Blurb:
An evil wind blows through Midkemia. Dark legions have risen up to crush the Kingdom of the Isles and enslave it to dire magics. The final battle between Order and Chaos is abotu to begin in the ruins of the city called Sethanon.
Now Pug, the master magician sometimes known as Milamber, must undertake an awesome and perilous quest to the dawn of time to grapple with an ancient and terrible Enemy for the fate of a thousand worlds.
Review:
The climactic finale of the Riftwar Saga has left me with somewhat mixed feelings. Ultimately, I enjoyed it a great deal and am glad for the fond memories it brought back. A few sequences of events occurred at different points in the story than I had remembered, but that only made me happier for completing the re-read. Feist delivers an epic conclusion to the saga, somehow expanding upon everything mentioned in my previous reviews, while leaving the seeds of future stories in place to keep anticipation high.
The beginning of the story was propelled by a key issue from Silverthorn, but a number of unique developments kept my interest piqued and any tedium at bay. Arutha and Jimmy have come to be time-tested characters who are always a joy to read about, and their adventures bring forth unexpected twists that serve to reshape our understanding of certain histories. But even so, the Siege of Armengar became almost as burdensome to read about as the event itself, as it seemed as though a considerable number of pages were dedicated to it. This was my one and only criticism of the book, and I would even be willing to concede to the theory that this was the intended purpose—to emphasize the brutal, sluggish nature of a siege. Oh, the power of nostalgia.
My favourite aspect of A Darkness at Sethanon is how deep Feist dove into the lore surrounding not just Midkemia, but the entire universe. Many questions that came about regarding geography, cultures, and origins from the previous books were answered here. To top it off, we’re accompanied by none other than Pug and Tomas throughout these adventures, an epic duo who have come so far since their time as keep boys in Castle Crydee. New continents, worlds, and dimensions are in store for those who have made it this far into the series, as well as mind-blowing revelations about magic and history.
Even after a re-read, I’m still in awe of the volume and depth that Feist adds to the Riftwar Saga. It’s truly an epic high fantasy like no other. The ending gives us a twist that sets up events for future stories in Feist’s world, and I am excited to dive into them. From here, I believe we leap ahead many years, but it will be fascinating to see what myths and legends have been formed regarding the events in this series. For those interested in a more traditional epic fantasy story, the Riftwar Saga is a must-read.
