Here you will find the latest news in the world of Raymond E. Feist. It maybe the title of the next book, a new release or even a new project, but it could also be an update on an existing project. What ever it is though, we hope to present it to you as soon as we are aware of it. If you know something we don't, that relates to Raymond E. Feist, and believe it should be here, then please contact us.
Sat Sep 4th, 1999
The Gods
Ray posted this message about the Midkemian gods:
Well, it's nothing terribly profound, and I wouldn't say this was my personal belief system, but in the universe I write about, the gods come in two flavors, greater and lesser.
The greater gods are basically the energy that drives the universe. The closest Earth equivalent would be the Hindu 'Trimurti' the three faces of the Ultimate, Brahama, Shiva, and Vishnu, one who builds, one who destroys, and one who preserves.
The greater gods care nothing about humans. They are so far above us that we're so many gnats on a piece of rotting fruit in the gutter of a city they're flying over at 36,000 feet.
The lesser gods are the ones humans interact with.
They are the more central impulses of the universe, given expression by humans who worship them.
So love, hate, fire, the sea, vengence, justice, etc. all gain expression through worship. As the worship varies, so varies the aspect of the god.
Then there are local gods, who achieve power through devotion in a local area.
That's about it off the top of my head.
Sat Sep 4th, 1999
Krondor the Betrayal Review
J. A. Hitchcock posted this message to the list:
If you're interested, a review I wrote of Krondor the Betrayal is up at EON Magazine at
http://www.eonmagazine.com/archive/9908/REVIEWS/reviews_frameset_reviews.htm
Click on PAPER, then on KRONDOR THE BETRAYAL.
I'm currently reading KtA and will also be reviewing it for EON Magazine. I'll let you know when that review is up.
Sat Sep 4th, 1999
John Bunting announced on the list that he has a synopsis of KtA on his site. Its US release date is set for November 9.
Mon Aug 30th, 1999
Australian Release Information
Concerned reader Simon Brown sent me this note:
I picked up a copy of 'Krondor the Assassins', yesterday Sunday 29th, in Sydney Australia. It cost $36.95 AUS. It appears to have been release early in a few stores around Sydney.
Sun Aug 29th, 1999
Crydee.com Updates
John Bunting posted this update:
I have uploaded the Proof cover of the US edition of KtA to my site
Select the US Proof Button, then select the KtA thumbnail for a larger image
The Final cover can be seen here
Select the US Editions Buttons, then select the KtA thumbnail for a larger image
The books ISBN is 0-380-97707-9 and the Expected release date 9 November
Sun Aug 29th, 1999
Krondor: the Assassins Foreign Release
Apparently, Krondor: the Assassins is going to be released on September 6 in Australia and the UK. Advanced Reader Copies are already floating around (some are on eBay). I've also received mail saying it is in general release now in Australia, so call your local bookstore and check!
Wed Aug 25th, 1999
Bobby's Burial
Ray posted this message to the list about Bobby's final resting place:
Ya. It won't get mentioned, probably, in forthcoming books, because there's probably no scene where it would make sense to, but he did get him and bring him home. Big funeral in Krondor with his ashes spread at sea.
Wed Aug 25th, 1999
Krondor: the Assassins ARC
Anyone with some money to burn might want to check out this eBay auction of an advanced reader's copy of Ray's next book.
Sun Aug 22nd, 1999
New Web Sites
I've added several new sites to the Link Page. The first, Legends of Krondor, is a general site. Secondly, The Midkemian Fantasy Webring is a new ring. The last site has a biography of Ray and some book reviews.
Sun Aug 22nd, 1999
Conclave Title
Ray posted this about the title of the first Conclave novel:
Actually 'Talon of the Silver Hawk' is a character's name. The book title, I think, may end up being 'Hawk Ascending.' Or I may use the character's name for the title. I don't know yet.
Wed Aug 18th, 1999
Arutha In Depth
Ray posted this very interesting bit about Arutha:
Arutha (the Prince) has no fear of personal failure, i.e. 'being good enough.' If he has a character flaw, it's a vanity, what middle management types call 'the error of preciousness,' the certainty that he's irreplaceable.
It comes from being very, very good when you're very, very young. He's learned a thing or two by the time we reach the Krondor series, which is why he's willing to delegate to James.
His only fear of failure is involved with not getting the job done, and that's not fear so much as concern that something might prevent him; he never for a moment doubts his own ability. His own wisdom, time to time, but never his ability.
Arutha Jamison lived in the shadow of two great men all his life, and as a result he took little pleasures in his own talents and worried about what he saw as lacks in comparison to his father and his namesake.
Further along in the post he discusses the conDion's values:
All three of Borric's sons were concerned with duty, not wealth and power.
Someone earlier in the thread alluded to the Kennedys. Despite their well publicized foibles, the fact is two of the brothers were war heroes, Joe dying in combat as a bomber pilot, and JFK's well reported rescue of his crew despite his own wounds on PT 109 during World War II. And despite wealth, most Kennedys are raised with an almost 'nobless oblige' a requirement to give service to the nation. Those that don't go into politics often work quietly for charity or educational foundations and institutions.
In a sense, that's much like the line of conDoins before the twins. They don't think in terms of personal wealth and power, but in terms of duty to the nation.
'Duty' if often overlooked in today's society, possibly because of our growing cynicism duringKorea and Viet Nam.
So in short (aren't you glad I finally got around to that?) The answer is 'those characters were driven by duty. Not honor, not greed, not a lust for glory, but rather to do the best they could by the people to whom they were responsible.
Wed Aug 18th, 1999
Midkemian Critters
Ray posted this note to the list about Midkemia's more nefarious denizens:
In the _game_ of Midkemia, you got the full blast of every critter from every damn FRP you can imagine, so you could see minotaurs and gnolls.
In the literary Midkemia, I've tried to cut down the monster population, for a couple of reasons, dramatically and practically.
So major non-humans, elves in all their flavors, dwarves, gobblins, and trolls. Giants have been mentioned, but I'm treating them basically as horribly mutated human stock (might be a story there somewhere). The serpent people and tiger people were magically mutated by the Valheru, and are not naturally occurring.
There may be a few other intelligent races lurking around, but nothing gets really strange until after the 5th Riftwar, and from that point forward, nothing is impossible.
Tue Aug 17th, 1999
The New Site
Sorry for the last week's silence. Moving in to UNC was a hassle :) But I'm here now and this is the new location of the site. Hopefully it will be stable :)
Tue Aug 17th, 1999
Atlas Info
Ray reveals more facts about the Atlas:
Well, the 'Krondor' banner is what it will be published under, and it will center on Krondor, but eventually we hope to get around to the entire world. As we get father from Krondor in this first one (and maybe only one, but we can hope) we'll be seeing less detail. By the time you get to the world map there'll be lots of 'here there be dragons,' kind of stuff.
Tue Aug 17th, 1999
Jimmy's Tale
Ray posted this about the setting of the Jimmy the Hand Tales of the Riftwar story:
Remember in Magician, when Arutha is rescuing Anita from Jocko Radburn? He throws Jimmy his sword when he sees the boy trapped on the docks? We start about an hour later. So, basically, we're going to tell the '1st' Jimmy the Hand solo adventure story. We haven't decided yet, but I think the title will be Tales of the Riftwar: Jimmy the Hand.
