Rise of a Merchant Prince

Rating:
Summary: A different Feist novel that sets you up for Book 3
Review: RISE OF A MERCHANT PRINCE is the 2nd book in the Serpentwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist. It continues with Roo going into business while Erik continues serving in the military.

The novel switches Points of View between the two (Roo and Erik), but much of the focus is on Roo and his rise as a merchant prince. Unfortunately, this very rise to power comes with its ups and downs. Luckily, the skills he picked up in SHADOW OF A DARK QUEEN comes in handy.

I wasn't disappointed with the more technical aspects of the book. Business and Krondor Commerce comes to the fore and the usual fighting/magic gets sent a little back. Don't get discouraged, this is anything but a boring read. Be warned that fantasy fans expecting what they saw in SHADOW might be a little disappointed by the change of pace. However, don't skip this book because it sets you up for the greatness of RAGE OF A DEMON KING.

If you liked the intrigue and subtleties of Feist's EMPIRE TRILOGY, then you will easily get into RISE OF A MERCHANT PRINCE. It is very elemental to the SERPENTWAR SAGA, and fans of RIFTWAR will be happy with the appearance of old favorites like Pug, Tomas, and Jimmy the Hand. There is also a lot of Nakor in the SERPENTWAR SAGA, so if you enjoyed PRINCE OF THE BLOOD, you'll also appreciate RISE OF A MERCHANT PRINCE.

Rating:
Summary: A little slow-paced
Review:

After having just been introduced to Feist, I've only just read this book a while ago. It's a good read but has a huge change of pace from his usual books. Instead of focusing on the royals (ConDoins), he focuses on two ordinary people, Erik and Roo, who get caught up in the war.

If you like your action fast, this is definitely not the book for you as it concentrates on stocks, bonds and the dealings of the business world in Krondor. It was interesting to see how business works in Krondor if not a little on the slow side.

The characters are fairly interesting (esp. Calis) and there are some new ones such as Dash and Jimmy (James' grandsons). However, some characters don't really work such as Miranda.

All in all, not Feist's finest but certainly entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: Didn't have problem with this book
Review: That is when it finally got off its rocker and decided which direction it was going in(it takes a signifigant amount of time). I like Roo less than I like Erik so I found this book a lttle hard to get into at first. Than about halfway through the book I started to realize that the charecter of Rubert Avery was starting to grow on so I ended up not minding all that much. This is all coupled with the fact that there was some very cool "Power behind the throne" stuff, an approach in fiction that I have always been partical to.

Overall-Thew most redeming quality of this book for me was that if left off at exactly the point where the book should have ended. You know, when you read a book and you feel that the book should ended ten chapters ago? There is none of that feeling here, I can't wait for my chance to read book 3.

Rating:
Summary: Integrated, Surprising, and Behavioral
Review: It might be true that whoever reads Shadow Of A Dark Queen will be somewhat disappointed by how slow things go in Rise Of A Merchant Prince, but the book nonetheless is far from 'below average.' Though some fantasy fans demand an all-action-24/7 set of novels, I believe Feist, as a writer, did very well in adding the aspects of the human daily life in a world of extreme fantasy and adventure.

Rupert Avery, who's a gap-filling character in Shadow Of A Dark Queen, came surprisingly alive in Rise Of A Merchant Prince. His struggle with Tim Jacoby, his dedication to becoming 'the' richest man in Krondor, his struggle with himself over his wife, Karli; one day seeing some beauty in her and the other day he can't stand her. His lust for Sylvia, the stunningly beautiful mistress and finally his loyalty to the Kingdom as to leave his business and go rescue his boyhood friend. . .all that came together very well, forming a great book, leaving you anticipating the sequel.

Do not miss this one!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly strategic
Review: "Rise of a Merchant Prince" is exactly what the title portrays it to be: the rise of Roo from a common person (who narrowly escaped a death sentence in the previous book and was merely friend to Erik whilst off soldiering in Novindus) to the one of the richest people in Krondor.

Roo's tale is captivating and a refreshing change in the world of Midkemia. Feist, in showing the commercial side of Midkemia, portrays a maturity rarely found in the fantasy world. It completes Midkemia like no other adventure story could have. Roo's financial exploitives are realistic and believable, and Barnett's is more than another name to the reader - although I still don't pretend to understand options and futures, despite Feist's portrayal.

Erik also continues to mature (in the military world) in this book and we are reacquainted with members of the Royal family and other favourites from Feist's first series.

Strategically speaking, this book is brilliant: it definitely sets the stage for more: you just know that something (bad) has to happen to Roo's wealth, or at least to his marriage ... Roo's mistress, Sylvia (daughter of the other richest person in Krondor), has him completely wrapped around his finger. If all else fails, there's always the impending war by the Saaur or the mysterious third dark player ...

Rating:
Summary: Rise of a Merchant Prince
Review: The sequal doesn't measure up to the Original? Are you dense or just of low intelligence?
In the first book, Shadow of a Dark Queen, we met the characters, and set the scenario, then we watched them grow up and become men. In Rise of a Merchant Prince, yes we do focus on Roo, more than Eric or Calis, but it not only sets the scene for Rage of a Demon King, It continues to show Both Eric and Roo evolving into more complex characters, and still discovering who they are in the world.
Oh and if you didn't like the the characters evolving and becoming more like real humans than fictional non entities, your gunna hate the next one...
HURRAH for Feist.

Rating:
Summary: Just the middle book of the series
Review: Though the book was not horrible, I would say I felt it was a forced reading on my part. It did develop Roo's character more, but quite frankly the reason I read fantasy Adventure novels is to read about adventure, not about how a fictional character makes it financialy in a fictional world. Unfortunatly I do feel it is required reading if you wish to continue with reading the series which overall I felt was pretty good.

Rating:
Summary: Fantasy Lovers Beware
Review: One of my favorite fantasy books of all time was Raymond E Feist's "A Darkness at Sethanon".. Unfortunately, my least favorite book is by the same author in the form of "Rise of the Merchant Prince".

This book is a horrible fantasy book. I wouldn't even call it fantasy. I think history books are more exciting to read. I dreaded every page I read of this book and forced myself to read it because it was part of a series.

If stocks, bonds, commerce, waiting on tables, falling in love, raising a family is something you would like to read in excrutiating detail, then this book is definitely for you.

However, if you like action, grand adventures, sword fights, sorcery, interesting characters, then stay away from this book.

There was not one thing I liked about this book. Feist's worst book to date.

Rating:
Summary: A different approach focused mainly on two characters
Review: Feist has done it again! He can't stop writing great fantasy. This book mainly focus on Roo and Erik. I loved Roo's story of how he became the richest merchant in Krondor through out smarting his enemies and just being a good business man. But still at the end of the book Feist does a 180 and reminds you of the danger ahead. Another Feist 5+++ star book.

Rating:
Summary: It was okay...Minor exlusions but still good.
Review: It was okay, but it really didn't have enough action. That and Roo is one of my least favorite characters. It *did* give Calis something like a personality, though. In Shadow, Calis was something of a mystery, even to me, the Elf-fan. The fact that Feist allowed Calis to show some emotion was good. I like the way Feist has made Nakor, one of my other favorite characters, the grand adviser to all. It wasn't fair when he killed of De Loungeville, because I read the book twice and couldn't figure out when and where the piece of the rib started sticking him. It bugged me that Calis kept looking to Miranda, but then, I dislike Miranda. And Feist seems to be putting more and more adult content in his books. "...my need is great..." from Aglaranna in Magician:Master was okay, but now this?! The guy needs to get off of his sex tangent for crying out loud!! On the majority, it was all right.