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Krondor's Sons #1
Prince of the Blood
Prince of the Blood is a work that explores strength and weakness, hope and fear, and what it means to be a man—in a kingdom where peace is the most precious commodity of all.
If there were two more impetuous and carefree men in the Kingdom of the Isles, they had yet to be found. Twins Borric and Erland wore that mantle proudly, much to the chagrin of their father, Prince Arutha of Krondor. But their blissful youth has come to an end. Their uncle, the King, has produced no male children. Bypassing himself, Arutha names Borric, the eldest twin by seconds, the Royal Heir. As his brother, Erland will have his own great responsibilities to shoulder. To drive home their future roles, Arutha sends them as ambassadors to Kesh, the most feared nation in the world. Borric and Erland will be presented to the Queen of Kesh—the single most powerful ruler in the known world—at her Seventy-fifth Jubilee Anniversary.
But they have not even left Krondor when an assassination attempt on Borric is thwarted. Aware that he is being provoked into war, Arutha does not rise to the bait. His sons’ journey will not be deterred, for nothing less than peace is riding on it. Yet there is to be no peace for the young princes. When their traveling party is ambushed, Borric disappears and is presumed dead—sending Erland into spirals of rage and grief as he is forced to navigate alone the court intrigues at Kesh. But unbeknownst to anyone, Borric lives and has escaped his captors. In a strange land, with a price on his head, Borric must use all his wits and stamina to find his way back to his brother.
On separate paths, the two men—one a fugitive and one a future king—make their journey toward maturity, honor, and duty. For every step they take could sway the fragile peace of the land, as those who crave war rally against them—and become ever more daring.
If there were two more impetuous and carefree men in the Kingdom of the Isles, they had yet to be found. Twins Borric and Erland wore that mantle proudly, much to the chagrin of their father, Prince Arutha of Krondor. But their blissful youth has come to an end. Their uncle, the King, has produced no male children. Bypassing himself, Arutha names Borric, the eldest twin by seconds, the Royal Heir. As his brother, Erland will have his own great responsibilities to shoulder. To drive home their future roles, Arutha sends them as ambassadors to Kesh, the most feared nation in the world. Borric and Erland will be presented to the Queen of Kesh—the single most powerful ruler in the known world—at her Seventy-fifth Jubilee Anniversary.
But they have not even left Krondor when an assassination attempt on Borric is thwarted. Aware that he is being provoked into war, Arutha does not rise to the bait. His sons’ journey will not be deterred, for nothing less than peace is riding on it. Yet there is to be no peace for the young princes. When their traveling party is ambushed, Borric disappears and is presumed dead—sending Erland into spirals of rage and grief as he is forced to navigate alone the court intrigues at Kesh. But unbeknownst to anyone, Borric lives and has escaped his captors. In a strange land, with a price on his head, Borric must use all his wits and stamina to find his way back to his brother.
On separate paths, the two men—one a fugitive and one a future king—make their journey toward maturity, honor, and duty. For every step they take could sway the fragile peace of the land, as those who crave war rally against them—and become ever more daring.
429 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 1989
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6641 people want to read
About the author
Raymond E. Feist
281 books9,415 followersRaymond E. Feist was born Raymond E. Gonzales III, but took his adoptive step-father's surname when his mother remarried Felix E. Feist. He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts with Honors in 1977 from the University of California at San Diego. During that year Feist had some ideas for a novel about a boy who would be a magician. He wrote the novel two years later, and it was published in 1982 by Doubleday. Feist currently lives in San Diego with his children, where he collects fine wine, DVDs, and books on a variety of topics of personal interest: wine, biographies, history, and, especially, the history of American Professional Football.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
February 12, 2019
When I first thought of reading these books back in the 90's, I had some sort of presentiment that I wouldn't like it half as much as the Magician books... and so I let it go by the wayside. Now, so many years later, I decided to go back and pick up all the rest of the Feist novels and finally enjoy them anyway. The author has proven a lot of staying power... and it's for good reason.
THIS WAS GREAT! :)
Prince Arutha's twin sons, Erland and Borric, begin a couple of troublemakers who get into just enough trouble to be sent away as diplomats to straighten them out. After Borric seems to have been killed only to be sent into slavery, the two brothers have a very wild and impressive fantasy adventure ranging from escaping a sea blockade, taking up with mercenaries, and falling in with the scantily-clad Kesh royalty as schemes and plots come to a boil. Treason and a coup is part of the table settings. :)
Sound pretty standard? It would be except Feist writes one hell of a fast, fun, and awesome tale. It's more than just a coming-of-age tale. It's popcorn adventure with cameos of so many of our favorites from the previous novels. Jimmy the Hand has a big role and Pug comes and goes, but it's Pug's daughter who rather stole the stage a few times. :)
I was never once bored as I read this. I had a great time throughout. :) The worldbuilding is just as fun as the characters and the plot is more than fine. It's complicated enough to keep any adventure freak on their toes. :)
THIS WAS GREAT! :)
Prince Arutha's twin sons, Erland and Borric, begin a couple of troublemakers who get into just enough trouble to be sent away as diplomats to straighten them out. After Borric seems to have been killed only to be sent into slavery, the two brothers have a very wild and impressive fantasy adventure ranging from escaping a sea blockade, taking up with mercenaries, and falling in with the scantily-clad Kesh royalty as schemes and plots come to a boil. Treason and a coup is part of the table settings. :)
Sound pretty standard? It would be except Feist writes one hell of a fast, fun, and awesome tale. It's more than just a coming-of-age tale. It's popcorn adventure with cameos of so many of our favorites from the previous novels. Jimmy the Hand has a big role and Pug comes and goes, but it's Pug's daughter who rather stole the stage a few times. :)
I was never once bored as I read this. I had a great time throughout. :) The worldbuilding is just as fun as the characters and the plot is more than fine. It's complicated enough to keep any adventure freak on their toes. :)
October 14, 2019
Going more or less in publication order, Prince of the Blood is the third subseries in Raymond E. Feist’s larger Riftwar Cycle. I say “more or less” because this book was published between the first and second books in the previous subseries. To keep things more cohesive, I’m reading in “publication order of first book in subseries” rather than strict publication order. I think after this subseries, those two orders will amount to the same thing. When I originally read the first 16ish books, I read them in chronological order which is yet a different order altogether. This book takes place after a subseries that was published later. Since these books focus less on the generation I was most attached to, I’m glad to know I still have some books ahead of me that will take me back in time.
Note: The spoilers in this paragraph are to protect anybody who may be in the middle of reading the first subseries that starts with Magician. If you’ve read that entire series, this won’t spoil anything. This subseries focuses on the twin sons of , who are 19 when the story begins. They aren’t bad kids, but they’re spoiled and a bit self-absorbed. () The twins are sent off on a diplomatic visit which turns into an unexpected adventure.
I actually enjoyed this book quite a lot, more than I expected to or remembered enjoying it the first time. I would have liked more focus on some of my favorites, but I grew to like the twins quite well. There was also a lot of humor. And there was Nakor! I had completely forgotten about his character until he showed up and pulled an orange out of that mysterious sack of his, then suddenly it all came flooding back to me. Aside from that, there were some sad moments also.
I did have one big complaint, though. Feist has already shown a habit of taking two characters who barely know each other and making them fall madly in love with each other, i.e. “instalove”. This book had the most “insta” instalove I have ever seen. One of our characters meets a girl, falls in love with her, and is asking her father for her hand in marriage all within the course of a morning. Spoilers for this book: Blech! :p
It turns out that the edition I just finished was a 15-year-anniversary “Author’s Preferred Edition” that was revised in 2003. I had no idea. Yeah, it’s printed pretty clearly on the cover, but I read e-books and I tend not to notice covers that much. I also never read book blurbs, so if it’s mentioned on Amazon’s product page, I didn’t read it. I finally found out when I read the Author’s Afterward at the end of the book. I’m pretty sure this version was published after I read the book, so I think I originally read his original version. This may explain why I liked it better than I remembered, as he said one of the things he wanted to do was to better develop the twins, and I did quite enjoy their characters whereas they didn’t make any impression on me the first time I read this. I was also thoroughly confused earlier on in the book because there were occasional references to things that happened (I’m pretty sure) in the subseries that takes place before this one chronologically but wasn’t published until several years later. I actually went back and double-checked publication dates, feeling like I had somehow missed something. I guess maybe Feist went back and threw in a few references.
Note: The spoilers in this paragraph are to protect anybody who may be in the middle of reading the first subseries that starts with Magician. If you’ve read that entire series, this won’t spoil anything. This subseries focuses on the twin sons of , who are 19 when the story begins. They aren’t bad kids, but they’re spoiled and a bit self-absorbed. () The twins are sent off on a diplomatic visit which turns into an unexpected adventure.
I actually enjoyed this book quite a lot, more than I expected to or remembered enjoying it the first time. I would have liked more focus on some of my favorites, but I grew to like the twins quite well. There was also a lot of humor. And there was Nakor! I had completely forgotten about his character until he showed up and pulled an orange out of that mysterious sack of his, then suddenly it all came flooding back to me. Aside from that, there were some sad moments also.
I did have one big complaint, though. Feist has already shown a habit of taking two characters who barely know each other and making them fall madly in love with each other, i.e. “instalove”. This book had the most “insta” instalove I have ever seen. One of our characters meets a girl, falls in love with her, and is asking her father for her hand in marriage all within the course of a morning. Spoilers for this book: Blech! :p
It turns out that the edition I just finished was a 15-year-anniversary “Author’s Preferred Edition” that was revised in 2003. I had no idea. Yeah, it’s printed pretty clearly on the cover, but I read e-books and I tend not to notice covers that much. I also never read book blurbs, so if it’s mentioned on Amazon’s product page, I didn’t read it. I finally found out when I read the Author’s Afterward at the end of the book. I’m pretty sure this version was published after I read the book, so I think I originally read his original version. This may explain why I liked it better than I remembered, as he said one of the things he wanted to do was to better develop the twins, and I did quite enjoy their characters whereas they didn’t make any impression on me the first time I read this. I was also thoroughly confused earlier on in the book because there were occasional references to things that happened (I’m pretty sure) in the subseries that takes place before this one chronologically but wasn’t published until several years later. I actually went back and double-checked publication dates, feeling like I had somehow missed something. I guess maybe Feist went back and threw in a few references.
March 26, 2022
Dobra knjiga, cesto predvidiva ali dobra!
April 14, 2024
A really fun adventure story following Arutha's twin sons in a political plot in the kingdom of Kesh. Fast paced, well plotted and some fun characters. An enjoyable reread.
February 1, 2019
I'm so glad I'm back in the world of feist again. I put off reading the next books after the original trilogy because I did not think they could compare as magician is one favourite books of all time and in part I was right, Prince of the blood isn't as good as the original trilogy but it follows on nicely and was a welcome comback into the series.
This book is set 20 years after sethanon but somehow loses none of the adventure and story from the original trilogy.
I enjoyed this book a lot and enjoyed the new characters, but also had a nice surprise of some returning characters.
All in all a really good stand alone book and I am really excited to continue my feist journey.
This book is set 20 years after sethanon but somehow loses none of the adventure and story from the original trilogy.
I enjoyed this book a lot and enjoyed the new characters, but also had a nice surprise of some returning characters.
All in all a really good stand alone book and I am really excited to continue my feist journey.
March 16, 2021
Reading through the entire world of Feist's Midkemia with a fantasy buddy, and having a great time with it. This is our 8th book, and we have not lost the enthusiasm yet.
Taking place about 20 years after The Rift War, the twin princes of Kronder are off on a diplomatic mission to the Southern Lands of Kesh. Being young, impulsive and lacking any inkling of diplomacy, you just know trouble lies ahead. The world of Kesh has similarities to the Middle East and Africa and the court intrigue keeps the book moving at fast pace.
This book lacks the in-depth character studies, and seemed remedial compared to past books. However, still a good escape and I am happy to move on.
Taking place about 20 years after The Rift War, the twin princes of Kronder are off on a diplomatic mission to the Southern Lands of Kesh. Being young, impulsive and lacking any inkling of diplomacy, you just know trouble lies ahead. The world of Kesh has similarities to the Middle East and Africa and the court intrigue keeps the book moving at fast pace.
This book lacks the in-depth character studies, and seemed remedial compared to past books. However, still a good escape and I am happy to move on.
December 2, 2024
King Arutha’s sons, Borric and Erland are sent to Kesh as Ambassadors. Arutha is trying to mature them with important tasks to prepare Borric to rule and Erland to help him. They deal with battles, skirmishes, assassins, pub brawls. There also is a nice little mystery solved at the end.
This is a really fast paced, action packed book with little depth to it. I think this is a really good book to get a taste for what Feist is like but I think Magician is a much better novel for sure
This is a really fast paced, action packed book with little depth to it. I think this is a really good book to get a taste for what Feist is like but I think Magician is a much better novel for sure
October 2, 2018
Love Raymond E. Feist and his Rift War Series. It has likable characters and a superb storyline. Whether you are a fantasy reader or mystery reader, this book has it all. I recommend it.
July 10, 2023
Feist can write. Wish I had "met" him earlier. Then again, I wouldn't be enjoying the author now.
Sons of a past hero ("Riftwars") venture into an often hostile empire as ambassadors. Intrigue, nastiness, rebellion and some unique characters are encountered along the way. Fun!
Sons of a past hero ("Riftwars") venture into an often hostile empire as ambassadors. Intrigue, nastiness, rebellion and some unique characters are encountered along the way. Fun!
December 10, 2011
I am one of the few who had not read a Feist before this. This is the 2004 Author's Edition, rewritten a tad.
Taken on its own, this is a fairly standard entry in the swords/horses/inns serving stew genre. Plus 1 for the bad guys not being the mustache-twirling all-evil cardboard characters they often are. Plus 1 for not having the equivalent of orcs - plodding infantry that are there to be slaughtered by our heroes. Plus 1 for Nakor, who made me think of Master Li from Barry Hughart's magnificent fantasies about China. That's good.
Bad start, with the brothers doing the old "ha, ha, I only almost died in that fight, wasn't it great?" and then getting beaten up as a teaching moment.
Minus 1 for the whole gratuitous sex stuff. I don't mind having sex in the plot, but this was a bit too much on the hoo-hah adolescent male fantasy side. Still, if that's who Feist was writing for who am I to say? And it was first written some years back when attitudes were different.
Some good plot twists. A few parts that dragged. The heroes are, as always, really good fighters, but they did set that up re early training, and they later prove not to be in the one-against-twenty league that we sometimes see in these books.
There's a part involving a sailboat that was a tad offputting. Let's just say that our heroes experienced a very, very lucky coincidence. I hate it when authors do that.
But I'll read some other Feists.
Taken on its own, this is a fairly standard entry in the swords/horses/inns serving stew genre. Plus 1 for the bad guys not being the mustache-twirling all-evil cardboard characters they often are. Plus 1 for not having the equivalent of orcs - plodding infantry that are there to be slaughtered by our heroes. Plus 1 for Nakor, who made me think of Master Li from Barry Hughart's magnificent fantasies about China. That's good.
Bad start, with the brothers doing the old "ha, ha, I only almost died in that fight, wasn't it great?" and then getting beaten up as a teaching moment.
Minus 1 for the whole gratuitous sex stuff. I don't mind having sex in the plot, but this was a bit too much on the hoo-hah adolescent male fantasy side. Still, if that's who Feist was writing for who am I to say? And it was first written some years back when attitudes were different.
Some good plot twists. A few parts that dragged. The heroes are, as always, really good fighters, but they did set that up re early training, and they later prove not to be in the one-against-twenty league that we sometimes see in these books.
There's a part involving a sailboat that was a tad offputting. Let's just say that our heroes experienced a very, very lucky coincidence. I hate it when authors do that.
But I'll read some other Feists.
May 7, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.It was the fantasy w/o the mystical dragons,but there was magic.And to my surprise there was a mystery involving a death.
Although it's really a coming of age story of two brothers it is mainly focused on.
They are the sons of the Prince of Krondor!
Although it's really a coming of age story of two brothers it is mainly focused on.
They are the sons of the Prince of Krondor!
September 3, 2015
The makers of "Seinfeld" had a motto: "No hugs, no learning." It's one of the things I like, for example, about dark fantasy a la Joe Abercrombie. Feist puts himself more to the other end of the spectrum. A pair of royal twins get sent to a foreign land for a light diplomatic mission, and for some seasoning. There are assassination attempts, sales into slavery, some betrayals, a lot of good old fashioned male fantasy sex, and, in the end, lots of hugs and lots of learning. I enjoyed it, though I found it mostly predictable.
I especially liked the development into old age of Jimmy the Hand, a favorite from the Riftwar series. And also the introduction of Nakor, a mad magician who insists he is merely a trickster. I think Feist did a pretty good job with laying out the empire of Keth, plying it with political intrigue, and keeping something of a mystery/suspense plot going. I found the whole thing enjoyable, but somewhat mediocre. I have the impression that Feist writes consistently good, and entertaining books, but that they aren't great.
I especially liked the development into old age of Jimmy the Hand, a favorite from the Riftwar series. And also the introduction of Nakor, a mad magician who insists he is merely a trickster. I think Feist did a pretty good job with laying out the empire of Keth, plying it with political intrigue, and keeping something of a mystery/suspense plot going. I found the whole thing enjoyable, but somewhat mediocre. I have the impression that Feist writes consistently good, and entertaining books, but that they aren't great.
September 30, 2021
A Tale of Two Books
In book one, we follow a prince, Boric, captured as a slave in a foreign and hostile desert land, as he daringly escapes his bonds with the help of an unlikely band of companions. A street urchin named Suli (who reminded me of Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the best way), the archetypical and very funny wise-madman-trickster named Nakor, and the beleaguered, experienced mercenary Ghuda (gouda?) Bule who can't believe he got pulled into all of this. We watch this motley band narrowly avoids several scrapes and escapes from imprisonment and certain death more than once.
In book two, we follow another prince, Erlund, as he stays as a guest in the palace of the neighboring empire of Kesh to celebrate its Empress' 75th birthday. We watch as he gawks at the nudity of the exotic and nubile palace servants, as he and his companions enjoy baths (and more) attended by the same (many times!). We read of the palace intrigue occurring at Kesh for which he has become an unwitting pawn, understanding little and effecting less, apparently distracted by the all the exotic nudity on display.
These two narratives come together, as you might expect, but until they do, what a contrast.
Honestly this book was a bit of a disappointment to me for several reasons, even though I did still end up (mostly) liking it. Feist really stressed the foreign/exotic/"other" nature of the Kesh, and man, was that section weirdly horny. I get it, they're all running around topless wearing only a sarong, after the 5th time you don't need to tell me again, I'll just assume it.
And especially after coming from the preceding Empire trilogy that Feist wrote with Janny Wurts, which featured an extremely interesting non-Western European society, I'm a little disappointed that Feist opted to mostly go with low-hanging exotic titillation stereotypes when featuring an empire that was inspired by Egyptian/Parthian history. Even with my intention to read and enjoy these older fantasy works as products of their time, this one had some issues.
In case it's not clear, I thoroughly enjoyed the sections featuring Boric's adventures. I also enjoyed the ending, and so I'm ending on a positive note, hopeful that I'll enjoy the next one more. The King's Buccaneer has a promising title, if nothing else, and Feist has earned my trust after 7 very solid books.
2.75 stars.
In book one, we follow a prince, Boric, captured as a slave in a foreign and hostile desert land, as he daringly escapes his bonds with the help of an unlikely band of companions. A street urchin named Suli (who reminded me of Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in the best way), the archetypical and very funny wise-madman-trickster named Nakor, and the beleaguered, experienced mercenary Ghuda (gouda?) Bule who can't believe he got pulled into all of this. We watch this motley band narrowly avoids several scrapes and escapes from imprisonment and certain death more than once.
In book two, we follow another prince, Erlund, as he stays as a guest in the palace of the neighboring empire of Kesh to celebrate its Empress' 75th birthday. We watch as he gawks at the nudity of the exotic and nubile palace servants, as he and his companions enjoy baths (and more) attended by the same (many times!). We read of the palace intrigue occurring at Kesh for which he has become an unwitting pawn, understanding little and effecting less, apparently distracted by the all the exotic nudity on display.
These two narratives come together, as you might expect, but until they do, what a contrast.
Honestly this book was a bit of a disappointment to me for several reasons, even though I did still end up (mostly) liking it. Feist really stressed the foreign/exotic/"other" nature of the Kesh, and man, was that section weirdly horny. I get it, they're all running around topless wearing only a sarong, after the 5th time you don't need to tell me again, I'll just assume it.
And especially after coming from the preceding Empire trilogy that Feist wrote with Janny Wurts, which featured an extremely interesting non-Western European society, I'm a little disappointed that Feist opted to mostly go with low-hanging exotic titillation stereotypes when featuring an empire that was inspired by Egyptian/Parthian history. Even with my intention to read and enjoy these older fantasy works as products of their time, this one had some issues.
In case it's not clear, I thoroughly enjoyed the sections featuring Boric's adventures. I also enjoyed the ending, and so I'm ending on a positive note, hopeful that I'll enjoy the next one more. The King's Buccaneer has a promising title, if nothing else, and Feist has earned my trust after 7 very solid books.
2.75 stars.
February 26, 2015
Another enjoyable fantasy novel! I was not sure where this series would go after the Riftwar, but the transition to other stories, other people, and other lands has been smooth so far.
July 5, 2013
Welcome back to the Midkemia reread. This week it's time to take a look at Prince of the Blood, the first of two stand-alone novels, which Feist wrote after finishing the Riftwar Saga. In my memory of it Prince of the Blood was one of my favourite books in the entire Riftwar Cycle, as I loved the intrigue and adventure of the story. And while I still massively enjoyed Prince of the Blood, held to today's standards there are some serious problems in its portrayal of the Keshian royal ladies. So even if this book hasn't been visited by the Suck Fairy per se, she did bring some of her friends and that's sad.
The book jumps forward twenty years and gives us an almost entirely new main cast of characters. Arutha and his generation do make some appearances, but the main focus is on Borric, Erland, Jimmy, Locky, Ghuda and Nakor. Jimmy and Locky are returning stars, but this time they are older, and somewhat wiser, if not on all fronts. I enjoyed seeing these two in their grown-up incarnations and how their friendship had developed. The one thing that was definitely different in this reading was the fact that I didn't find James' and Gamina's love-at-first-sight story incredibly romantic – whereas my younger self did – this time I just went: oh book, insta-love really? which goes to show that this is not an evil invented by YA authors, it was there long before YA became a Thing! The titular Prince of the Blood and his twin, Borric and Erland, make for a fun set of protagonists. The way the boys struggle with dealing with new surroundings, different cultures and values is interesting, even if it also creates a sort of feeling that the Keshians are being othered. The boys see Kesh as an exotic and dangerous adventure, its inhabitants as unpredictable and mysterious. But I like that they are not flawless heroes, they're normal young adults who still have to discover a lot about the world, who tease their younger siblings, and who rebel against their elders. The personal growth they display during the novel was significant and I think they returned home more mature and experienced, and better men than before their journey.
This novel is most memorable, however, for its introduction of one of the more important characters we encounter in the Riftwar Cycle, the strange little sorceror known as Nakor. Out of all the characters we encounter throughout the thirty book series, Nakor belongs in my top-five favourite characters and even if I haven't yet read the last five books, I don't expect that to change any time soon. Nakor is seemingly a free agent, unconcerned with petty politics and life. He has one tenet "There is no magic, just stuff" and that is what he lives by, at least in Prince of the Blood. His endless supply of oranges; his complete disregard for general social niceties; his surprising wisdom and knowledge; and his fun-loving nature all combine to make him irresistibly fun to read about.
As mentioned above, I had some serious problems with the way this book portrayed the Keshian royal women. Tellingly I can't remember any of the Keshian female names beyond She Who is Kesh, while I can rattle off the other ladies we encounter: Princesses Anita, Alicia, and Elena, Katala and Gamina. Most of the Keshian court ladies are drawn as sex on legs and very much written from the male gaze. Beyond the Empress, there are three women at court I remember, the crown princess, her mother, and one of Erland's attendants, but again no names—for the record, they were Sharana, Sojiana, and Miya. As someone who is usually very good with names, this is telling for me and also a bit worrying. Even if Keshian society may be intended to be seen as a very liberated society where women are as powerful and free as men, it doesn't come off that way and that is a shame.
The dual storylines are interesting, but I liked Borric's much better, perhaps because it was less problematic than Erland's story set at court. The plot is okay, both the book's plot and the literal plot that is at the heart of the narrative. Even having read this book before multiple times, I was once again surprised by the perpetrators of the conspiracy if not the resolution. In addition to being less problematic as regards the issues mentioned above, Borric's storyline I also considered Borric's storyline more fun due to it's higher level of action and adventure. While Erland is quickly caught up in court intrigue, Borric is out there surviving and meeting some really interesting people such as Nakor, Ghuda and the little street scamp Suli and really sees all of the faces of Kesh.
Prince of the Blood has left me conflicted. On the one hand I really do love this book, warts and all, on the other hand there is much to be regretted in its treatment of women. And at what point does the argument that the Eighties were a different era stop holding water and become an excuse to overlook problematic elements in a text? I don't know, but the way Miya and Sojiana especially are described skirts the line quite closely and I think it may just be my fondness for the main characters that makes it hold up to a reread. I think for readers new to the texts or rereader who aren't as invested in some of Feist's characters, this book might prove quite problematic.
This review is part of my Midkemia Reread, in which I read all the books Raymond E. Feist wrote, set in the world of Midkemia. For more on the why and how of this series of reviews, check out Midkemia Reread: An Introduction.
The book jumps forward twenty years and gives us an almost entirely new main cast of characters. Arutha and his generation do make some appearances, but the main focus is on Borric, Erland, Jimmy, Locky, Ghuda and Nakor. Jimmy and Locky are returning stars, but this time they are older, and somewhat wiser, if not on all fronts. I enjoyed seeing these two in their grown-up incarnations and how their friendship had developed. The one thing that was definitely different in this reading was the fact that I didn't find James' and Gamina's love-at-first-sight story incredibly romantic – whereas my younger self did – this time I just went: oh book, insta-love really? which goes to show that this is not an evil invented by YA authors, it was there long before YA became a Thing! The titular Prince of the Blood and his twin, Borric and Erland, make for a fun set of protagonists. The way the boys struggle with dealing with new surroundings, different cultures and values is interesting, even if it also creates a sort of feeling that the Keshians are being othered. The boys see Kesh as an exotic and dangerous adventure, its inhabitants as unpredictable and mysterious. But I like that they are not flawless heroes, they're normal young adults who still have to discover a lot about the world, who tease their younger siblings, and who rebel against their elders. The personal growth they display during the novel was significant and I think they returned home more mature and experienced, and better men than before their journey.
This novel is most memorable, however, for its introduction of one of the more important characters we encounter in the Riftwar Cycle, the strange little sorceror known as Nakor. Out of all the characters we encounter throughout the thirty book series, Nakor belongs in my top-five favourite characters and even if I haven't yet read the last five books, I don't expect that to change any time soon. Nakor is seemingly a free agent, unconcerned with petty politics and life. He has one tenet "There is no magic, just stuff" and that is what he lives by, at least in Prince of the Blood. His endless supply of oranges; his complete disregard for general social niceties; his surprising wisdom and knowledge; and his fun-loving nature all combine to make him irresistibly fun to read about.
As mentioned above, I had some serious problems with the way this book portrayed the Keshian royal women. Tellingly I can't remember any of the Keshian female names beyond She Who is Kesh, while I can rattle off the other ladies we encounter: Princesses Anita, Alicia, and Elena, Katala and Gamina. Most of the Keshian court ladies are drawn as sex on legs and very much written from the male gaze. Beyond the Empress, there are three women at court I remember, the crown princess, her mother, and one of Erland's attendants, but again no names—for the record, they were Sharana, Sojiana, and Miya. As someone who is usually very good with names, this is telling for me and also a bit worrying. Even if Keshian society may be intended to be seen as a very liberated society where women are as powerful and free as men, it doesn't come off that way and that is a shame.
The dual storylines are interesting, but I liked Borric's much better, perhaps because it was less problematic than Erland's story set at court. The plot is okay, both the book's plot and the literal plot that is at the heart of the narrative. Even having read this book before multiple times, I was once again surprised by the perpetrators of the conspiracy if not the resolution. In addition to being less problematic as regards the issues mentioned above, Borric's storyline I also considered Borric's storyline more fun due to it's higher level of action and adventure. While Erland is quickly caught up in court intrigue, Borric is out there surviving and meeting some really interesting people such as Nakor, Ghuda and the little street scamp Suli and really sees all of the faces of Kesh.
Prince of the Blood has left me conflicted. On the one hand I really do love this book, warts and all, on the other hand there is much to be regretted in its treatment of women. And at what point does the argument that the Eighties were a different era stop holding water and become an excuse to overlook problematic elements in a text? I don't know, but the way Miya and Sojiana especially are described skirts the line quite closely and I think it may just be my fondness for the main characters that makes it hold up to a reread. I think for readers new to the texts or rereader who aren't as invested in some of Feist's characters, this book might prove quite problematic.
***
This review is part of my Midkemia Reread, in which I read all the books Raymond E. Feist wrote, set in the world of Midkemia. For more on the why and how of this series of reviews, check out Midkemia Reread: An Introduction.
March 24, 2021
The author has done it again! I really enjoyed this book! This is the third set (a duology) in the much larger series. In this book we get to explore the world of Kesh that was mentioned in the earlier series. I found this refreshing because it started to open up a whole new world to explore that we got little hints at earlier. The author used this to set up the world and customs of the new people which was a contrast to the world in the previous books. He also introduced new characters, which is always great! I really enjoyed seeing this other world and the characters in it. My only complaint is that I wish we could have developed the two main characters more. I felt like there was an opportunity to really get the reader to know them and like them. Overall another great book!
Read
November 1, 2020In continuing my 2020 nostalgia reads, I picked up this, the followup to the Riftwar saga. I really wish I hadn't. It was so bad. Like ridiculously bad. The riftwar novels were derivative, but had some good characters and some heart. This book was just gross. I must have realized how bad this book was even back when I was a teen because this was the last of Feist's books that I read, but I'd forgotten just how bad it was. So sexist and full of cartoonish racial and ethnic stereotypes. Plus, it was just badly written.
July 30, 2019
Very good, the Rift War series is superb
November 23, 2020
I enjoyed the journey. They mystery of who's trying to kill who.
Borric and Erland are twins. Erland will become the king and take his father's place.
But first traveling to Kesh is a start for these two to learn their roles and be adults.
But once Borric is kidnapped and pronounce dead he's on a journey to stay alive.
Erland in a land he doesn't know and is being spied on.
Just okay liked the brothers when they were fighting and gambling and talking crazy.
Borric and Erland are twins. Erland will become the king and take his father's place.
But first traveling to Kesh is a start for these two to learn their roles and be adults.
But once Borric is kidnapped and pronounce dead he's on a journey to stay alive.
Erland in a land he doesn't know and is being spied on.
Just okay liked the brothers when they were fighting and gambling and talking crazy.
January 17, 2022
We loved the 3 Condoin brothers now we are learning to love their sons.
Erland and Borric Condoin the redheaded twins destined to be Kind Kingdom and Prince of Krondor.
They are beautiful and brave and despite their naughty natures are loyal and loving. THis book has the usual Raymond E Feist epic scope action, magic, bit of Romance and intrigue!!! I just love it!!!
Can't wait to start King's Buccaneer and follow their youngest brother and Martins Son
Erland and Borric Condoin the redheaded twins destined to be Kind Kingdom and Prince of Krondor.
They are beautiful and brave and despite their naughty natures are loyal and loving. THis book has the usual Raymond E Feist epic scope action, magic, bit of Romance and intrigue!!! I just love it!!!
Can't wait to start King's Buccaneer and follow their youngest brother and Martins Son
August 6, 2017
As you know, I have many weaknesses. I’ve listed them several times. Once more I’ll say: I am weak for devil-may-care princes. A spoiled prince who learns a few lessons on his journey is a tried and true trope, and I’m a total sucker for it. I thought I hit the jackpot with twin princes. I thought I was going to experience a rich fantasy court setting–Feist is, depending on your social circles, considered one of the granddad’s of fantasy, after all. What I got instead was surprisingly lackluster.
Borric and Erland are highly skilled in sword fighting, languages, and commanding battlefields–their social skills, however, need a lot of work. While their father, Prince Arutha, tries to press on them the severity of their future, Borric and Erland are too busy gambling to pay attention. It’s only when they’re tasked to travel to Kesh that they start to gain an understanding.
The book is set in an established world that begins with what would be called the Riftwar, and Pug, a magician who would become the strongest ever. This particular book takes place after the Riftwar. While it’s a new series, separate from the Riftwar series, I felt I was missing a lot. These are all recurring characters, recurring settings, and a lot of times someone mused on information that long time readers would know; other times names were mentioned without any follow-up, expecting you to already know the severity behind the events.
One scene in particular was really perplexing. I guess it’s a staple in the series that everyone has a “magical love” moment. One look and suddenly you’re completely love drunk. A character that I was enjoying suddenly became a giggling school boy. He was married and the bride brought a convenient deus ex machina with her: telepathic communication. This is only the first deus ex machina.
The second deus ex machina arrives later in the form of Nakor, a traveling monk. This deus ex machina is assigned to Borric, basically to spring him from any and every sticky situation; the other deus ex machina hangs out with Erland to read minds and keep communication between the royal party in a palace of spies. Pretty convenient, if you ask me.
I found I didn’t really care about the plot. I was invested in Borric’s side of the journey, wondering how he would cross so much distance or get into a heavily guarded palace, but I didn’t care about the possibility of assassinations or looming war. There’s not a single point in the beginning or middle of the plot that I could recite; the majority was Erland meeting officials, and that’s about it.
I didn’t really care about the characters. In fact, one of the main characters who was vital throughout the past series is killed off-screen and hardly mentioned again. I can only imagine what a slap that was for that character’s fans. When Borric was thought dead, Erland barely batted an eye. He didn’t grieve, didn’t air his emotions, didn’t go through “fits of rage and grief” as the blurb promises. His other half, the one person he was never far from, is suddenly ripped away and Erland just kind of goes along and says “Hey, if Borric was dead, I’d feel it.”
And if you’re expecting at least one woman in this book to be interesting, think again. Even in Kesh, a matriarchy ruled by a powerful empress, not a single woman jumps off the page. There are plenty to be sure, but they’re no more important than the columns throughout the palace. With her telepathy, Gamina should have been the most interesting woman in the place, but she was your typical 80s damsel.
I will say the descriptions of the world are lovely and rich and draw you in. They’re absolutely wonderful! A part of me wants to think the characters suffered in this book because of the previous series; the reader should know who’s who and their past actions should give you all the info you need about their character. The other part of me believes it was pure laziness. Maybe coasting on the popularity of the Riftwar series at the time, Feist wrote a quick cash grab?
All in all, it was a flat book. Maybe if I had started at the very beginning with Pug I would have enjoyed it more, but as a stand-alone series, there’s not enough original meat to make it a good read.
Borric and Erland are highly skilled in sword fighting, languages, and commanding battlefields–their social skills, however, need a lot of work. While their father, Prince Arutha, tries to press on them the severity of their future, Borric and Erland are too busy gambling to pay attention. It’s only when they’re tasked to travel to Kesh that they start to gain an understanding.
The book is set in an established world that begins with what would be called the Riftwar, and Pug, a magician who would become the strongest ever. This particular book takes place after the Riftwar. While it’s a new series, separate from the Riftwar series, I felt I was missing a lot. These are all recurring characters, recurring settings, and a lot of times someone mused on information that long time readers would know; other times names were mentioned without any follow-up, expecting you to already know the severity behind the events.
One scene in particular was really perplexing. I guess it’s a staple in the series that everyone has a “magical love” moment. One look and suddenly you’re completely love drunk. A character that I was enjoying suddenly became a giggling school boy. He was married and the bride brought a convenient deus ex machina with her: telepathic communication. This is only the first deus ex machina.
The second deus ex machina arrives later in the form of Nakor, a traveling monk. This deus ex machina is assigned to Borric, basically to spring him from any and every sticky situation; the other deus ex machina hangs out with Erland to read minds and keep communication between the royal party in a palace of spies. Pretty convenient, if you ask me.
I found I didn’t really care about the plot. I was invested in Borric’s side of the journey, wondering how he would cross so much distance or get into a heavily guarded palace, but I didn’t care about the possibility of assassinations or looming war. There’s not a single point in the beginning or middle of the plot that I could recite; the majority was Erland meeting officials, and that’s about it.
I didn’t really care about the characters. In fact, one of the main characters who was vital throughout the past series is killed off-screen and hardly mentioned again. I can only imagine what a slap that was for that character’s fans. When Borric was thought dead, Erland barely batted an eye. He didn’t grieve, didn’t air his emotions, didn’t go through “fits of rage and grief” as the blurb promises. His other half, the one person he was never far from, is suddenly ripped away and Erland just kind of goes along and says “Hey, if Borric was dead, I’d feel it.”
And if you’re expecting at least one woman in this book to be interesting, think again. Even in Kesh, a matriarchy ruled by a powerful empress, not a single woman jumps off the page. There are plenty to be sure, but they’re no more important than the columns throughout the palace. With her telepathy, Gamina should have been the most interesting woman in the place, but she was your typical 80s damsel.
I will say the descriptions of the world are lovely and rich and draw you in. They’re absolutely wonderful! A part of me wants to think the characters suffered in this book because of the previous series; the reader should know who’s who and their past actions should give you all the info you need about their character. The other part of me believes it was pure laziness. Maybe coasting on the popularity of the Riftwar series at the time, Feist wrote a quick cash grab?
All in all, it was a flat book. Maybe if I had started at the very beginning with Pug I would have enjoyed it more, but as a stand-alone series, there’s not enough original meat to make it a good read.
June 24, 2011
Mr Feist is one of the ‘old guard’, in my opinion, as far as fantasy authors are concerned. He is also, in my opinion, one of the more endearing of these. I loved Magician and it’s sequels, especially A Darkness at Sethanon. These novels established the setting and feel of the Riftwar canon. Prince of the Blood is the next in this canon, following A Darkness At Sethanon. It’s a stand-alone work, but it does have a place in the series and readers will recognise quite a few characters from the earlier novels, even though they’re quite a bit older this time round. The novel actually follows Prince Arutha’s sons, Borric and Erland, who are sent to Kesh on an important diplomatic mission. They are accompanied by Jimmy the Hand (now called James and a far cry from the thief boy of old), and Locklear, among others. It is a coming of age tale, which is a cliché in fantasy circles these days. I’m not sure what the opinion would have been in 1989 at the time of first publication.
It’s an enjoyable enough tale. The new characters introduced in this novel, especially the mercenary Ghuda Bule and the trickster Nakor, are much more interesting than the older (familiar) characters.
The novel wasn’t quite what I expected, though. It is not the high fantasy fare of the earlier riftwar novels. Not by a long shot. Prince of the Blood reads like a standard adventure tale, with a scattering of fantasy elements and some political intrigue. More sword and sandal, then, as opposed to high fantasy, which is an odd setting for a riftwar novel. This is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on personal taste. There is also a surprising amount of sexual activity in the novel, although none of it is explicit. I loved the desert setting and the sprawling palace of Kesh. It reminded me of the pulps and, in part, of Egyptian mythology. The novel also contains some plot devices and sequences that could easily have been lifted from an Edgar Rice Burroughs novel. However, despite being a fun read, this novel fails to attain the same greatness as earlier Feist. It was still good enough to keep me hooked though, so I will continue to follow the riftwar novels. Next: The King's Buccaneer.
It’s an enjoyable enough tale. The new characters introduced in this novel, especially the mercenary Ghuda Bule and the trickster Nakor, are much more interesting than the older (familiar) characters.
The novel wasn’t quite what I expected, though. It is not the high fantasy fare of the earlier riftwar novels. Not by a long shot. Prince of the Blood reads like a standard adventure tale, with a scattering of fantasy elements and some political intrigue. More sword and sandal, then, as opposed to high fantasy, which is an odd setting for a riftwar novel. This is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on personal taste. There is also a surprising amount of sexual activity in the novel, although none of it is explicit. I loved the desert setting and the sprawling palace of Kesh. It reminded me of the pulps and, in part, of Egyptian mythology. The novel also contains some plot devices and sequences that could easily have been lifted from an Edgar Rice Burroughs novel. However, despite being a fun read, this novel fails to attain the same greatness as earlier Feist. It was still good enough to keep me hooked though, so I will continue to follow the riftwar novels. Next: The King's Buccaneer.
April 5, 2022
It's unfortunate that Feist did not collaborate more with Janny Wurts, because his best work for me so far has been the trilogy they worked on together. This book suffered from being kind of boring by-the-numbers fantasy, with very little actually fantasy. The two main characters, the twin princes Erland and Borric are about as generic as can be especially at the start, and I literally got confused a couple times about who I was following when viewpoints switched. at least they did develop over the course of the book. The world building felt again very archtypical D&D style fantasy setting with the "exotic" desert culture. All that said, I didn't think it was actually bad, and I have hope that the next books will get better, since I've got something like 6 of them waiting on my shelves right now. It does seem like Feist needs a bit of time to ramp up, but if the rest of the Riftwar books are going to be all royal intrigue I might be in for a lengthy slog. I would like some actual fantastical elements in my epic fantasy, please. And not an annoying monk with a bag of holding.
Couple more thoughts:
I hated the scene with the prince murdering the lion to prove his manhood. Yeah, I know it's part of the culture, blah blah blah. Don't need to read about it.
At the end Feist has one of the characters quote Pug (from previous books) as saying there is no magic, and then goes into this bullshit parable about juggling and how it looks like magic to those who can't do it. What a load of rubbish. The entire argument was pure stupidity, and I feel like it was Feist setting up expectations that the rest of the series will have no real magic, just bullshit magic. I guess I'll find out.
Couple more thoughts:
I hated the scene with the prince murdering the lion to prove his manhood. Yeah, I know it's part of the culture, blah blah blah. Don't need to read about it.
At the end Feist has one of the characters quote Pug (from previous books) as saying there is no magic, and then goes into this bullshit parable about juggling and how it looks like magic to those who can't do it. What a load of rubbish. The entire argument was pure stupidity, and I feel like it was Feist setting up expectations that the rest of the series will have no real magic, just bullshit magic. I guess I'll find out.
October 6, 2009
You will notice that this book has a different style from the epics that Feist has produced (e.g. the Riftwar Saga). This one is meant for a lighter read, as evident in the humor and sometimes not-so-serious portions evident in the book. Surprisingly, it turned out to be rather fitting given the 2 protagonists - Erland and Boric, the twin sons of Prince Arutha of the Riftwar fan. The two are as you would expect of powerful and rich, yet well-meaning, nobles. I don't usually like such characters, but these two kind of grew on me partway through the book. Feist's incredible ability to give great character development is still ever present, with very interesting new characters; and not to forget that he introduces us to the Empire of the Great Kesh and brings yet another fantasy civilisation to life. Speaking of fantasy, the plot here is more mundane, even moreso than the Daughter of the Empire series. Some may this to be disappointing, but with the slower pace and the lighter tone, the book is still a very enjoyable read.
January 7, 2013
I preferred this book to the previous Feist I read but still felt that it was quite slow and took a while to engage my interest. This may have because of the change in characters. I was still more interested in Jimmy and Locky than the two princes. I am also finding it a bit confusing as to the best order in which I should read these books. Most of the lists I have found on line suggest reading this after the original magician trilogy but several events were mentioned which made me feel that I had missed out on something. Overall this was an enjoyable book and I will happily go on to read the next in the saga but they are not quite living up to magician.
July 28, 2010
Oh, I loved this book! While I didn't remember all of the details of the plot, from reading it a long time ago, once again, it was Feist's wonderfully entertaining characters that stayed with me - Nakor and his oranges, in particular. I had a lot of fun re-reading this book and while Kesh has a lot of similarities to the Tsurani, there were unique enough characteristics to make this lush world detailed. A great deal of fun to read, this is definitely one of the highlights of the series.
August 19, 2009
While this book was by no means one of Feist's bests, I sincerely enjoyed it because it revisited Midkemia 20 years after the Riftwar ended. I always enjoy revisiting worlds and characters that I loved, and among my favorite fictional characters ever are Jimmy the Hand, Arutha conDoin and Pug the Magician. This books revisits all of them, as well as new and interesting characters.
January 27, 2017
UKUPNA OCENA (overall rating) - 6/10
Radnja (story) - 6/10
Likovi (characters) - 7/10
Pripovedanje (writing style) - 8/10
Okruženje (setting) - 6/10
Radnja (story) - 6/10
Likovi (characters) - 7/10
Pripovedanje (writing style) - 8/10
Okruženje (setting) - 6/10
July 8, 2017
Συνεχίζοντας την περιπλάνησή μου στο έργο του Raymond E. Feist, έχοντας περάσει από την εξαιρετική τριλογία της αυτοκρατορίας κατέληξα και εδώ. Ο συγγραφέας μας μεταφέρει πάλι σε μία προβληματική αυτοκρατορία για να δούμε πως τα πάει η επόμενη γενιά των ηρώων του. Σε αντίθεση, όμως, με την προαναφερόμενη τριλογία σε αυτό εδώ το βιβλίο φαίνεται να ακολουθεί μία διαφορετική προσέγγιση. Αντί για τους αργούς ρυθμούς, την αναλυτική γραφή και τη στόχευση κυρίως στην ψυχολογία και τα συναισθήματα των ηρώων εδώ έχουμε γρήγορους ρυθμούς, ανάλογα γρήγορη γραφή γενικότερα κάτι που θα μπορούσα να το χαρακτηρίσω μία "αντρική" περιπέτεια, χωρίς πολύ συναισθηματισμό. Φυσικά υπάρχουν και οι εκπρόσωποι του ωραίου φύλου, κυρίως με τη μορφή αιθέριων υπάρξεων που αντιπαθούν τα πολλά ρούχα και είναι πάντα πρόθυμες να... βοηθήσουν τους ταλαιπωρημένους ήρωες μας, κάτι που μάλλον κάνει το ανάγνωσμα ακόμα πιο "αντρικό".
Σίγουρα δεν είναι κάτι κακό αυτό το βιβλίο αλλά σε σύγκριση με τις άλλες δουλειές που έχω διαβάσει δεν είναι κάτι το εξαιρετικό. Είναι φυσικά μία διασκεδαστική περιπέτεια με αρκετή δράση, μυστηριώδη πολιτικά παιχνίδια, εξερεύνηση των ηθών μιας εξωτικής χώρας και αρκετά ενδιαφέροντες χαρακτήρες, λείπουν όμως πολλά για να το χαρακτηρίσω κάτι παραπάνω από ένα ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα. Η δράση δεν ήταν αρκετή για να με παρασύρει, τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια δεν είχαν ιδιαίτερο βάθος και όσο για την εξερεύνηση των ηθών αυτή περιλάμβανε αρκετό σεξ αλλά το κείμενο δεν ανέδυε τον αισθησιασμό που απόλαυσα στην τριλογία της αυτοκρατορίας. Οπότε μοιραία η βαθμολογία μου θα είναι ακριβώς στη μέση, αναμένοντας βελτίωση στη συνέχεια.
Σίγουρα δεν είναι κάτι κακό αυτό το βιβλίο αλλά σε σύγκριση με τις άλλες δουλειές που έχω διαβάσει δεν είναι κάτι το εξαιρετικό. Είναι φυσικά μία διασκεδαστική περιπέτεια με αρκετή δράση, μυστηριώδη πολιτικά παιχνίδια, εξερεύνηση των ηθών μιας εξωτικής χώρας και αρκετά ενδιαφέροντες χαρακτήρες, λείπουν όμως πολλά για να το χαρακτηρίσω κάτι παραπάνω από ένα ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα. Η δράση δεν ήταν αρκετή για να με παρασύρει, τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια δεν είχαν ιδιαίτερο βάθος και όσο για την εξερεύνηση των ηθών αυτή περιλάμβανε αρκετό σεξ αλλά το κείμενο δεν ανέδυε τον αισθησιασμό που απόλαυσα στην τριλογία της αυτοκρατορίας. Οπότε μοιραία η βαθμολογία μου θα είναι ακριβώς στη μέση, αναμένοντας βελτίωση στη συνέχεια.
May 23, 2025
4.5 - Stars
I can't even be surprised by how much I enjoy the Riftwar Cycle books at this point. This was such a great tale during a transition of generations. I'm guessing I'll be reading book two next month.
Full review to follow.
I can't even be surprised by how much I enjoy the Riftwar Cycle books at this point. This was such a great tale during a transition of generations. I'm guessing I'll be reading book two next month.
Full review to follow.
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