Magician

Like David Eddings, Feist was one of the first fantasy novelists to have measurable commercial success – the kind that landed him on the bestseller list. It had a lasting impact on the genre itself by bringing in a new – very loyal – audience.Why it made the listIf you're impressed by nothing else in this book, be impressed by how grand the scope is. It takes place over a decade and includes all the elements of an epic saga: Quests to far off lands, devastating wars and heroic adventures. Who doesn't love an epic?Magician isn't complex in terms of character development or dialogue (which is often cheese-tastic). It's also full of standard fantasy clichés. But, because of the amount of different people, lands and occurrences in the book, it feels like a complicated read. The plot is nothing special, but there are enough surprises to keep you entertained.This is comparable to a prescribed book at school. It's mainstream enough to appeal to almost everyone, it's never offensive and is, essentially, a beginner's guide to the tropes, stock characters and basic formulas of fantasy.