Book Review: Silverthorn (The Riftwar Saga, #3) by Raymond E. Feist
Silverthorn by Raymond E. Feist
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Riftwar Saga (Book #3 of 4), The Riftwar Cycle (Book #3 of 31)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Classic Fantasy
Pages: 401 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: May 1985
Silverthorn is a different form of adventure in The Riftwar Saga focusing on Arutha and Jimmy more rather than Pug and Tomas.
“Life is problems. Living is solving problems.”
Depending on how you see it, Silverthorn is either the second or third book in The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist. Unlike Magician, which I read a long time ago and reread recently, this is my first time reading Silverthorn. First things first… I do think the premise written on Goodreads and Amazon is quite misleading. Or even spoilers. No need to look it up if you have not read it yet. But what is written on the premise does not occur until we are halfway through the book. Rooftop chases, monsters, schemes, and great character developments were put on the pages before we get to the scene depicted on the official premise of the book. But let’s get back to talking about my thoughts on the book.
I found this novel, overall, to be more adventurous and certainly different than Magician in several aspects. The first is, as I said, the main characters. Silverthorn is a book that centers on the story and development of Arutha and Jimmy more. This can be good or bad, depending on what you’re looking for with the sequel. Personally speaking, after being invested in Pug and Tomas, I was a bit worried about reading Silverthorn because Arutha and Jimmy were the downside of Magician for me. With that in mind, I’m pleasantly surprised by the enjoyment I had in reading Silverthorn, even if at the end of the day, I still think Magician is a better book. I ended up enjoying the characterizations and motivations of Arutha and Jimmy more than I thought I would. And because I am writing this review after I read A Darkness at Sethanon, I see the importance and necessity of this installment to develop them. Although admittedly, I think A Darkness at Sethanon is the weakest book of the series, but I will get to that later when I review A Darkness at Sethanon.
“A hero is someone who simply got too frightened to use his good sense and run away, then somehow lived through it all.”
I want to make it clear, though. This does not mean Pug and Tomas were not in the book at all. Tomas did enter the spotlight incredibly briefly, but Pug still holds a central role and presence in the narrative of Silverthorn. It needs to be remembered that Pug and Tomas are essentially overpowered now after the events of Magician. In a way, if Feist decided to put them as the central main characters again, there is a good chance this book would be much shorter than it already is. Conflicts would be resolved much quicker. It is another reason why it is important to develop Arutha, Jimmy, and the other characters further before the conclusion of the first series in The Riftwar Cycle, whether you like it or not. I, for one, think the relative lack of Pug somehow made each of his appearances in Silverthorn more noteworthy and memorable.
Another reason why Silverthorn is a different kind of installment. In the first half of Magician, it is understandable to compare it to The Fellowship of the Ring as there were scenes clearly taken or inspired by the novel. This has started to change in the second half of Magician. And it is further extended in Sillverthorn. This book did not feel like a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring any longer. Even if it’s still similar in some elements to it and other classic fantasy series, I do believe what Feist has written in the second half of Magician and Silverthorn definitely has separated The Riftwar Saga from the direct shadow of The Fellowship of the Ring. The world-building, enemies (Murmandamus and Murad), prophecies, and the connection between Midkemia and Kelewan were some of the standouts of Silverthorn.
“It is the single blackest shame in the memory of our race that one segment of our people utterly destroyed another.”
Due to the more human-centered battle—Arutha, Jimmy, and Baru are human beings with no extraordinary abilities—of the book, Silverthorn has a relatively tamer ending and climax sequence in comparison to Magician explosive display of magic and power. However, a certain level of tension in the conflicts and investigations remains apparent. There is still a charming side to Arutha and Jimmy’s adventure in Silverthorn to find the magical plant. I cannot thoroughly recommend Silverthorn to readers who want much more of Pug and Tomas. But if you are a completionist who wants to find out how the story in the first series of the Cycle ends, I do think Silverthorn is worth your time. It won’t blow your mind. But it is a good old fun adventure fantasy book.
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