision to fix Nicholas' foot, which I agree adds nothing to the story and was a weak/fearful? Decision to make, having a crippled hero would have been very refreshing in the time it was written. But if you can get over feists obsession of having the condoins as wonderful human specimens I think it's essential reading to fully enjoy the serpent war

I still enjoy the book, in spite of this part

Yeah, that was the issue, and i do think it degrades the book on multiple levels vs the other 'good' books you ref. Even as a part of the whole story it more or less reintroduces elements made very clear in PRINCES OF THE BLOOD, but that said it has its place.

Salt-Man Z, on 18 April 2018 - 03:20 PM, said:

Feist (and Magician in particular) is right up there with the Belgariad on the list of fantasy that I read at way too late an age to get any enjoyment from. (Having more-or-less gotten into the genre via Donaldson and Erikson.)

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 03:22 PM, said:

I read most of it quite early, not long after Belgardiad and co. It holds up a hell of a lot better than Eddings work (for me anyway)

Between the two BELGARIAD is very much closer to YA while MAGICIAN etc reads as more like classic or perhaps 'high' fantasy. MAGICIAN specifically has some YA elements but the series outgrows that quickly. Feist tried to revisit that with the JIMMY THE HAND books, but that's hardly the only thing wrong with them.

I have read Magician, and it was in one book, so it was probably the anniversary edition. I quite liked it. Classic coming of age book with cool worldbuilding.

And now I have read the Empire Trilogy, which I feel is so good because it combined Feist with best of Wurts. Janny Wurts' biggest strength is characterization and I felt that this aspect was absolutely perfected here.

I'll definitely read the books as Macros has suggested. I think I have most of them as tattered paperbacks I picked up in used books shops.

[Macros]

finished The Silver Eagle today. better than the first book, I can definitely see me ordering all of kanes books when I get home from china.

halfway through road brothers, forgot I had started the book of short stories, id say I'll done with it in an hour or so. A lot of excellent stories so far that give great background to the road brothers

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 18 April 2018 - 06:30 PM, said:

finished The Silver Eagle today. better than the first book, I can definitely see me ordering all of kanes books when I get home from china.

Sorry, not sorry.

[Macros]

finished up road brother.

thoroughly enjoyable

[stone monkey]

Briar King, on 18 April 2018 - 08:27 PM, said:

I read and enjoyed Magician so much I bought the next 4 or 5 books. Then I read Silverthorne and was like Yawn till the end iirc. Haven't bothered to read more yet and it's been years now. Will try again but I will have to start all over instead of jumping in Seth-anon(or whatever bk 4 is called) straight away.

I think A Darkness At Sethanon is probably the best of the original trilogy. It feels desperate and dangerous in a way that the earlier ones don't manage. The stakes are huge and the main cast are actually in real peril.

Finished American Elsewhere in electrobook format (unfortunately, but at least it was cheap) on the way home tonight. I'm actually amazed he stuck the ending; just the right amount of epic. Very enjoyable. Just started reading Origamy by Rachel Armstrong, on the recommendation of, I think, Warren Ellis (who has been wrong before - The Void Witch Series was pretty awful)

This post has been edited by stone monkey: 19 April 2018 - 12:10 AM

[Mentalist]

Ab few chapters into "Assassin's Quest" . Yeah, sure, BK, it's a slow start, but Fitz got a lot of stuff to sort out mentally, so I can't really blame him.

Also, about 40% into "The Black Guard" and the much-advertised (the book is blurbed as "Martin meets Lovecraft" ) eldritch horrors have made an appearance. Overall, it's a decent, easygoing read, but kinda formulaic. It remains to see if there'll be any interesting beasties to spice things up. Otherwise it's shaping up to not be anything super-exciting, with pretty one, or maybe two- dimensional characters.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 19 April 2018 - 04:10 PM