Magician

The single best starting point for Raymond E. Feist. Magician follows Pug, an orphan kitchen boy apprenticed to a court magician on the world of Midkemia, whose life is upended when alien invaders from another world, the Tsurani, open a rift between dimensions and launch a devastating war.

Why Start Here

Magician is where the entire Riftwar Cycle begins, and it remains Feist’s finest work. The novel was originally published in the US as two volumes (Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master), but the complete single-volume edition is the version Feist intended and the one to read. It follows Pug from childhood through adulthood, across two worlds, and through a transformation from uncertain apprentice to one of the most powerful magicians in existence.

What makes Magician special is the way Feist uses the Riftwar, a conflict between Midkemia and the Tsurani world of Kelewan, to explore cultural difference. The Tsurani are not simple villains. Their society, based on honor, political maneuvering, and rigid social hierarchy, is drawn with genuine respect and complexity. Pug’s years as a slave on Kelewan are among the most compelling sections of any fantasy novel, showing how immersion in another culture can change a person fundamentally.

What to Expect

A classic coming-of-age epic that spans years and two worlds. The first half follows Pug’s apprenticeship and the outbreak of the Riftwar on Midkemia. The second half takes him to Kelewan, where he must survive and grow in a culture entirely unlike his own. Clear prose, accessible storytelling, and a magic system that grows more interesting as Pug’s power develops. Around 681 pages in the complete edition. An excellent entry point for readers new to epic fantasy.