Raymond E. Feist Quotes

Powerful Raymond E. Feist for Daily Growth

About Raymond E. Feist

Raymond Elias Feist (born May 14, 1945) is an American fantasy author, best known for his epic "Riftwar" series set in the fictional world of Kelewan and Midkemia. Born and raised in California, Feist developed a passion for reading at an early age, devouring the works of authors like Robert E. Howard, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Fritz Leiber. Feist graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Business Administration but soon found himself drawn to writing. His breakthrough came in 1982 with the publication of "Magician," the first book in the "Riftwar" series. The success of this novel launched him into the world of fantasy literature and established him as a significant figure in the genre. The "Riftwar" saga, which includes the original trilogy ("Magician," "Silverthorn," and "Amberle") and its sequels, has become a modern classic, with over 25 million copies sold worldwide. The series is characterized by its complex plotlines, rich world-building, and diverse cast of characters. In addition to the Riftwar Cycle, Feist has written numerous other fantasy novels, including the "Empire Trilogy," the "Conclave of Shadows" series, and the standalone novel "Faerie Tale." His works are known for their intricate plots, detailed world-building, and complex characters. Feist's writing has been influenced by his experiences in business and his love of history, particularly ancient China and Japan. He is also a martial artist and has incorporated elements of martial arts into his novels. Despite his success, Feist remains humble and dedicated to his craft, often engaging with fans online and at conventions. His enduring popularity continues to grow as new generations discover his compelling and immersive fantasy worlds.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Fate rarely calls on us at a moment of our choosing."

This quote by Raymond E. Feist suggests that events beyond our control often shape our lives, and these moments are not always convenient or desired. It implies that we do not have complete autonomy over the course of our lives, as fate or destiny can intervene unexpectedly. However, it also carries a message of resilience, as we must learn to adapt and navigate through these circumstances as they come, rather than waiting for an opportune moment when we get to choose our path.


"The line between good and evil does not always run down the middle of the street."

This quote emphasizes that morality isn't always black-and-white, but rather a complex spectrum. Good and evil are not strictly divided into clear categories, with one side representing all good qualities and the other side representing all bad ones. Rather, people can have traits from both categories within them. The quote encourages understanding and empathy for others, as it's important to recognize that individuals may make choices that don't fit neatly into preconceived notions of "good" or "evil."


"Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence."

This quote by Raymond E. Feist suggests that hope, much like a physical path, doesn't initially exist but emerges as people collectively believe in and pursue it. The idea is that individual actions, when united with the common goal of hope, can create a clear path towards its realization. In essence, the quote underscores the transformative power of collective action and belief in shaping our own destiny.


"Magic has a way of revealing itself when one least expects it – and when it does, it always exacts its price."

This quote emphasizes that magic, like many powerful things, is unpredictable and can manifest unexpectedly. It also suggests that there's an inherent cost or trade-off involved in using magic, which is the "price" mentioned in the quote. This could be personal sacrifice, moral dilemmas, or consequences that may not be immediately apparent but are felt over time. The message encourages caution and mindfulness when dealing with magical forces.


"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

The quote emphasizes that destiny is not something predetermined or random, but rather an outcome of conscious decisions and actions taken by individuals. It encourages people to actively pursue their goals and aspirations, rather than passively waiting for opportunities to come their way. In essence, it's a call to take charge of one's life and create the future they desire through hard work, determination, and choice-making.


The issue of the Betrayal was so central to that, I felt the need to comment upon it. My choices were to ignore the games and put them 'outside' of continuity or to integrate them. I chose the latter.

- Raymond E. Feist

Need, Issue, Felt, Integrate

One of the key issues will be personal honour vs. the good of the many, and unforeseen consequences.

- Raymond E. Feist

Consequences, Will, Honour, Unforeseen

Often I'll try things that just won't happen the way I'd like them to, so hearing that they're not working saves me some wear and tear the next time around.

- Raymond E. Feist

Next, Happen, Some, Next Time

Jigsaw Lady is the working title of a science fiction novel I've had in my head for darn near 15 years. I think I'll start work on it next year (in all my spare time) but I'd like to get it finished some day.

- Raymond E. Feist

Next, Some, I Think, Jigsaw

When you talk about fantasy, the usual problem is that whilst you've got the world of imagination, there are no controlling forces.

- Raymond E. Feist

Fantasy, About, Usual, Whilst

Science fiction is fantasy about issues of science. Science fiction is a subset of fantasy. Fantasy predated it by several millennia. The '30s to the '50s were the golden age of science fiction - this was because, to a large degree, it was at this point that technology and science had exposed its potential without revealing the limitations.

- Raymond E. Feist

Fiction, About, Several, Millennia

There were two things going on: 1) I had already established in my own mind where I wanted to go with the next series, and having James around as a Grey Eminence would have complicated matters. He had had an amazing life and it was time to bid him good-bye.

- Raymond E. Feist

Own, Next, James, Amazing Life

There's always going to be comparisons, and that's unavoidable. There are people out there who feel I hit my peak with Magician and have gone downhill since.

- Raymond E. Feist

Feel, Always, Going, Downhill

I've never worried about 'the reader' because there isn't one. There are thousands, and they all have strong opinions, from 'Magician' was the best ever,' and I've gone downhill since to 'The new book is the best ever,' so to whom to I listen? So I write for myself and hope other people like it.

- Raymond E. Feist

Strong, Other, I Write, Downhill

Writing is not a competitive sport. Everyone that writes has his or her own voice.

- Raymond E. Feist

Voice, Her, His, Writes

I'm a huge fan of Cabernet and Bordeaux, and am passionate about Pinot Noir and Burgundies.

- Raymond E. Feist

Passionate, Fan, About, Noir

I feel when a writer treats a character as 'precious,' the writer runs the risk of turning them into a comic book character. There's nothing wrong with comic book characters in comic books, but I don't write comic books.

- Raymond E. Feist

Book, Precious, Comic Books, Runs

All the Midkemia stories are part of a 'history of an imaginary place,' so I've always known the cycle covered five rift wars. I just got to the end after 30 books. So there was no particular inspiration, save it was time to finish the whole shebang.

- Raymond E. Feist

Part, Save, Whole, Rift

I don't like fantasy where a king snaps his fingers and suddenly a whole army appears and goes off to war - he's got to feed them, he's got to pay them, he's got to take care of the camp followers and the gamblers and the people who cause disorder.

- Raymond E. Feist

Cause, Gamblers, Whole, Camp

Also, it's risky to try to duplicate earlier success. Magician had a certain charm to it, mostly due to my choice of lead characters, that I would be hard put to duplicate.

- Raymond E. Feist

Had, Mostly, Also, Risky

I keep threatening to write a non-fantasy book, and they keep offering me the kind of money I can't refuse to write a fantasy. That's a good thing. I have to pay my mortgage, and I have to pay for my Chargers season tickets.

- Raymond E. Feist

Kind, Fantasy, A Good Thing, Season

In the end, my reasons for moving down the timeline and introducing a new cast have more to do with keeping myself entertained, on the assumption that if I get bored, my readers are going to be even more bored.

- Raymond E. Feist

New, Reasons, Keeping, Entertained

If I leave my computer, I'm probably not going to get back for hours. If I take a few minutes to answer questions and go web surfing, then guilt kicks in and I get back to work.

- Raymond E. Feist

Guilt, Hours, Going, Kicks

Any good story can galvanize a person, make him/her think about things a different way, reassess their own motives and needs, but that's never my intent. That's an unintended consequence of me just trying to entertain, to write what we used to call 'ripping yarns.'

- Raymond E. Feist

Own, Good Story, Entertain, Ripping

Either systems are in balance or they are falling apart. If people are acting in what appears to be a twisted way, I want to know the reason for that.

- Raymond E. Feist

Reason, Falling, Twisted, Apart

I won't say that writing is therapy, but for me, the act of writing is therapy. The ability to be productive is good for my mental health. It's always better for me to be writing than vegetating on some couch.

- Raymond E. Feist

Some, Always, Therapy, Productive

As a kid, I sat transfixed watching Ray Harryhausen's '7th Voyage of Sinbad.'

- Raymond E. Feist

Kid, Watching, Sat, Ray

One likes to think one grows as a writer as one ages, else all you get is an 'old' young writer. Beyond that is the changing landscape of the universe and the stories I choose to tell.

- Raymond E. Feist

Think, Stories, Grows, Likes

Neal had a couple of good ideas and they fit nicely, so that's the way I decided to go.

- Raymond E. Feist

Go, Couple, Nicely, Good Ideas

Mostly I'm writing about people, so I feel constrained to take with me my view of people, my curiosity about how people choose the things they do and why they come to certain decisions in a certain fashion and all the things that drive most writers.

- Raymond E. Feist

Feel, About, Mostly, Constrained

People like rules, or at least the appearance of rules, even in fantasy.

- Raymond E. Feist

Appearance, Like, Even, Fantasy

Writing is hard work; it's also the best job I've ever had.

- Raymond E. Feist

Work, Writing, Ever, Hard Work

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.