Feist's Riftwar Cycle consists of 30 (31, if you're reading the split version of Magician) books featuring the worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan. Human magicians and other creatures on the two planets are able to create rifts through dimensionless space that can connect planets in different solar systems. The novels and short stories of The Riftwar Universe record the adventures of various people on these worlds.
I started reading these books a very long time ago, and was hooked - once I'd finished the first few books (all that had been written at that time), I fell into the waiting game. Fortunately, Raymond is a prolific writer, turning out what I consider to be quality books in relatively quick succession, unlike some other authors (none of which I care to mention here).
I would be interested in any discussions on these books, the characters, and the storylines/mythology in the riftwar universe.
Most of the books focus on the magicians and that story line, however there is one set in the series which does not. These three books were co-written by Raymond and select authors, and focused on the regular people (including some from both worlds). While picking and choosing which are better books is relatively difficult, as each set has its own merits, I think the characters in these three books are outstanding in and of themselves, and make the storylines very engaging. Additionally, these three books are standalone entries into the riftwar universe, whereas the other sets are all instances of one storyline split into multiple novels.
For instance - in Honoured Enemy, a group of soldiers from Midkemia encounter a group of invading soldiers from Kelewan, and by necessity join forces against the Dark Elves. The interactions, tensions, and ultimate bonding of these soldiers is very well written (imho, all of his books, to me, are very well written). The extremely different cultures clashing in an isolated fort, being forced to work together and learn about each other, makes for a great break from the mystical aspects of the rest of the books, and gives more insight into the cultures themselves.
I would be interested in any discussions on these books, the characters, and the storylines/mythology in the riftwar universe.
I have just started reading Magician. After a somewhat tame start, the story really took off and i now find it hard to put the book down. I still have 3 chapters to go. Love it. Not sure that i will ready all 30 books!
So far i find the atmosphere of the book somewhat similar to Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. There is definitely a resemblance between the elves in both books.
"Arya did not dare take a bath, even though she smelled as bad as Yoren by now, all sour and stinky. Some of the creatures living in her clothes had come all the way from Flea Bottom with her; it didn’t seem right to drown them."
I would be interested in any discussions on these books, the characters, and the storylines/mythology in the riftwar universe.
I have just started reading Magician. After a somewhat tame start, the story really took off and i now find it hard to put the book down. I still have 3 chapters to go. Love it. Not sure that i will ready all 30 books!
So far i find the atmosphere of the book somewhat similar to Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. There is definitely a resemblance between the elves in both books.
"Arya did not dare take a bath, even though she smelled as bad as Yoren by now, all sour and stinky. Some of the creatures living in her clothes had come all the way from Flea Bottom with her; it didn’t seem right to drown them."
It always amazes me when I get personally invested in characters in books. I generally don't read standalone books simply because character development is usually a lot weaker than when there is a long story to be told. That being said, I was amazed over and over again reading this set - some characters only exist for a book or sometimes two, but they are so well written (from my perspective) that I grow attached to them very quickly.
One of the characters that gets introduced later, after the magician books, is named Jimmy. He was originally intended for a single scene in the story, but Ray said that he, along with another character who is introduced much much later (same intention - single scene), took on lives of their own and ended up being integral to much of the story.
One of the characters that gets introduced later, after the magician books, is named Jimmy.
In Magician, Jimmy is a young scoundrel working for the Mockers and he helps our heroes in their endeavours. He has oomph aplenty, so i can easily see him being developed further.
Ann McCaffrey's Nerilka, a character in the Dragonriders of Pern, is in that similar vein: incidental in one book, central in another. A lovely story too.
"Arya did not dare take a bath, even though she smelled as bad as Yoren by now, all sour and stinky. Some of the creatures living in her clothes had come all the way from Flea Bottom with her; it didn’t seem right to drown them."
The problem is that in terms of character development, Jimmy doesn't really grow up. And even Feist had to acknowledge his mistake with Lockie.... and kill him of. I really enjoyed the first 10 or so published in the universe but was disappointed with books published in the late 90s... so haven't gone back. I did attend a Feist reading back in 98, and that was an enjoyable experience
Jimmy doesn't grow up? It takes him a while, most definitely (big part of my affection for him, actually), but by the time his storyline is done, I think he's one of the most mature, responsible people in the nation, if not world, that isn't a magician (and frankly, more than a few of those as well).
Of course - that's just my opinion, so I'd be interested in seeing why you think that. I'm not a literary genius, or even analyst of any kind - I read for pure entertainment, so I look at things from that angle - another angle would be refreshing.
He didn't grow up on the sense that his "young thief" personality remains dominant despite him growing older and changing responsibilities. Or maybe it's that his personality was so much a part of his early books that his grown persona was overshadowed by it, and I as a reader couldn't forget it. Tomas, on the other hand, is definitely alien and changed - I think he is one of the succeses of the series. Even Pug as an elderly man is well written.
ps sorry about the Lockie spoiler... but I won't tell you which book.
Tomas, on the other hand, is definitely alien and changed - I think he is one of the succeses of the series.
i have only read book one. So no spoilers for book 2 and 3 please!!
I actually found Tomas' transformation interesting at first but somewhat contrived, hurried, in the end.
The fiction/fantasy concepts in the book are very interesting, more so than MST (or ASOIAF).
Character wise, for me, Ann McCaffrey does a better job. Dragonsong! mickey2093, have you read any Pern books?
"Arya did not dare take a bath, even though she smelled as bad as Yoren by now, all sour and stinky. Some of the creatures living in her clothes had come all the way from Flea Bottom with her; it didn’t seem right to drown them."
arrysfleas, no, I haven't. McCaffrey is on my list of <I need to take a look> authors, though. Someone else once mentioned the pern set, but I haven't had a chance to pick them up or get them started, yet.
puce, I do know what you mean re: the thief and scoundrel aspects - I didn't consider them as part of the maturation, though, since in a few ways, I'M still an adolescent (okay, not thief or scoundrel(??), but enough of the <bad to some people> aspects) in many ways, but I have managed to mature a fair amount (of course - that IS questionable, lol). But yes - there were a number of ways in which he didn't progress, so I'll concede to that degree - Without spoiling arrysfleas, what did you think of nakor? Do I understand that you haven't finished the books? How far did you get, do you remember? I really don't want to spoil anyone -
puce - the Legacy books were great - unless you insist on magic being part of the stories. Well - I liked'em, anyway, lol. So the serpent war (Shards being the last one in that set). I think The Dark War comes next, if I remember right. It's interesting - each set brings you closer to knowing what's going on in the grand scheme of things, but you don't actually get the full story til Magician's End, where much of it is explained to Pug, et al, so that they can finish the struggle one way or another.
Did you read the Empire trilogy? The inner workings of the politics on Kelewan, and of the struggles that go on during that trilogy, I thought were very engaging, and comes into play (a little, anyway) during the Dark War. That set did more to recapture and keep my interest than any other set, with the possible exception of The Kings Buccaneer -