Raymond Elias Feist

                              -----RAYMOND ELIAS FEIST-----

One of America’s famous novelist is Raymond Elias Feist. He is the one who drags the readers into a new world of fantasy fiction in The Riftwar Cycle books which were consisted of the famously worldwide-known Riftwar Saga, The Empire Trilogy, Krondor’s Sons, The Serpentwar Saga, The Riftwar Legacy, Legends of the Riftwar, Conclave of the Shadows, The Darkwar Saga, The Demonwar Saga and The Chaoswar Saga series. 

He was born in Los Angles in 1945 with the name Raymond E. Gonzales III until his mother remarried and he took his stepfather’s surname. He was raised in Southern California and now lives with his children in San Diego accompanied by the hobby of collecting fine wines, biographies and history—especially history of American professional football.  The reason he wrote these books was because of an idea that popped out on his head of writing a boy who wanted to be a magician. Finally his writings were transformed into amazing works which are still loved, popular and sold over 15 million copies and translated into multiple languages currently. 

I am a big fan of Feist because of his awesome books. Those books have an interesting plot of a whole new world of Midkemia to explore and a lot of character to meet with fascinating olden lifestyle. There were many surprises in the end of the book, or changes in situation. Sometimes they irritated me and made me wanted to protest, but finally—as the plot developed—I understood why it was like that and it gave a better solution. 

Feist must have done some researches of his own. The life in a castle was easily pictured by him without any difficulties, especially when it came to the feudal system and the position of rulers—for instance, the difference between a squire and a warlord.  He really adopted the culture and habits of medieval times, like when a guard happened to see a prince. The expression and way of speaking of that guard resembled the olden times, even in his courtesy towards the high class members. 

Feist also mastered the politics. He played his puppets well when it came for making an offense, provocation, war and political marriage. Sometimes his depiction about the scene which happened in war or a fight was a bit harsh and bloody. It was like watching the movie “Troy” or “Lord of the Rings” in a book. But I think those times were like that, like in Dark Ages. The funny thing was; Feist had a mind of democracy. He did not like slavery, and he used one of his main characters, Prince Arutha, to go against that. He also made Pug, the magician, to destroy a stadium because of a gladiator show to waste human lives. 

I could learn a lot from his works. That’s why I love to read and study from his writings. He left the readers a message from his life. He spent years of writing—since 1982 until now—and created thousand pages of books. If he could do it, why can’t a younger generation of novelists like us make more creations? When can answer that question with ‘yes’, the only thing we’ll need is determination, diligence and a little bit of perspiration. If we get all those, then get ready to see our books on the bookshelf!