Feist still worthy of a read? - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

biodroid · 16th November 2009, 07:21 AM

As much as I enjoyed Magician and Silverthorn, I tried A Darkness at Sethanon and could not get into it so I put it down. I then read on the forum that he has declined in quality. Is it true? I would like to get back to Feist. I tried GRRM and he bored me to tears so just gave up on him. Not trying to compare the 2 authors but is Feist still worthy of me paying money to buy his books? I thought Tad Williams was good but very tedious and slow and Feist IMO is way better than Eddings. Still need to try Robert Jordan.

nj1 · 16th November 2009, 08:25 AM

DaS is one of Fiest's best books, as long as you get to the end that is, after that theres some real corkers, Prince of the Blood and King's Buccaneer (sp?) are good books and the Serpent Wars are personaly my fav books (although many people are not that keen on Merchant Prince). It's sort of after those four books that things tend to drop off in the main story arc. I personaly enjoyed most of his books and only bored with things during the last few books, theres a few errors in the story and spelling is never great in Fiest's books, but I'd recommend that you try DaS again and at least read ther Serpent Wars and Empire books.

Off the main story arc there's some more great reads such as the Empire trilogy based on Kelewan, the 3 Legend books (including Honours Enemy which I really enjoyed) and the Krondor trilogy. But if you don't read the others then you probably won't enjoy these either.

biodroid · 16th November 2009, 09:12 AM

Thanks nj1, I will have a look and try him again. I like him as holiday reading, especially over xmas

woodsman · 16th November 2009, 09:16 AM

Yeah, what nj said.

Serpentwar saga, for me, is far and away Feist's best writing and it moves fairly quickly,which should keep you interested. Personally I much preferred DaS to S which is unoriginal to say the least.

If Martin bores you and Williams is 'slow' then I'll guarantee you will not like Jordan.

Woody.

biodroid · 16th November 2009, 09:25 AM

I thought Jordan was more like Feist

woodsman · 16th November 2009, 09:29 AM

Urm, No.

I think feist has a nice balance between description/world building and a forward moving plot. Jordan's plot spends much time doing nothing at all. That said, I enjoy Jordan's work so wouldn't want to put anyone off, but, I also love Martin and Williams.

Woody.

biodroid · 17th November 2009, 06:52 AM

Can I read King's Buccaneer before Prince of the Blood and Darkness at Sethanon?

pyan · 17th November 2009, 07:23 AM

Well, you can...but there are references and back-plot you will miss, plus the fates of characters in PotB annd DaS won't be any surprise to you if you do ever get round to reading them.

Think of KB and PotB as "Krondor - the Next Generation"...

nixie · 17th November 2009, 08:16 PM

Is Feist as good as he was no, is he still worth reading yes.None of his other books apart from the Empire Trilogy co-written by Janny Wurts and maybe Faerie tale reach the heights of Magician but he is still one of my favourite authors.

Fried Egg · 18th November 2009, 02:31 PM

I read Feist from "Magician" through to "Shards of a Broken Crown" and then I just stopped, decided I didn't want to read any more of his books and gave them all away. It's not that I disliked the Serpent War series, I quite enjoyed it. I just felt that I had had enough, that epic fantasy series were no longer for me, time to move on.

I would be interested in knowing if anything he's done since is worth drawing me back though. Certainly if he doesn't surpass what I've read of his already I wouldn't be interested. I've also read "Faery Tale" too.

woodsman · 18th November 2009, 02:47 PM

IMO you left at about the right time. I don't think Feist has, or is likely to surpass his previous efforts.

Fake Vencar · 19th November 2009, 06:22 AM

The books after the Serpentwar Saga are good, solid books, but nothing more than that. They're riddled with errors, that's the main problem; they're also far too short!

biodroid · 19th November 2009, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fake Vencar

The books after the Serpentwar Saga are good, solid books, but nothing more than that. They're riddled with errors, that's the main problem; they're also far too short!

What kind of errors?

nixie · 19th November 2009, 04:20 PM

Mainly consistency,I.E someone you know who'd married but in later books they hadn't you know that sort of thing

biodroid · 19th November 2009, 04:32 PM

Are they forgiveable at least, like just turn a blind eye?

16th November 2009, 07:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
biodroid Hypercharged Detonator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 1,865	Feist still worthy of a read? As much as I enjoyed Magician and Silverthorn, I tried A Darkness at Sethanon and could not get into it so I put it down. I then read on the forum that he has declined in quality. Is it true? I would like to get back to Feist. I tried GRRM and he bored me to tears so just gave up on him. Not trying to compare the 2 authors but is Feist still worthy of me paying money to buy his books? I thought Tad Williams was good but very tedious and slow and Feist IMO is way better than Eddings. Still need to try Robert Jordan.

16th November 2009, 08:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
nj1 monkey is magic Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK: WALES: Posts: 769	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? DaS is one of Fiest's best books, as long as you get to the end that is, after that theres some real corkers, Prince of the Blood and King's Buccaneer (sp?) are good books and the Serpent Wars are personaly my fav books (although many people are not that keen on Merchant Prince). It's sort of after those four books that things tend to drop off in the main story arc. I personaly enjoyed most of his books and only bored with things during the last few books, theres a few errors in the story and spelling is never great in Fiest's books, but I'd recommend that you try DaS again and at least read ther Serpent Wars and Empire books. Off the main story arc there's some more great reads such as the Empire trilogy based on Kelewan, the 3 Legend books (including Honours Enemy which I really enjoyed) and the Krondor trilogy. But if you don't read the others then you probably won't enjoy these either.

16th November 2009, 09:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
biodroid Hypercharged Detonator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 1,865	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Thanks nj1, I will have a look and try him again. I like him as holiday reading, especially over xmas

16th November 2009, 09:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
woodsman Double-stuff Oreos! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 896 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Yeah, what nj said. Serpentwar saga, for me, is far and away Feist's best writing and it moves fairly quickly,which should keep you interested. Personally I much preferred DaS to S which is unoriginal to say the least. If Martin bores you and Williams is 'slow' then I'll guarantee you will not like Jordan. Woody.

16th November 2009, 09:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
biodroid Hypercharged Detonator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 1,865	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? I thought Jordan was more like Feist

16th November 2009, 09:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
woodsman Double-stuff Oreos! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 896 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Urm, No. I think feist has a nice balance between description/world building and a forward moving plot. Jordan's plot spends much time doing nothing at all. That said, I enjoy Jordan's work so wouldn't want to put anyone off, but, I also love Martin and Williams. Woody.

17th November 2009, 06:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
biodroid Hypercharged Detonator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 1,865	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Can I read King's Buccaneer before Prince of the Blood and Darkness at Sethanon?

17th November 2009, 07:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
pyan Ubi amici, ibi opes... Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 7,890	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Well, you can...but there are references and back-plot you will miss, plus the fates of characters in PotB annd DaS won't be any surprise to you if you do ever get round to reading them. Think of KB and PotB as "Krondor - the Next Generation"...

17th November 2009, 08:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
nixie pixie druid Join Date: May 2005 Location: South Yorkshire Posts: 3,968 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Is Feist as good as he was no, is he still worth reading yes.None of his other books apart from the Empire Trilogy co-written by Janny Wurts and maybe Faerie tale reach the heights of Magician but he is still one of my favourite authors.

18th November 2009, 02:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
Fried Egg Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Devon Posts: 2,897	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? I read Feist from "Magician" through to "Shards of a Broken Crown" and then I just stopped, decided I didn't want to read any more of his books and gave them all away. It's not that I disliked the Serpent War series, I quite enjoyed it. I just felt that I had had enough, that epic fantasy series were no longer for me, time to move on. I would be interested in knowing if anything he's done since is worth drawing me back though. Certainly if he doesn't surpass what I've read of his already I wouldn't be interested. I've also read "Faery Tale" too.

18th November 2009, 02:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
woodsman Double-stuff Oreos! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 896 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? IMO you left at about the right time. I don't think Feist has, or is likely to surpass his previous efforts.

19th November 2009, 06:22 AM	#12 (permalink)
Fake Vencar Metaphorically Drunk Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 822	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? The books after the Serpentwar Saga are good, solid books, but nothing more than that. They're riddled with errors, that's the main problem; they're also far too short!

19th November 2009, 04:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
nixie pixie druid Join Date: May 2005 Location: South Yorkshire Posts: 3,968 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Mainly consistency,I.E someone you know who'd married but in later books they hadn't you know that sort of thing

19th November 2009, 04:32 PM	#15 (permalink)
biodroid Hypercharged Detonator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 1,865	Re: Feist still worthy of a read? Are they forgiveable at least, like just turn a blind eye?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread: