Rating: 
Summary: A griping, emotional, and expertly crafted work.
Review: Raymond Feist brings together a world so alive, so compelling, and with suck depth that the reader feels that they are there joining the well developed characters. In "Magician", the first novel written of the world of Midkemia, Feist first introduces the reader to Pug of Crydee, then follows him through his journey (spanning two worlds) of becoming a great magician. Then to Tomas of Crydee, the keep cooks son who rises to become a great warrior posessed by the spirit of the long since dead Dragon Lord Ashen Shugar, and to become the war leader of Elvander and marry the elf Queen. The reader is also introduced to the brothers Lyam and Arutha, sons of Prince Borric, Duke of Crydee, of the royal blood. These brothers rise to the to thrones of the Kingdom of Isles. These and many other characters are introduced to the reader in a way that keeps you in suspense of what they will do, but in the end are shown to be completely developed characters with whom the reader can identify with and come to know as though they had grown up with them. The reader is able to identify many feeling toward these characters, such as the feelings of happyness and sorrow both when Pug (an orphan boy) is informed, apon Borric's death bed, that Borric had given Pug the name conDoin, adopting him into the royal family. The world it self is equally well developed. The reader is given a glimps of a richly developed history. The cities and country side seem equally real due to Feist's discriptive detail which describes a rich tapestry of vistas, sounds, smells, and feeling, as well as Midkemia's many races. On the whole this book is a great read, especially for those having read other Midkemia books as the reader is then able to connect to already familiar character in such a way that will invoke strong emotions unrivaled by any other writer of fantasy. I recommend this book to any reader, even if they are not a big fan of the genre.
Rating: 
Summary: Draining
Review: Reading Magician took a lot out of me. I could only read it in 50 page bursts. There are so many threads to the plot that are woven, unraveled and rewoven together. For all of its details, descriptions, characters and plot developments, many of the most interesting threads I fear are left dangling. Book 1 held my attention better than Book 2. By about page 400 I was ready for the book to be over but I felt I had enough invested in it to finish.
Rating:
Summary: MY FIRST FANTASY READ. I,M HOOKED!!
Review: Since reading this book, my first fantasy novel, about 7 years ago, I was litterally hooked to Fantasy. I read every book Raymond brought out after that and collected them. This particular book has all the elements of a great Fantasy story, its fast, funny at times, serious at times, it has romance and compassion. There is this time, though, where Pug disappears and nobody knows what has happened to him. It felt like forever before we eventually found out. I am a great Feist fan and even though I am not fond of the "enemy" (the demons) in his recent books, I do love his stories and the world of Midkemia.
Rating:
Summary: a fantasy classic
Review: the book is probably one of the 4 or 5 classic post-Tolkien fantasies. Convincing world, interesting characters, complex plot. the only tragedy is that nothing he wrote since matched it and the most recent books (demon king etc.) utter rubbish.
Rating:
Summary: Great characters and a great plot in an immersive universe
Review: This book grabs you. While not a typical bestseller (all plot and sensationalism - no character developement), this book has a great plot which just keeps getting better. The characters are so real you feel like you know them. Pug is a hero who you'll never lose interest for. The universe is one you'll never forget. Once you read this book you will read every other book that's set in this story.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable, comparable to Tolkien
Review: This book is the first volume of the Riftwar trilogy (total 4 volumes), an epic tale composed of fast-moving action and vivid imagination.
Pug, an orphan from Crydee becomes an apprentice to the master magician Kulgan. Pug becomes an unlikely hero, thrown into the age-old battle that pits good versus evil, and the forces of Order against Chaos. Fast paced, with multiple plot lines. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Review of Raymond E. Feists' Magaician
Review: This book tells the story of a young keep boy named Pug and his adopted brother Thomas. The story follows their lives from adolesence to adulthood. It spans two worlds, a war of epic proportions, and 10 or 12 years. Easily the best book I've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't wait to pick up the next book.
Review: This book was GREAT! Unlike most novels that start off a little slow and build up to the climax this book starts off exciting. And the way the author portrays the way the main characters go through the changes in their lives is fantastic. Two thumbs up! }:0)
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Summary: A great work of high fantasy!
Review: This book, originally published in two parts (Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master), tells the story of a war between worlds. Midkemia is a world of elves and dwarves, knights and castles, dragons and hedge wizards, which suddenly finds itself invadered by a human empire from another world, an oriental world whose vast empire has power beyond Midkemia's imagination. This is also the story of a group of young people on Midkemia, who grow up during the war, and develop beyond anything they might have imagined. This is a great work of high fantasy, perhaps the greatest since the Lord of the Rings. Author Raymond Feist succeeds in this story in bringing to fascinating life not one, but two worlds. I loved the world of Midkemia with its forgotten history of potent magic, and the world of Kelewan with its oriental flavor. Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and highly entertaining read. If you are interested in fantasy literature, then I must say that you have to read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly written, excellent fantasy story.
Review: This is one of my top five books. If you have not read any fantasy books before but would like to get started, then this is the book for you. You will be hooked. The character development, especially of Pug and Thomas is excellent. I have read this book many times and no doubt will reread it again.
I believe it is every bit as good if not better than Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The two worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan are fascinating but very different places. This book shows us all the importance of getting along better with our neighbours, even if they are culturally different to us.
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