Product Description

This is the second volume of Raymond E. Feist's great epic of heroic fantasy. For nearly a year peace reigned the enchanted kingdom of Rillanon. But new challenges awaited Arutha the Prince of Krondor when Jimmy The Hand - youngest thief in the Guild of Mockers - came upon a sinister Nighthawk poised to assassinate him. What evil power raises the dead and makes corpses do battle with the living at the behest of the Guild of Death? And what high magic can defeat it? The new King of Midkemia is threatened - and a life-or-death quest must be undertaken for an antidote to a poison that fells a beautiful Princess on her wedding day! "The best new fantasy concept in years! Has a chance of putting its author firmly on the throne next to Tolkein - and keeping him there" - "Dragon". "Epic scope! vivid imagination!a significant contribution to the growth of the field of fantasy" - "Washington Post".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73865 in Books
• Published on: 1986-11-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Silverhorn is the sequel to Magician, which, like a venerable patriarch, stands at the head of a great tribe of fantasy writing. When Raymond Feist's enormous novel was published, critics called it "the best new fantasy concept in years", and Feist has refined and explored that concept over a dozen novels. His "concept" was to bring together two (and later, more) whole, intricately realised Fantasy worlds. Midkemia is a Tolkienian realm, a European-Medieval series of kingdoms in which magic is prominent, and where men share the earth with dwarves and elves. Feist's genius was inventing another sword and sorcercy realm based more closely on eastern models, the Empire of Tsuranuanni, as vast as Ancient China, as formalised and devoted to the arts of war as a samurai Japan. A magical rift in time-space brings these two worlds clashing together, and the young boy Pug and his soldier friend Tomas are thrown into the ensuing maelstrom of invasion and epic battle, before embarking on a more fundamental magical journey towards the very roots of evil itself. Feist's two sequels to Magician, Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon complete the richly conceived "Riftwar Saga", and Fiest has gone on to chronicle other aspects of his invented worlds. With Janny Wurts he wrote the "Empire" trilogy, which charts the rise, through the rigid patriarchy of the Empire of Tsuranuanni, of a remarkable female heroine, a woman who eventually reaches the heights of the imperial throne itself Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire and Mistress of Empire. More recently he has returned to the world of Medkemia, and to his hero Pug, with the Serpentwar saga, beginning with Shadow of a Dark Queen and continuing with Rise of a Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King and Shards of a Broken Crown. Heroic Fantasy is a crowded-enough field, but Feist stands out in it for his sheer inventive power, the scope and range of his narratives, the diversity of his characters and his thundering battle sequences. Start reading here, and you may find yourself unable to stop until you have followed the saga right up to date. --Adam Roberts

Review
A largely undistinguished but competently wrought sword-and-sorcery sequel to Magician (1982). With planet Midkemia at peace following the defeat and assimilation of interdimensional invaders, the Tsurani, stalwart Prince Arutha will wed the fair Anita. But already new troubles are brewing, in the form of a coalition of evil-doers inspired by the mysterious, powerful sorcerer Murmandamus. (His zombie-like slaves are unkillable and must be burned or have their hearts chopped out.) A poisoned crossbow bolt meant for Arutha strikes Anita instead; so, as the lady lies in a magical coma, Arutha and friends must quest for a cure, namely the semi-mythical silverthorn plant which only grows in the heart of enemy territory. Meanwhile, Tsurani-trained magician Pug, needing some high-voltage help to discover who Munnandamus is, the source of his godlike powers, and a means to defeat him, travels to the Tsurani world, where he's sheltered by a long-lost colony of Midkemian elves in their city beneath the polar ice. Workmanlike doings, modestly appealing characters, and a more thoughtful array of evil beasties and bad guys than before: a notch above average overall, and an improvement on the chaotic, overlong Magician. (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author
Raymond E. Feist was born and raised in Southern California. He was educated at the University of California, San Diego, where he graduated with honours in Communication Arts. He is the author of many titles, including the bestselling and critically acclaimed 'Riftwar' saga. Feist lives in Sante Fe.

Customer Reviews

Terrifying fantasy - not for bedtime reading
Some reviewers complain about the pace of the book after the break-neck speed of Magician but this is a different type of novel. This combines terror with fantasy and for me the characterisation of evil is what makes this such a powerful book. It is much darker than the magician which is very swords and sorcery. This is a book about menace and it would not work if you raced along frantically.

A satisfying follow up to the wonderful Magician
It was always going to be difficult to follow on from Magician, which was a truly astounding read, but Feist has made a worthy attempt. Don't expect anywhere near the truly epic nature of his debut novel, Silverthorn's scope is far narrower both chronologically and geographically. In fact this would almost work as a standalone book, and doesn't seem to fit in the same saga as Magician. That said, the characters are lovingly portayed as always. Feist takes the spotlight away from the main characters in Magician- a move that might upset some fans- and instead focuses on Arutha, Laurie, and Jimmy the Hand. We follow them on their journey into the 'lions den' so to speak, the only place they can find the antidote to the poison dart which has struck the Princess Anita!

Good for its time
As an example of early Feist work, it is very good and follows magician nicely. I would only ever read this particuarly trilogy from the author and wouldn't bother with the rest.

It is just plain escapist fantasy that was relatively unusual for its time. I am not convinced that it would have been as successful in the present enviornment.