Daughter of the Empire (The Empire Trilogy, #1)

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Daughter of the Empire (The Empire Trilogy #1)

by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts (Goodreads Author)

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 10,779 ratings · 225 reviews

Magic and murder engulf the realm of Kelewan.Fierce warlords ignite a bitter blood feud to enslave the empire of Tsuranuanni.While in the opulent Imperial courts, assassins and spy-master plot cunning and devious intrigues against the rightful heir.Now Mara, a young, untested Ruling lady, is called upon to lead her people in a heroic struggle for survival.But first she mus...more

Paperback, 421 pages

Published May 1st 1988 by Spectra (first published 1987)

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Jun 25, 2011 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, sword-sorcery

I re-read this for the 3d or 5th time, but it's been at least a decade, so it was very fresh to me. Too fresh & interesting. Dann Janny & Ray, but I hit the 1/3 point yesterday & then couldn't put it down. I stayed up until midnight reading (I never go to bed after 10pm & always wake up by 6 at the latest.) so I've been dragging all morning. I wanted to take a nap on the hay rather than move it.

The story is on the other side of the gate & we get a much better look at the 'Gam...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, formidable-women, power-games

It's been a while since I've read a story with such complex political intrigue, and I enjoyed every word of it!

Plot Summary

Set in a Japanese-style setting and culture, Mara of the Acoma is but a few minutes away from being initiated into the service of the goddess Lashima. She is, however, rudely jerked from her chosen path when news of her father's and brother's death reaches her household. In Mara's world, power is determined by the Game of the Council, the neverending power struggle masked...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Lamora rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fantasy-aficionado, favorites, own-hardcopy

WOW.

WOOOOOOOOOOOW.

I REALLY LIKED THIS ONE!

Mara is positively magnificent. Highly recommended to feminists and fantasy-lovers alike!

I'll go into more detail tomorrow, I need some SLEEP...

--

Ookay, two days later and not quite fully rested up, let's do this.

So. Daughter of the Empire. Yes. Very good book. Highly recommended.
The characters were excellent, really. The setting was vaguely oriental, (though as Wastrel tells me, Wurts drew a lot from Korea) so a large part of this book is political intr...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Jon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, signed, read-in-my-40s

I could never see myself becoming a Mara, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading of her struggles and setbacks, her uncanny ability to turn even the most desperate tragedy into a resounding triumph. Daughter of Empire occurs on Kelewan, the home world of the Tsuranuanni, the flip-side of the coin that embodies the Riftwar Saga (as told mostly from Midkemia through Magician, Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon).

Despite a near complete lack of traditional fantasy elements, this novel delivers an ast...more

6 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2007 EK rated it 4 of 5 stars

A nice (welcome) twist from the Western-inspired fantasy that floods the sci-fi/fantasy shelves, this first instalment of a trilogy about Mara, a lady of the Acoma, contains many ideas about face and honour reminiscent of Oriental cultures.

Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts, I think, have created a well balanced character, complete with weaknesses and faults, who gets tried, tested and bests all the obstacles sent in her path. Ultimately, though, it's about a woman who learns how to think and act l...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Giacomo rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up many years ago after reading Raymond Feist's RIftwar Saga. Within the first thirty pages or so, I was hooked. I had read Janny Wurtz before, and I had read Feist. I enjoyed both of their works, but the combination of the two of them was better. They created a magnificent world with a great culture, borrowing heavily from Japanese/Oriental cultures of old. It was refreshing after so many fantasies, especially in those days, were based on medieval European cultures.

Mara, of the A...more

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Dec 27, 2009 Brian Goodman rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Brian by: Stephaine Goodman

This is an very emotional book. After reading a few chapters, I quickly felt very attached to the main character; Mara, Lady of the Acoma noble family of the Tsurani Empire.

At a child’s age, Mara is torn from becoming what is like a monk or a priestess when she learns the news of the death of her father and her brother from the devious hands of a rival family whose had a blood feud with the Acoma for many years. As the only surviving member of the Acoma family, Mara is thrust into the role of Ru...more

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Oct 03, 2009 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: midkemia-kelewan, i-have, novel, high-fantasy

Daughter of the Empire is first of a powerful trilogy of books that follow Mara of House Acoma who, upon the death of her father and brother by the machinations her family's arch-enemy, suddenly became the sole heir of the Acoma name and estate.

The first book deals with how she grows from a simple daughter of a noble house, to an intelligent and masterful player of the politics-rife world of Kelewan. She pushes against the stagnant traditions of her people to lead her house out of the danger of...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Sassapphras rated it 4 of 5 stars

I honestly think this book deserves 5 stars, but I just can't give it that.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Dianna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Riveting book for lovers of fantasy worlds set with political machinations galore.

That's pretty much what this entire book was...stories of how Mara, a young girl who suddenly finds herself in the unexpected role of Lady of her house after her father and older brother are killed by a rival family, struggles to bring her house from the brink of extinction back into the political game as a strong player.

The book was so good I didn't even notice I was at the end until the last couple pages (I was...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Kamil rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: any G.R.R.M fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 22, 2012 Neil McGarry rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I am a sucker for the unlikely authority figure story, so naturally "Daughter of the Empire" caught my attention straightaway. Overall, I found this an entertaining read, although not without its flaws. Thus...

THE GOOD: Kelewan is an interesting world, and a refreshing change from the bog-standard European-based fantasy setting. The cultural emphasis on honor and duty are used mostly effectively to create interesting conflicts and, in one case, an excruciating "solution" to a problem.

I'm also a...more I am a sucker for the unlikely authority figure story, so naturally "Daughter of the Empire" caught my attention straightaway. Overall, I found this an entertaining read, although not without its flaws. Thus...

THE GOOD: Kelewan is an interesting world, and a refreshing change from the bog-standard European-based fantasy setting. The cultural emphasis on honor and duty are used mostly effectively to create interesting conflicts and, in one case, an excruciating "solution" to a problem.

I'm also a big fan of the estate-management portion of the story, something you don't often see in fantasy. Normally lords and ladies are presented with challenges that must be solved with the sword, and I enjoyed watching Mara delve into the intricacies of diplomacy and finance.

THE BAD: I find it odd that there were only three living members of House Acoma when most of the other Houses are teeming with sons, daughters, nephews/nieces and cousins of every description. It would have been interesting for Mara to have to contend with machinations and power-plays of Cousin This One and Uncle That One as she struggles to master her own inheritance.

In addition, the perilously weak state of the Acoma army at the novel's opening is curious, given what are later told about the House's military strength. Before his fall, Mara's father employed 2500 soldiers, but at the time of Mara's arrival at the estate, she has only 37. Given the perpetual Acoma-Minwanabi enmity, why would Lord Sezu leave his estate so undermanned?

Mara's husband, Buntokapi, is presented as a cunning brute, almost entirely bereft of any redeeming qualities except his ability to sire children. Yes, he gets a bit more depth later on...three pages before he dies. The authors would have done better to flesh him out earlier, so we the readers would be conflicted about the morality and necessity of the lethal trap Mara engineers for him.

In summary, I think "The Daughter of the Empire" is a solid foundation for a good story; it's too bad authors Feist and Wurts didn't build higher and more ambitiously.(less)

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Mar 05, 2012 Michael Y. Patuwo rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fresh rise-to-power story with the setting of mid-second-millenium East Asia. The main character Mara was faced with multitudes of predicaments and menaces that threatened her very life, but her wits, her strong will, and her dire sacrifices pulled her through. This was written in a convincing manner, and as a reader I grew very sympathetic towards Mara who had to strive to achieve her goals, even if it meant lowering herself below her enemies and being abused by an unloving husband. Her advis...more

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Mar 26, 2011 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the first fantasy series I read (at the behest of my wife) since reading Lord of the Rings in high school. It's an interesting departure from what I normally think of as fantasy. This may have not made it the best for my initiation into the genre, but it was a good read nonetheless.

The story is of Lady Mara of House Acoma and her ascent to power after the betrayal and death of her father and brother, leaving her an unlikely heir to rulership over her family. Despite being ostensibly fa...more This was the first fantasy series I read (at the behest of my wife) since reading Lord of the Rings in high school. It's an interesting departure from what I normally think of as fantasy. This may have not made it the best for my initiation into the genre, but it was a good read nonetheless.

The story is of Lady Mara of House Acoma and her ascent to power after the betrayal and death of her father and brother, leaving her an unlikely heir to rulership over her family. Despite being ostensibly fantasy, it's really more of a political drama. There is hardly any magic in the book (magicians stay mostly to their own subculture in the titular empire and don't interfere with the affairs of the people). This leaves the characters to go about power struggles, back-stabbing and other generally interesting political maneuvers.

To me, this was really the biggest strength of the book (although other reviewers have seen it as a weakness). The main driver of all life is the oft-mentioned "Game of the Council". Essentially, a ruling class of "House Lords" rules over the empire in a constant struggle for more wealth and power. The Council is a real governing body, but its members callously refer to it as a game, as if the decisions they made were not life and death.

Interestingly, to read this book feels very much like playing a complicated game. The characters are all bound by strict rules of honor and behavior. As long as you "observe the forms" then nothing is off limits. Did you murder someone's husband? As long as you are polite to her in person she can't even accuse you of it, even if everybody knows you did it. The characters constantly scheme within these complex constraints to find the best way to gain advantage over the others. They try to look ahead and guess what moves the other players will make, etc. I never would have thought that someone could successfully write a novel out of a chess game, but I feel like Feist and Wurts have.

The only complaint I have the kept this from getting 5 stars was that it often feels that Lady Mara has the "Author's Blessing", as it were. She overcomes every conflict she faces, and it starts to feel as though the authors engineered problems to fit solutions they already had in mind. This may sound a bit odd, since EVERY story's conflicts are created by the authors. However, there was something more noticeable about it in this book. It was just an overall sense of, "Oh, what a surprise, she had a clever plan for that contingency all along and it worked out perfectly!" Overall, though, I enjoyed it, and the two sequels as well.(less)

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Feb 01, 2011 Jeff rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a trilogy that explores the Riftwar saga from the other side of the rift. Honestly, I wouldn't have read any of these books if a coworker hadn't sort of dumped them on me when he learned that I like fantasy novels. This one is actually better than the 4 books from the original series, and the huge leap forward that Feist makes is that the main character is a very capable woman, whereas the women in the original series were all girlfriends, wives, and mothers, and nothin...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Jelis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-science-fiction-m-to-s

I've actually read this before, but that was ages ago, and this book definitely stands up well to a re-read. I didn't give it a five-star rating because I felt that there were areas where the writing could have been tighter, as there were several spots with repeated sentiments. Other than that though, this was an excellent book that, while set in a pre-established fantasy universe, stood very well on its own without need for reference to any of Raymond E. Feist's other Riftwar/Midkemia works.

The...more I've actually read this before, but that was ages ago, and this book definitely stands up well to a re-read. I didn't give it a five-star rating because I felt that there were areas where the writing could have been tighter, as there were several spots with repeated sentiments. Other than that though, this was an excellent book that, while set in a pre-established fantasy universe, stood very well on its own without need for reference to any of Raymond E. Feist's other Riftwar/Midkemia works.

The world on which Daughter of the Empire is set is heavily influenced by feudal Japan, and so there are many elements of Eastern culture in the book; something that is rather uncommon in the fantasy genre. Despite the unfamiliarity of this sort of culture to most, Feist and Wurts do a very good job of explaining the different motivations and goals and rules of this new culture. On that note, there was also a great deal of politics going on--far more than actual action or battle--and that too is uncommon in the fantasy genre. This makes for a refreshing change from the usual hero hacking his way through a quest or adventure and ultimately triumphing through magic trope. What we get instead is an atmosphere that is largely fraught with tension and sneaky subtlety and intrigue. The protagonist is clearly clever, and she triumphs ultimately through her wits and machinations (albeit with a little help of the hack-and-slash and magical variety). One rarely gets a protagonist like Mara, whose main asset is her intelligence and cunning, and it is lovely to see the way she plots. Which leads to the third reason why I like this book so much; namely, the fact that Mara is a strong female protagonist, something that we rarely see in fiction novels period, fantasy or otherwise. And she is strong in a singularly unique way. She is not a character that is overly reliant on another, neither is she some sort of stereotypical iron woman who speaks, acts, dresses, and generally resembles a man in all but anatomy. While the latter can be nice to read about too, it is lovely to see Mara's distinctly feminine nature and view of the world influence the way in which she achieves victory after victory.

All in all, Daughter of the Empire is a highly satisfying read, and I'll definitely be continuing with the other two books in the series.(less)

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Jul 13, 2010 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Victoria by: A Neighbor

Shelves: books-in-a-series, fantasy-science-fiction

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. In the Riftwar Saga, the Tsurani sections are not among my favorites, so the thought of a whole trilogy set on Kelewan, making only brief mentions of Midkemia, did not overly excite me. But, I ended up really enjoying this book! Though Feist has strong female characters in the Riftwar Sagam they are not main characters by any stretch of the imagination, so this book with Mara, the Ruling Lady of Acoma, as its focal point was a great addition to th...more

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Apr 26, 2010 Bertrand rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, high-fantasy

Raymond Feist fait partie sans l’ombre d’un doute des auteurs de fantasy indécrottables, ceux qui se sont inspirés de Tolkien pour créer de longues séries à succès. Tout part de « La Guerre de la Faille » (appelée Chroniques de Krondor par l’éditeur poche) : Feist y met en scène une guerre acharnée entre deux mondes, l’un venant conquérir l’autre pour les richesses en métal dont lui-même est dépourvu. Cet épisode sanglant est décrit par les yeux du peuple agressé et donne quelques-uns des person...more Raymond Feist fait partie sans l’ombre d’un doute des auteurs de fantasy indécrottables, ceux qui se sont inspirés de Tolkien pour créer de longues séries à succès. Tout part de « La Guerre de la Faille » (appelée Chroniques de Krondor par l’éditeur poche) : Feist y met en scène une guerre acharnée entre deux mondes, l’un venant conquérir l’autre pour les richesses en métal dont lui-même est dépourvu. Cet épisode sanglant est décrit par les yeux du peuple agressé et donne quelques-uns des personnages les plus connus de l’auteur (Pug, Jimmy les mains vives,…). Feist va ensuite avoir l’idée de raconter le même événement par le point de vue du peuple conquérant, et va s’associer à Janny Wurts, artiste aux multiples talents, pour y parvenir.
La trilogie de l’Empire se déroule sur Kelewan, univers sorti de l’imaginaire de Raymond Feist s’inspirant très largement du Japon médiéval. La vie de l’Empire de Tsuranuanni est rythmée par le jeu du Conseil, un savant tissu d’intrigues, d’alliances et de trahisons que les grandes familles nobles ont l’habitude de pratiquer. Tous les coups sont permis à condition que le chef de famille préserve l’honneur de sa maison. Mara est la fille de Sezu des Acoma, une des dix familles les plus puissantes de l’Empire. Son frère étant nommé successeur, elle se prépare à une longue vie monastique comme servante dans le temple de Lashima. Jusqu’au jour où des soldats viennent lui annoncer la mort de son père et de son frère, ainsi que de deux mille cinq cents soldats Acoma sur le monde barbare où se déroule la guerre. Elle se retrouve catapultée reine des Acoma, à la tête d’une armée réduite à cinquante guerriers, et Jingu des Minwanabi, adversaire des Acoma, s’apprêtant à finir le travail de destruction de sa famille, déjà bien entâmé. Mara va devoir déployer ruse et intelligence pour sauver le prestige des Acoma et… prendre sa revanche sur ses ennemis. Qui sera le plus habile au jeu du Conseil ?
Fille de l’Empire est un excellent roman. L’ambiance japonisante est très bien rendue par les nombreux détails de la vie sociale, l’illusion est parfaite. L’intrigue du roman est parfaitement déroulée, rebondissements, action et jeux d’influence subtils se succèdent à grande vitesse. Définitivement une très belle réussite romanesque, il est difficile de trouver des points faibles : les personnages sont tous bien posés, et ce malgré leur nombre conséquent. Feist et Wurts savent mettre à profit leurs qualités de vieux briscards du roman d’aventure pour semer le lecteur régulièrement et le surprendre sans cesse. Le procédé est souvent vil (cacher aux lecteurs des conversations entre personnages principaux ou des informations détenues par ceux-ci), mais il est redoutablement efficace. On se laisse prendre au jeu et voir Mara monter les marches de la sphère politique en déjouant les pièges est jouissif. Peut-être faut-il regretter l’écriture qui manque souvent de relief, même si elle ne pose aucun problème à la lecture.
Extrait : « […:] Ses idées se transformaient en intrigues, le début d’un plan extrêmement complexe qui la conduirait bien au-delà de la simple survie, vers une ambition qui étourdissait son jeune esprit.
Le temps passant, Mara savait que ses plans devraient être modifiés pour prendre en compte les changements inattendus des équilibres de pouvoir et des alliances du jeu du Conseil. Mais la résolution venait avant les moyens et la méthode. Elle devrait passer des années à apprendre, avant que n’arrive à terme ce qu’elle appelait intérieurement son grand projet. »(less)

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Jan 02, 2011 Tammy ~NovelOpinion rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

"Magic and murder engulf the realm of Kelewan. Fierce warlords ignite a bitter blood feud to enslave the empire of Tsuranuanni. While in the opulent Imperial courts, assassins and spy-master plot cunning and devious intrigues against the rightful heir. Now Mara, a young, untested Ruling lady, is called upon to lead her people in a heroic struggle for survival."

4.5! I am a sucker for this kind of story. Mara is 17 and thrust into the role of Ruler of the Acoma. She is an innocent of sorts since s...more

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Apr 06, 2009 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

Having been given this book as a Christmas present from my best friend, and as one of his favourite trilogies, I was intrigued as to what I would think.

Having never read anything from these authors before, I had no real idea what to expect with regards to their styles, or characterisations, etc, so was ready to expect the unexpected.

After the few first chapters in, I was unsure what to make of this book. It is very politically involved within the world that it is set, and contains lots of strong...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Molly Ison rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: westeros-sff-book-list

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The story was promising but the execution was terrible. Instead of being a book where characters have complex motives and provide surprises and plot twists, the Mary Sue protagonist always has a plot to dispatch any rivals. And with only one exception I can think of, her enemies are always portrayed as inept or vile, despite the fact that she has no trouble plotting murders of her own. She's a master of politics and plotting, despite not being raised to rule. She is the perfect seductress, even...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of my favourite fantasy novels of all time, I have read this many times over and never cease to enjoy the detail that Feist and Wurts have put into the world and culture. I've read and enjoyed other books by Feist and other books by Wurts alone, but in my opinion neither alone is as good a writer as their collaboration on this trilogy. They seem to supplement each others' weaknesses perfectly.

The trilogy, of which this is the first book (no cliffhanger, it can stand alone) gives us a view o...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Steff rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ridiculous-feist

Without a doubt, this is my favorite Feist trilogy so far (currently on the 4th series/13th book in order of publishing date).

The best part about this book is the way it puts you on the complete opposite side of the Rift and all the action in Midkemia. Kelewan is a very different world based largely on politics and upholding honor. Understanding the Tsurani perspective and motivation puts a very different spin on our original understanding of the Riftwar. While the Midkeminas have feelings and...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Carson Kicklighter rated it 4 of 5 stars

The fast-paced, feudal-Japan style politicking makes this story a lot of fun.

From the start, I rooted for Mara. She struggles to rebuild her House after some dirty tricks in the Great Game of the Council leave her father, brother, and most of their army dead in a war against the barbarians. My admiration for her grew as she bent tradition to get what she wants. For example, she recruits “gray warriors” whose Houses have been destroyed and are tradionally supposed to roam the country in social li...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I come across quite a few readers looking for a book with the kind of noblehouse politics of Martin’s Game of Thrones; and I am always surprised that they haven’t read the Empire Trilogy by Feist and Wurts because, when it comes to Machiavellian manipulations and politics, I haven’t found a more enthralling read.

I guess the greatest difference between the two stories (other than the fact this book was written first) is that Martin’s is set amidst a world reminiscent of medieval Europe, while the...more I come across quite a few readers looking for a book with the kind of noblehouse politics of Martin’s Game of Thrones; and I am always surprised that they haven’t read the Empire Trilogy by Feist and Wurts because, when it comes to Machiavellian manipulations and politics, I haven’t found a more enthralling read.

I guess the greatest difference between the two stories (other than the fact this book was written first) is that Martin’s is set amidst a world reminiscent of medieval Europe, while the Empire Trilogy plays out in Feist’s world of Kelewan, which is very reminiscent of feudal Japan – a world in which ‘face’ and ‘honour’ are the lifeblood of all etiquette and the bench mark of social standing. The playing of politics is called the ‘Great Game’ in the Empire and it is a vicious bloodbath of backstabbing and wheeling and dealing, where the Great Houses can fall and Lesser Houses rise to prominence. And if you cannot play the Great Game, you may find yourself stripped of all you hold dear, maybe even your life.

And it is at this extreme of the Game that we are first introduced to Mara of House Acoma.

Taking her final vows to enter Temple life, the Daughter of the Acoma finds her plans destroyed as she is informed that her family has died and she is the only surviving heir – if she does not take up the mantle of Ruling Lady, House Acoma, its servants and vassals will all fall into ruin. Unable to turn her back on the ancient lineage of the Acoma, she leaves the Temple before her vows are spoken and returns to the devastated House that her family’s enemies have left her. Without any of the formal political training her brother had received as future heir of the Acoma, Mara must rally the Acoma’s depleted resources and protect her House against not only those who orchestrated the deaths of her father and brothers, but also those who would take advantage of the Acoma’s weakened state. She must navigate a social and political minefield in a world where women are consorts, but rarely the Ruler of a noble House. Using her intelligence, wits and cunning, she slowly reveals she has a greater talent for the Great Game than any could have imagined.

Feist and Wurts have produced a masterpiece of fantasy that I already view as a classic. This is a beautifully written book, the prose is fluid and descriptive enough to bring the world to life and the society has been painstakingly pieced together to seem at once familiar, yet alien, without taking away from character development or plot execution. Although this trilogy fits within Feist’s larger Riftwar series, it can be read independently – however, you might find yourself intrigued enough to read more of the authors’ solo work too.(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kara by: Goodreads FBCS Group Read

Shelves: epic-fantasy, group-read, fantistory, fantasy, empires-and-politics

There were so many times that I felt myself cheering for Mara. Throughout the book there are events (noted below) which transpire, leaving you with a new respect for Mara's determination, intelligence, and skill at the Game of Council.

(view spoiler)...more

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Jan 19, 2010 Katharine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010

You know, I promised myself that my next review would be kinder, to prove to Shayne that I'm not completely heartless... but then this book blew me away anyway! So I'll have to change my promise to be that the next book that I really don't find interesting will still earn a fairer review. That's probably a better promise.

This was excellent. The oriental influences on this are probably what made me love it so much. The only slight disappointment would be that there was a lot of talk of the cho-ja...more You know, I promised myself that my next review would be kinder, to prove to Shayne that I'm not completely heartless... but then this book blew me away anyway! So I'll have to change my promise to be that the next book that I really don't find interesting will still earn a fairer review. That's probably a better promise.

This was excellent. The oriental influences on this are probably what made me love it so much. The only slight disappointment would be that there was a lot of talk of the cho-ja only for them to fade into almost non-existence for the majority of the book, it seemed a little odd. A random few lines of how Mara was sitting with them here or there would have made a lot of difference… but enough about that, onto the good stuff!

I loved Mara’s mind, how she made everything possible. The repetitive mention of the birds at sunset were lovely, and the description in this novel can’t be matched. Some may not like the often mentioned descriptions of bathing or dressing or iced fruits, but that’s how Federal Japan was like in those days – these activities took up much of ones time, especially when they were female, a Lady of the House or not. It’s a very complicated world where honour and tradition govern nearly every movement and yet they pull it off masterfully.
Politics were strong in this book, which is Wurt’s strength I’ve been told, but it was easy to understand and follow even for someone who has no knowledge of how such things work. It was also good that they were careful to show Mara’s determination to carry out a plot but then also feel regret for it also. It was believable. All too often do you read how someone is able to do something seemingly without a shred of conscience… they didn’t make that mistake here.
Although the characters were many they were easy to keep track of, even though there were so many different families. By the end you really feel for the characters, and when certain events happen you can’t help but read on faster to find out what happens next.

I’ll expand this review once I have the time, this will be something I need to tell Sentient all about this.

All in all, it really is excellent.
(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Jackie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, fantasy

Mara is thrust into the role of leadership following the death of her father and brother. Difficult choices await if she and her house are to survive.
If you enjoy a well written and fully realised epic fantasy story, then this book is for you.
It is the first part of a trilogy featuring a female protagonist.
If you are a man and are 'put off' this book by the fact that the lead is female, you should know that there are many strong men who would be great lead characters in their own right.
The wor...more

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Jan 03, 2009 Glitterfairy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who like Feist, but like strong female protagonist writers better

Shelves: fantasy

Having read Magician/Silverthorn/Darkness at Sethanon/Prince of the Blood/The Prince's Buccaneer (or whatever it was called), with mixed responses, I really enjoyed this book.

This book has a much different tone than it's main 3 'epic' predecessors (actually, it's possible the first and third book are truly epic, although the second is a nice filler). For the first time, we have a female protagonist - one who can actually *think*. For a massive Tamora Pierce/Jacqueline Carey fan, this is bliss!

Th...more

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Dec 14, 2010 Troy G rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

My review of this book benefits from having read the rest of the greatest trilogy ever written. This book is exceptional, but has far more flaws than the other books in the Empire trilogy.

Where this book really shines is the world. It is new and vivid. It has been compared to medieval Japan, Korea, China, or other eastern places. I can see those comparisons, but in truth, I think this is something of a eastern twist on a medieval Europe. This amalgamation results in something fresh and interest...more

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About Raymond E. Feist

Raymond E. Feist was born Raymond E. Gonzales III, but took his adoptive step-fathers surname when his mother remarried Felix E. Feist. He graduated with a B.A. in Communication Arts with Honors in 1977 from the University of California at San Diego. During that year Feist had some ideas for a novel about a boy who would be a magician. He wrote the novel two years later, and it was published in 19...more

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Books by Raymond E. Feist

Magician: Apprentice (The Riftwar Saga, #1)

A Darkness At Sethanon (The Riftwar Saga, #4)

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Daughter of the Empire (The Empire Trilogy #1)

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