Exile's Return (Conclave of Shadows Series #3)

by Raymond E. Feist

Overview

Following Talon of the Silver Hawk and King of Foxes, here is the third exciting volume in the Conclave of Shadows trilogy from the acclaimed author “in the forefront of contemporary fantasy adventure” (Library Journal)

Tal Hawkins has succeeded in wreaking revenge on Kaspar, the evil Duke of Olasko. Banished to a distant land, Kaspar begins a journey that will take him halfway around the world. Reduced to the role of farm-hand, then common laborer, the former ruler endures dangers and horrors beyond his imagination as he struggles to return home.

But fate, or some dark agency, has more in store for the man who was once tyrant of Olasko. As he travels, he is chosen to play a part in a much larger drama, a struggle between good and evil ages in the making. Dark powers are again in motion, and Kaspar discovers the herald of a threat not seen across the land since the legendary Riftwar and Serpentwar: A dark empire in a distant realm seeks entrance to Midkemia and Kaspar has unwittingly discovered the key. Now it is up to this unlikely hero to save Midkemia from the threat of unconditional defeat—and utter destruction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061742033
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/13/2009
Series:	Riftwar Cycle: Conclave of Shadows Series , #3
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	58,054
File size:	909 KB

About the Author

Raymond E. Feist's previous novels include the first volume in the Demonwar Saga, Rides a Dread Legion, the Darkwar Saga (Flight of the Nighthawks, Into a Dark Realm, and Wrath of a Mad God); the Conclave of Shadows (Talon of the Silver Hawk, King of Foxes, and Exile's Return); the Riftwar Legacy (Krondor: The Betrayal; Krondor: The Assassins; and Krondor: Tear of the Gods); the Serpentwar Saga (Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King, and Shards of a Broken Crown); the Riftwar Saga (Magician, Silverthorn, and A Darkness at Sethanon); Faerie Tale; The Prince of the Blood; and The King's Buccaneer. He lives in San Diego, California.

Editorial Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
After more than a dozen bestselling novels set in his signature realm of Midkemia, Exile's Return -- the third installment of Raymond E. Feist's Conclave of Shadows saga (Talon of the Silver Hawk and King of Foxes) -- is arguably his best work to date.

After a former tyrant is exiled to the other side of the world and comes in contact with an artifact practically radiating evil, his epic quest to destroy the relic leads him to jaw-dropping epiphanies that will turn Midkemia upside down! When Kaspar, the former Duke of Olasko, finds himself suddenly deposited in a vast foreign desert, he must use every ounce of cunning to survive. After barely escaping a band of nomadic bandits, the once notorious despot is reduced to working as a farmhand for his sustenance. But then he's given an opportunity to do the unthinkable: something selfless and heroic.

While most fantasy series can't go four or five novels without growing stale and redundant, it's remarkable that Feist's already lengthy Midkemia sequence has not only continued its high level of storytelling mastery but has gotten better with every new installment. By regularly introducing new characters, exploring previously unrevealed lands, and uncovering more of Midkemia's rich history, Feist keeps his realm as breathtaking and vibrant as when it was first revealed in 1982's Magician. With a cast of surprisingly complex characters, consistently brisk pacing, and the most explosive plot twists Midkemia has ever seen, Exile's Return is Feist at the very top of his craft. Paul Goat Allen

bn.com

The tyrannous Kaspar, Duke of Olasko, has been banished from Midkemia-but he might be able to get even. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Another entry in Feist's long-running Midkemia fantasy (Krondor, 2001, etc.). Kaspar, deposed Duke of Olasko, is magically exiled to the far side of his world and left in chains to be captured by nomads. He escapes and after several adventures joins up with a group of traders who want his help transporting a magical artifact: a suit of armor inhabited by some dormant but malignant entity that has caused the deaths of some 20 of their company. Intent on returning home to exact revenge on his deposers, Kaspar declines to join them, but the armor holds a geas over the traders, and having touched it, he is also under its power. In the western mountains, a powerful god tells Kaspar that the armor is a war machine from a hostile plane; the god teaches him to control it, but convinces him that its continued presence in this world bodes utter destruction. Kaspar must return with it to Olasko and consult the Conclave of Shadows, a powerful group of sorcerers who may be able to counteract its evil. Home at last, Kaspar learns that his dukedom is in good hands and realizes that he has no more desire to take revenge for his exile. His ordeals have cured him of the arrogant ambition that forced his enemies to depose him. Now he must win their trust to find the Conclave and neutralize the threat posed by the armor. After Kaspar joins forces with the Conclave, the story ends with one threat defused and an even greater one looming. Well-paced storytelling by a veteran entertainer.

Kirkus Reviews