Thank you for the criticism, Ray. I'm definitely NOT a writer, and probably never will be, at least one of your caliber. This isn't sycophancy, which I despise. I'm only acknowledging the fact of your 30+ NY Times best selling novels, to my ZERO.
My questions were to help me place in context why your main characters acted they way they did. Which you answered. Grazing? Perhaps. I realize now I wasn't clear on what branch of history I'm specializing in. Definitely *not *military, even though I'm former military. Ancient Greece (Mycenean and Minoan) to be exact. I have too many memories of what combat and its consequences actually are to specifically study what happened to other people during war. It wasn't my intention to make it seem like I was some authority on the subject to just throw out random historical battles. Far from it. I gave examples of what little military history I *do* know something about because of recently studying those periods in world history. One thing I've been taught in researching history is "Always go to the primary source, if there is one." This is the reason I made the comment about characterization and setting. Go to the source....you. From what I've been taught, those have to be mastered if a writer is going to be read. As you said previously, it has to make sense. I've seen too many writers who forget that and when I've wasted $30+ on a novel that made my eyes glaze over after the first chapter...well. What I'm trying to say is I've *never* been disappointed in your work. Surprised? Yes. Many times. This is why I re-read your books. I find something new every time. Again, thank you, Ray. If you're in the Denver area on your book signing tours, I'd very much like to have my Chronicles signed (maybe even a few old, ratty paper backs including Faerie Tale :D ) Brian On Sat, Jul 12, 2014 at 1:42 AM, Raymond Feist <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Jul 11, 2014, at 10:33 PM, Brian <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Ray, > > I'm Brian Martin, long time fan and admirer, and a long time lurker here. > I have a few queries into what sources you researched and used for the > warfare in your Midkemian series. I'm a student of history (literally, my > degree will be BA in History, MSU Denver) and also a disabled Veteran, and > I couldn't help but notice a lot of the military engagments, i.e. Arutha > commanding at Crydee's siege, Erik and the Crimson Eagles' training and > subsequent deployments, and Nicolas' sea battles, all have a ring of > historical familiarity. Did you use any references to the Roman Legions > and/or Spartan training? French Foreign Legion? Athenian Hoplite formation > fighting techniques? Henry V's victory at the Battle of Agincourt? > Nelson's victories at Trafalgar? I'm *very* curious about the "diamond" > formations of the CE's at the Battle of Nightmare ridge. > > I do understand that answering these questions could be a *huge* > consession and burden on your part because you are a very busy man. I just > wanted you to know that there's someone who's paying very close attention > to how you bring setting and characterization together. Also, I'm grateful > that you gave of your imagination and shared some insight into your > Thursday and Friday Nighter's sessions. > > Hope to hear from you. > > Brian M. > > -- > Stupidity is it's own reward. > > > I used the UCSD Central Library for a number of years until the World Wide > Web started offering online sources. The thing about “research” is that > you don’t have to be an expert on whatever it is you’re writing about; all > you need to do is make things “make sense” contextually, so it’s “skimming > research” if that makes sense. So, to answer, no, I didn’t “research,” but > rather did whatever made sense in the narrative. Arutha’s defense of > Crydee was just some basics of 12th-13th century siege warfare (early > sappers, flaming oil, heated sand,etc.), but at first I put the “camera” on > Arutha, because combat is chaos, and I didn’t want to turn the chapter into > a lecture on semi-mideval warcraft or a game of military miniatures. The > diamond battle formation was how Alfred the Great broke the Danes at > the Battle of Edington, forcing them to retreat to their stronghold where > he starved them into submission. The naval stuff is as much courtesy of > C.S. Forester and Patrick O’Brien as it is sources like Mostert’s The Line > Upon The Wind. > > You “graze” on the subject matter, spindling this and that to make it look > like you know what you’re talking about. The key for me is to keep focused > on how the characters are dealing with what’s going on emotionally as well > as how they think about it. Erik, for example, never thought much of his > own skills, yet he was one of the finest generals in the history of the > Kingdom. So his approach was always to get into details so he could insure > his side the best chance of winning. Arutha, on the other hand, always > look at conflict as a problem which had a solution. > > Anyway, thank you for your service and glad you enjoyed the work. > > Best,R.E.F. > > > Raymond Feist > [email protected] > > > > -- Stupidity is it's own reward.
