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For a while now, Ray has voiced his displeasure about certain foreign-language translations of his works. There has been quite a bit said about this during the past week, and here are the important parts. First, a summary of some of the original translation errors:

That was simply the translator not having e-mailed or mailed or called me. He assumed 'cry = 'tears,' in that case. He could have just as easily assumed it was 'shout,' which it also isn't. In other words, it's meaningless. I stuck two syllables together.
He did the same thing with LaMut, because he assumed 'Mut' meant dog, which it doesn't. That would be mutt, anyway.

Things like that. He was being very techincal, which is the heart of the problem, and without my permission, which is the major difficulty I have with this.

Later, Ray said this about dealing with the situation (and he's made similar statements several times since):

I'm having some serious conversations with Mr. Jonathan Post of the publisher this week.

Finally, Ray posted this about note about the unfortunate result of all these recent troubles:

At this time there is no news. Presently, the Holland trip is on hold. If it is reinstated, it will be the original dates in September.

The trade paperback of Legends, a short story collection that includes Ray's Wood Boy, is now available in the United Kingdom for approximately 11.99 pounds.

Ray was recently prodded by a user about Pug's power in comparison to Sidi, and who exactly Sidi works for. Here is the post and Ray's reply:

Hey Ray, if Pug is now the most powerful mage on Midkemia, what does that make Sidi. I mean, Pug never was able to defeat him. Another question, is Sidi Nalar's (Oops, I'm under his control now) avatar? Is that why he's so invincible?

I'm not talking.

So we can assume this will be a primary topic of an upcoming book or books.

Ray posted this elaboration on the problems caused by the Dutch editions:

My Dutch publisher seems hell bent on ignoring the part of the contract which states they must run all changes by me. They're changing the names of characters, again, though this time it's spelling, rather than completely. In Magician, Jimmy became Robbie.

There is a new holder of the 'Better Late Than Never' heavyweight belt. It is Intelligamer, who posted its review of Return to Krondor, giving it 3 1/2 stars. The skinny:

Although overall the game has some problems: too short, awkward control and view interface, and sometimes weird chapter breaks, the plusses outweigh the minuses. If you like your role playing games a bit more cerebral and not frantic, the good graphics, interesting magic and combat systems, and well crafted story line make Return to Krondor a game worth playing.

As you may remember, several friends of mine publish a sci-fi/fantasy fanzine, Intrepid. The third issue will be published soon, and I wanted to announce that it will contain an interview I conducted with Ray and my review of Krondor the Betrayal. This is a quality publication, so please check their website for more information.

Hunter Nielson has updated his website with several new features, including a chat room, a message board and a weekly poll.

John Bunting, the source for information on foreign editions of Ray's books, recently posted this message:

A new Feist book was recently published:

Raymond E. Feist: A kalmarfejedelem titka (Rise of a Merchant Prince))
Beholder, 1999, paperback, 412 p.
Price: GBP 4.50+ postage

This is the second part of 'Sotet kiralyno arnyeka'

I missed this before, but Sierra Studios has moved its Return to Krondor forum to a new address.

Ray posted several messages this past week, so let's begin. First, he sounds off on Macros, everyone's favorite enigma:

I'm not going to beat anyone over the head, but the point of this message is to observe that some folks just can't seem to understand things unles they're painted with a REALLY big brush.

Macros is dead.

If he shows up anywhere, it would be a violation of the existing continuity, because Pug had the most interaction with him and repeatedly observed that he hadn't seen him or heard about him between the end of Darkness and in Rage. So how could I write a story with Macros in it unless I concocked something whereby he stopped his attempt to turn into a god, went off and did the good deed, then swore whoever he did to secrecy, then went back to being a god, and Pug never caught wind of it.

NEVER happen.

If Macro's character ever shows up again it will be either as a flashback, or as part of the Tales of the Riftwar project because one of the other writers wants to do a Macros story at the time of the Riftwar.

As for the legend, 99% of Midkemia doesn't know who Macros is. So there is no legend.There's a legend about The Black Sorcerer being in residence on Sorcerer's Isle, which continues because Nakor kept it alive for a while, and now Pug is currently The Black Sorcerer. It keeps pests away from the island.

Next, we have an excerpt of another post and Ray's response to it:

Anyone who's read the Serpentwar series knows Sarth has relocated, and kinda goes by the title 'That Which Was Sarth'. Back in Silverthorn we learn about the prophecy in which all that remains will be 'That Which Was Sarth'. Is this something yet to happen (The Cataclysm of Ray's RPG?) Or was Midkemia destined for something worse with the Serpentwar?

I'm not talking. That's 5th Riftwar stuff.

Finally, Ray posted this in response to someone's suggestion that Sierra re-write Betrayal at Krondor using a more modern engine:

Never happen.There's no profit in it for Sierra. You could always write them and suggest it, and who knows, someone there might think it's a wonderful notion, but I doubt it. The computer game industry hasn't been around long enough for the economic logic of your suggestion to be apparent. Maybe in ten years.

In response to a question about the 'tainted' Alma-Lodaka artifacts, Ray posted this message about Valheru treasures:

There is only one catch of uncorrupted Valheru artifacts left on Midkemia, and how that impacts Tomas and what it means relative to your questions will have to wait until I write the book in which they are found, which I should warn you is many years off. So don't lose sleep over it.

Here are the results of the recent poll, 'Is Ray Feist your favorite author?'

82.4% Yes
17.5% No

A new poll has been posted.

My sources inform me (ooh that is fun to say) that there is definitely development on an online product involving the Krondor franchise. There is also development on a project not involving the Krondor franchise. Unfortunately, that is all the information I have and it only confirms earlier assumptions (except for the part not involving the Krondor franchise - who knows what it is that Ray and Co. Have up their sleeve).

John Bunting posted this about the Czech editions of Ray's novels:

For those with an interest here are the available titles They are paperbacks.

Mag I - Magician I
Mag II - Magician II
Zlo v Sethanonu - Darkness at Sethanon
Dcera Imperia - Daughter o the Empire
Spravce Imperia - Mistress of the Empire
Kralovksa krev- Prince of the Blood
Královský Bukanýr I - Kings Buccaneer Crydee
- ' -
II - Kings Buccaneer Novindus

TRN - Silverthorn is apparently unavailable

Anyone wanting a contact address to purchase please email me.

Over the weekend Ray posted several announcements and other juicy bits of news. First, some news on Ray's next novel:

1) Krondor: the Assassins, FINAL DRAFT, was handed in yesterday, so it's now officially done.Publication dates in Australia, UK, and US should be somewhere close to the original July, September, and Novermber, respectively.

2) the Tales of the Riftwar project is starting to firm up.

3) I'm tired. . . <g>

Yes, you read that correctly - the Aussies are getting KaS before the US and UK. Ray clarified this in a subsequent post:
South Africa, like New Zealand, gets the export editions from HarperCollins UK, so if you get he hardcovers, you'll get them about the same time as Oz.

Second, Ray posted information on an upcoming Croation edition of Faerie Tale:

For those of you who must have a copy of everything, we just sold the rights to Faerie Tale to a croatian publisher, KZ-Zagrebcks Naklads in Zagreb, Croatia. I'm notifying you because it looks to be a short printrun, about 800 copies. Also it's in an anthology, so they may be abridging it, though there's nothing in the contract about that.

It's handled by Intercontinental in Chelse, but through another of their agent in Budapest Hungary.

The address for KZ-Zagrebcka Naklads is

Lhotkina 6
10000 Zagreb
Croatia

Don't start bugging them until I agree to terms and sign the contract, OK? <g>