A Kingdom Besieged may contain SPOILERS

[Valko]

Ray has tweeted that a fan in Ireland managed to purchase a copy of A Kingdom Besieged from a Dublin store this weekend!

 

[Cayal]

Yeah it's coming out soon, this week maybe (or is out already) in Australia

 

[radu123]

oh sh*t, i completely forgot about this book, i have to get onto this ASAP

sadly though, a new feist book these days isn't the glorious event it once was for me

 

[charles81]

Got it and read it.

FANTASTIC!!!

Feist has really pulled it back from AtGOD. The book just read very easily, despite jumping between characters and locations as we often do with Feist's books. They steady revelations, some of which I could guess, others which surprised me, they all worked beautifull.

I must confess. Feist strikes me as one of the best prologue writers in the industry and this book is another example of that.

Beautifully done all-round and I'm looking forward to the remaining books in the final rift-war saga.

 

[radu123]

NOW WE'RE TALKING SON

this is really encouraging. i do hope he ends his last ever midkemian series on a high note, because the last few years have been his worst.

ordering right now

 

[Culhwch]

I saw this in the shops on Saturday and, despite having not read a Feist book in longer than I can remember, I was intrigued. I may check it out. Tell me, if I have been absent from Midkemia since around Krondor: The Betrayal (I think...), am I going to struggle to catch up?

 

[Cayal]

I saw this in the shops on Saturday and, despite having not read a Feist book in longer than I can remember, I was intrigued. I may check it out. Tell me, if I have been absent from Midkemia since around Krondor: The Betrayal (I think...), am I going to struggle to catch up?

Yes, there is pretty much only Pug left from that era. It's set a long time after so there are a tonne of new characters.

 

[nixie]

And Tomas. I take it Cul, you never read Prince of the Blood or King's Buccaneer? So won't know Nakor, likely the best character Feist ever created.

There are a lot of faults with Feist's writing,facts changing from one book to the other that sort of thing but I'd still recommend you to catch up or you'll miss out on a rather large chunk of Pug's live.

 

[woodsman]

And Tomas. I take it Cul, you never read Prince of the Blood or King's Buccaneer? So won't know Nakor, likely the best character Feist ever created.

There are a lot of faults with Feist's writing,facts changing from one book to the other that sort of thing but I'd still recommend you to catch up or you'll miss out on a rather large chunk of Pug's live.

No doubt at all in my mind. He was the main reason I carried on with Feist and nostalgia I suppose. Will probably pick this up at some point though, I want know what happens...

 

[Culhwch]

And Tomas. I take it Cul, you never read Prince of the Blood or King's Buccaneer? So won't know Nakor, likely the best character Feist ever created.

No, I read both of those - they were well before Krondor: The Betrayal, I'm sure. Actually I think the last couple I read were those that he 'co-authored' with other writers...

I might try this one, and then if I'm suitably intrigued work my way back. I kind of outgrew Midkemia and Feist's writing, but at the moment I'm kind of nostalgic for that kind of mindless, fast-paced fantasy that I loved so much in my teens.

 

[nixie]

I always forget the Krondor books were written after POTB and TKB as the timeline is set before them

 

[charles81]

"Rides a Dread Legion" and "At the Gates of Darkness" did have their good parts.

The Star Elves and investigation of the Demon Realms was all quite good IMHO. I found it all quite interesting and I love Amirantha as a character.

But the the final battle in "Rides a Dread Legion" really felt like an RPG scenario. I know Feist's books are based of their old RPG game but normally he manages to tell them in a way that doesn't feel like its an RPG world and it didn't work in that scenario. At the Gates of Darkness' only saving grace was the Star Elf brothers adventure and the one tiny twist Feist had at the very end. But both these books have a lot of information that helps you make sense of "A Kingdom Besieged" thanks to new Characters.

I do like Amirantha and Sandreena (Sorry if I'm getting these spellings wrong). Although I hated Sandreena's links to Amirantha and James. I thought they were very poorly played out and even unnecessary to a certain extent. It seemed like an attempt to get emotional with Sandreena but just ended up being too many interconnections between characters that neither came across as real or required. The relationship with the head of her order was nicely done though and Amirantha's introduction and deeds, together with his relationship to the warrior friend were all marvelous, particularly in "Rides a Dread Legion"

You can probably read "A Kingdom Besieged" without them, but I truly do like Amirantha and the Star Elves as they appeared in "Rides a Dread Legion" together with the Star Elves' adventure in "At the Gates of Darkness". It has a lot of information which will make much of what you read in "A Kingdom Besieged" make far more sense or simply deepen your knowledge of what they're addressing.

I normally have difficulty reading many Sci-fi fantasy novels, needing to go back and forth or re-read part because I've gotten lost in some of the information dumps and descriptions, but Feist really did make "A Kingdom Besieged" a VERY easy book to read. It was throughly enjoyable.

Be warned though, its by no means a stand-alone book. You'll be left on a slight cliff-hanger with many things still needing to be resolved in the next book.

P.S. seriously, if you get the chance, try reading just the prologue of the book in the store and you'll be left with little doubt that you need to buy it. Terrific prologues that hook you every time from Feist.

 

[Valko]

Feist is definitely back on track with this book. His best piece of work since The Serpent War saga

 

[Valko]

I always forget the Krondor books were written after POTB and TKB as the timeline is set before them

They were aweful books though. I dislike video game tie-ins, they never work.

 

[dekket]

Were the video games any good?

 

[Fake Vencar]

Were the video games any good?

Supposedly good RPGs, I think at least one of them are now free to download?

Brought the new book but sadly have to wait another month to read it! Looking forward to it though.

 

[Cayal]

I just finished it, while I liked it, there are a few things that bugged me.

1. Sandreena. Not an interesting character at all.
2. His desire to return to older characters. A new Duke Martin? And the revelation at the end.
3. The continually reminding the reader of what has happened in the past.

 

[charles81]

I can't put my finger on it with Sandreena. She feels like a character thats constantly on the verge of being good... I think she needed a partner to bounce off. Sure her initial lone-ranger run was alright, but she should have been paired off with someone consistent after that to let her grow with. She just doesn't seem to be working with all these lonely runs. The links between her, Jimmy and Arimantha have always felt very week and two-dimensional, like poor attempts to expand her character and inter-link her with others. I saw little need or point to them. Her relationship with the head of her order is the highlight of her character relations and I've also enjoyed seeing some of the church's internal politics and systems.

I don't see too much of a problem with the references to the past. The series should be able to stand-alone to an extent, so the first book in a saga always tends to bring back a lot of the same notes on people that have been covered, all the way back to the first book. Its for the readers who didn't start at the beginning, or who can't remember back that far. I enjoyed the first revelation in the epilogue, although I'd guessed the female the male only had me slightly suspicious until the full reveal. The second revelation in the epilogue bugs me for it's setup since that character should have died out in the field and has since been killed a couple more times. But I'll forgive it to see whatever climactic battle is due in the future.

P.S. any chance we can have a "spoilers" tag put on this thread so we can start talking about the revelations and other matters a bit more directly? Even something like "Spoilers after page 2"

 

[nixie]

Added spoiler warning and made mental note to stay clear until I've read book

 

[Cayal]

I don't see too much of a problem with the references to the past. The series should be able to stand-alone to an extent, so the first book in a saga always tends to bring back a lot of the same notes on people that have been covered, all the way back to the first book. Its for the readers who didn't start at the beginning, or who can't remember back that far.

I don't mind the references if they're mentioned once, but I am sure he mentioned how Miranda died 3 or 4 times, how Jimmy is the great-great-grandson of Jimmy the Hand 3 or 4 times etc.

I enjoyed the first revelation in the epilogue, although I'd guessed the female the male only had me slightly suspicious until the full reveal.

I always knew who Child was. Didn't expect the other one, not that it surprises me, just bugs me he wants to bring them back.