Rating: 
Summary: exelent start for the saga
Review: This book is the best book I have ever read. But remember this is just half of the book. It was meant to be read as a whole, but when he re-visioned the book, he split it in two. Tale is completley entraling, the plot cant be beat. and when your done, you are completly set up for the next part. The riftwar saga is realy two saga's, Magition, and silverthorn and darkness at sethanon. this first book realy sets up the next one and you never want to stop reading it. if you have read the serpentwar saga and don't like it, then you should defantly read this. i think everyone should read this book
Rating: 
Summary: A rather promising start
Review: This being my first experience of Feist, I should be rather interested to read more. The book is not exceptional, but it has all the makings of good fantasy entertainment: a fast-paced plot (so rare in these days), quite likable characters and a certain sense of originality. Feist's main strength, however, seems to be the world of Midkemia. I'm expecting to see more politics and other low-fantasy elements in the following books.A rather strange decision was to leave Pug's fate completely open in the end of this book; but if it's true what one reviewer said (that this is only the first half of the original vol. 1), it's understandable. I'll return to Feist after I've read the rest of this series.
Rating:
Summary: The perfect book for fantasy beginners!
Review: This was my first fantasy read and since then I have grown out of its simplicity and moved on to deeper reads. However, I still remember this book with much fondness and nostalgia. It is an easy read for teenagers and beginners to fantasy alike. There are plenty of archetypical characters that can be identified with quickly and easily. The pace is smooth and action filled, without so much as a hiccup. The best part about the novels based on the world of Midkemia is the fantasy setting itself. The world of Midkemia and Kelewan have been carefully developed first as roleplaying campaign settings. The forethought shows in the meticulous details of the world. Midkemia is at once fantastical and yet, believable. The economics and the demographics are plausible, and the politics is decent as well. It isn't the best fantasy you can find but it's a good place to start for those new to the genre, and the magic is unequaled.
Rating:
Summary: Without darkness, what know we of light?
Review: David Gemmell, in an authors interview, once stated that he felt his fans deserved something more than the traditional elves and goblins. Whilst I make no attempt to disparage Gemmell's work, (he is without question one of my top ten favorite authors) occasionally one feels the need for such stories. Indeed, many authors seem to think as Gemmell does, that elves and goblins are the rule and books of the more realistic type are the exeption. In trying to prevent a stereotype of fantasy work, these authors have over compensated, leaving genuine, simple, Tolkeinesque fantasy in a minority. The key to Feist's success is that he manages to create a realistic world in the style of this stereo type. As he says himself in the Foreword to the revised edition, all he set out to do with Magician (published in America as "Magician - Apprentive" and "Magician - Master") was to create a 'ripping good yarn', and this he does. The story itself is both simple and complex. On one level the town of Crydee, on the edge of the Kingdom of Isles, is deemed an ideal spot for invasion by aliens who can move from planet to planet by virtue of magical rifts. Because this is a frontier town it is near settlements of elves and dwarves, thus bringing those into the fray. However, this book, as indeed the entire series, seems to pan out more like a soap opera, as we become familiar with the lives of a whole range of major and minor characters. Like a good soap opera (if that's not a dichotomy) Feist is not afraid to kill off major characters, no matter how popular. Like 'The Godfather' the pace of Magician is "Legato rather than Staccato" (Francic Ford-Coppolla, dir.) and this give Feist the luxury of demonstrating his characters rather than having to explain them. Indeed, many fantasy novels become so obsessed with a 'higher purpose' that often they loose a sense of the personalities involved, whereas Fiest gives views ranging from the lowliest peasant to the King. In many ways this novel is a microcosm of the series that was to follow it. The convoluted plot, the importance attached to characters, even if they are engaged elsewhere, away from the main plotline. But the novel is not perfect. Feist can be heavy handed, making explicit that which should be implicit. For instance, characters frequently call on 'Ruthia', and on each occasion Feist feels the need to identify here as the goddess of luck, when this is quite clear from the context. Nonetheless this is without doubt an excellent book, and one which I would heartily recomend. T.F.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible read!
Review: A most worthy read. For any of you who like fantasy, this is the book to read. I have read every single one of Feist's books (the only exception being Krondor: The Assassins). This one is by far the best. Right from the start, it hooks you. The plot is incredibly deep and intricate. The characters are like the plot; intricate and extremely well thought out. Each one has a distinct personality. This, and the rest of the Midkemian books (even the Tsurani ones too) are worth it to read! But, be sure to order Apprentice and Master at the same time, or you will die waiting for the next book to come in.
Rating:
Summary: Start here!
Review: Feist has created a world that dominates other fantasy authors, in my eyes. The characters are real enough, and the plots are really intriguing. I'm up to my tenth book in the land of Midkemia and they have ALL been fascinating. Even when the books becomes clogged with less appealing characters than the ones in Magician: Apprentice, the quality and feel never leave. Feist is, as the Spanish would say, "el mejor."
Rating:
Summary: I loved it!
Review: I truly enjoyed this book from the very beginning. Randomly picked off of the shelf at a used book store, it was left to be read last out of a group of fantasy novels I threw together. But once I started reading, I didn't stop! Even though the characters and plot were based on stereotypes used many times over before, it seemed to me a well built story. The main character was not heard from in the pages after chapter fourteen, but this I did not mind since the plot was well carried over to Arutha's character. The next book brings Pug back to the main circle again. Overall I was very pleased with how Feist actually wrote the story: he has a way of wording which is easy to follow and flows smoothly. The ending left me smiling because I wanted more!
Rating: 
Summary: Saga, yes. Book, no.
Review: If you're interested in reading the whole saga that starts in this book, I think you're looking at 5 stars. However, as a BOOK, Magician: Apprentice is, frankly, lacking. There is no resolution to ANY plotline, and the back-of-cover blurb, which describes a book about the possible rise to power of a young apprentice, is incredibly misleading. Perhaps the SAGA is about that, but this book itself abandons all development of the main character after about 100 pages. Very disappointing. On the good side, the next book, Magician: Master, picks up right where it should. It's almost as if this series started out as one large book and then got arbitrarily chopped into multiple pieces for publishing.
Rating: 
Summary: Main character not used for 200 pages.
Review: As the title states...Near the end of the book, Pug is not mentioned and that tends to make the book really drag. Book is mainly based around medival times, including most of the fighting. Would prefer a LOT more magical battles. While not that bad, not exactly what I had hoped for.
Rating:
Summary: Return to this World as often as you can!
Review: Something truly magical has happened this time that Feist has set pen to paper. The world that came about with its characters, the land, the people, the freshness of it is truly inspiring to anyone that reads this book. This book has all the elements that make a series magical. My favorite part of this book is the character of Pug. He is the resident powerful magic user, and finally comes into his own in this book. It was this character that I was most interested in, how Feist treated the usage of magic was new and exciting, and wasn't caught in any old rut that some authors get into. The land of this world was romantic, fighting still takes place with swords and shield, there are amazing feats of bravery as well as duplicity. Another character that comes into his own in this book is Tomas, and it is this character that probably the most interesting in the whole series. Feist really draws out this characters coming of power, and the whole process of dreams and altered reality is really exciting to read. This land is great, the characters are great, and the writing is great. What more could you want?
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