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The Serpentwar Saga #3
Rage of a Demon King
MACROS THE BLACK IS BACK
Midkemia once again lies under the terrible shadow of the Emerald Queen. Her dark forces are ready to launch a devastating invasion against the Kingdom of the Isles. Come the battle's dawn the magician Pug and his life-long warrior friend Tomas discover that something far worse than the Queen's mere sorcery is afoot. For elemental, malevolent forces are being unleashed... forces that threaten to tear Midkemia apart unless Pug and his band of supporters can track down the long-missing sorcerer Macros the Black and confront his formidable powers.
Midkemia once again lies under the terrible shadow of the Emerald Queen. Her dark forces are ready to launch a devastating invasion against the Kingdom of the Isles. Come the battle's dawn the magician Pug and his life-long warrior friend Tomas discover that something far worse than the Queen's mere sorcery is afoot. For elemental, malevolent forces are being unleashed... forces that threaten to tear Midkemia apart unless Pug and his band of supporters can track down the long-missing sorcerer Macros the Black and confront his formidable powers.
642 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1997
525 people are currently reading
4830 people want to read
About the author
Raymond E. Feist
291 books9,571 followersRaymond E. Feist was born Raymond E. Gonzales III, but took his adoptive step-father's surname when his mother remarried Felix E. Feist. He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts with Honors in 1977 from the University of California at San Diego. During that year Feist had some ideas for a novel about a boy who would be a magician. He wrote the novel two years later, and it was published in 1982 by Doubleday. Feist currently lives in San Diego with his children, where he collects fine wine, DVDs, and books on a variety of topics of personal interest: wine, biographies, history, and, especially, the history of American Professional Football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
September 20, 2016
Wow! This book has it all! Magicians, demons, serpent-people, elves, Dragon Lords, dwarves, alternate dimensions, magical portals, romance, deception, revenge, sea battles, mountain battles, battles of wit, fire oil, catapults, flaming moats, political intrigue, and even evil cannibals!
Sometimes I have seen where people say that Feist's series starts losing some steam around this point, but this was an action packed climax for the Serpentwar Saga. And, I say climax as it was so intense, but there is still one book in the series left, so who knows what further excitement is ahead of me.
One thing that I loved about this book is that it has the most ties back to the original Riftwar Saga that I have seen in awhile. In fact, a lot of that plot that seemed finished comes back for further resolution in this book.
Also, I have seen reviews complaining that some of this series does not have as much magic as they would like, but this one is magic packed!
Fantasy fans should check this out, but be sure to start at the beginning!
Sometimes I have seen where people say that Feist's series starts losing some steam around this point, but this was an action packed climax for the Serpentwar Saga. And, I say climax as it was so intense, but there is still one book in the series left, so who knows what further excitement is ahead of me.
One thing that I loved about this book is that it has the most ties back to the original Riftwar Saga that I have seen in awhile. In fact, a lot of that plot that seemed finished comes back for further resolution in this book.
Also, I have seen reviews complaining that some of this series does not have as much magic as they would like, but this one is magic packed!
Fantasy fans should check this out, but be sure to start at the beginning!
April 16, 2019
This book really ends with a bang. The first half continues to build the preparations for the big war to come, fulfilling the promise of the first two books in the Serpentwar Saga, but it really goes above and beyond after ALL the great heroes and magicians band together to figure out what the hell is going on.
Gods. Lots of great worldbuilding happens here. :) Gaimanesque, elemental, and very cool.
I admit I've missed seeing so much of Pug and he takes a big role here. Thomas, too. And all the oddball magicians we've grown to love. But the tragedy is real, too. Pug loses the most. He also gains a lot in the end.
What can you expect in this novel aside from the magics?
Oh, just a nasty war and the destruction of Krondor. It has everything you lovers of mayhem might want. The stakes are the death of universes and the defeat a mad god, after all. All hands on deck! Expect a lot of deaths. Expected and unexpected.
Quite good. Quite enjoyable. Enjoyed this more than the last two. :)
Gods. Lots of great worldbuilding happens here. :) Gaimanesque, elemental, and very cool.
I admit I've missed seeing so much of Pug and he takes a big role here. Thomas, too. And all the oddball magicians we've grown to love. But the tragedy is real, too. Pug loses the most. He also gains a lot in the end.
What can you expect in this novel aside from the magics?
Oh, just a nasty war and the destruction of Krondor. It has everything you lovers of mayhem might want. The stakes are the death of universes and the defeat a mad god, after all. All hands on deck! Expect a lot of deaths. Expected and unexpected.
Quite good. Quite enjoyable. Enjoyed this more than the last two. :)
December 18, 2025
Climax of the Serpentwar, but not the sub-series. Erik and Roo are caught up in the invasion of the Western Kingdom and its desperate defense. The exhaustion of prolonged combat really comes through in Feist's writing.
November 21, 2019
Rage of a Demon King is the third out of four books in Raymond E. Feist’s Serpentwar Saga, one of the subseries in the much larger Riftwar Cycle.
This one was a little uneven for me. The story focuses on a variety of characters instead of focusing primarily on one. I enjoyed the ensemble feel and I was interested in all the characters, but some sections were more interesting to read than others. It wasn’t always the same characters I was the most interested in; sometimes I was bored and interested by different sections about the same sets of characters. I did really like how some major plot threads were resolved or at least significantly advanced, not just from this subseries but from the larger story.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this in any of my previous reviews, but I’ve noticed several errors in most of these books. A lot of them look like OCR-type errors such as oddly placed or missing punctuation, or letters that aren’t quite right. I’ve faithfully reported each one I’ve caught on my Kindle, something I only take the time to do if I feel some investment in the author and/or the book, but I have no idea if such things ever get fixed. Most of these books have been on the Kindle for quite a while, so I’m surely not the first to report them. My thoughts are that probably a traditionally-published e-book can only be updated when a new edition with a new ISBN is published? It doesn’t seem like that would happen often for e-books. So I have no idea how any of that works, but I report the errors anyway in the naïve hope that it might make a difference.
The reason I bring up the errors is because this book had a couple that made me laugh, although they were overly distracting at times. I went on a small Google adventure trying to figure out if “puffing a bow” was really a thing. I didn’t want to report an error that wasn’t actually an error just because I’m ignorant about the finer points of archery. I had images of somebody smoking a bow like a pipe. Although I learned that there are apparently puffy things that can be used to silence a bow, that didn’t really fit the context, so I finally concluded the author did in fact mean “pulling a bow”, which was what I had guessed from the beginning since that phrase had already been used a handful of times throughout the series. Another error that really cracked me up was when the word “barricade” (I think, based on context and similar phrasing in the surrounding paragraphs) was accidentally replaced with the word “bather”. Apparently, some invaders were about to overrun the “second bather”. After that, every time the invaders were advancing, I wanted to yell out, “Somebody warn the bathers!” I feel sort of like I’ve been ruined for life, because I suspect that one is going to stick with me for a long time and infect other books I read.
Yeah, that’s pretty much all I have. A general summary and some silly comments about errors. Well, I do have a couple spoilery comments too.
The below spoiler is for just this book:
The below spoiler is possibly a spoiler for the entire larger series, but it’s only speculation based on content in this book and the title of the final book.
This one was a little uneven for me. The story focuses on a variety of characters instead of focusing primarily on one. I enjoyed the ensemble feel and I was interested in all the characters, but some sections were more interesting to read than others. It wasn’t always the same characters I was the most interested in; sometimes I was bored and interested by different sections about the same sets of characters. I did really like how some major plot threads were resolved or at least significantly advanced, not just from this subseries but from the larger story.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this in any of my previous reviews, but I’ve noticed several errors in most of these books. A lot of them look like OCR-type errors such as oddly placed or missing punctuation, or letters that aren’t quite right. I’ve faithfully reported each one I’ve caught on my Kindle, something I only take the time to do if I feel some investment in the author and/or the book, but I have no idea if such things ever get fixed. Most of these books have been on the Kindle for quite a while, so I’m surely not the first to report them. My thoughts are that probably a traditionally-published e-book can only be updated when a new edition with a new ISBN is published? It doesn’t seem like that would happen often for e-books. So I have no idea how any of that works, but I report the errors anyway in the naïve hope that it might make a difference.
The reason I bring up the errors is because this book had a couple that made me laugh, although they were overly distracting at times. I went on a small Google adventure trying to figure out if “puffing a bow” was really a thing. I didn’t want to report an error that wasn’t actually an error just because I’m ignorant about the finer points of archery. I had images of somebody smoking a bow like a pipe. Although I learned that there are apparently puffy things that can be used to silence a bow, that didn’t really fit the context, so I finally concluded the author did in fact mean “pulling a bow”, which was what I had guessed from the beginning since that phrase had already been used a handful of times throughout the series. Another error that really cracked me up was when the word “barricade” (I think, based on context and similar phrasing in the surrounding paragraphs) was accidentally replaced with the word “bather”. Apparently, some invaders were about to overrun the “second bather”. After that, every time the invaders were advancing, I wanted to yell out, “Somebody warn the bathers!” I feel sort of like I’ve been ruined for life, because I suspect that one is going to stick with me for a long time and infect other books I read.
Yeah, that’s pretty much all I have. A general summary and some silly comments about errors. Well, I do have a couple spoilery comments too.
The below spoiler is for just this book:
The below spoiler is possibly a spoiler for the entire larger series, but it’s only speculation based on content in this book and the title of the final book.
November 10, 2024
I think this may be Feist's best solo effort that I've read so far. What was remarkable for me as a reader is I actually disdain wall-to-wall action in books, and a large bulk of this book is a very large battle, with a few other storylines present. But Feist paced the book so well, that where I would normally have gotten bored as a reader, I found myself riveted during each reading session. The battle, magic, character growth and world-building scenes were compelling, and the book as a whole was a superb installment in this series.
May 10, 2022
Third book in a quartet sub-series set in Midkemia. Feist let me down a bit in book 2, but this 3rd book made up for all of my whining. I understand now what Feist was setting up for, in books 1 and 2.
Lots of old friends are reunited as the realm prepares for an invasion coming from across the sea. And, unfortunately, a lot of those old friends are lost in the battles. Feist is an expert at writing war and destruction and he is learning to write relationships, though that has been a slow process in my opinion.
I look forward to the final installment of this sub-series.
Lots of old friends are reunited as the realm prepares for an invasion coming from across the sea. And, unfortunately, a lot of those old friends are lost in the battles. Feist is an expert at writing war and destruction and he is learning to write relationships, though that has been a slow process in my opinion.
I look forward to the final installment of this sub-series.
August 9, 2020
My favourite book in this series since Magician!
August 24, 2022
Dobra knjiga, i mada suvise razvucena za moj ukus.
Takodje Fajst me nije uspeo da odusevi svojim opisima bitke koja traje i traje i traje.... medjutim nikako da se najezim ili zabrinem.
Ostale stvari su manje vise standardno odradjene na fantastican nacin.
Iza klasicne borbe prsa u prsa desava se jedna metafizicka borba za spas sveta, bogova, vasione.
Postavljaju se kosmogonijska pitanja, i sto je najlepse od svega u ovoj knjizi sam naisao na jedanu od najpotentnijih i najzanimljivijih teorija o tome kako fonkcionise vaseljena, nebitno da li ova izmastana ili nasa primarna.
Na kraju kako a da ne pomenem politicke spletke koje Fajstu od uvek idu od ruke i vidi se da od prve knjige i Carobnjaka uziva da pise o njima. Kraj ove knjige nam donosi vrlo komplikovanu geopoliticku situaciju sa kakvom se Kraljevstvo nije suocilo pa recimo od svog nastanka.
Takodje Fajst me nije uspeo da odusevi svojim opisima bitke koja traje i traje i traje.... medjutim nikako da se najezim ili zabrinem.
Ostale stvari su manje vise standardno odradjene na fantastican nacin.
Iza klasicne borbe prsa u prsa desava se jedna metafizicka borba za spas sveta, bogova, vasione.
Postavljaju se kosmogonijska pitanja, i sto je najlepse od svega u ovoj knjizi sam naisao na jedanu od najpotentnijih i najzanimljivijih teorija o tome kako fonkcionise vaseljena, nebitno da li ova izmastana ili nasa primarna.
Na kraju kako a da ne pomenem politicke spletke koje Fajstu od uvek idu od ruke i vidi se da od prve knjige i Carobnjaka uziva da pise o njima. Kraj ove knjige nam donosi vrlo komplikovanu geopoliticku situaciju sa kakvom se Kraljevstvo nije suocilo pa recimo od svog nastanka.
May 25, 2017
Finished this almost a month ago, and I've started the next one in the series now (though that's going rather slowly at this point).
In theory, this should have been the most exciting of the four books. It had big battles, showdowns between wizards and demons, the destruction by fire of an entire city, and the deaths of a lot of loved characters. And yet, in execution, it wasn't that great. I liked it less than either the first or second books. Everything went pretty much the way its supposed to in this sort of thing. And for an odd sort of contradiction, or paradox, things aren't supposed to go the way they are supposed to.
So it was worth reading, but a pedestrian effort even for Feist, who writes a very decent, workmanlike, fantasy book, but rarely comes up with anything inspired.
In theory, this should have been the most exciting of the four books. It had big battles, showdowns between wizards and demons, the destruction by fire of an entire city, and the deaths of a lot of loved characters. And yet, in execution, it wasn't that great. I liked it less than either the first or second books. Everything went pretty much the way its supposed to in this sort of thing. And for an odd sort of contradiction, or paradox, things aren't supposed to go the way they are supposed to.
So it was worth reading, but a pedestrian effort even for Feist, who writes a very decent, workmanlike, fantasy book, but rarely comes up with anything inspired.
August 13, 2019
Another good read.
November 14, 2019
Best Serpentwar book to date. Good to be equally split with Eric von Dartmoor again, and the action is heating up... in many ways, this feels like the end of a trilogy, and this next book is a wrapup/epilogue dealing with the consequences...
June 8, 2020
This book contains a lot of Nakor rambling and explanations of the larger worlds. The planes, the gates, the circles of hell.
There's a Big Demon, the return of some major characters and so on and so forth.
It's a good read but somehow it's also just lacking something memorable. The demon just doesn't do it for me, and the solution of the lifestone is just.. Not my thing. "Oh, our first two unlikely characters sort of don't know what to do but one of them has a mutant son and he sees it and figures it out because he's special that way" is a lousy way of resolving a major plotline.
Calis, for all the time spent on his character, hasn't really done major character building and he certainly didn't go on a quest to find his inner Valheru to go and solve the lifestone. Mostly he's a static character who exists so that there's some way of solving the mystery. I'm just not satisfied with that plotline, even though the book is fun to read. So minus one star for that.
There's a Big Demon, the return of some major characters and so on and so forth.
It's a good read but somehow it's also just lacking something memorable. The demon just doesn't do it for me, and the solution of the lifestone is just.. Not my thing. "Oh, our first two unlikely characters sort of don't know what to do but one of them has a mutant son and he sees it and figures it out because he's special that way" is a lousy way of resolving a major plotline.
Calis, for all the time spent on his character, hasn't really done major character building and he certainly didn't go on a quest to find his inner Valheru to go and solve the lifestone. Mostly he's a static character who exists so that there's some way of solving the mystery. I'm just not satisfied with that plotline, even though the book is fun to read. So minus one star for that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2024
What a great book! Erik's rise to importance is great. It's the culmination of the two previous books but even closes things from the first saga, which I didn't see coming. Even Roo is slowly redeeming himself.
June 14, 2019
Again a very good book from the hand of Raymond e Feist. i realy like Eric and i have questions about Nakur. The little fellow , who the hell is he?
December 1, 2022
A well written book jam packed with action, adventure, demons and magic. As always great character and world building right up to the end. My favourite character didn’t fail to disappoint.
This book is mainly geared towards war, the preparations for it and the toll war takes on each of the characters. This didn’t put me off though as you get to see each character at their best and worst.
For me this book wraps up the saga perfectly so I’m not sure what the next book can bring to the table.
This book is mainly geared towards war, the preparations for it and the toll war takes on each of the characters. This didn’t put me off though as you get to see each character at their best and worst.
For me this book wraps up the saga perfectly so I’m not sure what the next book can bring to the table.
August 30, 2022
Page 520 - "mother-murders" - fucking hell, Feist, learn how to use real curse words.
+ I liked the demons, the descriptions of their society and political wrangling. I would have liked more.
+ Exciting battles with nicely detailed handling of the gradual loss of ground, hard choices to destroy cities and towns as the retreat became inevitable.
+ More fantasy elements. More use of magic.
+ Nakor is sightly less annoying than in the earlier books.
+ The destruction of the lifestone was pretty good.
- Repetitous use of the phrase "screamed in pain" or variations thereof.
- Reiki is still dumb.
- The magical reset button on the age of Pug and Miranda. Feist just can't let go of his main characters.
- Annoying that Miranda decides she regrets not having children "the fist time round". I could go on a rant about how people who choose not to have children are depicted in fiction. I'm not going to do so. This is just another example, and it's just another example of Feist's tendency to have his female characters' primary purpose to be love interests and baby factories.
- Feist is still terrible at handling the romantic aspects of the story. I wish he would just stop.
+ I liked the demons, the descriptions of their society and political wrangling. I would have liked more.
+ Exciting battles with nicely detailed handling of the gradual loss of ground, hard choices to destroy cities and towns as the retreat became inevitable.
+ More fantasy elements. More use of magic.
+ Nakor is sightly less annoying than in the earlier books.
+ The destruction of the lifestone was pretty good.
- Repetitous use of the phrase "screamed in pain" or variations thereof.
- Reiki is still dumb.
- The magical reset button on the age of Pug and Miranda. Feist just can't let go of his main characters.
- Annoying that Miranda decides she regrets not having children "the fist time round". I could go on a rant about how people who choose not to have children are depicted in fiction. I'm not going to do so. This is just another example, and it's just another example of Feist's tendency to have his female characters' primary purpose to be love interests and baby factories.
- Feist is still terrible at handling the romantic aspects of the story. I wish he would just stop.
October 6, 2024
Another great book in this series with both a massive finale and a great setup for the final book in one.
The focus is again more on Erik and the invasion of the Kingdom of the Isles, and Pug/Miranda's investigation into the magical aspect of the invasion, Roo's storyline is minimized and pushed more to the back. Which is a shame, as he's easily the most interesting and intriguing person in this series.
That being said, the rest of the characters are still enjoyable, the action sequences are topnotch and the worldbuilding and lore investigation is interesting enough to keep you hooked throughout.
Feist proves again he can build up a tight atmosphere whilst keeping an eye out of the little details and little moments in the lives of our characters.
The focus is again more on Erik and the invasion of the Kingdom of the Isles, and Pug/Miranda's investigation into the magical aspect of the invasion, Roo's storyline is minimized and pushed more to the back. Which is a shame, as he's easily the most interesting and intriguing person in this series.
That being said, the rest of the characters are still enjoyable, the action sequences are topnotch and the worldbuilding and lore investigation is interesting enough to keep you hooked throughout.
Feist proves again he can build up a tight atmosphere whilst keeping an eye out of the little details and little moments in the lives of our characters.
January 8, 2024
It's worth noting that I consider Feist one of my absolute top authors.
Rage of a Demon King continues a story several books in the making, before even the Serpentwar Saga to which is belongs. That means there's a lot of pressure to deliver on plot points established earlier, whilst also pushing the narrative towards the fourth entry.
Interestingly, in some ways this did feel like a conclusion, setting up a subsequent series...so it does feel a little strange that there's only one left.
Anyway...
I spent a long time reading other things between the previous entry in this series and Rage of a Demon King. Which meant that, in a world as complex as Feist's, I had to catch up mentally as I read.
Which wasn't too bad. Enough had lingered in my head. But we sure do get thrust right back into things, as the characters prepare for an invasion from across the ocean.
That being said, I did find the first half or so a bit slow. It was a lot of discussions about how they would fight the invaders, with seeds being planted but the outcomes hidden until later. To an extent, it was nice to be reintroduced to the characters without too much going on in the background, but after a while the training and the vague hints of what's going to happen start to wear thin.
So it's a good thing the story picked up around the middle. From then on, you're gripped, as the stakes become truly apparent and the background evil is highlighted more clearly. Friends will die - some, disappointingly, off-page - and you will be floored by the emotional impact of goodbyes and last moments.
What makes it hit harder is that, within the realm of the story, we've been with many of these characters for decades. That's what you get with Feist - the stories he tells bridge decades of history in his world, in which characters appear, age, and depart. I think that's part of what I love so much about it.
Again, it's in the second half where you really start to feel for the characters and connect with them. Plot threads are tied up nicely so the focus can be on the invasion, and it's not too spoilery to say that things don't go smoothly. Still, the ending is satisfying, and I look forward to seeing where things go next.
My only other complaint - and it's a Feist thing in general, despite him being a favourite and an inspiration - is the length of the chapters. I'm a completionist, so I don't like to put a book down if I haven't finished reading a chapter. Still, it's worth it for Feist's accessible but engaging writing.
One star off purely because of the first half being a little too slow and inconsistent in places, but overall a satisfying continuation of the series.
Rage of a Demon King continues a story several books in the making, before even the Serpentwar Saga to which is belongs. That means there's a lot of pressure to deliver on plot points established earlier, whilst also pushing the narrative towards the fourth entry.
Interestingly, in some ways this did feel like a conclusion, setting up a subsequent series...so it does feel a little strange that there's only one left.
Anyway...
I spent a long time reading other things between the previous entry in this series and Rage of a Demon King. Which meant that, in a world as complex as Feist's, I had to catch up mentally as I read.
Which wasn't too bad. Enough had lingered in my head. But we sure do get thrust right back into things, as the characters prepare for an invasion from across the ocean.
That being said, I did find the first half or so a bit slow. It was a lot of discussions about how they would fight the invaders, with seeds being planted but the outcomes hidden until later. To an extent, it was nice to be reintroduced to the characters without too much going on in the background, but after a while the training and the vague hints of what's going to happen start to wear thin.
So it's a good thing the story picked up around the middle. From then on, you're gripped, as the stakes become truly apparent and the background evil is highlighted more clearly. Friends will die - some, disappointingly, off-page - and you will be floored by the emotional impact of goodbyes and last moments.
What makes it hit harder is that, within the realm of the story, we've been with many of these characters for decades. That's what you get with Feist - the stories he tells bridge decades of history in his world, in which characters appear, age, and depart. I think that's part of what I love so much about it.
Again, it's in the second half where you really start to feel for the characters and connect with them. Plot threads are tied up nicely so the focus can be on the invasion, and it's not too spoilery to say that things don't go smoothly. Still, the ending is satisfying, and I look forward to seeing where things go next.
My only other complaint - and it's a Feist thing in general, despite him being a favourite and an inspiration - is the length of the chapters. I'm a completionist, so I don't like to put a book down if I haven't finished reading a chapter. Still, it's worth it for Feist's accessible but engaging writing.
One star off purely because of the first half being a little too slow and inconsistent in places, but overall a satisfying continuation of the series.
January 27, 2014
I'm probably going to go slightly off the range with this, so please keep with me.
I've ticked the 'hide spoilers' button for this review, but I'm not sure why I have done so really. The plot development and dramatic conclusion on this novel were screamingly predictable; but I want to make something clear: I don't necessarily consider that a negative. There was something familiar in the way the plot panned out, and while I don't disparage the lack of exciting twists, I do strongly dislike the taste of re-fried beans the book leaves in the mouth. In short, Feist has done this book to death before. Not only does he seem reticent to let old characters melt away with time, he can't let the plots that underpin them go either. It's so similar to the original trilogy, with a few extra bodies, that it's almost offensive. And yet, that's not this books biggest issue.
In review the second book in this series, I ended by suggesting that it felt like a half-told story. I get the idea of foreshadowing in a series of books, and that's good - I do it too much myself, but when you're confronted (as an author, editor or reader) with a pair of books like this and Rise of a Merchant Prince, that so clearly would operate infinitely better as one, it's maddening. RoaMP provides little or no satisfaction in it's culmination. You get to the end of it and it just feels like one of the worst LOST episodes. And in keeping with that, Rage of a Demon King really does just pick straight up. The invasion of Krondor is much anticipated, and finally arrives in this novel. An event that has been looked toward for two novels forms the central fulcrum of both this third novel and the four-book series as a whole. Had I accidentally turned over two pages at once, I'd perhaps have missed it. I get that the invading army is impressively large, but Krondor doesn't half collapse easily. I know, the idea is to hold the enemy at Nightmare Ridge; but it just feels like the person writing the account of one of the most important events in Midkemian history was perhaps looking the other way when it happened.
And this is where I'm going to go slightly off range. I really enjoy the battle passages after the fall of Krondor, detailing the retreat to Nightmare Ridge. The defence of Darkmoor isn't bad either. But the dealings with Roo's family and their flight behind the defensive line are just confusing. Here you have two parties: Roo and his family, and Erik and his army. Both are retreating ahead of a massive army pouring across the land. There is almost complete confusion, as is to be anticipated, but in a strange and seemingly-unintended metaphysical blending of literature and reality, it seems Feist gets just as confused. It's like Feist was actually there, writing this book on the back of one of Roo's wagons, as the enemy chased them. In portions the time-framing is completely bollixed. Chopping from character to another, what takes place in the space of three days for Roo, skulking through the woods with his group, at the same time covers a month in the field for Erik! Literally, in one passage Erik talks of the month that has just passed, and yet Roo is still hiding in the forest! It's confused and incoherent for the most part, and the snippets of warfare - that are enjoyable to read - need almost to be read our of context.
And Roo's odd segue to go and deal with Sylvia and Duncan - to utter miscreants from RoaMP - is so weird. It's almost jabbed in amongst the rest of the narrative as an afterthought. "Oh, I'd better deal with those people..." Instead of having their fall be the result of some crescendo of intrigue and subterfuge, Roo just stumbles upon them while he's trying to flee the fallen Krondor. It's almost absurd, and certainly is very far away from the satisfied feeling one should get when horrid characters like Sylvia and her father get their comeuppance.
And as for Calis and the Lifestone; that's just a little...crap. In recent books, Feist has taken the piss with convenience characters like Nakor, who once again here produces a codex that handily explains everything for everyone. And the way virtual-godlike Pug lets himself be talked into a suicidal mission against the Demon King is equally stupid. And Miranda...yeah, I don't like her. Struggled in the last book, just flat out dislike in this. Prince Patrick? Don't really get to know him, overly much. Macros is ace, as is Nakor when he's not wearing the, "I'm Ray's Deus ex Machina" T-Shirt. But once again, the big plan of the enemy is to get to a green cube in Sethanon. And who is the enemy this time? Deliberate confusion reigns supreme, but suffice to say, it's always bigger bigger bigger. Is it a Moredhel Prophet; a necromancer; or even a Demon King? No! Now Pug et al face a mad god. Not an angry one, mind you: an apparently schizophrenic one. We end up - via Nakor's Codex of Convenience - spinning concepts that are so removed from the gritty reality down the road in Darkmoor that it comes to feel like two separate books without much relation.
And then it ends. Calis...does something. I'm still not sure what. You have your a-typical end of level baddie battle, oh and a cheesy moment when Tomas inexplicably lets out some completely inappropriate battle cry because he pulled his sword out of the lifestone... Miranda strumpets around with Calis, confusing the poor...poor...what IS Calis again? Anyway, there are mixed signals, definitely! bah!
Look, there's lots to enjoy in fits and starts through Rage, but it's far from Feist's best work. In returning to his complete works, I worry that I am coming to realise that his earlier books just weren't as good as I remember. The middle two books here could have been combined to one, a lot of the needless guff edited out, and a very strong book may just have been the result. Instead what we get is the literary equivalent of trying to arrange four food items on a dinner plate: there's nothing wrong with the sum of the parts, but it's just never going to be right. (Seriously, try it. You can't make even numbered food items look good on a plate!)
For all of that, is this a bad book? No, not really. I rattled through it fast enough, and the characters I like (quick mention for Kitty and Owen Greylock here) are good. But it's just frustrating that the negatives seem to slightly outweigh the positives somewhat. And the last in the series now deals with trying to get Krondor back...on to Shards of a Broken Crown.
I've ticked the 'hide spoilers' button for this review, but I'm not sure why I have done so really. The plot development and dramatic conclusion on this novel were screamingly predictable; but I want to make something clear: I don't necessarily consider that a negative. There was something familiar in the way the plot panned out, and while I don't disparage the lack of exciting twists, I do strongly dislike the taste of re-fried beans the book leaves in the mouth. In short, Feist has done this book to death before. Not only does he seem reticent to let old characters melt away with time, he can't let the plots that underpin them go either. It's so similar to the original trilogy, with a few extra bodies, that it's almost offensive. And yet, that's not this books biggest issue.
In review the second book in this series, I ended by suggesting that it felt like a half-told story. I get the idea of foreshadowing in a series of books, and that's good - I do it too much myself, but when you're confronted (as an author, editor or reader) with a pair of books like this and Rise of a Merchant Prince, that so clearly would operate infinitely better as one, it's maddening. RoaMP provides little or no satisfaction in it's culmination. You get to the end of it and it just feels like one of the worst LOST episodes. And in keeping with that, Rage of a Demon King really does just pick straight up. The invasion of Krondor is much anticipated, and finally arrives in this novel. An event that has been looked toward for two novels forms the central fulcrum of both this third novel and the four-book series as a whole. Had I accidentally turned over two pages at once, I'd perhaps have missed it. I get that the invading army is impressively large, but Krondor doesn't half collapse easily. I know, the idea is to hold the enemy at Nightmare Ridge; but it just feels like the person writing the account of one of the most important events in Midkemian history was perhaps looking the other way when it happened.
And this is where I'm going to go slightly off range. I really enjoy the battle passages after the fall of Krondor, detailing the retreat to Nightmare Ridge. The defence of Darkmoor isn't bad either. But the dealings with Roo's family and their flight behind the defensive line are just confusing. Here you have two parties: Roo and his family, and Erik and his army. Both are retreating ahead of a massive army pouring across the land. There is almost complete confusion, as is to be anticipated, but in a strange and seemingly-unintended metaphysical blending of literature and reality, it seems Feist gets just as confused. It's like Feist was actually there, writing this book on the back of one of Roo's wagons, as the enemy chased them. In portions the time-framing is completely bollixed. Chopping from character to another, what takes place in the space of three days for Roo, skulking through the woods with his group, at the same time covers a month in the field for Erik! Literally, in one passage Erik talks of the month that has just passed, and yet Roo is still hiding in the forest! It's confused and incoherent for the most part, and the snippets of warfare - that are enjoyable to read - need almost to be read our of context.
And Roo's odd segue to go and deal with Sylvia and Duncan - to utter miscreants from RoaMP - is so weird. It's almost jabbed in amongst the rest of the narrative as an afterthought. "Oh, I'd better deal with those people..." Instead of having their fall be the result of some crescendo of intrigue and subterfuge, Roo just stumbles upon them while he's trying to flee the fallen Krondor. It's almost absurd, and certainly is very far away from the satisfied feeling one should get when horrid characters like Sylvia and her father get their comeuppance.
And as for Calis and the Lifestone; that's just a little...crap. In recent books, Feist has taken the piss with convenience characters like Nakor, who once again here produces a codex that handily explains everything for everyone. And the way virtual-godlike Pug lets himself be talked into a suicidal mission against the Demon King is equally stupid. And Miranda...yeah, I don't like her. Struggled in the last book, just flat out dislike in this. Prince Patrick? Don't really get to know him, overly much. Macros is ace, as is Nakor when he's not wearing the, "I'm Ray's Deus ex Machina" T-Shirt. But once again, the big plan of the enemy is to get to a green cube in Sethanon. And who is the enemy this time? Deliberate confusion reigns supreme, but suffice to say, it's always bigger bigger bigger. Is it a Moredhel Prophet; a necromancer; or even a Demon King? No! Now Pug et al face a mad god. Not an angry one, mind you: an apparently schizophrenic one. We end up - via Nakor's Codex of Convenience - spinning concepts that are so removed from the gritty reality down the road in Darkmoor that it comes to feel like two separate books without much relation.
And then it ends. Calis...does something. I'm still not sure what. You have your a-typical end of level baddie battle, oh and a cheesy moment when Tomas inexplicably lets out some completely inappropriate battle cry because he pulled his sword out of the lifestone... Miranda strumpets around with Calis, confusing the poor...poor...what IS Calis again? Anyway, there are mixed signals, definitely! bah!
Look, there's lots to enjoy in fits and starts through Rage, but it's far from Feist's best work. In returning to his complete works, I worry that I am coming to realise that his earlier books just weren't as good as I remember. The middle two books here could have been combined to one, a lot of the needless guff edited out, and a very strong book may just have been the result. Instead what we get is the literary equivalent of trying to arrange four food items on a dinner plate: there's nothing wrong with the sum of the parts, but it's just never going to be right. (Seriously, try it. You can't make even numbered food items look good on a plate!)
For all of that, is this a bad book? No, not really. I rattled through it fast enough, and the characters I like (quick mention for Kitty and Owen Greylock here) are good. But it's just frustrating that the negatives seem to slightly outweigh the positives somewhat. And the last in the series now deals with trying to get Krondor back...on to Shards of a Broken Crown.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2019
Was het vorige boek De macht van een koopmansprins voor mij niet echt een boek uit het fantasy-genre, dit boek duidelijk wel. Goed verhaal, met plotwendingen, magie, epische veldslagen en romantiek.
Tot nog toe het beste boek uit deze reeks, niet alleen omdat de oorlog begint en het meer actie heeft, maar vooral omdat het niet langer op Ru is gericht. Dit verhaal focust zich op Erik en het gevecht en op de magiërs Puc, Macros, Miranda en Nakur die proberen uit te vinden hoe ze de wereld kunnen redden.
We verliezen een paar belangrijke personages uit eerdere boeken en opnieuw krijgt het Koninkrijk een schop onder zijn kont, maar we komen ook meer te weten over de Goden en de Levenssteen uit eerdere verhalen om de overkoepelende plot van de serie te bevorderen.
De karakter van Erik maakte een flinke groei door. Ru, tja... ben niet zo'n erge fan van zijn karakter, maar eindelijk kwam hij achter het bedrog van Sylvia. Ook de 'romantiek' in de boeken hoeft van mij niet zo. Gelukkig waren er de invasie en veldslagen, die mij beter lagen. Kon ze ook goed voor ogen zien.
De strijd tegen de demonenkoning... op het eind bleek dat die, als wezen van vuur, verslagen kon worden door... zeewater. Okay, een flinke hoeveelheid water, maar toch..
Tot nog toe het beste boek uit deze reeks, niet alleen omdat de oorlog begint en het meer actie heeft, maar vooral omdat het niet langer op Ru is gericht. Dit verhaal focust zich op Erik en het gevecht en op de magiërs Puc, Macros, Miranda en Nakur die proberen uit te vinden hoe ze de wereld kunnen redden.
We verliezen een paar belangrijke personages uit eerdere boeken en opnieuw krijgt het Koninkrijk een schop onder zijn kont, maar we komen ook meer te weten over de Goden en de Levenssteen uit eerdere verhalen om de overkoepelende plot van de serie te bevorderen.
De karakter van Erik maakte een flinke groei door. Ru, tja... ben niet zo'n erge fan van zijn karakter, maar eindelijk kwam hij achter het bedrog van Sylvia. Ook de 'romantiek' in de boeken hoeft van mij niet zo. Gelukkig waren er de invasie en veldslagen, die mij beter lagen. Kon ze ook goed voor ogen zien.
De strijd tegen de demonenkoning... op het eind bleek dat die, als wezen van vuur, verslagen kon worden door... zeewater. Okay, een flinke hoeveelheid water, maar toch..
March 19, 2019
Bloody brilliant. A really enjoyable flowing story with lots of heartbreaking scenes. Erik von Darkmoor absolutely shines in this book he uses every ounce of military training and education he has to pull off a brilliant defense of the realm from absolutely overwhelming odds. Pug and Thomas and their group are also instrumental in stopping the threat but from the magical side of the war. This book made me smile, laugh and sad feist managed to make me feel a lot of emotions while taking this journey with some old favourite and new favourite characters. I can't wait to read what comes next.
May 6, 2022
This is definitely a 4.5 star book! What can I say I’m a sucker for war scenes. Feist can really bring the action alive and I look forward to it in his books. I can say much about the plot without giving things away, but with war there is casualties, and unfortunately one of my favorite characters didn’t escape. What I have enjoyed the most about reading this many series of books is the progression of the writing. From the first few books until this point the writing is night and day, and I’m enjoying every page of it. I can’t wait to see what happens in the final book of the serpentwar saga!
April 5, 2018
These books aren't without faults and/or minor annoyances, but I still enjoy them and seem to have become invested in making my way through all of these linked series' ....eventually. Of the serpentwar saga, so far I've enjoyed this one the most. But Silverthorn is still at the top of my list overall.
February 23, 2022
The 3rd book in the Serpentwar Saga!! I just love Raymond E Feist, I read this whole series in my 20s, and now I am in my 40s and I am still loving it so much!! Raymond E Feist is a Master story teller, he makes his Characters come alive, Eric and Roo feels like old friends, and even when Roo does stuff that I dont like I understand why he does it because of his past, Eric is such a noble and good person and a remakable leader and fighter so happy he finds love.
Loved every page
Loved every page
April 9, 2022
Four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I continue to say it I ❤️ Midkemia and Pug are in this book 📕
This series get a bad rap …I don’t know why.. it needs love 💕
I continue to say it I ❤️ Midkemia and Pug are in this book 📕
This series get a bad rap …I don’t know why.. it needs love 💕
May 13, 2025
What an epic read! Everything from the first two books coming together, culminating into the epic war that I was promised in book one and taunted with in book two.
Fast paced and unpredictable at times. A must read for any fantasy enthusiast.
Fast paced and unpredictable at times. A must read for any fantasy enthusiast.
March 17, 2012
There is a reason why Raymond E Feist is one of the most popular fantasy authors and that is because he is just so brilliant and that his work is uniquely origional & captivating. Rage of a demon king is the third book in the 'Serpentwar Saga' and it takes the reader on a thrilling & exciting journey to Midkemia. I love another author called 'Janny Wurts' so the fact that Janny has written books with Raymond Feist is so ironic, such as Daughter of the empire, servant of the empire and also mistress of the empire which are three fantastic novels. This is by far one of my favourite books by Raymond, as it is full of compelling drama, non-stop exciting action & brilliant iconic characters that bring this story to life. When i read Rage of a Demon king i felt as if i were a part of the story, as if i was standing there in the middle of all the commotion & action and watching it unfold before my very eyes it was such a captivating read. The sequels to this book 'shadow of a dark queen' and 'rise of a merchant price' are also both equally fantastic and i was thrilled to read part three and jump back into the fantasy world that Raymond had created. The plot is utterly gripping from begining to end, it contains witty & humorous characterization and epic battle scenes that are completely realistic & authentic. Raymond E Feist has such a vivid imagination that is truly breathtaking and thanks to the 'Serpentwar Saga' he has contributed to the growth & development of the fantasy genre. One only has to utter the words that "Macros the Black is back" and i cannot help but smile in delight and anticipation, as this book is one that will always be taken from the shelf innumerable times to read again and again. If you enjoy compelling and exciting fantasy fiction then Raymond E Feist is masterful & completely brilliant in this genre, so i urge that you take a look.
June 2, 2011
I can never decide if I like this book more or less than the second one in the series. One thing that has always impressed me about Feist is how he doesn't mind killing off main characters, or places, even before the end. It's hard to have read the Midkemia books from the beginning, and watch as the characters you've come to know and understand, disappear from the stories for forever. Of the places that you can envision in your minds eye... Part of me wishes that Arutha had still been alive for the war, because a small part of me thinks his wiley mind could have saved what even Duke James and Calis and Erik couldn't But part of me is glad that Arutha was long dead, because I don't know that he would have taken the loss of life and land the Kingdom faced any better than James did.
In this third book in the Serpentwar Saga, the war from Novindus comes to the Kingdom of the Isles. Roo's hard earned money goes to finance it. The training that Erik's been put through comes into place as he leads the soldiers and tries to keep as many of them alive as possible. There is only so much they can do though, and at the end of the book, you realize just how much more the Kingdom of the Isles has to do to recover, and you wonder how they'll be able to do it without the strong characters that died in the fighting.
This war has none of the elegance or honor that the Riftwar had at the siege of Castle Crydee, but the Kingdom men are good men, and fight against unbelievable odds once again, which, as always, is a good story.
In this third book in the Serpentwar Saga, the war from Novindus comes to the Kingdom of the Isles. Roo's hard earned money goes to finance it. The training that Erik's been put through comes into place as he leads the soldiers and tries to keep as many of them alive as possible. There is only so much they can do though, and at the end of the book, you realize just how much more the Kingdom of the Isles has to do to recover, and you wonder how they'll be able to do it without the strong characters that died in the fighting.
This war has none of the elegance or honor that the Riftwar had at the siege of Castle Crydee, but the Kingdom men are good men, and fight against unbelievable odds once again, which, as always, is a good story.
February 15, 2018
The third instalment in the Serpentwar Saga is something of an amalgam of the previous two books. Rage of a Demon King's chief focus is on the war effort between the Kingdom and the vast, invading army of the Emerald Queen. Feist handles the drawn-out conflict effectively, with soldier wunderkind Erik von Darkmoor appearing a more rounded protagonist than he was in Shadow of a Dark Queen. His merchant friend Roo Avery, whose wiley opportunism made for a superb, imaginative and different kind of read in Rise of a Merchant Prince, is relegated to more of a bit-part role, which is a shame. Riftwar alumni Pug and Tomas have doubtless faced more inventive perils than those on show here, but their sections remain compelling, even if at times the debates as to the forces at play on Midkemia and the universe in general hint at greater conclusions than they reach.
At almost 650 pages, it can feel a protracted read. The exhaustive preparation behind battling back an army inevitably results in some lengthy and overly-similar sequences. Despite the emphasis on action, Rage of a Demon King at times struggles for impetus, and for its own identity within the series as a whole. Feist's characters are always easy to get behind though, with a plethora of likable protagonists and Midkemia's always-evocative locations making for an enjoyable read that thankfully avoids the hyperbole of many modern fantasy titles.
At almost 650 pages, it can feel a protracted read. The exhaustive preparation behind battling back an army inevitably results in some lengthy and overly-similar sequences. Despite the emphasis on action, Rage of a Demon King at times struggles for impetus, and for its own identity within the series as a whole. Feist's characters are always easy to get behind though, with a plethora of likable protagonists and Midkemia's always-evocative locations making for an enjoyable read that thankfully avoids the hyperbole of many modern fantasy titles.
May 16, 2018
What a come-back! After book 2 I had no hope for the rest of this quartet. I really don't like Roo's character and considering book 2 was all about him I guess that played a part. This being the 11th book I've read by Feist, I can say he still has major issues with characters that don't have any depth or purpose in the plot but there was a large improvement in this novel.
I was so relieved that Roo had his comeuppance with Sylvia, even though his emotional reaction to it was nonexistant. I love Eric's character development – finally! character development in a Feist novel! My favourite was the invasion and battle scenes, they were nicely staged and I was able to imagine them easily. I enjoyed that Feist brought the story back around to Mathilda and Manfred, that's a first! Feist is usually the king of loose ends and deus-ex-machina endings.
Obvious flaws were the demise of James and Pug's children. The only point I could see in it was the melodrama, which I dislike in any book. And of course the demon boss battle. Really? All it took was a bit of sea water? That could have been done so much sooner – plot hole alert!
Overall, a solid instalment, and much better than I expected!
I was so relieved that Roo had his comeuppance with Sylvia, even though his emotional reaction to it was nonexistant. I love Eric's character development – finally! character development in a Feist novel! My favourite was the invasion and battle scenes, they were nicely staged and I was able to imagine them easily. I enjoyed that Feist brought the story back around to Mathilda and Manfred, that's a first! Feist is usually the king of loose ends and deus-ex-machina endings.
Obvious flaws were the demise of James and Pug's children. The only point I could see in it was the melodrama, which I dislike in any book. And of course the demon boss battle. Really? All it took was a bit of sea water? That could have been done so much sooner – plot hole alert!
Overall, a solid instalment, and much better than I expected!
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