Raymond E. Feist | |
|---|---|
 Raymond E. Feist at Salon du livre in 2008 (Paris, France) | |
| Born | Raymond Elias Gonzales III (1945-12-21)December 21, 1945 (age 79) Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of California, San Diego (BA) |
| Period | 1982–present |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Notable works | Magician |
| Notable awards | Inkpot Award (1988)[1] |
| Spouse | Kathlyn Starbuck (1988–2002) |
| Relatives | Felix E. Feist (father) |
| Website | |
| www | |
Raymond Elias Feist (/faɪst/; bornRaymond Elias Gonzales III; December 21, 1945) is an Americanfantasy fiction author who wroteThe Riftwar Cycle, a series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.[2]
Raymond E. Gonzales III was born in 1945 in Los Angeles and was raised inSouthern California. When his mother remarried, he took the surname of his adoptive stepfather,Felix E. Feist.[3] He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts with Honors in 1977 from theUniversity of California at San Diego.[4][5] During that year Feist had some ideas for a novel about a boy who would become a magician. He wrote the novel two years later, and it was published in 1982 byDoubleday. According to his official website, Feist lives inSan Diego.[6]
The majority of Feist's works are part ofThe Riftwar Cycle, and feature the worlds ofMidkemia andKelewan.[7] Human magicians and other creatures on the two planets are able to create rifts through dimensionless space that can connect planets in different solar systems. The novels and short stories of The Riftwar Universe record the adventures of various people on these worlds.
Midkemia was originally created as an alternative to theDungeons & Dragonsrole-playing game, by Feist and friends studying at theUniversity of California San Diego. The group called themselves theThursday Nighters, because they played the Midkemia role-playing game every Thursday evening. After some time, when the group changed and began meeting on Fridays, they became known as theFriday Nighters. The original group have since formed a company calledMidkemia Press, which has continued publishing campaigns set in Midkemia.[8]
Feist acknowledges that theTekumel setting fromM. A. R. Barker'sEmpire of the Petal Throne was the source for much of the planet Kelewan. The original roleplaying campaign on which he based his books had an invasion of the Midkemia world by Tekumel. As a result, much of the background of Kelewan – the Tsurani Empire, the lack of metals and horses, the Cho'ja, the pantheons of 20 major and 20 minor gods – comes from Tekumel. Feist claims to have been unaware of this origin when he wroteMagician.[9]
Feist wrote a new trilogy titledFiremane, published in 2018–2022:
The series was originally promoted as unconnected to the Riftwar Cycle[12] but a connection was created with the author's next series, begun in 2024.[13]
Feist began a new series, first projected as two books, then as a new trilogy, with the first title released in the UK and US in August 2024. This series sees the return of some main series characters, including a reincarnated Pug, as well as characters from the Firemane milieu.[13]
Feist's only novel fully outside the Riftwar universe wasFaerie Tale, a fantasy story set in modern New York state. He has also published several short stories in variousanthologies.
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