Tolkien got me into fantasy books but this is the series that made me devote my life to them. Glad to hear you enjoyed!

I love pug soooooo much

I'm so glad you give books a chance that are older. They never had the time to shine on KZfaq. Pugggggg! Definitely read part two Magician Master. If you want to see the other side of the war from the invading perspective.... You have to check out daughter of the empire trilogy. FYI the rights have been bought to bring both sides of the rift to television as a series.

Don’t know what made me look this up I just remember absolutely loving the first two books and started silverthorn just never finished it

Thank you very much good sir! This is the book that changed my life. Magician was my first introduction to Fantasy and now I'm a fantasy author. Booktubers should show Feist more respect and more screen time. He did what Tolkien did but in a better way in my opinion. Trust me... you want/need to read Master. Because magicien is just an intro to the whole picture. Also you need at least to read Silverthorn and A darkness to Sethanon to taste and understand the big picture of the Feist ideas. Feist wrote it in a way that you need to read Magician, Master, Silverthorn and Sethanon... If you push after Master which is the best Feist book of all, you will encounter one of the best character in fantasy. You will be the first Booktuber to talk about this character and you will be right to do so. Thank you for this needed review of an amazing book and author. Have a nice day!

I've been "planning" to read this for a while....looks like it's going to the top of the TBR! Thank you for your review!

I am so happy to see that you read and loved this book. I read this when it first came out and it propelled my love of fantasy ever since. Newer (or younger) readers discount these old school fantasy books because they are not edgy and grimdark. It’s a shame… Feist, Eddings and Brooks kept fantasy alive in the time between Tolkien and today’s authors such as Abercrombie, GRR Martin and Gwynne. They deserve an open mind when reading and the truly mad respect you just paid him. Thank you so much for shining such a bright light on an important fantasy classic. Another home run Matt.

You’ll love his Empire series even more!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Feist is so under reviewed on book tube. This is my all time favorite fantasy series and I'm VERY happy to see it getting reviewed and getting a positive one at that!

Thanks for reviewing this book, Matt! Magician's Apprentice was my first ever book that I got from my uncle when he came for the first time here in the Philippines. He gave it to me because that day was my birthday and he didn't have any gifts to give me, but he had The Magician's Apprentice in his baggage, so he gave it to me as a gift, and this book started to make me fall in love with reading.

You could probably read the 1st book of the Empire series after finishing Magician : Master if you wanted to see the perspective of the other side of the rift, but I would check the author's webpage for the 'alternate reading order' section and I would probably recommend skipping most of the 'non-essential' books as there is a bit of a drop in quality for the side stories

Glad you liked it. Read this one about 30 years ago, and it was excellent. It is tropy, but in 1982 it wasn't that tropy yet!! You have to read Magician:Master, to complete the book.

Now you have to read part 2!

Glad to hear you liked this book. It’s been in my library for a couple years and never picked it up.

On sale on Kindle right now for 1.99. Picked it up!

Glad you loved this! I reread all my favorites from the '80's - Eddings, Brooks, Feist, DragonLance, etc., and this was the one I wanted to read more. In case someone hasn't already mentioned, the publisher split Magician into its two parts, and it wasn't published as a single volume till later. The "author's definitive version came later and added 50-60 pages the publisher cut the first time around. I read the single volume version for the first time in January and liked it a lot more than the 2-volume version. I think you'll like part 2, as it will explore the other world across the rift.

I've had "Magician" sitting on my shelf for months but your review has pushed me into reading it next!! Love your reviews!

So glad you loved this Matt and you have only read half the original book really so a lot to look forward to. Silverthorn and a Darkness at Sethanon are also excellent and bring the story arc to a satisfying conclusion. I would also highly, highly recommend the series beginning with Daughter of the Empire that Feist co-wrote with Janny Wurts. It tells of the events happening in Kelewan at the same time as in Magician with some character overlap. It's less magic, more a political intrigue and reminds me a little of The Greenbone Saga (which I am reading now) but on a greater scale.

Brace yourself: the first dozen books are all superb. I particularly enjoyed his trilogy with Janny Wurts.

I purchased the entire Riftwar series a couple months ago. This video makes me move it up a bit in my massive tbr pile.

I read it a couple months ago and loved it as well...

Ha. I just realized I read this one years ago. Ima read it again now. Thanks, Matt!

The beginning reminded me of Black Prism and Kip.

Happy you enjoyed it. I have read the first three books and will the last one this year at some point.

I got the first two books from a library sale for 2 bucks and it’s sitting on my self until I finish wheel of time

The ones in the series written with janny wurts are very very good

Magician: Apprentice and Master are such bangers. I don't like Silverthorn and Darkness at Sethanon as much, but they're still good. I have the Empire Trilogy to read this year.

Was curious on your thoughts on this, and the Belgariad. Happy to hear you so enthusiastic about this old series, I read the first book as a kid and loved it but somehow lost the love of reading... Girls and booze I guess . But have the series awaitig on my shelf now. After Green Bone Saga and Memory Sorrow and Thorn I will start on the Riftwar Cycle.

"Pick this book up, like yesterday." Lol I love your videos and your personality !

Riftwar is an epic about a dyslexic magician.. I love it so much.

Oh, so many memories. This book and series/universe they started were one of my gataways to fantasy books. I read it long long time ago and remember fondly to this day. I am happy that new people discover and appreciate older fantasy books and series today. 🧙‍♂️

This entire series is my absolute favorite. I compare all fantasy books to it. And honestly, there are better installments in this series. Keep reading

Thanks Matt. Thanks to you I am reading a whole lot more than before

I have the Grim Oak edition of Magician, and it is amazing. It is no longer in stock, but the next 2 in the trilogy are still available if you want to get some high-quality editions of those!

I also just read this. Wow I’m completely hooked. I love the tropes and the feel of the book. 😊

Magician is amazing. The second part is even better than the first, and the 2 sequels are great, too. I re-read the series last year after 20 years and I loved it.

Oh this is awesome to hear! I have the first two sub-series plus the co-written Empire trilogy on the shelf from used bookstores, but it's pretty far down on the tbr since it doesn't get much hype in our circles these days. Everything you say it has is right up my alley!

The entire riftwar series is my all time favourite. Some books in the series aren't as good as others but overall I've serious attachment and nostalgia and have reread all 30 something books many times over the years. Enjoy the journey

Glad you read this book! I had watched an older video where you rank the top fantasy series of all time and you hadn't read Feist yet and was hoping you had dipped your toe in. I am surprised and delighted that you gave Apprentice 5 stars. I figure if you give my all time favorite fantasy author a 5 star rating then I will probably like your other 5 star books. I've been looking for a new fantasy series to get into and that's how I found your channel. I came across these books in junior high in the mid 90's and they were my introduction into fantasy. I dove right in and read all of the ones that were out at that point, and kept up with them until his more recent books. I read other fantasy books when I was younger (I'm more into classic literature now) but Feist was always my favorite by far. The Serpent war Saga is also really good. It's got a new generation of characters and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would because the main characters are more "normal" than the Riftwar, and their journeys seem a lot more perilous because of it. Highly recommend it. Anyway love your channel, keep up the good work!

I have been wanting to start this series for a while since I heard Petrik mention them in a video a while back. Glad to hear another review of it and will keep it on my TBR!

I’ve worked in bookstores off and on for 15 years and Raymond Feist has always been there haunting me from the fantasy section. Guess it’s time to finally dig in 😂

Your excitement got me FREAKIN hyped for this book!!! haha 😂

Hi Matt, you should have a spoiler section in your videos just to revisit that after reading the book, it would be great

Fanastic book and love all his books .

I read these back in highschool in the 90s. I really enjoyed this style of fantasy. Not going lie part of the reason i don't really like Malice that much is because it feels too much like Riftwar and Memory, Sorrow and Thorn but i just like the older books more. Corban just felt like a second tier Pug and Simon. Btw if you end up enjoying this series, the side series Fiest wrote with Janny Wurts is great.

Cool!👍👍👍🤖🚀 Never heard of it! It's going on my tbr📚

I will be picking this soon because of your review, thanks!

You say it is written in 1982 as if that was a long time ago.. gulp, what! I feel old. :) - and it has all the tropes. Back in the 80's when we were reading these hot from the press those tropes were less trope-y. They were new tropes back then. ;) Glad you liked it.

Silverthorn and honored enemy (a standalone set during the riftwar saga) are 2 of my favourite fantasy books ever. Unfortunately I stopped reading books during the serpentwar saga, I don't really know why as I was enjoying the books, I just went off reading for a few years. Anyway, I've heard his latest stuff really dips in quality and have been reluctant to go back to him.

This is why I love this channel! Diversity of content makes it so good. Glad you loved this. I tried to read Magician as a kid but struggled because of the length. But it's just gone back on my TBR.

In the middle of memories of ice but this made me wanna pick up and read this series really bad

This has been on my tbr for awhile now, looks like it will be my next book now. Thanks for the review

This book has been on my TBR for ages. I might have to move it farther up now. If you haven't read them I'd recommend the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams if you want another 80s/90s fantasy series.

I read this book so many years ago. I think I need to reread it.

This is a great book, the dialogue is a bit forced at the beginning but, that doesn't diminish the overall quality. Unfortunately, the rest of the initial trilogy wasn't able to live up to the high bar this was able to set. Still worth a read, although I didn't continue after those.

I'm glad that somebody on booktube finally put some respect on Feist's name a great old-school fantasy writer, you gave him a great review that he definitely deserves all his books are just as fantastic as the one that you read he has his ups and downs but they're all pretty good if not better glad that you enjoyed it keep up the great content

I love this book and the RiftWar Cycle. I am in about 15 books right now. I read the first one back in 2003. I hope your review will get get people to go and pick it up. P.S I am hoping that the tv adaption of these book doesn't stray from the book style.

You are in for a nice ride. I liked the second and third books even better than the first. I’ve read six others by Feist and he is remarkably consistent. I don’t mean that he repeats himself, but the quality of his writing and storytelling stays on the same level. Always good, fun and very accessible. In addition to those, I’ve read The Empire series, co-written with Janny Wurts, and it is on another level. So good. Also, there will come a point in this first series that I think was highly influential on Erikson. Won’t say more, but I will be curious to see if you see it.

Fun fact: in Portugal publishing commpanies think fantasie readars have the attention spam of a gold fish so they split the books. The magician are 2 so yes lets print in 4. Yes i read the 4 and a love it to.

Yay Matt! Delighted that you loved this. One of my all time favourites for exactly the reasons you described and its made me (a bit) sad that recent reviewers have been critical about what it is not, rather than celebrating what it is. Sure, it has longer chapters but that just makes the world more lived in as the reader. Sure, it has plenty of things that have been done before and many more times since but none do a portal fantasty anywhere near this level. I've been looking to step inside a re-read of this series for a while and want to share that joy with others, so definitely down for a readalong - Steve has provisionally said he's in as well. Wonderful review as always. I'm gonna watch it again when I feel like I need cheering up! :) Us older crew could start a revolution here lol.

It always fun to see you giddy about a book. Added to the TBR

The riftwar saga,the serpentwar saga and the empire trilogy in audiobook form are on youtube, the channel is "audiobookdan

I want to read Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts. I have Curse of the Mistwraith on my kindle waiting to be read. There is a definitely age concern around both of their writing but between you and Petrik I think I’m read to dive in and give them a chance finally.

You hyped me up! It just got higher on my TBR

Couldn't agree more. Followed the usual Star Wars tropes of the 80's but it still felt fresh compared to other series. Darkness was my favorite of the series. Seriously bad ass battle at the end. One of the best wrap-ups to a trilogy thats been done.

Sequel The Empire Trilogy is probably considered as one of the best trilogies in the The Riftwar Cycle.

Damn, I guess it will be going up my TBR

I was so anxious for you reading this book Matt! This video made me smile, my favorite book tuber loving one of my favorites!

I never had any interest in these books, and now I am considering adding them to the TBR. Just call it the "Matt" effect; you have a lot of influence on my future reading decisions.

Awesome, I read this over 20 years ago and bought the series. Keep going it's fantastic!

This sounds so amazing!!! I need to get to it asap. Thanks for your review Matt!

This was my favorite fantasy book for a long time!

I loved this series as well, but if you got the time I would also check out Belgariad series by David Eddings, its quite a similar premise but its also so great. It also came out around then. Got to agree older books are the way to go for fantasy.

This was also one of my favorite books growing up (the whole Magician, and its two sequels, as well as the Servant of the Empire -trilogy Feist wrote with Janny Wurts about the other side of the Rift). The series itself is now long as heck, but these early works are my undeniable favorites. Feist's Riftwar series was probably one of the biggest epic fantasy series in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and there was even a PC game made set in the world. It's unfortunate that it has fallen out of spotlight over time, but it might be that readers got a bit exhausted with the series as it went on. That still doesn't detract from how good the earlier entries are, and they stand perfectly well on their own.

I read these books when I was a kid, and I remember liking it. Now I want to go back and read them again. Read his horror book 'Faerie Tale' - it's also excellent. Also, great political fantasy with the Daughter of the Empire series he co-wrote with Janny Wurts.

Most of the books in Riftwar saga are great....I do envy you that Empire trilogy and Shattered Crown is in front of you still...especially Empire trilogy is amongst my top 5 ever.

so glad you enjoyed this, its by far my favorite fantasy series, reading magician when i was a kid in the 90's, last year i went back and listened to every audio book in the entire cycle start to finish and had the best time. so many cool recurring characters (jimmy the hand is the best) a super fun story line while some of the books are well weaker than the first 6 i loved every minute of them all, and really enjoyed the conclusion in magicians end. i will say listening to all the books in order one after the other probably helped me enjoy them even more as every thing was fresh in my mind. I will say 30 books is a lot to get through but i cant recommend Fiest enough. Magician is one of the few paper backs i still own from my childhood and is well worn, Never read the split version only the full magician so i cant speak for any differences. wish more people enjoyed fiest as much as i

That's awesome to hear -- I purchased my battered paperback from a used bookstore down the shore, and then last week got on my Kindle because it was on sale for like two bucks. I didn't know when I was going to read it, but a gush-review like this tends to get me to it faster 😄

So glad that you enjoyed this. Feist, along with Eddings and Gemmell, were the authors that cemented my love of fantasy 30+ years ago. I'm not going to lie and say every book going forward is excellent, but there's plenty to enjoy in this series. And this video has made me want to re-read this series, so thank you for that.

Just finished it myself, it was on my list of required reading my wife has apparently started for me lol. I also loved it and am immediately starting the second book.

Your enjoyment is contagious that it made me feel like picking up the book! Question: whats your thought on the prose?

Well, you got me hyped up about these, at least!!

Ooh I've been excited to get to this, so this review has got me really hyped. Fantastic review man !!

I really need to read some Feist! Magician Apprentice sounds like my kind of read! Hahah, completely agree about not needing to follow our PoV's through every second of their life. Jumping to the next point can be great! Will

Never even heard of this series until the algorithm led me here.

It was such a joy to hear you gush about my favourite fantasy novel, and for most of my youth, my favourite book. (KSR's Mars trilogy lives there now) Magician: Master is incredible, (as I see you know, I'll go watch that next). The rest of this first trilogy loses some of that magic for me, and I think Feist falls into a little bit of a slump where he is just writing for a living some of the time over the rest of his catalogue, but there are gems in there. Especially the Empire trilogy with Janny Wurts, where they dig deep into the world of Kelewan.

Ive heard the books in this series written with Janny Wurts are amazing. If you like book 1, then I think you'll love those books.

I read the single volume of Magician and loved it. I remember sitting back after finishing the last page and just saying "Wow" as I thought about how far the Pug had come! I did read Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon but unfortunately they didn't amaze me as much as Magician!

Great book. The series falls off later on, but the first few are excellent. And the related series he wrote with Janny Wurts is amazing, too.

Class! I've read the series twice. Personally think it's a crime that is not mentioned more in the top series lists. Though it does drop a little at the end, but overall great fun

Yay!!! Riftwar definitely still holds up. Can't wait for you to read the Empire Trilogy if you continue. Magician came out in two volumes originally because the publisher said no one would read such a long book. He had to split the books and edited out a lot of stuff. The author came out with new edition in the 90s that is the entire story in one volume and parts put back in. I've read both and the author's preferred edition is better than the split books.

I think in the original book the publisher made him cut 50k words. So in the newest edition that is two books in one, I think just called Magician, the author added back and refined some of that 50k words that was taken out originally

Read this in 1996 . I've read the entire series numerous times ..truly my favorite of all time . And Magican is just the beginning litterly and figuratively. Wait until you meet Nakor!!

I just picked this book up for my Kindle so I was glad to see the review. I’m excited to read it now!

OMG!1! your channel ROCKS!!!, this series is AWESOME, thank you for blowing it up!!!!!

Weird. I remember reading this 20 years ago and thinking, meh…. Maybe I’ll reread it.

I've read quite a bit of the Riftwar Saga (of which this is the first book written) well over a decade ago and I hope to go back and read it all someday. My favorites were a series he did with Janny Wurts, called the Empire Trilogy, about a young noble woman inheriting her failing house in the Kelewan homeworld. Really good stuff and if you plan to read more Riftwar in the future I'd really recommend this series.

Sold! I have read a couple of Feist books that i thought were good, so I'm more than happy to give this series a try.

Master is even better. Enjoy

I love how your enthusiasm comes across, thanks for this review/recommendation and above all thank you for always staying true to yourself and what you feel. That’s why I personally value your channel above many others.