Magician (novel)
From Midkemia Wiki
Magician is the name of the bestselling fantasy novel by author Raymond E. Feist. Originally published in 1982 this is the first book in the Riftwar Saga series which after its success led to many more books being written by Feist about the fantasy world of Midkemia. It was re-published as a revised edition in 1992 which contained text omitted from the original release. It is currently released as two separate volumes in the USA, Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master.
Contents |
[edit] Releases
[edit] Revised Edition
In 1992 a revised edition of the original Magician was published, this re-release contained over 15,000 words of text that was omitted due to editing restraints.
[edit] USA editions
Currently in the United States of America, Magician is released as two separate volumes Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master.
[edit] Plot
The book opens with Pug collecting fish from the sea. He falls asleep and a storm comes. He would be late except for Meecham, The Magician Kulgan's franklin, who brings him to Kulgan. Kulgan shows him a crystal ball, which Pug has the ability to see into. When the time of the choosing occurs, Pug's friend Tomas is chosen as an apprentice to Swordmaster Fannon. Pug is not chosen but at the last minute Kulgan informally chooses him. Pug is then selected to go horseriding with Princess Carline.When he does, they are attacked by trolls, whom Pug defeats using magic he does not control. This gains him the rank of squire, as well as an infatuation with the Princess. Pug studies with Kulgan for 14 months, before him and Tomas head to a shipwreck they heard of to gain loot. They find it to be of alien origin. They report this back to the Duke, gathering some materials and capturing one alive soldier. Father Tully enters one of the aliens mind to find out he is Tsurani, and they are possibly invaders. They send this message to the Elves and Dwarves, and decide to head to Krondor and Rillanon to deliver the news. Along the journey, the envoy is beseiged and they are saved by the dwarves. Due to the fierce blizzard, Dolgan leads them through a mountain, but Tomas is separated when a wraith attacks the party. Tomas later finds a dragon and a suit of armor, formerly worn by the Valheru Ashen-Shugar.
Once they reach Rillanon, news of a rift appearing is recieved, and Duke Borric is sent to Yabon to command the King's forces. Kulgan, Pug and Meecham go with him. They are sent to raid the Tsurani camp to determine what the rift is and how they can shut it down. They are attacked by Black Robes, the Tsurani elite magicians and Pug is captured and brought as a slave to the Empire of Tsurannai. For four years, Pug toils as a slave in the swamp camp and is repreived by Hokanu, foster son of the Shinzawai for his language expertise along with a Tyr-Sog musician called Laurie. Pug and Laurie become household servants but also teach Kamatsu, eldest son of the Shinzawai the customs and traditions of Midkemia. He develops an obsession for horse-riding as does his younger foster brother Hokanu. Pug becomes obssesed with another servant, a Thuril named Katala. However Pug is recognised to have potential by a Black Robe and becomes a member of the Assembly, the organisation of the magicians.
After several years, Pug re-emerges as Milamber, a Black Robe. He builds a house of Midkemian design which sparks the otherwise stagnant culture of Tsurannai. Milamber attends the Imperial Games and is appalled when his own countrymen are pitted against the Thuril. Both sides lay down arms and attack the Tsurani handlers. Milamber loses his Tsurani facade and unleashes his full power. He brings down an icy wind, rains fire and rips the arena to shreds, causing the Warlord to be humiliated and later his suicide before fleeing. He teleports to the Shinzawai estate to find Katala with his child called William. They flee to the rift on the City of the Plains, leaving Laurie with his plan with Kamatsu to be an envoy to the Kingdom. Laurie and Kamatsu journey to Rillanon, but the mad king Rodric does not take the new well. The diplomacy between the empires fail.
Rodric soon journeys to the Western Realm and leads a frenzied assault on the Tsurani, forcing them to call for a meeting between leaders. Rodric however took a mortal blow to the helm and dies, naming Lyam as the eldest conDoin male to take the crown. However this claim was invalid as Martin was the eldest conDoin male, and bastard by birth. Martin chooses not to have the crown and Lyam and Emperor Inchidar have a meeting in the valley. The elves and dwarves however are warned by Macros the Black the treachery would unfold and the Tsurani are seen unsheathing their swords. A fierce battle breaks out and at first the Tsurani are overwhelmed, then thousands of troops start pouring out of the rift. Inchidar is relucatant to leave and Kamatsu knocks him out to carry him back to Kelewan. Macros and Pug close the rift within, trapping thousands of the Tsurani army on Midkemia.
