How I found the books of R.E.F.

Something I see on other forums is the user's "first post" describing how
they first discovered that particular author, artist, musician, etc., so
here goes...

I work as a volunteer at a heritage railway near Northampton (England). As
part of our fund raising we run a small second-hand bookshop called "The
Emporium", and spare "stock" is stored in an old caravan. After a hard day's
work the last thing I want is an 18-mile bike ride home and then back again
in the morning so I use the caravan as a place to stay - no electricity, TV,
running water, etc., but quite comfortable.

Most of the books are about steam trains or else boxes full of Mills & Boon
or Catherine Cookson novels, but the rest are all labelled. One night I
knocked over a box marked "Fantasy, priced" and the cover of "Magician"
caught my eye. I took it with me to the Buffet Car and started to read it
over a cup of hot Bovril. Several Bovrils later I was hooked and found the
book *very* hard to put down!

I have now finished "Magician" and last weekend I managed to find
"Silverthorn" in the caravan and I am going to start reading tonight. My
copy of "Magician" has been passed onto another member at the railway so we
may have another new fan...

Any recommendations from other fans, other than to get on reading the books,
which I intend to do anyway!?


-=# Amos E Wolfe #=-


P.S. In the same way that all American cops in films knock over dustbins
with their cars, is it a pre-requisite that all impassible mountain ranges
have a handy "bypass" in the form of a mine built by Dwarfs? Did they all
link to deeper tunnels and discover a dark evil, causing a member of the
party to become lost (believed dead) and then emerge triumphant later in the
book (Gandalf in Lord Of The Rings / Tomas)? Please note that was meant as a
little tongue-in-cheek and in no way a criticism!

"Amos E Wolfe" <amos.wolfe RemoveThis @ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:_P9ie.9402$hn5.5734@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
> Something I see on other forums is the user's "first post" describing how
> they first discovered that particular author, artist, musician, etc., so
> here goes...
>

Great story Amos!

I would consider it a compliment to the author when the reader remembers
exactly when he or she 'discovers' them. My own awakening occurred back in
1989 when I was just a young lad of 20. The company I worked for somehow
was awarded a contract to do computer training for a remote government
office in the wilds of Wyoming. Since I was a pretty hot young computer
stud, I was 'volunteered' to load up half a dozen computers into my
hatchback and drive 700 miles out there to 'educate' them gov'met workers.
So, for 20 days I was stuck in the middle of the wilds with plenty of spare
time on my hands. Luckily, I found a B Daltons in nearby Casper and found
Magician:apprentice in paperback. That night in my motel room I became
hooked on both Feist and on the fantasy genre as well. Up until then I had
been a SciFi, action and western fan. I went back the next day and loaded
up with Magician:Master, Silverthorn and Darness at Sethanon. I read them
while parked beside mountain streams, at scenic overlooks and while lounging
by the pool. That trip was a wonderful adventure for a young single man
and I am glad to have shared it with the discovery of Feist.

Been a follower and PoF (preacher of Feist) ever since.