Rating: 
Summary: Not your average fantasy novel
Review: I have to admit that I approached this novel with a bit of skepticism. Did I really want to read some lame story by a Tolkein wannabe? I read it, however, and was very pleasantly surprised. I found the book interesting and generally unpredictable (well, except the love-triangle thing).
As to the previous reference to Tolkein, one has to be wary of rip-offs, as there are many. But I feel like Feist did a remarkable job of expanding on the genre Tolkein perfected (or all but created). There are dwarves, elves, and trolls, much as one has come to expect from fantasy novels of this kind. But there are also unexpected elements--a golden dragon, a force from another planet, etc. Indeed, one can read this book and still feel "at home" in the fantasy world here created, but not feel like he's reading "The Two Towers" again with different characters.
As I said, the plot is interesting, and not easy to anticipate. I found myself very surprised at the turn of events. Feist also deserves praise for the personality of the enemy force in this book--they have feelings as well, and a strong sense of honor and respect for their foes. By not portraying the 'bad guys' as pure evil, the story becomes more interesting and becomes somewhat more real.
My only real complaint lies in the sheer number of primary characters, and the way in which they are sometimes over or under used. The story borders on being too complex, but it is possible to follow. It's complexity is what gives it but four stars.
I have not yet read the other books in this series, though I plan to. Feist has shown himself a capable storyteller. One of the most difficult aspects of fantasy is creating a world that is believable, and Feist has done this with commendable skill. I highly recommend this work to all fans of the fantasy genre, as well as those who (like myself) are interested by a good story, whatever the field.
Rating: 
Summary: It had so much potential...
Review: I loved the way the story started. I was immediately drawn in to the world of Midkemia, and I instantly took a liking to the main character, Pug. All this held my interest for a while, and then I slowly became bored. I was bored with the storyline, bored with the characters, bored with the dialogue... just bored. I stuck it out, though, and as the plot slowly unraveled, the characters became better known, and I was once again drawn to them.Raymond E. Feist writes well, without the need for elaborate words and run-on sentences which can often be found in fantasy novels. In fact, the only criticism I have when it comes to his writing is based on the way he writes dialogue. Oftentimes, it's forced, and it just doesn't sound like something a person would say. This is especially true when he writes dialogue for children - they all speak like adults, and it's hard to remember that they are only children. That being said, this was not a total waste of my time - it was an easy and fun read, and I got through it quickly. However, I will not be picking up any of the sequels. One was more than enough.
Rating:
Summary: The Start of a Great Fantasy Epic
Review: Magician: Apprentice is the first half (with some added material) of Raymond E. Feist's fantasy classic Magician, originally published in the early 1980s and broken into two books in the mid-1990s, when Feist's work was gaining a snowballing audience. Magician deals with the early life of two boys, Pug (the title magician) and Tomas, his more physical pal, both destined for great - or interesting - things. Apprentice follows these two boys from the early parts of their lives, at about 12 years old, to their late teens. Pug, the main character, is the bookish sort chosen as an apprentice magician in his remote outpost town. Buddy Tomas is chosen to be a member of the Duke's guard, the profession obviously more preferable to the average teenaged boy. Pug discovers that he isn't very good at magic, as he's barely able to work the simplest spells, even though his teacher's magical instruments say the exact opposite - that the boy is brimming with power. A clue to this power is unleashed when Pug must protect the Duke's daughter (who happens to be his own age, and attractive to boot) from trolls and he manages to torch them all with fire from his hands. Nice! After establishing Pug's character and the relationships between the others, the Tsurani - invaders from another planet (and plane of existence, it seems) whose planet is hopelessly weak in resources. Fearing the death of their culture and civilization, they employ powerful wizards (Great Ones) to create "rifts" to other worlds and times, so that they may hunt for the resources they lack. It seems Pug's world of Midkemia is ripe for the picking, so before Pug has a chance to grow up, he's whisked off in the middle of an all-out war between the two worlds. With the help of elves, dwarves, and other standard fantasy fare, the Midkemians prepare to defend against the invaders, while Tomas discovers an ancient secret that turns him into something other than a human and Pug is captured by the Tsurani and made to be a slave. Feist's work is epic, no doubt about it. The story starts off almost child-like and simple, with a small world full of wresting and games and a pretty girl that everyone likes. It soon turns much uglier, and as Pug grows up and his concerns become more adult, so too does the mood of the book shift from the relative innocence of his personal youth to the gritty reality of war. Feist has a likable, easy-reading style, and his enjoyment and knowledge of the world he's created is evident in every page. Many fantasy books are only half-formed worlds with half-formed characters, or great worlds with paper-thin characters. Feist has his cake and eats it too in Magician, making a world as real as Middle Earth and memorable characters about whom it's easy to care. Magician is a great read for the fantasy fan, and if you find the book a little immature at the beginning, it's only because Feist employs this device to get into the head of his main character and show the difference in concern between Pug the youth and Pug the adult later in the series. If you buy Magician: Apprentice, Magician: Master is a must: the two cannot be read apart, unless you like torturing yourself with cliffhangers. Final Grade: B+
Rating: 
Summary: An Introduction to a Great Series
Review: When I first picked up Tolkein' s book The Hobbit and started to read it I craved for more. Then one of my friends showed me the video game for the PC called Betrayal at Krondor. After that I read the book Betrayal at Krondor and was hooked. I have read all his books. Feist is a A++++. Don't let other people tell you the Hero is better. No Way!
Rating:
Summary: Early Feist
Review: Buy this with Magician: Master to get the whole story. Originally these two books were one, titled simply Magician. This is the first volume of the Author's Preferred Edition re-release. I'm not sure what the difference between the APE edition and the original, but I'm sure it had a lot to do with money. Anyway, the story: Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master tell the story of the only two people who survive the entire multi-novel Feist fantasy experience: Pug and Tomas. Feist's universe is very Tolkien-like, and fans of the Lord Of The Rings series will find many common threads here. In some circles, Feist is called a Tolkein-clone. Magician: Apprentice follows the lives of a handful of Important People (y'know -- the ones that never die?) through a series of hardships, including an interdimensional war with a Japanese-like race of people. The book ends on a cliffhanger to the next volume, Magician: Master... so if you buy one, buy 'em both.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book has NO plot
Review: The whole thing had the originality of a second-rate chick flick. Their is no antagonist and not clear protagonist. The system of magic is never really explained so it leaves the reader whith a feeling of confusion. The plot is more of a random series of events that have no climax. The magical armor was a good idea but we never got to really see what lasting effect it had on Tomas. The "enemies" are from another world. Enough said. The main character, "Pug" was absolutely non-essential until the last bit where he was more convienient than nescessary (they probably could have negotiated the portal closed). The time flows about as smoothly as sand paper and the Magician owns a pet dragon(a little one). Do not waste your time with these books.
Rating:
Summary: S'ok...
Review: I just finished reading the Wheel of Time for the second time in anticipation of Book 10 in that series. Tolkien and Jordan are the only two fantasy writers I had ever read, before this, and they have proven to be a tough standard to meet. Magician: Apprentice was not bad, but I often found the plot to be predictable. It seemed to be the 'fantasy' of an amateur writer who had played too much Dungeons and Dragons, the sort of story you might expect to be posted on the internet. That being said, I still enjoyed parts of it. Towards the end, the book became interesting. I have started Magician: Master and thus far it is vastly superior, as the plot is more original and does not seem to be derived from Dungeons and Dragons so much. If you have not read the Wheel of Time series, I would recommend it over this Rift War Saga in a heart beat.
Rating:
Summary: well done
Review: as good as it gets, except for gene wolf and g.r.r martin or g.g kay. his fairy tail is the best
Rating:
Summary: Still one of the best after 20 years
Review: I just read this book for the fifth time. Raymond Feist spins a wonderful tale filled with interesting characters. The first book in the Riftwar Saga revolves primarily around an orphan named Pug and his best friend Thomas. Pug and Thomas are caught up in a war with a mysterious invader from another world. Pug as the apprentice to his Dukes magician is right in the middle of the conflict. Thomas is separated from Pug and comes into the possession of a magical set of armor, which gives him great fighting abilities. However, the armor seems to be changing Thomas into something other than human.
This novel is a well-rounded fantasy read. I highly enjoy the combination of Elves, Dwarves, Dragons and Magic. The story is not too heavily weighted with these elements though. Mr. Feist spends more time developing the characters and plot than slinging magic around.
So if you have not read this series then I recommend you either go buy it or find a friend who has already read and loved it and borrow his/hers. In deference to the negative reviews I must say that this is not a highly thought provoking book. However, it is a very fast paced enjoyable read. I have read hundreds of fantasy novels and this series is one that I have enjoyed more than most (Top Ten). I read novels in a series as some others read chapters, so it is a little hard to just review this book. I highly recommend any fantasy lover to read this series. There are also many novels that come after this series that are just as good (i.e. Serpentwar Saga).
Also, at least read books 1 and 2 before making any final judgments (since they were originally one novel).
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest fantasies ever.... but not the greatest
Review: Raymond E. Feist, in my opinion, writes fantasy. that's it. not humourous fantasy like piers anthony, light fantasy like mercedes lackey. he doesn't even add that dash of homour found in eddings. but the thing is, it's good fantasy, solid writing, interesting going-ons. i won't tell u the content yet again, but i will say that i find that there is too little character development, too little background information, so half the time you're just guessing as to what's going on, and no idea at all what's going on with the other side. all you get are the impressions (usually wrong) of the main characters, who at this point in time, are young, innocent, rather stupid people who mean little in the scheme of things in their world. Still, magican, apprentice and master, are the best of the series, as the rest are add-ons, and after your favourite characters die, pug alone is not enough of a draw, especially as the doors/worlds thing is confusing to say the least. But, the book is a marvelous introduction to my favourite fantasy series of all time, the Empire trilogy, as i call it, written by Feist in collaboration with Wurts, about the Empire people. It's funnier, deeper, with less swords-clashing, and much more development all round. And it shows the point of view of the bad guys too.
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