Magician, £1.99 on Amazon

[Ray McCarthy]

Seeing as mysteriously I don't have a copy any more I bought it last night, £1.89 not sure why 10p cheaper, that includes the VAT.

Spoiler

They are just landed at Sorcerer's Isle and examining the ruins

At 28%, but decided as it was 2am, time to stop.
Suits me to read it again now to avoid "end of project" depression. Just finished a Write/Edit/review/edit/proofread /correction cycle on Kevlin and Enchanter. Though the 6th book since last June, I think I'll try getting it published first.

I think as Fiest gets more into the story (and writing, and especially later books) it becomes less Middle Earth like and more his own creation. I'd forgotten so much.
Nice to have a break with a bit of fun.

 

[Culhwch]

I did a reread of Magician, Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon last year, and I was surprised at how well they had held up. I expected them not to engage me as they had when I was a young and innocent teen, but I actually felt very nostalgic for this certain type of fantasy story that just doesn't seem to exist anymore. The sweeping travel-based adventure, the fairly clear cut good versus evil (or, really, us versus them), the fights, the magic, the humour, the romance. Just a lighter fair then you find today, and not necessarily in a bad way. Not as complex, maybe, but not as grim and self-serious either.

I was intending to carry on with the other earlier books and got sidetracked, but now I feel like tracking down Prince of the Blood, The King's Buccaneer, and the Serpent War books and see how they have held up.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

I read one of these years ago, but can't remember which. It had Pug in it as an adult, I think. Loved the book but never got round to reading any more.

When Brian highlighted, I bought the Kindle version, thinking, all snottily, things like: "I'm a real writer now. This is nicked from Tolkein. Head hopping, aargh!", etc.

Now I'm a round half way through and despite any shortfalls in style, it is still holding me. I think I have to come down off my high horse and admit that he was a great storyteller.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Pug seems to be in some scenes just so we have his POV of the conversation etc. (25% to 33%)

 

[Ray McCarthy]

At 67% we now have mention of the Upright Man.
I'd been pondering the difficulty of introduction of important characters late in my own "Kevlin and the Enchanter". So I think it all just depend on the story as to if it works or not.
Eddings has a similar sort of character.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Finished it yesterday - mostly enjoyable, but Macros's solution didn't make any sense to me. Also, the last 10% of the novel dragged somewhat.

However, did enjoy it far more than I expected to. Pug's development throughout the story was especially interesting.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Ah yes ... Macros.

Well read the rest of them and see what you think of Pug and Macros. I think Amazon can afford to offer Magician at the magical under £2, it will help the sales of all the others, including Janny Wurts related series.
@Brian Turner
It will be interesting to see what you make of Janny Wurts' Empire series and Fiest's later books vs Anne Macaffery's Pern series (her later books IMO of that series aren't as good as the early ones.)

 

[Brian G Turner]

I'm afraid I doubt I'll be reading any more Fiest in the near future - my TBR pile is absolutely HUGE. At least I've ticked another classic fantasy and author from my list, though.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I guess I have more spare time for reading.

 

[Judderman]

Magician is a magnificent book. One of the greatest fantasy novels ever. Great value!

I see above there is some comments on the simplicity of the language being for teenagers / young adults. Can't say I remember it being like that and I read some of the more complex fantasies too like Erikson and Martin, but I suppose I just enjoyed Pug's story.

I did find Silverthorn a bit too much like standard adventure fair/dragonlance-type, but then Darkness at Sethanon has some great sieges.

I recently read Daughter of the Empire. Great fun though it seems to inevitable that things go well for the main character in each encounter. I'm wondering if the next two books are more exciting.