Honored Enemy

Legends of the Riftwar, Book 1

By: Raymond E. Feist, William R. Forstchen

Narrated by: Matt Bates

Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times Best-Selling Author 

In the frozen Northlands of Midkemia, Captain Dennis Hartraft’s Marauders have just had a disastrous encounter with their sworn enemy, the Tsurani. Wounded and disheartened, the Mauraders set out for the shelter of a frontier garrison. They don’t know that a Tsurani patrol is sent to support an assault on that same garrison. Arriving simultaneously, the Marauders and Tsurani find the outpost already overrun by a dark enemy whose ferocity is legendary in Midkemia. In order to survive, the foes must band together and fight as one. As they make their way across the inhospitable climate, the two batallions struggle not only with the elements and their enemy, but also their consciences. Can their hatred for their mutual enemy overcome their distrust of each other? And, with both sides carrying painful scars from past wars, what is more important: one’s life or one’s honor?

©2009 Raymond E. Feist and William R. Forstchen (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Easily summed up...

This book is about the relationship between two captains in opposing military forces. that have to band together to fight a common enemy. I really tried hard to get into this book. I am a huge fan of Tolkein, R.R. Martin, Gaiman, Rowling even Jemisin... however, this was just boring. Pretty much just one bitchy conversation after another. I don't know about everyone else, but stubborn egomaniacal troglodytes get old very quickly. I only finished this book because I kept hoping an actual story would develop. I do understand that this is a first book of a series. It is supposed to be the "Set-up" but man it was boring. The only character I felt the least bit interested in was the Elf guy that was vaguely reminiscent of Legolas and the whole issue with how their people "changed" from one species of elf to another. That was a tiny side story that the author never really gave any definition to. Let me see if I can get the comparison right here... This book is to The Hobbit, as an average kindergartener is to Stephan Hawking.
Last note; I feel as thought the narrator had a hard time sticking to the racial divisions (questionable choice) of voices, but I myself think that would be hard to achieve so I overlooked the obvious fake Asian accent and wanna be Celtic or whatever he was going for.

Grim

Very little respite from a desperate struggle. interesting that it's part of a trilogy and seems more or less standalone. I'll probably leave it at this volume though it wasn't bad. Even if the story wasn't what I prefer, the narration was good and carried the production.

great story

loved listening to my first Fiest audio book. great world building and loved the intense character interactions.