One of the authors I enjoy reading. His books are entertaining and easy to read. You always know what you are getting with Feist, and he always produces stores that I enjoy.

More like 3.5 stars really. A breezy read, interesting without being overly deep. Quite enjoyable, but with many, many jarring typos. The editor of this edition was asleep at the wheel.

This book picked up towards the end, but for much of it, it felt like Feist was mailing it in. It's the first of a trilogy, so we will see how it plays out. It was okay, could have been better.

Perhaps I’m reading them too fast, but at this point the lack of original storylines, or even just real resolution is frustrating. Go find evil here, dig out evil there, figure out part of this puzzle, big fight, evil loses and flees, repeat ad nauseam. We’ve read this book in several different scenarios previously. Even worse, there are endless recaps for people who perhaps haven’t read the previous books.

I’m ready for the end of the series. The final end. Or is that the point, that there won’t be a happily ever after and it’s a constant struggle between good and evil forever?

Side note: in the version of this book I read, it says clearly that Kasper was an only child (used a moment to indicate he could see brotherly love between the princes in contrast to the court ascension faction wars, the whole plot of this book hinges on this realisation). Is he? Because the whole last series he had a sister. She’s now on the throne of Olasko and married. Were we meant to forget that Natalia exists?!

I'm not sure how many more times I'll let Feist get away with the framework of "a young man (two in this case), through an unlikely set of circumstances, begin(s) training in a wide variety of skills - swordfighting, athletics, tracking, horseback-riding, gambling, etc. - and find themselves integral participants in battling evil with potentially world-spanning ramifications." But based on how much I enjoyed this book, apparently at least one more. Granted, in this instance that was just one of multiple intertwining plot threads, but it was certainly there nonetheless.

And what can I say? It continues to work for me. I really liked the characters introduced in the previous series - Talwin, Kaspar, and Amafi - returning to join the old favorites (Nakor remains one of my favorite characters in fantasy), as well as the few new to this book.

A fun start to a new trilogy, and I'm nearing the end of the Riftwar Cycle.

It's been a few years since I read the early Feist books, but I don't remember the characters being so one dimensional before. An ok addition to the series, for those keeping track at home, but certainly not among his best Pug novels.