Honored Enemy: Legends of the Riftwar, Book 1

Written by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Forstchen

Narrated by Matt Bates

New York Times Bestselling 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?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jul 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9780062975348

Raymond E. Feist

Raymond E. Feist was born and raised in Southern California. He was educated at the University of California, San Diego, where he graduated with honours in Communication Arts. He is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed Riftwar Cycle among other books.

Reviews for Honored Enemy

[booksfordinner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed this one... bought it on Amazon UK and had it sent here before they were avail in the US. All three from this series (all three co-written with a different author) are available now on this side of the pond.

[edwinkort · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Negen jaar in de oorlog tussen het Koninkrijk en de Tsurani. Het front is redelijk stabiel, met zo nu en dan wat kleine acties tegen elkaar. Tijdens een slag tegen de Tsurani raken de troepen van Dennis Hartraft vast achter de vijandelijke linies. De Koninkrijk Troepen en de Tsurani worden gedwongen om samen te werken tegen de hun beider vijand, de Moredhel

Dit boek is meer een militaire fantasy dan het gebruikelijke soort. De vertrouwde personages uit de eerdere boeken komen hier niet in voor, behalve dan een verwijzing naar een aantal. De sub-plots waren indrukwekkend, en naar mijn idee beter dan het hele verhaal zelf.

Wat mij bevreemde was dat de beide legers een soort vakantie hielden gedurende de tijd dat ze vast zaten in de vallei. In plaats van mogelijke uitwegen te zoeken, of zich voor te bereiden verdeden ze hun tijd met het baden, feest vieren en zich bezig houden met de religieuze vieringen van beide partijen. Ze hadden schijnbaar tijd genoeg om een badhuis te bouwen.

[johnfair_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is another in the shared worlds series of books set in Midkemia, this time with William Forstchen taking up the reins of the shared storyline. In this story winter is setting in and Kingdom forces under the command of captain Hartraft are making a final sweep through the contested northern lines, aiming to rest up in one of a series of forts established for just this purpose. Unknown to the raiders, a Tsurani patrol is also intent on reaching the same outpost. Not for shelter, but to breach Kingdom lines. And just in case we haven't enough players in the game a group of moredhel are intent on suckering both sides into a confrontation with each other. But both Kingdom and Tsurani solders know what their fates will be if they fall into the hands of he moredhel and when the scale of their plight becomes clear, an uneasy truce is declared - the enemy of my enemy may not be my friend but they're a damned sight better than my enemy.This is another book where I couldn't really sense who wrote which bits, a fairly good sign as I am unfamiliar with Forstchen so there is nothing that is glaringly off and there are some genuinely suspenseful moments though, having read the book, I knew the main protagonists would (mostly!) survive.

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Solid Riftwar novel with honourable people on both sides.

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Substance: An old story of enemy forces joining up to defeat a common enemy, and eventually overcoming their hatred for each other. Well-played. Basically, this is a Western, with the human defenders as the Rangers, the alien enemy-allies as the "good Indians", the common indigenous enemy as the "bad Indians", and a few farmers and ranchers thrown in for good measure. Good primer for small-force fighting tactics. Good action and characters.Style: It always amazes me how humans on non-Earth planets nonetheless have Anglo-American names (Dennis, Gregory, Richard, etc.), and most "friendly aliens" are pseudo-Japanese (or Mongols, in this particular case). Also, why is it that ALL fantasy tomes contain lavishly developed maps of the imaginary planet, with every possible city and geographic figure delineated EXCEPT the locations where most of the action takes place?It is a puzzlement.The prologue starts slow, with atrocious syntax, and is largely irrelevant to the main action except as a set-up, which could have been better done. As is also usual with the fantasy epic genre, there are too many people and places brought in too fast for comprehensibility, with snippets of unnecessary background "history" even while some of the needed background is omitted.MINL SPOILER:However, although one can accept that the aliens and humans are sufficiently alike in physical phenotype to become viable comrades, it is more than a little improbable that the two "races" can interbreed.The long retreat of the heroes would be impossible to believe were it not for the actual example of the Irish clan in the 19th century making a similar long trek, but with more noncombatants to take care of.

[gimble_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great start to the Legends of the Rift war, Feist has always done a good job at storytelling and adding another talented author just doubles the pleasure. The premises of these books are to go back and fill an area of time where the original books mostly glossed over for the sake of the story. Major events, such as Pugs rise to Great One, spawn minor events which keep trickling down so that you have endless possibility of stories. In this book Kingdom and Tsurani forces have to make some difficult choices to fight against a common foe. The story line is something you see from a distance but the twist in turns can surprise and entertain making it a worthwhile read.

[oogod · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Feist in one of my all time favorite authors. This one takes us on a trip back in time to the Riftwar before the end of the war where two enemies get throw together to fight a greater evil.

[graspingforthewind_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first book in the Legends of the Riftwar series, Honored Enemy, is notable for its military descriptions, and for the strange situation two small companies of Tsurani and Kingdom soldiers find themselves in. It almost seem like the story could have been taken from a historical event in any of Earth’s wars. (Which makes sense since William R. Forstchen is also author of the acclaimed Gettysburg series, co-written with Newt Gingrich and a military historian.) Fans of military history or survival stories might find some appeal in this book, though fantasy fans are the most likely to benefit.Full review of the Legends of the Riftwar Series