''The Serpentwar Saga'' is a series of

fantasy novel Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. magic (paranormal), Magic, the supernatural and Legendary creature, magical creatures are common i ...

s by American writer

Raymond E. Feist Raymond Elias Feist (; born Raymond Elias Gonzales III; December 21, 1945) is an American fantasy fiction author who wrote '' The Riftwar Cycle'', a series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and ...

. The novels revolve around two characters, Erik von Darkmoor and Roo Avery and also includes a host of previous characters from past novels, including

Nakor ''Krondor's Sons'' is a series of fantasy novels by American writer Raymond E. Feist. The books are part of The Riftwar Cycle and set on the fictional world of Midkemia. The two novels are set between riftwars and explores Midkemia beyond the bo ...

Pug The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. An ancient breed, with roots dating back to 400 B.C., they have a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most ...

Macros the Black The ''Riftwar Saga'' is a series of fantasy novels by American writer Raymond E. Feist, the first series in ''The Riftwar Cycle''. Works in the series Magician "To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan called Pug ca ...

, Calis and Jimmy. It tells of the struggles of the Kingdom against a massive army on the distant continent of Novindus.

Works in the series

''Shadow of a Dark Queen''

A dark queen is gathering armies in remote lands and desperate men are sent on a suicidal mission to confront this evil. Among these men is Nakor the Isalani, a gambler who knows the true nature of the Queen and Miranda whom everyone must wager their lives upon.

''Rise of a Merchant Prince''

This is the second novel in the series and details the rise of Roo Avery to becoming one of the richest merchants in the Kingdom, and Erik's career at soldiering.

''Rage of a Demon King''

This is the third novel in the series which finds the armies of Novindus reaching The Kingdom and the intervention of a new player in the war. The book was reviewed as "gripping" but containing "pedestrian use of language".

''Shards of a Broken Crown''

This is the final novel in the series which finds the Kingdom embroiled in a war against armies intent on taking over the Kingdom.

Characters

*Erik Von Darkmoor is the

illegitimate Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...

son of the local

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

and a barmaid. He grew up as an

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in ...

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

in the town of Ravensburg with his best friend Rupert "Roo" Avery, a local

rogue A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior or strikes out on an independent and possibly destructive path. Rogue, rogues, or going rogue may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * ...

. After the death of his former master he forms a bond with the new Blacksmith and forms a type of father-son relationship with him. He is also friendly with the baron's Swordmaster, Owen Greylock, who is impressed with Erik's skill with horses. Every time the Baron Von Darkmoor comes through Ravensburg, Erik's mother Freida would publicly press the Baron to acknowledge Erik as his son. While never admitting it, the Baron has also never refuted it, therefore Erik could continue to use the Von Darkmoor name. Erik was the strongest boy in his village and was large for his age. During one of the Baron's trips, he falls ill and has to stop in Ravensburg with his two sons, Stefan and Manfred. *Ashen-Shugar and Tomas are two of the main characters from the Riftwar Cycle series of books. According to the books, Tomas, a human teenager from the city of

Crydee ''The Riftwar Cycle'' is the name given to the series of books authored or co-authored by Raymond E. Feist that revolve around the fantasy worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan. The Riftwar Universe The majority of Feist's works are part of The Riftwa ...

, was gifted a set of gold and white armour. The armor once belonged to Ashen-Shugar, who was a Valheru that was born ages before Tomas. The Valheru, modeled after J. R. R. Tolkien's

Valar The Valar (; singular Vala) are characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. They are "angelic powers" or "gods" subordinate to the one God ( Eru Ilúvatar). The '' Ainulindalë'' describes how some of the Ainur choose to enter the ...

by Feist, were godly beings that were some of the first to inhabit the universe created by Feist. Ashen-Shugar's powers, memories, and personality were bound to the armor when he faded away. By donning the mystical armor, an amalgam of Tomas and Ashen-Shugar was made, essentially creating a new character. Tomas's personality dominates and the new character is usually still referred to as Tomas.