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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
The astonishing first volume in Raymond E. Feist’s bestselling Serpentwar series…
Ancient powers are readying themselves for a devastating confrontation, and a dark queen has raised a standard and is gathering armies of unmatched might.
Into this battleground of good and evil a band of desperate men are forced whose only hope for survival is to face this ancient power and discover its true nature. Their quest is at best dangerous and at worst suicidal.
Among them are some unlikely heroes - Erik, a bastard heir denied his birthright, and his friend Roo, an irrepressible scoundrel with a penchant for thievery are accompanied by the mysterious Miranda upon whom all must wager their lives. She appears to be an ally but also possess a hidden agenda and may prove to be a more deadly foe when the final confrontation is at hand…
From the Author
When did you start writing?
If you mean when did I seriously start writing, that was in 1977, the year I graduated from University. I really got serious a year later which was when I took a rough coming-of-age story and started turning into Magician, my first published novel.
Where do you write?
I have a home office.
What are the pros and cons of being a writer?
The same as with any self-employment: you’re your own boss, you set your own schedule, you determine the quality of the product, etc. The downside is you have no corporate safety net, no unemployment insurance, no health care benefits, no retirement plan, so you bear responsibility for all of those things. It is not a job for the timid.
What writers have inspired you?
Too long a list to cover them all. Anything good, in one fashion or another influences. There are some very obvious names, to begin with: Shakespeare, Marlow, Dickens, the Russians, Twain, Melville, and some slightly less obvious, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexander Dumas, Anthony Hope, and the other "boy’s adventure" authors. Also, historical authors like Mary Renault, Rosemary Suttcliff, and Thomas Costain. And the pulp authors: Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Ridder Haggard, A. Merrrit, and among fantasy writers, Fritz Lieber. Toss in as diverse a range of writers as Zane Grey and Louis L’amour in westerns to Dashel Hammett , Raymond Chandler, and John D. McDonald in mystery, to comedic writers like Max Schulman and Dan Jenkins. I could keep going, but that’s the tip of the iceberg.
How important is a sense of place in your writing?
Tough question to answer in brief; every element in a fantasy has to “make sense” to the reader. You can not condescend to your art because it’s “make believe,” so even though the place in which I set my work is a fantasy world, it has to feel “real” structurally, else the reader will ultimately be unhappy.
Do you spend a lot of time researching your novels?
Only enough to convince the reader the characters know what they’re doing. I don’t have to be the expert; I just need to be persuasive.
Do your characters ever surprise you?
All the time. In fact, as I get older, more and more often. I suspect this is a function of my subconscious coming up with better story notions than I had originally planned.
How much of your life and the people around you do you put into your books?
In specific, none of it; in general, all of it. The old saw is that writers write what they know. It’s like what actors call “sense memory.” You have to sell emotion and there has to be a foundation of validity or it will not work. How did it feel when you saw your book in print for the first time? A little disbelieving, and very pleased.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing now?
Probably looking for a job, given this economy. My last one was in the health field as an administrator.
If you mean when did I seriously start writing, that was in 1977, the year I graduated from University. I really got serious a year later which was when I took a rough coming-of-age story and started turning into Magician, my first published novel.
Where do you write?
I have a home office.
What are the pros and cons of being a writer?
The same as with any self-employment: you’re your own boss, you set your own schedule, you determine the quality of the product, etc. The downside is you have no corporate safety net, no unemployment insurance, no health care benefits, no retirement plan, so you bear responsibility for all of those things. It is not a job for the timid.
What writers have inspired you?
Too long a list to cover them all. Anything good, in one fashion or another influences. There are some very obvious names, to begin with: Shakespeare, Marlow, Dickens, the Russians, Twain, Melville, and some slightly less obvious, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexander Dumas, Anthony Hope, and the other "boy’s adventure" authors. Also, historical authors like Mary Renault, Rosemary Suttcliff, and Thomas Costain. And the pulp authors: Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Ridder Haggard, A. Merrrit, and among fantasy writers, Fritz Lieber. Toss in as diverse a range of writers as Zane Grey and Louis L’amour in westerns to Dashel Hammett , Raymond Chandler, and John D. McDonald in mystery, to comedic writers like Max Schulman and Dan Jenkins. I could keep going, but that’s the tip of the iceberg.
How important is a sense of place in your writing?
Tough question to answer in brief; every element in a fantasy has to “make sense” to the reader. You can not condescend to your art because it’s “make believe,” so even though the place in which I set my work is a fantasy world, it has to feel “real” structurally, else the reader will ultimately be unhappy.
Do you spend a lot of time researching your novels?
Only enough to convince the reader the characters know what they’re doing. I don’t have to be the expert; I just need to be persuasive.
Do your characters ever surprise you?
All the time. In fact, as I get older, more and more often. I suspect this is a function of my subconscious coming up with better story notions than I had originally planned.
How much of your life and the people around you do you put into your books?
In specific, none of it; in general, all of it. The old saw is that writers write what they know. It’s like what actors call “sense memory.” You have to sell emotion and there has to be a foundation of validity or it will not work. How did it feel when you saw your book in print for the first time? A little disbelieving, and very pleased.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing now?
Probably looking for a job, given this economy. My last one was in the health field as an administrator.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
In this sequel to The King's Buccaneer, author Raymond Feist takes us back to his magical world of Midkemia, some twenty four years later. Erik von Darkmoor and Rupert Avery have been convicted of murder, but are offered their lives if they will join a mad scheme, joining a group of desperate men on a secret mission from which they may or may not return. The evil Pantathian snake men are hatching a new plot on the continent of Novindus, and someone needs to find out what they are up to and, if possible, to stop them. But, this is indeed a dangerous mission. Can Erik and "Roo" survive? And, what will they find in Novindus?
Raymond Feist's Riftwar books were great, with epic adventure and magic, while his later books enjoyed a somewhat smaller scope. But, with this, the first book of the Sepentwar Saga, Mr. Feist has returned to the big time. The story is grand, with adventure written as big as the continent that it takes place on! The action is gripping and will leave you on the edge of your seat - it starts on page one, and, after a somewhat slow introduction of the main characters, gains momentum, and charges through to a magical (literally) crescendo!
Yep, this is a great book, the start of a great trilogy. I like the characters and the setting, and really enjoyed the new race introduced, the reptilian Sauur. Most of all, I liked the Hall of Worlds with its fascinating inhabitants. I so hope that Mr. Feist will consider writing a book that develops the Hall of Worlds more!
So, I would say that this is a simply excellent fantasy book, one of the best that was ever written, and I highly recommend it to you. Buy this book!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At first I was disappointed as I read this book, so much was set up in the previous two books, prince of the blood and Kings buccanear, that wasn't explored as I had hoped. A large time gap occurs between the events of kings buccanear and this book.
So it begins with completely fresh characters in a vaguely familiar world, things have changed a little, society has advanced slightly in the economicak sense anyway.
The story centres on Erik Von Darkmoor, the bastard son of a Baron in the kingdom of the isles. Erik is a young blacksmith whose life under goes dramatic turns for the worse because of the jealousies of his legitemate half brothers. On the run with his friend Roo he quickly ends up as a soldier on a secret mission to the continant of Novindus.
The serpent war saga is my favourite series in the Midkemia books, it needs to be read by YOU.
So it begins with completely fresh characters in a vaguely familiar world, things have changed a little, society has advanced slightly in the economicak sense anyway.
The story centres on Erik Von Darkmoor, the bastard son of a Baron in the kingdom of the isles. Erik is a young blacksmith whose life under goes dramatic turns for the worse because of the jealousies of his legitemate half brothers. On the run with his friend Roo he quickly ends up as a soldier on a secret mission to the continant of Novindus.
The serpent war saga is my favourite series in the Midkemia books, it needs to be read by YOU.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well quite simply Feist is a genius. If you are a fan of the Riftwar saga then this the first in the Serpentwar saga adds another dimension to Feist's fantasy world.
With all the broohaha of Lord of the Rings at the moment - it is refreshing to read a fantasy action story with immense depth. If you are new to Feist then start with Magician - this is for knowledgable Feist fans only.
The story is far too immense to go into too much detail here. Needless to say the Panathian serpent preists are evil bleeders.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series. My life will be empty when I have no more Fesit to read...
With all the broohaha of Lord of the Rings at the moment - it is refreshing to read a fantasy action story with immense depth. If you are new to Feist then start with Magician - this is for knowledgable Feist fans only.
The story is far too immense to go into too much detail here. Needless to say the Panathian serpent preists are evil bleeders.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series. My life will be empty when I have no more Fesit to read...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Impressed
After reading the magician trilogy ,the empire and Arutha's sons books, I thought I'd have a book of much of the same which is fine. How wrong was I... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2010 by Thanos
Shadow of a Dark Queen
Very mixed feelings about this book. When I started, I got very involved with it, the events were very exciting and varied, the plot seemed like it was going somewhere, and the... Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2010 by Leo Topp
Dissapointed
Having previously read Feists offerings this Serpentwar Saga Book 1 sadly is lacking, very slow moving and not very interesting characters. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2009 by Mr. James E. Smith
Mr K R Northmore
What can i say about this book. The beginning of the "Serpentwar Saga". This book will have you enthralled from start to finish, it'll leave you wanting more, and of course you... Read more
Published on 4 May 2009 by Mr. K. R. Northmore
Brilliant start to the Serpentwar saga!
In my opinion Shadow of a Dark Queen is one of the best book's that Feist has written. He introduces a whole host of new charecter's including the two good friend's, Erik and Roo,... Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2007 by G. Peters
OK but nothing special.
There is a desperate attempt to make this book dark and brutal but it is so forced that it doesn't really work. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2007 by plot hound
Horses
as allways with mister Feist a really great read, strong new characters and some great old faces, but do we realy need to be reminded every other chapter how good Eric is with... Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2007 by L. A. Jackson
Shadow of a Dark Queen
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure at the start because of the story being set such a long time in the future from the Riftwar Saga and in such an entirely different place,... Read more
Published on 3 April 2006 by S. Brotherston
It is great
This is a great read - fast paced action that keeps you on the edge of your seat - so good you just wont be able to put it down
Published on 21 Sep 2005
A fairly good start to the Serpentwar Saga.
THE STORY:
Fifty years after the devastating Riftwar, two boys find themselves on the run after killing a noble. Read more
Fifty years after the devastating Riftwar, two boys find themselves on the run after killing a noble. Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2005 by Ian Tapley
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