I'll also agree with leons. The 15 or so were great, and the others are just OK. I've heard a few interviews where he says writing these days is much easier because he relies on 'writing muscle memory'. I think he needs to stretch those muscles a bit more in the final book - which makes me a bit sad because it is the end of a saga, but happy because I hope he ends it just as well as it started.

I like the first book the best. Which ever book that introduced Jimmy the Hand was pretty good to.

I've been interested in reading Feist for a while now, but I didn't know where to begin. Is Magician the right place?

yes, Magician is the first book. It may be divided into two books due to a reprint specific to the US Magician: Apprentice with the second Magician: Master but I think later reprints merged the two books again, but it does reference the divide with a page break if you get both in the same book (I noticed it before, but had to look up the reason to find the details behind it). Here is a link to the wiki page I got that info, along with the names of all the books if you want it was well, I advise not following the links on it though if you don't want spoilers.

Jimmy was first introduced in the first book, but was only a minor character till the second book, or the offshoot Jimmy the Hand which happens chronologically during the first book, but finishes before the end of it (I'm not sure of the specifics at the moment though). At any rate, it is a side story, and not necessary to the rest of the series, although I did pick up an interesting reference in one of the later books about the events that took place during it.

I read the Magician with the US split. I found it easier to manage with it being in separate books, but that's just me. Macros is my new " Merlin" the end all be all of mages. Milamber is a very close second with Alanon from the Shanara series being a third.

My fav book too, I haven't read the latest yet. I have a holiday coming up soon, I should read it! Thanks for reminding me there was one I hadn't read!