Shards of a Broken Crown (The Serpentwar Saga #4)

[This applies to the Kindle version only.]

The book – story, plot, writing, characters – was excellent. However, it was very clear that the book had been prepared for ebook format through an optical scan, not from a text file. There were numerous typographical, spelling and punctuation errors as a result. There are no characters or lines – only an extra space – to break scenes. Since the line spacing is fairly loose to begin with, that made for some confusing moments. The production of the ebook does not do Feist’s works justice.

This assessment applies to the Kindle versions of all four Serpentwar books – Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King and Shards of a Broken Crown. All were apparently prepared for publication in the same way, sans proofreading, with text just dumped on the page.

Shards of a Broken Crown is book 4, and the conclusion of The Serpent War Saga, by Raymond Feist. This book picks up right where Rage of a Demon King left off and finishes up the tale of the Kingdom putting itself back together after the war. Now, if you have not read any other book in this series do not read this one. In order for this book to make sense you need to read the first three book, actually, in order for everything in this book to make sense you really need to start with the Rift War Saga the first book of that is Magician: Apprentice. Then the entire story arc will make more sense and be much more satisfying to the reader.

Overall I have mixed reviews about this book. There are many aspects I like, while there are still a few things that didn’t sit well with me. For fans of Feist this is a typical work of his. The plot moves along at a good pace and keeps the reader interested, and there is a fair amount of character development as well. I have read several reviews of people who were disappointed in this book and some that think this was a waste of a book. If you consider how much happens in this book it’s not a waste at all. But, I think I understand why people are not `happy’ with it too.

This book is first and foremost about plot. There are many plot elements that Feist needed to include in this book to be able to make the just to his next set of books, The Conclave of Shadows trilogy. There are quite a few plot lines within this book and I won’t rehash all of them, plus one or two would be spoilers and I won’t do that. Suffice it to say that this plot is engaging and well thought out and certainly accomplishes what Feist was planning. To say anymore than that would ruin parts of the story though.

The character development in this book is again where Feist shines. Although this book is about moving the plot, the characters shine through at times. The biggest areas of development are Jimmy and Dash, two fantastic characters that really come into their own in this book. Also, the character of Prince Patrick fleshes out nicely. Erik Von Darkmoor has a strong presence as well. Actually, I could probably keep listing character after character, as Feist did a good job of moving each of them along, which is quite the feat considering how many characters are in this book.

Overall, I was satisfied with this book. I thought it was a fun read and stayed true to the characters. However, the ending disappointed me a little. It almost seemed like Feist was running out of room and quickly tied up all the loose ends as quickly and succinctly as possible. It doesn’t really take anything away from the book, but it just doesn’t `feel’ like a Feist ending to me.

Fans of Feist’s earlier work will want to read this just to complete that part of this grand story. People who are looking for some new fantasy to read should really start with Magician: Apprentice and go from there. Feist writes wonderful fantasy that is sure to please a broad spectrum of readers. I can’t recommend his work enough.

The book in is excellent condition, I have no
complaints at all. Delivery was quick. I am
very happy with this purchase.
Thank-You

“Shards” is a bittersweet ending to an exciting series. Billed as the “conclusion to the Serpentwar Saga”, it does indeed chronicle the end of the Serpentwar. Like life, however, it does not simply end “happily ever after”.
The end of the war leaves a lot of questions unanswered, although the turn of events between Nakor and Kahil certainly was an unexpected plot clincher. I for one am gratified that the stories of the characters we know best from this series (Pug, Miranda, Nakor, Gathis) will seemingly be back, as the end of this book certainly sets up the possibility of another book (or series) with them, and I fervently hope Feist produces the next chapters in their stories.
Do not pick up this book thinking that all will be made right with everyone in Midkemia; it doesn’t happen. Don’t let this deter you from reading the book, however; it is stunning in its character development, and stunning in the changes wrought in many of the characters’ lives.
David Gerrold once wrote about certain Star Trek episodes being “good” or “bad” because they did or did not portray *definitive* episodes in the characters’ lives. There are many, many definitive experiences here that happen to the characters, and for that reason I give the book four stars.
It would be five, Ray, but your editors and/or proofreaders seem to have left you hanging in the breeze. The book is somewhat rife with grammatical mistakes, spelling mistakes, and out-and-out confusing constructions and simple gaffs. Sometimes I had a hard time even following who was doing what, so bad were the errors. Other than that, I find nothing to detract from a very high recommendation. Midkemia fans, enjoy!

Greatly improved transitions between sections over the previous Kindle books in the series. Always a fan of Feist, this makes it a lot more readable.

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