Magician: Master continues the story of Pug after his capture by the Tsurani, but is also concerned with the lives of a number of other characters introduced in Magician: Apprentice, such as Tomas, Arutha, Martin, Amos and others. In addition, the novel introduces some new characters, like Laurie and Kasumi, who are imperative to the storyline as well.

Subsequent to his capture, Pug becomes a slave, but eventually his latent magic is discovered, and after years of grueling training, he rises rapidly to a new name and new position. He is Milamber, the mightiest of all the magicians in Tsuranuanni, a Great One, who exists outside the law. Upon donning the black robe of the Great Ones, he learns more about himself, Kelewan, the mysterious mage Macros the Black, and an ancient, terrifying evil known as the Enemy.

Contemporaneously, Tomas has become the greatest warrior on Midkemia, due to the remedial Valheru magic vested in his armor of white and gold. He has inherited the legacy of Ashen-Shugar, the greatest of all the Valheru, but at a tremendous price. For Tomas is slowly being consumed by the alien madness, with each battle he fights, the bloodlust within him grows and threatens to overwhelm his human side.

The final play of the game. Besieged by spies and rival houses, stalked by a secret and merciless brotherhood of assassins, the brilliant Lady Mara of the Acoma faces the most deadly challenge she has ever known. The fearsome Black Robes see Mara as the ultimate threat to their ancient power. In search of allies who will join her against them, Mara must travel beyond civilization’s borders. Drawing on all of her courage and guile she prepares to fight her greatest battle of all — for her life, her home, and the Empire itself.

The first novel of the highly acclaimed Riftwar Saga, Magician: Apprentice is the story of a young keep boy, Pug, as he struggles with the life fate has dealt him. As an orphan growing up in Crydee, Pug is apprenticed to a master magician, marking the beginning of his strange fortunes.
Though he has great talent, Pug seems inexplicably unable to employ the magic arts, especially when his mind is otherwise occupied with the alluring Princess Carline, the Duke of Crydee’s daughter. While he strives to understand the mysteries of magic and youthful love, Pug is quickly acquainted with other, greater concerns, when an alien ship suddenly appears, signifying ominous portents for the Kingdom of the Isles.

The idyllic peace he has known is about to end, for a warlike alien race, the Tsurani, have discovered Midkemia, and are intent upon enslaving this world. Pug soon becomes caught up in war, politics and magic, as his world is thrown into chaos by the Tsurani invasion. Amidst traveling with the duke, running afoul of Dark Elves and goblins, battling the Tsurani and allying with Elves and Dwarves, Pug discovers he is destined to be much more than a mere magician’s apprentice.