| The Riftwar Saga | |
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Genre |
Fantasy, high fantasy |
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Read, and own. Published in 3 books (although I would say Magician stands alone):
- Magician (1982)
- Silverthorn (1985)
- A Darkness at Sethanon (1986)
Before 2011[]
(Written about Magician) Got it from my aunt in a big collection of books my cousins once read. Read it, who knows when, and loved it. I still remember the first time I read the first page...I thought it was a weird book and, heh, the main character's name was just stupid. I've started to experience the setting of the opening chapter as a memory now...the ocean, the rocks, the lone boy on an errand. My favourite fantasy book, my favourite book of all time - or at least it was for several years, I'm not sure now, but that doesn't matter.
Rating[]
2017[]
Format[]
Ebook on my phone
Journal[]
Magician
After seeing a boy at school reading Lord of the Rings I was transported back to my childhood and I wondered again about the series starting with this book and how I had never picked it up again even though it had been finished a few years before, with Magician's End. I ended up downloading an ebook and read it from September 3rd to the 16th, as well as buying a paperback copy to give to the boy at school, much like I was gifted my original copy (now lost).
At first I was enjoying it a lot, remembering all the details and knowing the direction it was going in. I think it has a very strong beginning, with exciting and intriguing action, and lots of thrilling fantasy elements. But by the end I was not at all impressed with the writing. I don't think Macros was a good character to include - someone with total knowledge and absurd power guiding basically every element of the plot. The way every character fell in love with their future partner practically the second they met them. As I type this, I expected to complain more about specific elements but now I find that I think it did have a lot of depth and a variety of characters and situations. There was peril and hardship. People died and were changed. It just seemed a bit cliche. I guess it's still a good story for teenagers probably :P
Rating[]
Magician: 1
Awards[]
Top Pick!
Favourite book of all time!
Number 89 on the BBC's Big Read.