Raymond E. Feist is the greatest living fantasy author. The author of Magician and the subsequent books, Feist has created a vivid world full of interesting, wonderful characters that are a joy to read.
His latest work, Into a Dark Realm, is book two of a new series. It still exists in the world that has been created by the preceding books but begins a fresh epic. And boy it is an epic.
In the previous book, readers are given a glimpse into the world of the Dasati, a world in which evil reigns supreme. The sick and twisted Dasati live for cruelty and evil. It is their natural way. What's worse, they are looking to come to the world of Midkemia and Kelewan (where all the previous books have taken place on). These unstoppable, evil, super-warriors would love nothing less than to exterminate every living thing on the worlds we've come to know and love.
Magician hero, Pug and his friend Nakor, son Magnus and the mysterious and erratic warrior, Bek have taken a journey to the Dasati homeworld to figure out what can be done before it's too late.
The real joy of the book, however, comes as a great surprise in the form of Dasati characters. Feist builds an intricate backstory and culture for the evil world of the Dasati that is both frightening and exilerating. Seeing how a world of pure evil actually functions and, functions quite well and logically is amazing.
My only gripe is that, being the first book in a new series, it leaves the reader hungry for the next in the series. It is a must-read for any fan of Raymond E. Feist and not a bad start for any new reader. Few authors deliver such great characters and worlds as Feist does and this book represents a new triumph for the author.