Raymond Feist - Talon of the Silverhawk - Review

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Talon of the Silver Hawk by Raymond Feist *** 1/2
First Volume of The Conclave of Shadows
Rating: Very Good

It’s been over twenty years since Raymond Feist first burst on to the fantasy scene with his brilliant first installment of the Riftwar saga, Magician: Apprentice. Set in the world of Medkemia, he continued to evolve his world into a complex tapestry of differing societies with a host of settings and characters, of which the setting of Krondor even inspired a series of computer games. But much like the computer games, his Medkemia sagas have been inconsistent in their quality, at least in the opinion of many of us.

Feist’s latest effort has been crafted around the character Talon of the Silver Hawk, and the setting for this latest saga, The Conclave of Shadows, begins in the Eastern Kingdoms of Medkemia. Like many of his other novels, Feist moves freely around his fantasy world. So, one can expect to visit a fair amount of settings and new characters in Talon of the Silver Hawk.

Talon is the surviving member of his clan, which has been subjected to a form of geo-political genocide by the evil forces of the Eastern Kingdoms. Away on his Vision Quest at the time, Talon returns in the midst of the destruction of his tribe, and is left for dead. After being discovered by the forces of good, he is brought from the brink of death, to become a weapon used in the ongoing struggle between the forces of good – the Conclave of Shadows – and the forces of evil. This is the entire plot of the story in a nutshell, and it never becomes much more complex than that. If one is accustomed to the constant shifting of plot threads, such as in Keyes or Erikson’s novels, then Talon will seem a bit different, as Feist keeps the focus on Talon, and his plotline like a laser beam.

The only other real subplot, other than the Talon’s drive for avenging his people, and his joining the Conclave, is his fascination and confusion over the opposite sex. And, as mentioned several times by the older members of the Conclave throughout the story, Talon is assured that it will be an ongoing problem with which he will be forced to cope. And his main love interest in the story seems solidly woven into both the main plotline and Talon’s own tumultuous feelings.

But if the first volume of the series is any indication, then unfortunately Feist has not recaptured the brilliance of his earlier work in the Riftwar sagas. The character of Talon is a bit hard to fathom at times, and Feist himself seems a bit confused just where he wants to take the development of this character as an individual, besides becoming a two dimensional weapon for vengeance, and his service to the Conclave. Perhaps in the further installments Talon’s character and purpose will become better developed.

To be fair, I have not looked at the other two novels in the Conclave of Shadows series – yet. And these may be more consistent in their approach and quality in developing the character of Talon and his purpose more fully. But there is a larger question here: Is the first story good, and enticing enough, to convince the reader to continue further into the series? Fortunately the answer here is a little more promising, because if there is one thing Fiest can do well it is craft a highly polished narrative which will keep the pages turning at a speedy pace. Feist keeps the story moving, with just enough detail to flesh out his world, but never slowing the pace. Thus, the story itself, although simple in its approach, is quite satisfying. Feist is still a very talented story teller and it shows in Talon of the Silver Hawk. But as just a stand alone novel, Talon is a bit hard to recommend without particular reservations – the largest of which would be the investment in at least the second installment, The King of Foxes .

[ November 13, 2005, 06:02: Message edited by: Chandos the Red ]

 

Thank you for this Review. I am a fan of Feist's Riftwar sagas. Haven't read any of his for a long time though.

 

NP, Nakia.

 

Well, I've decided not to bother with Feist again (unless it's cheap, mind you - which is how I ended up reading some of his books in the first place) - your review helps affirm this decision

 

I picked this up in the library and shared the same sort of opinions Chandos. Good review, Chandos.

 

Awesome review, Chandos. I've never read any of Feist's work. This series sounds very appealing -- but I'm wondering if I should start with the Riftwar Saga, to get a feel for the worlds he has created (i.e. the Eastern Kingdoms of Medkemia and such)?

 

The Riftwar sagas are considered to be Feist's best stuff, and I am inclined to agree. I would start with Magician. But I would not think it necessary to read all the sagas in order. Some, such as the Serpent Wars, you may want to skip, or just leave for later. Watch out for anything labeled "Riftwar Legacy." These are very uneven in quality.

[ September 12, 2005, 08:02: Message edited by: Chandos the Red ]

 

The two Feist books I've read are Tear of the Gods and Honoured Enemy - I strongly advise not bothering because they're so stunningly average. Dull 'D&D fantasy'.

Daughter of the Empire and Servant of the Empire were okay though. Nothing to rave about - but okay