Rating: 
Summary: Good book, which leaves room for another series.
Review: This is a good book. It finishes the series nicely and leaves enough questions raised to make another series. Characters like Jimmy and Dash were probably not as involving as characters like Prince Arutha and Jimmy the Hand but the book is written differently. If you look at the other series they have times when they talk between characters and you can get to know them, that is because it is more peaceful. In SOABC it is war non-stop. How can characters develop their personal lives when they're in a full blown war? I had only a few problems with the book, Why didn't the dwarves help? Why wasnt Calis in it? Who the bloody hell is Nakor? Other than that I think it is a good book that leaves room for another series.
Rating:
Summary: I agree with Aaron from Sydney
Review: After developing such a high expectation from Feist, I must admit to finding his magic not being wove to the artistic endevour that he wove in earlier books. I think there seems to be too many characters and having to develop their characters too quicky, and from this a lack of identification with them. I find that this doesn't allow me to feel what the characters are feeling to the same level, and lowers the overall experience that Feist so ably offers. Nice story, needs that more of that Feist magic to be wove into it though.
Rating:
Summary: not bad
Review: I quite liked this book - though I should warn you that Krondor: Betrayal will not be set after Shards - it will be set between Darkness At Sethanon and Prince Of the Blood - it is the novelisation of the Game Betrayal At Krondor!
Rating: 
Summary: A critial review...
Review: After reading the book (which didn't take as long as I thought) I must say that it didn't live up to my expectations. Perhaps they were inflated by the greatness of Feist's earlier works - such as Magician and even the recently published Rise of a Merchant Prince. Basically I agree with many of the comments which have already been stated. Mr Feist has gotten too epic in stance and has so many characters it is difficult to develop any of them individually. I found that many of his earlier works were quality fantasy because they not only wove a thrilling tale, but they presented realistic (and often flawed) characters. Pug, Arutha, Jimmy the Hand, Nicholas, Erik and Rupert Avery were some of the best developed. It was impossible to do the irrepressible Dashel justice (as likeable as I found him) when having to manage so many other storylines. In short, I humbly hope that Mr Feist will return to a less grand scale for his future books. Still, Midkemia is a tremendous achievement - as a fantasy world I think that its familiarity makes it a good setting for future books. But hopefully criticisms like this will keep his future series' from spiralling into making each conflict more earth-shattering than the next. Feist has a tremendous talent for storytelling and hopefully he will continue to publish at his current prolific rate.
Rating:
Summary: pretty good, but not as good as it should be
Review: although quite a good book if you are a feist reader, i must say that even fans must be slightly disappointed after reading this book. unlike the riftwar series, the serpentwar saga and this book do not contain much of any serious character development. while eric and roo were good headliners for the previous books, even they were only marginally interesting compared to pug, prince arutha, and jimmy the hand in the first series. feist did not make the newer characters in the serpentwar saga have enough of a personal life to draw more of my interest. feist's books are now following the trend of movies: lots of noise and fast action. sure, i was hard pressed to put shards.. down, but when i was done, i felt deflated. it did not linger in my mind like many of feist's earlier works. in short, read it at the bookstore or buy the paperback when it comes out. it'll be a fast 6-7 hours.
Rating:
Summary: A weak book compared to its predecessors
Review: I was very disappointed after reading this book. Pug seemed such a weakling when compared to Miranda and Nakor that even Patrick decided to have a go at the most powerful mortal in the Universe. Even with Macros's vast library at his disposal, he was looking towards Miranda to teach him a simple teleportation trick. When he fell in Elvandar, he had to walk while in the previous book he flew towards the Emrald Queen's ship. Mr. Feist I guess forgot about Pug's powers or else has really underestimated him. Personally my image of Pug was really shattered and I hope the next book will do something to amend that. Owen Greylock's and Arutha's death was also premature and really left a bitter after taste because they were uncalled for.
Rating:
Summary: wait for the paperback
Review: Hey, I'm a big Feist fan - you are too - this book is only for us addicts. As addicts we ARE going to read it - no question......but it IS a disappointment. This book is simply an extended epilogue to ROADK. In fact I recommend setting aside time to read this in one or two sittings - you have to breeze through it. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading it and you, will too - we love Midkemia. But this offering is not compelling on its own and doesn't offer much of the engaging characterization that I am always amazed Feist pulls off. I had to read it, you have to read it, but save some cash. I have this suspicion, this hope, that Mr. Feist did not spend his usual energy on this epilogue for two reasons (1) he's looking ahead in Midkemia and (2) he's been engaged on another tale in his own mind. I've a feeling it's the latter, and I'm very excited by the prospect because I'm thinking new setting, new characters, new dynamics.........HOT! maybe along the lines of Faerie Tale. Am I imagining things here, idly speculating? I don't think so. Shards really is not the compelling work Feist usually spoils us with and even though I'll savor these scraps, I know the man is brewing up something new for himself that he'll share with us!!!!
Rating:
Summary: This Book Rates An 8 The Serpent War a Perfect 10
Review: Hard Core Feist readers are probably annoyed by the gaps in SOABC, but it is an annoyance of interest. If Feist wasn't one of the most entertaining authors around, no one would be worried about not seeing the whole picture. I'm sure all lingering questions will be answered in Feist's next book. Plus it's those doubts and annoyances that add to the entertainment. I eagerly await the newest release. Rift War... Serpent War... Shadow War...?
Rating: 
Summary: If it makes you think, well then, that's the point!
Review: Like the title of this review states, If Shards made you think, at all, then Feist did his job. An authors most spectacular accomplishment is to make his readers think about what they read and not just treat the characters and the plot as static elements of a fantasy world. These characters really do jump out (except maybe Dash and Jimmy). Agreed, many authors have a very very difficult time putting out something that can even touch an earlier, much better work (Like Magican). Regardless of this fact, this is a wonderful book which leaves open many different trails upon which Feist may be able to take us in the future. The important thing I took away from this book is not the plot or the characters. Feist seems to be developing (further) a theological/religous system which he can explore further in other works. Without these long, in-depth discussions about the gods and the nature of magic, we would probably be lost when he finally decides to dive directly into it all. Only once before have I read a series which even compares to this one when you consider the theological implications, and it was the Deryni series (all of them) by Katherine Kurtz. Now Kurtz is a VERY different author when compared to Feist...in fact, you can't really compare them at all (apples and oranges etc). If you seemed lost reading this book or had a difficult time keeping your interest up, I'd suggest READING THE ENTIRE SERIES FIRST! Lots of people are reading only the Serpent War series without dealing with the Riftwar era or the Empire saga. Without these as references, no one can fully understand the subtle roles of these magnificant characters. All in all, this is a great ending of the serpent war, and hopefully a great beginning to something like "The Source of Magic" series...who knows?
Rating:
Summary: i thought the book was great.
Review: Fot those of you who think you are feist fans, be quiet. Feist wasn't rying to make another riftwar saga if you hadn't noticed. The whole serpent war aga was basically a beginning to a whole new series about magic. I think that if feist writes this new series about magic it will be as good if not better than the riftwar saga. I thought shards was the best book out of the serpent war saga. He did so much with the ending of that he could possible write three new series, if you hadn't noticed. He could write a series about the Empire on kelewan, he could write about the mockers and Dash, and the best he could write about Pug, magic and the nameless one. I have one question for Mr. Feist who is Nakor. I have my theories.
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