Book Review - Magician by Raymond E Feist

Hi guys

If you remember last year I mentioned I bought loads of books in the 90s from Fantasy and Sci Fi Book Club really cheap!
One set of books were the first four novels by Raymond E Feist.  At the time started reading it and got to chapter three and vowed to finish it one day.

Fast forward about twenty years and I've actually come back to it and read it all and boy am I glad I did.  Although I wish I had read it back then but was less patient then and more interested in going clubbing.

Now I've matured I've really got into Magician, the first novel in the Riftwar saga by Raymond E Feist.
It starts off in typical fashion the kitchen hand Pug realises he has powers becomes an apprentice magician to Kulgan and studys whilst playing with his friends including Tomas and Princess Carline who he falls for.

This is pretty standard fantasy fare and reminded me of David Eddings farmboy come magician Garion.

It all changes when an alien looking vessel is beached and warriors who speak a foreign tongue appear.  Things hot up when a rift to another world appears.

The novel is huge in scope as not only is there world building for the main planet of Midkemia but also the planet Kelewan where the Tsurani invaders come from.

That is double the amount of characters to most books plus histories, languages, politics and magic let alone small details like weapons.
This book must have been planned for a long time as it can be quite complex yet easy for the reader to get into.
It also has a time frame of over nine years and by the end our heroes have grown into young adults.
Some including Pug and Tomas are changed forever.

There is plenty going on from political fighting and double crossing to magic battles and dragons.

I wish I hadn't waited so long to read but glad I did.


Overall   -  a huge epic novel taking on two worlds worth of story telling.  Now to read its sequel  Silverthorn.


Score     -   10/10

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 - Film Review

Hi guys

Long time no blog hope you're all fine?

Went to see James Gunns sequel to 2014s surprise hit Guardians of the Galaxy and must say it's even better than the first.  Although not as fresh and raw as the first it has bigger and better set pieces.
It also helps the main characters are already in place and we know who they are.

From the hilarious opening of the film featuring a baby version of Groot dancing away as the rest of the team fight a giant space monster to the five post credit scenes this film had it all.  Action, comedy, sadness and at its heart was a movie about family.
Peter Quill or Starlord (Chris Pratt) finding his father Ego the living planet (Kurt Russell).
Gamora (Zoe Saldana) bonding with her murderous sister Nebula (Karen Gillan).
Starlord bonding with the man who looked after him, the Ravenger Yondu (Micheal Rooker).
Also the team acted as a family also and bickered but ultimately looked out for each other.

The film had great special effects and the cast were great in particular Drax (Dave Bautista) who was hilarious and he is shaping up to being a better wrestler turned actor than The Rock.  He looks great in the new Blade Runner film trailer also.

My advice is to go see this film ASAP as there is just so much to it for Marvel and film fans with some funny scenes from Baby Groot, Drax, Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper).  It also has some traumatic scenes including people dying in the vacuum of space.


Overall   -  Great addition to the MCU and a brilliant sequel with more 80s music plus has so much to look out for including Howard the Duck amongst them and many more.


Score    -   9/10