Raymond E. Feist Unleashes A King of Ashes

Raymond E. Feist is a legend in the fantasy community.

He is best known for his Riftwar Saga that began with Magician and continued with Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon. That initial trilogy is one of the foundational pieces of the genre and it spawned multiple series set in the world of Midkemia. But that’s not all that Feist has written. Faerie Tale, one of the first dark contemporary urban fantasies that were written, is one of my favorite books, filled with an unsuspecting family being confronted with the faerie of old. For years I was hoping he’d write something new because he’s just so damn good at worldbuilding and character development.

My wish has come true. He’s written the first book in an entirely new series, a story that takes his strengths as a writer and twists them in a new and interesting way. King of Ashes is a perfect place for those who have not read Feist to sample his writing. It is also a great place for his long-time fans to see a master at work yet again.

Below is an interview with Feist where he talks about King of Ashes and how different and similar it is to his other work.

Enjoy!

Unbound Worlds: King of Ashes, Book One in the Firemane Saga, is now published. Tell readers about the new book and its main characters, an heir to a throne and a weapons smith of great talent?

Raymond E. Feist: I don’t wish to get into spoilers, but let’s say that the story begins with a massive betrayal of a trust that had lasted centuries. Out of that chaos arises a conflict that pits a lone survivor of the betrayed Kingdom and a nearly mad king with his multitude of allies. The main characters are Hatushaly, heir to the throne of a Kingdom reduced to ashes, the title character, and Declan, a fabulously talented young smith, for whom fate has other plans. Their paths intersect and together they begin a shared destiny.

UW: You spent decades writing in Midkemia before ending the series with Magician’s End. What was it like creating Garn, a brand-new world to play in?

REF: It was like reinventing the wheel without spokes or a rim. I forgot how much work went into Midkemia so many years ago, and that I wasn’t alone in creating it. False starts, changing my mind, realizing the geography didn’t suit the story or the story didn’t work in that geography, all the pitfalls of world-building and story telling combined. At the end it was like returning to school after being gone many years and realizing you had forgotten so much about the classes that had gotten you there in the first place.

UW: The Riftwar Saga featured all sorts of magic. What kinds of magic do you have in this new series?

REF: Very different in many ways. No other sentient races, i.e. no dwarves, elves, trolls, etc. Just people, many with seriously bad intent. There are a few supernatural beings, but they are not part of any sorts of societies or nations. Magic is a sex-linked trait, so while some men have power, only women can do magic. In a patriarchal world, this makes those women even more objects of desire or targets for destruction. The magic is subtle, influencing rather than overt and controlling. I really wanted a different vibe here.

UW: King of Ashes is a great place for readers unfamiliar with your work to start. Do you think the book is good for your Riftwar fans too? How so?

REF: I certainly hope so. I tried to keep the same narrative voice, the familiar style, with a completely different story line in both tone and development. King of Ashes is the first act of a three act play, and I expect the action to continue to rise in the next two books.

UW: King of Ashes is the first book in a series. How is work going on Book 2? Got a title to share?

REF: Queen of Storms, and the work goes well, but I keep having to back up and start over at times because my characters will not do what I tell them to do, but what they want to do.

King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist is in fine bookstores this week! Visit www.crydee.com for tour details.