Magician: Apprentice

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Lore & Background

Midkemia is a world originally invented by Feist and his friends during college, featuring core mechanics like a specific magic system. The narrative introduces the Tsurani Empire from Kelewan, an alien homeworld derived largely from M.A.R. Barker's Tekumel setting of Empire of the Petal Throne. Key elements borrowed include the lack of metals and horses, the Cho'ja creatures, and pantheons of 10 major and 10 minor gods. The story explores a war sparked by rifts in spacetime connecting Midkemia to Kelewan. While Feist claimed unawareness of these Tekumel origins while writing, the influence is evident in the Tsurani's culture and the invasion scenario. The magic system relies on discipline, as seen when Pug rises from a struggling student to a 'Great One,' the Tsurani term for master practitioners.

In Their Own Story

In the twelfth year of Rodric IV's reign, orphaned kitchen boy Pug becomes an apprentice to magician Kulgan in Crydee. He gains status by saving Princess Carline from mountain trolls and becomes Duke Borric's squire. When dark elves attack Borric's party traveling to Krondor, dwarves led by Dolgan guide them through mines to the coast. In Rillanon, the mad King Rodric refuses aid as war erupts between Midkemia and the Tsurani. Pug is captured, enslaved on Kelewan, and returns years later as a Great One. Meanwhile, slave Laurie and warrior Kasumi attempt a peace mission that fails with the king. Dying Duke Borric reveals he adopted Pug, granting him Stardock Island to found a magic academy, and names Martin his son. After Rodric dies leading a charge against the Tsurani, Lyam becomes King. A truce shatters due to sorcerer Macros the Black's interference, but Pug helps close the rift forever. Stranded Tsurani, including Kasumi (now Earl of LaMut), are granted freedom instead of execution.

Reader's Guide

Readers follow Pug from his apprenticeship in Crydee through the catastrophic breach of the rifts. Key moments include the rescue of Princess Carline by trolls and the flight through dwarven mines to escape dark elves. The narrative pivots on King Rodric's madness, which prevents immediate aid during the Tsurani invasion. Pug's transformation occurs off-screen during his enslavement on Kelewan, returning as a powerful magician to help end the stalemate. The climax involves a peace conference at LaMut where Macros the Black causes elves and dwarves to mistake treachery for diplomacy, reigniting conflict. The resolution sees the rift severed by Pug and Macros, leaving Tsurani soldiers stranded. These survivors are integrated into the Kingdom under Kasumi's command as Earl of LaMut. The story concludes with Martin relinquishing his claim to the throne, ensuring Lyam rules without civil war.

Did You Know?

• Feist's friends provided the financial backing to complete Magician after he lost his job in the healthcare industry.
• The Tsurani Empire's culture, including their lack of horses and metals, was directly taken from M.A.R. Barker's Tekumel campaign, though Feist claimed unawareness of this origin while writing.
• In 1992, publisher Lou Aronica insisted on new material to re-issue the original hardcover, prompting Feist to restore cut scenes for the 'Author's Preferred Edition'.
• The story spans over ten years and two worlds, moving from a kitchen boy's apprenticeship to closing interdimensional rifts.
• King Rodric IV suffered from madness and delusions until his final moments, when he regained sanity to name Lyam his heir.

Origins of Midkemia

Magician is Feist's first published novel, written after he graduated from UC San Diego in 1977. At university, he played role-playing games where friends invented Midkemia and its magic system. Before the novel, Feist wrote light-hearted short stories about this world. After entering healthcare and losing his job, friends bankrolled him to finish Magician by 1979. Doubleday published it in 1982, splitting it into Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master for the US market. In 1992, a 'Author's Preferred Edition' was released with restored scenes Feist felt were important, expanded or rewritten at publisher Lou Aronica's insistence to justify re-issuing the low-circulation hardcover.

Narrative Arc of the Riftwar

The plot spans over ten years across two worlds. It begins in the twelfth year of Rodric IV with Pug's apprenticeship. Following a troll rescue, Borric seeks aid but is ambushed by dark elves and saved by dwarves under Dolgan. King Rodric's madness blocks help at Rillanon as Tsurani invade via rifts. Pug is taken to Kelewan as a slave, returning years later as a Great One. A failed peace mission by Laurie and Kasumi precedes Borric's death, where he adopts Pug and names Martin his son. Rodric dies leading a charge that breaks Tsurani ranks but wounds him fatally; he then names Lyam heir. Lyam sues for peace, which Macros the Black sabotages. The rift is closed, stranded Tsurani are freed under Kasumi's command, and Martin yields the throne to Lyam.

Influences and World-Building

Feist draws on James Fenimore Cooper and Robin Hood tropes, per Hannu Hiilos in Foundation. Most significantly, Kelewan stems from M.A.R. Barker's Empire of the Petal Throne (Tekumel). Feist acknowledged Tekumel provided the Tsurani's lack of metals/horses, Cho'ja, and 20-god pantheon. These elements originated in a D&D campaign where Midkemia was invaded by Tekumel. Interestingly, Feist claimed he wrote Magician unaware of this specific origin. The world also features common fantasy tropes but is grounded in the mechanics invented during his college gaming sessions.

Legacy and Critical Reception

David Dunham (Different Worlds) praised the book's grand scale, spanning two worlds and ten years with diverse subplots from slaves to kings. Colin Greenland (Imagine) noted a slow start but credited Feist for eventually emphasizing the difficulty of stopping an unwanted war. The novel placed 89th on BBC's 2003 'The Big Read Top 100'. It launched the Riftwar Cycle, with adaptations including a 2006 comic series by Dabel Brothers/Marvel (Magician: Apprentice) and a 2009 limited series (Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar). TV rights were optioned in 2018 by BCDF Television but fell through; Six Studios obtained rights to the first six books in February 2022.