[Takoren]

I'm a 29-year-old male with moderately conservative viewpoints.

My favorite authors in the genres of Scifi/Fantasy are JRR Tolkien, Gene Wolfe, George RR Martin, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan, Steven Erickson, Tad Williams, CS Lewis, JK Rowling and Stephen King (yeah, okay, he's not fantasy but he did write the Dark Tower).

I also appreciate Guy Gavriel Kay, David Eddings and Terry Brooks, even though I find their stuff a little "lite". Authors on my shelf that are so far unread but on my list include Jack Whyte, David Gemmell, Michael Moorcock, Dan Simmons, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke and Roger Zelazny.

My question is, should I read Feist's stuff? Given what you now know about me, as little as it is, do you think I would enjoy him?

What are his books like? Does he tend more toward "family" stuff, like Eddings, or is he adult fantasy like Martin or Erickson?

[Macklyn]

I think Feist would definitely fall into your 'lite' category.

His work's not bad, but it's definitely simpler. Very straightforeward stuff with few unexpected turns.

Nowhere near Martin or Erikson's level of complexity.

[oasis seeker]

From what I remember, I'd say he's about mid-level between somebody like Eddings and somebody like Martin.

I read his first two trilogies at least ten years ago and enjoyed them a lot then.

I suggest going into a bookstore and sampling a few pages and seeing if you like the style. Or finding some online excerpts.

Stuff like this is so subjective it's really hard to say what one person will like from another.

Good luck...

[Severn]

Guy Gavriel Kay mentioned in the same vein as Eddings and Brooks? Ack, no. Tell me it isn't true! *gibbers in disbelief* Oh wait! You've read the Fionavar Tapestry or whatever it is haven't you? Ok, I can get that. Might I recommend reading his other novels like Tigana or the Lions of Al-Rassan or The Sarantine Mosiac duet, if you haven't already. Completely different; much better; strong, marvellous writing; beautiful story-telling.

Anyway, on topic: If you're listing Williams, Erikson (not Erickson I'm guessing), Martin and Wolfe as among your favourites, then I doubt Feist will satisfy you much, unless you're after another 'lite' read.

His writing style is, to be honest, easy and sometimes childish. He has one trilogy that he co-wrote with Janny Wurts (another childish, simple writer in my opinion) which I would recommend simply for the plot - the Daughter of the Empire trilogy. However, I discovered those as a teen and love them now from a nostalgic viewpoint, so that's not a recommendation based on your favourites by any means: there are still many instances of toe-curling sentences that have me, well, curling my toes.

So, yeah, I'd truly save yourself the bother and the financial output.

[Takoren]

Guy Gavriel Kay mentioned in the same vein as Eddings and Brooks? Ack, no. Tell me it isn't true! *gibbers in disbelief* Oh wait! You've read the Fionavar Tapestry or whatever it is haven't you? Ok, I can get that. Might I recommend reading his other novels like Tigana or the Lions of Al-Rassan or The Sarantine Mosiac duet, if you haven't already. Completely different; much better; strong, marvellous writing; beautiful story-telling.

Anyway, on topic: If you're listing Williams, Erikson (not Erickson I'm guessing),.

Yes, the only Kay I've read is The Fionavar Tapestry. I'm not in a huge hurry to check out his other stuff.

And yes, I do mean Erikson. I don't know where the "c" came from.

[Rob B]

I'm a 29-year-old male with moderately conservative viewpoints.

My favorite authors in the genres of Scifi/Fantasy are JRR Tolkien, Gene Wolfe, George RR Martin, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan, Steven Erickson, Tad Williams, CS Lewis, JK Rowling and Stephen King (yeah, okay, he's not fantasy but he did write the Dark Tower).

I also appreciate Guy Gavriel Kay, David Eddings and Terry Brooks, even though I find their stuff a little "lite". Authors on my shelf that are so far unread but on my list include Jack Whyte, David Gemmell, Michael Moorcock, Dan Simmons, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke and Roger Zelazny.

My question is, should I read Feist's stuff? Given what you now know about me, as little as it is, do you think I would enjoy him?

What are his books like? Does he tend more toward "family" stuff, like Eddings, or is he adult fantasy like Martin or Erickson?

First are you mentioning Steve Erickson author of Arc D'x or Steven Erikson, author of the Malazan Book of the Fallen saga?

That notwithstanding, I read Tolkien, Wolfe, Kay, Moorcock, Simmons, Card, Clarke, Herbert, Jordan, GRRM, and Tad Williams ALL before I cracked open Magician by Feist. While I do enjoy most of those writers more than Feist, I still found Feist's early books to be entertaining and fun reads., Magician especially. If age makes a difference, I was 26 when I first read Feist.

From what I can recall there was a good amount of adventure, a great deal of magic, decent characterization, detailed and interesting world-building. Though his sensibilities are in line with Brooks, I would put him several notches above Terry Brooks, in terms of storytelling and writing ability. That is not as dark and gritty (for lack of a better term) than Steven Erikson or GRRM.

[Severn]

Yes, the only Kay I've read is The Fionavar Tapestry. I'm not in a huge hurry to check out his other stuff.

Being a Kay devotee, I'll just belabour the point very quickly. It's as if Kay woke up one day, with a groggy head and a very bad case of 'I'm-going-to-write-the-worst-portal-fluff-fantasy-story-ever-written' and sat down and wrote the Tapestry. Bad move.

Then, after he had that out of his system he woke up a few years later and started writing like an author of substance.

I would truly urge you to perhaps even just pick up Tigana in a store and read the first chapter, just to try it.

It really is as if the Tapestry and his other novels are written by different authors. Perhaps he has Multiple Author Personality Syndrome?

*goes away quietly*

[hippokrene]

Stephen King isn't fantasy?

If the stuff he writes could happen in the real world, then I'm going to crawl under my bed and never come out.

Anyways, yes, I think you should read Feist.

[jbcohen]

Which Feist book would you recommend that I start with? I believe that one starts with Magic.

[Rob B]

Magician is the first book in Feist's uber-saga. A very entertaining read. Based what you've said you enjoy reading in past postings, jbcohen, I really think you would like Feist.