Raymond E. Feist, born Raymond Elias Gonzales III on December 21, 1945, is an American fantasy fiction author renowned for writing The Riftwar Cycle, a series of novels and short stories. A Southern Californian by birth, he became a San Diegan by choice. Feist was educated at the University of California, San Diego, where he graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts with Honors in 1977.

Feist adopted his step-father's surname when his mother remarried Felix E. Feist. His literary career began when he had some ideas for a novel about a boy who would become a magician, which he wrote two years after his graduation and was published in 1982 by Doubleday.

Feist's works have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Currently, he resides in San Diego with his children, where he pursues his interests in collecting fine wine, DVDs, and books on various topics including wine, biographies, history, and American Professional Football.