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Daughter of the Empire

(The Empire Trilogy #1)

Raymond E. Feist,

Janny Wurts (Goodreads Author)

4.27 · Rating details · 31,004 ratings · 763 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 ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 421 pages

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

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May 14, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, fantasy-all

I loved the Riftwar books and I'm already loving this next chapter! This may end up on my favorites list! I love Mara!

Mel 🖤🐾🐺

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Mar 06, 2013 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-library-catalogue, favorites

Via Book Reviews by Niki Hawkes at www.nikihawkes.com

This is a strong contender as my favorite book of all-time. It has all the elements that make a book great: strong characters, excellent world-building, masterful writing, and a page-turning story. If any of you aren’t familiar with Feist’s Riftwar saga, the arc of the series involves one world (Midkemia) being invaded by another world (Kelewan) from across a magical rift. The invading soldiers are known as the Tsurani, and Feist talks a lot about them Via Book Reviews by Niki Hawkes at www.nikihawkes.com

This is a strong contender as my favorite book of all-time. It has all the elements that make a book great: strong characters, excellent world-building, masterful writing, and a page-turning story. If any of you aren’t familiar with Feist’s Riftwar saga, the arc of the series involves one world (Midkemia) being invaded by another world (Kelewan) from across a magical rift. The invading soldiers are known as the Tsurani, and Feist talks a lot about them in his second book, Magician: Master. What the Kelewan Empire trilogy does is take you deep into the Tsurani’s world, following the life of a young woman within it. I LOVED this trilogy. It was such a gripping story that I literally could not put it down!

The main character is both dynamic and endearing, and I found her completely fascinating as she develops throughout each book. The world-building was outright fantastic, and arguably the best element of this series. It’s been ten years since I read them, and I can still remember Kelewan in vivid detail. New flora and fauna, new architecture, new politial/religious systems – Feist and Wurts obviously spent a lot of time developing, and really made the world come to life! Because of this trilogy, they are without a doubt my favorite writing duo.

Overall, it was an amazing trilogy that I will forever hold on a pedestal. It definitely tops my Best Fantasy Book Bulletin!

Recommendations: If you’re new to Feist’s works, I recommend you read Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master first before switching over to this trilogy, then continue on with “Silverthorn.” Even though these were my all-time favs, the Riftwar saga also makes the top ten list and are definitely worth reading!!

by Niki Hawkes

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“Heart of Myrial” by Maggie Furey ...more

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Jul 14, 2017 Mayim de Vries rated it really liked it

“How shall we answer this murder visited upon our house?”

I like books about strong, independent women who, despite the adversities of fate, can manage well and do not worry about the growing difficulties and stakes. This is what you can expect from “Daughter of the Empire.”

When Lord Acoma and his son are killed in the war manoeuvred into a suicidal charge by family’s grand enemy, Lord Minwanabi, seventeen-year-old Mara becomes the heiress. The girl is snatched back into the world mere mom ...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Lis rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, high-fantasy

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 intrigue and matters of honor. If that's your team, go for it. If the whole honor thing isn't for you, maybe not as much. But the political intrigue stuff is actually really ...more

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Jul 25, 2013 carol. rated it liked it

Recommends it for: people looking for female-centered high/epic fantasy

Recommended to carol. by: Fantasy Aficionados BOM

Shelves: epic-fantasy, female-lead

Collaborations can be a challenging way to tell a story, especially when both authors have an established voice. Ultimately, if done well, they are like an interesting ice cream swirl, something of the flavor of both authors creating a pleasant compination. Andre Norton is one of those authors that seem to collaborate well, although I'm not sure if that's partly because she was the idea generator and then had a co-writer do more of the heavy lifting, especially in her later years. One of the bes Collaborations can be a challenging way to tell a story, especially when both authors have an established voice. Ultimately, if done well, they are like an interesting ice cream swirl, something of the flavor of both authors creating a pleasant compination. Andre Norton is one of those authors that seem to collaborate well, although I'm not sure if that's partly because she was the idea generator and then had a co-writer do more of the heavy lifting, especially in her later years. One of the best examples of co-writing I remember is Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, largely because it used letters between two young girls as the primary framing device, allowing the voices of both authors to shine. Daughter of the Empire was the result of a collaboration between Janny Wurts and Raymond Feist, and though I haven't read any Feist, I have to say it blends well, and Feist's influence tempered Wurt's writing and made it infinitely more palatable.

I've avoided writing about Wurt's books since meeting her in one of my GR groups, as she is a truly wonderful, generous and respectful person. Her contributions to different book discussions are thoughtful and circumspect, and she's willing to share her time if readers are interested. The information she shared about the collaboration was interesting, and gave a great deal of insight into the process. If you've read this book or are a fan of Wurts, I highly recommend checking out her comments.

To the book itself: it is a detailed epic fantasy, and would likely appeal to those who are looking for something in the genre that is more female-centered than most. It follows young Mara as she is pulled from a life of religious devotion and into the political games of the local fiefdoms, to both survive and to defend the honor of her house.

A note on style: Wurts' writing usually has too many superlatives for my taste, and she ends up resorting to italics in order to make her points in the more emotional sections. It must be Feist's or the editor's influence, because for one of the first times reading her books, I found myself able to concentrate on the story and characterization without being distracted by the writing. In this sense, the book worked for me.

Plotting is acceptable. However, Mara develops the habit of keeping her plans to herself, since she doesn't want to argue with her former nursemaid or her man-at-arms. This both aids and detracts the story; aiding because it keeps the reader in suspense about what she will do, but detracting because it means her actions are often not quite comprehensible to the reader. If she explains it over-much to her people. the story risks losing its sense of legitimate dialogue; if it isn't explained, readers are left with a culture and heroine that is just slightly incomprehensible. Thus, after I finished reading, I wasn't sure if I disliked Mara because of a lack of understanding, or because I disliked her because she was a truly dislikeable person. It reminds me, just a little, of the issues I faced in Joe Abercrombie's First Law series, only he was able to build a sense of complexity that lent itself to compassion. Mara just seems largely incomprehensible, except for the single-minded goal of avenging her family, a fact itself that seems inconsistent with a woman who had left her family for a religious life some time ago.

The only spot that the collaboration seemed not to have worked quite as well was the introduction of the cho-ja, the insect-like sentient beings. They played an enormous role in one chapter, and despite "Gaining this new hive would do more to preserve Acoma survival than any dozen clever plots on the High Council," they are only mentioned twice more in the rest of the book. It felt a little intrusive, and when I understood they were of Feist's creation for another aspect of the world, it made more sense. Less for the story, but more sense for the collaboration.

One of my largest barriers to enjoyment was Mara's marriage and the subsequent abuse she endured. The cynical part of me wonders if Feist wanted Wurts involved for that perspective alone, and to help legitimize a storyline that was extremely unpalatable. Regardless, my personal issues with that type of plotline are such that I will almost never like a book that involves that kind of abuse, unless done very, very, well. This was not, as it seemed mostly designed to create sympathy for Mara and how her husband was destroying her heritage--sort of. I actually ended up wondering how calculating she really was from the start, which made me like her less. (view spoiler).

I have other small quibbles that I won't go into, save to note they were there. Ultimately, though I read fantasy, this was not my type of sub-genre, so my thoughts are not predisposed to be generous. Two and a half stars. ...more

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Aug 20, 2014 Felicia added it

I read this years ago and picked it up again because I was into something non-European setting. This is an alt Asain world that is tangental to the Riftworld Saga by Feist, and is a REALLY good read. The protagonist is a young girl who must save her family and lands by growing up very quick. Nothing naughty in here, but lots of great politics a-la Game of Thrones. Highly recommend for a fun and different fantasy!

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Jan 21, 2019 Bradley rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2019-shelf

Having re-read the first four books in the Riftwar series, I'm FINALLY going to continue on with the full series in the order recommended.

I'll admit I was a bit skeptical about the collaboration because I was already a fan of Feist and simply wanted all the cool craziness and awesome ideas breaching time and space and two universes in his epic fantasy setup. :)

Moving on... this isn't that. It IS set on the world where Pug learned his mastery of magic, but beyond that and the focus o ...more

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Nov 19, 2009 Gail Carriger rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, reviewed, coop

Daughter of the Empire (and 2 following books) by Raymond Feist & Janny Wurts
This marvelous epic fantasy trilogy is full of political intrigue and subversive machinations set in an alternate medieval Japan where magic is real and the aliens landed a long time ago.

Feist & Wurts gave me one of my favorite characters of all time, Mara, who conquers an empire with the power of innovation, social acumen, and a trickster's luck.

This trilogy is a frequent reread for me. I love it so muc ...more

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Nov 10, 2013 Matthew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, library, 2014, series

Did you read the Riftwar Saga and love it?

Want to read something just as good, if not better?

Want to learn about life on the other side of the Rift?

You need to check this out!

It is a fantastic tale of honor, politics, and strategy. While some fantasy books have lots of physical battle, this story is mainly plotting, deception, and courtly games. Reading this is more like watching a puzzle being solved and wondering how things will finally come together in the ...more

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Dec 19, 2007 Jim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 3series, 2fiction, favorites, fantasy, sword-sorcery, 1paper

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 ...more

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Aug 08, 2018 Eric rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, raymond-e-feist

4 Stars

Filled with scheming and intrigue, Daughter of the Empire starts this Riftwar spinoff series strong. The story follows Mara, a young woman forced unexpectedly into leading her House through a dangerous game of politics as enemies circle, waiting to destroy her and her people.

There’s a lot of things to like in this book. First, the setting is fantastic. Set in the Tsurani culture, it’s very different to your average fantasy world. The culture has a lot of Asian elements and re 4 Stars

Filled with scheming and intrigue, Daughter of the Empire starts this Riftwar spinoff series strong. The story follows Mara, a young woman forced unexpectedly into leading her House through a dangerous game of politics as enemies circle, waiting to destroy her and her people.

There’s a lot of things to like in this book. First, the setting is fantastic. Set in the Tsurani culture, it’s very different to your average fantasy world. The culture has a lot of Asian elements and revolves around your House and family honor. There are tons of little flourishes and traditions that make the culture feel real, and the characters are all heavily influenced by the code of honor that holds their society together. The characters themselves are interesting, from Mara, the young ruling Lady, to her veteran commander to her old advisor to the various other scheming lords and rulers.

As the cover blurb alludes to, this book focuses heavily on politics, which in the Tsurani world is just as deadly as open combat. While at times I would have liked a little variety from the political intrigue, it was cleverly written and kept the tension high.

The book is written in such a way that if you haven’t read the Riftwar books, everything can still make sense. I would advise to read those books first, though, as it’ll give some additional depth and you’ll pick up on a few more things. Also, if I didn’t already know the culture and history of the Tsurani world, the beginning might have been a bit of a struggle until I got acclimatized. Besides, if you haven’t read Feist you’re missing out on some great classic fantasy.

Growing up, Feist’s Riftwar books where one of my main introductions to fantasy, and I read and reread them an embarrassing amount of times. For some reason I never picked up this series though. I think I was put off by the political intrigue focus, when I was younger that type of story didn’t interest me much. I’m glad I decided to come back and give these books a chance. ...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Kay rated it really liked it

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 by a facade of ...more

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Sep 20, 2019 YouKneeK rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: completed-series, fantasy

Daughter of the Empire is the first book in The Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. It takes place at the same time as Magician from the Riftwar Saga, but it’s set on a different world and focuses on different characters. There are a few references to the first subseries, but it would be easy to jump in here without any familiarity with the other books.

The story focuses primarily on Mara, a seventeen-year-old girl whose father and brother, not to mention a large portion of their military, are Daughter of the Empire is the first book in The Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. It takes place at the same time as Magician from the Riftwar Saga, but it’s set on a different world and focuses on different characters. There are a few references to the first subseries, but it would be easy to jump in here without any familiarity with the other books.

The story focuses primarily on Mara, a seventeen-year-old girl whose father and brother, not to mention a large portion of their military, are killed when an enemy house betrays them. Mara learns of this at the very beginning of the book, just as she’s in the middle of a ceremony to be initiated into a religious order. Mara is the only one left alive to lead her house, so her future is about to change drastically, if she can survive leading a house with depleted military forces and enemies determined to see her house fall.

I really enjoyed this. The story held my attention from beginning to end, and I felt like it had more depth and nuance as compared to the first subseries. There are a lot more shades of gray, both in the plot and in the characters. Mara is an easy character to sympathize with and root for, and I couldn’t help but cheer her every success, but at the same time I often felt uncomfortable about some things she did to achieve those successes. She isn’t a character I can love with blind devotion like I do some of the characters from the Riftwar Saga, but she feels real and she’s a lot of fun to read about. I loved her cleverness and her boldness, and her ability to adapt to a role that her upbringing had not prepared her for.

I also very much liked some of the other characters. The story is full of politics and scheming and some military action. I really didn’t think there were any slow parts, although it never quite became a compulsive read that I couldn’t put down. I’m rating this at 4.5 stars and rounding up to 5 on Goodreads. Despite being the first book in a trilogy, this book tells a complete story and would be satisfying on its own. I, however, am moving straight on to the next book. :) ...more

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Feb 12, 2018 Olivia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

What a wonderful book. Daughter of the Empire is set in a world inspired by Asia. There's not a lot of magic, instead it's all about intrigue and politics. In addition, expect a kick-ass female character.

Mara is simply one of the best female fantasy characters I've ever encountered. She is cunning and intelligent. This entire book is one big chess game filled with politics and betrayal, and Mara does not use strength and violence to win this game but her wit. It's a joy to watch her decimate he ...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Pauline Ross rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: actual-book, bookgroup1112, 2-star, genre-fantasy, year-2012

This book ought to have been right up my street; a non-medieval world, with limited magic, a slow pace driven by politics rather than endless battles, and a strong-minded female lead - what's not to like? In my case, the answer is: almost everything.

The opening felt surprisingly clunky and uncertain. Many fantasy works start with a dramatic event to draw the reader in, and leave the details of the background to wait for a quieter moment, but this tries to do both at once, with unconv This book ought to have been right up my street; a non-medieval world, with limited magic, a slow pace driven by politics rather than endless battles, and a strong-minded female lead - what's not to like? In my case, the answer is: almost everything.

The opening felt surprisingly clunky and uncertain. Many fantasy works start with a dramatic event to draw the reader in, and leave the details of the background to wait for a quieter moment, but this tries to do both at once, with unconvincing results. To some extent it's necessary to explain the unusually high levels of required etiquette, which is required to account for the protagonist's unnatural calmness in a crisis, but the authors simultaneously tried to convey her deep emotions, and this made for a very uneven few chapters. And somehow the situation felt rather forced to me. Are there really no other members of the family? This seems oddly shortsighted in a hereditary system (lots of babies, people; how hard is that to understand?).

The whole story rests on the shoulders of Mara, the seventeen year old protagonist. Given that the story opens with her about to take lifelong vows at a religious order, she seems initially unsuited for the leadership role thrust upon her, and perhaps that would have been a more interesting line to follow. However, it soon becomes clear that she is the conventional spirited and ambitious protagonist, quite prepared to be ruthless to achieve her political aims, and also prepared to take risks and break with tradition where she deems it necessary. Unfortunately, this very ruthlessness makes her something of an unsympathetic character. She has no qualms, it seems, about killing off slaves, rebellious soldiers or anyone else who gets in her way, or simply to send a message to her rivals. And considering that the concept of honour is deeply embedded in this society, she has (in fact, they all have) a very curious sense of honour which allows her to do (apparently) whatever the hell she wants.

The other main characters are all very black and white. Her family servants are the ultimate in loyal retainers, willing to die for her, but also intelligent, resourceful, competent... you get the picture. Her husband, carefully selected solely to create a protective alliance and give Mara an heir, is portrayed as an uncaring and violent brute. Some attempt is made to paint a more subtle picture of Buntokapi later on, but it's really too late by this time. Her enemies are no more than ciphers: the rival leader, driven by long-standing feuds whose origins are lost in time; the stupid men driven by lust; the vengeful woman. Only the Warlord has seems like a genuinely complex character. The rest are no more than lightly sketched background the better to illuminate Mara's perfection .

And here we come to the real problem with this book. (view spoiler)

So at this point I'm seriously disappointed. But then there's a seemingly trivial interaction between two supposedly minor characters, at the end of which there's a reveal which changes everything. All of a sudden the political shenanigans become much more complicated and very interesting indeed. For a moment the book gleams with possibilities. Sadly the rest of the book isn't like this. And in fact, immediately after this we're back to Mara being terribly clever and underhanded and devious. I would like her a bit better if she were not so downright nasty to people. Yes, I know she has reasons to be cautious of anyone approaching her, but surely the honour system would deny the sort of ritual humiliation she indulges in.

I was really looking forward to reading this. It presses all the right buttons for me. I like a world that's not a mud-bespattered caricature of the middle ages. I like the system of honour and the rigid protocol. I like a book which builds slowly without leaping from one set-piece battle to the next. I like a story built around characters. And yet none of it worked for me. The protocol and honour seemed to be no more than a clever plot device. The slowness of the book made it draggy at times - there were whole chapters devoted to seemingly trivial events which I lost interest in long before their purpose was revealed. And I hated Mara - really, really hated her. Are we actually supposed to root for a heroine who devises such unpleasant - no, downright evil schemes? There is nothing at all likeable, to my mind, about such a cruelly manipulative person. I can see the attraction in a woman facing up to adversity with spirit and determination and yes, even ruthlessness, so other readers may enjoy it much better, but it's not for me. So two stars for effort, I suppose, grudgingly.
...more

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Jun 13, 2017 Stevie Kincade rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, audiobooks, fantasy

I am a huge fan of Raymond Feist's Magician because it is one of those rare stories that doesn't have a beginning, middle and end. It doesn't follow the typical conflict/resolution setup and like the best stories it continues way past resolving of "the big conflict" and doesn't end neatly or suddenly like so many stories do. I was disappointed that after writing that masterpiece Feist apparently took a course on "how to write a book" and all of his stories followed the template of "The hero must complet I am a huge fan of Raymond Feist's Magician because it is one of those rare stories that doesn't have a beginning, middle and end. It doesn't follow the typical conflict/resolution setup and like the best stories it continues way past resolving of "the big conflict" and doesn't end neatly or suddenly like so many stories do. I was disappointed that after writing that masterpiece Feist apparently took a course on "how to write a book" and all of his stories followed the template of "The hero must complete a quest in 3 parts and will face roadblocks A, B and C before overcoming them". After finishing the Riftwar saga I was let down that the series never lived up the wide open unconventional ideas Feist showed with his debut.

This was my first time reading anything by Janny Wurts and this book was recommended to me due to my love of "court intrigue"/manners books with little or no magic.

This book ties into the "Riftwar saga"...barely - with mention of the Warlord, metal shortages and the Barbarians beyond the rift but there wasn't much of a payoff. The world felt really bland and nondescript. When the insect aliens were introduced I got briefly excited that some world building might take place but they were never referred to again. I can only assume they will be important in a later book.

On the positive side I never found the story boring or slow paced. There was always a goal or a problem for Mara to solve and I was happy to find out what that was until the next story nugget came along. In other words that "A then B then C" plot structure I hated in the Riftwar sequels was less apparent.

Narrator Tania Rodrigues was OK. Maybe a little below average in the acting department but she didn't distract from the story all that much.

This was a solid, workmanlike court intrigue. It was pretty simple to follow with obvious bad guys and no need to remember 17 house names and factions. Mara used a good combination of guile and chastely womanish charms to get her way. I thought the way she willingly waded into the death star at the end was a bit much but yup that's what heroes do I guess. I'm not sure if I will continue the series or not, it was fine but I think I'd prefer to continue with the Jaqueline Carey court intrigues. ...more

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Jan 25, 2019 Narilka rated it liked it

Shelves: fbr, read-in-2019

Rating: 3.5 stars

As the only daughter of Lord of the Acoma, Mara was expected to marry and bear children to continue the Acoma line and bring honor to her house. Instead, Mara has chosen a life of chastity and service of Lashmina, the Lady, Goddess of Inner Light. In the temple of Lashima seventeen-year-old Mara is about to take her oaths and join the Order of Lashima. Before the last gongs can sound there is a commotion in the temple as a warrior breaks through with news. Mara's fat Rating: 3.5 stars

As the only daughter of Lord of the Acoma, Mara was expected to marry and bear children to continue the Acoma line and bring honor to her house. Instead, Mara has chosen a life of chastity and service of Lashmina, the Lady, Goddess of Inner Light. In the temple of Lashima seventeen-year-old Mara is about to take her oaths and join the Order of Lashima. Before the last gongs can sound there is a commotion in the temple as a warrior breaks through with news. Mara's father and brother are dead to treachery of a rival house. Mara must return home and take up her inheritance as Ruling Lady of the Acoma lest her house fall into ruin. Untried and untested Mara now must lead her people in her society's complex game of honor among the great houses if the Acoma are to have a future. Let the Game of the Council begin!

Daughter of the Empire is the first in the Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. Overlapping the timeline of the Riftwar, we get a look into the life and world on the other side of the Rift in the empire of Tsuranuanni. It has been many years since I read the Riftwar quartet so I was a little concerned going in that I would be missing out on something as I don't remember many details at this point. Turns out that this book only has a couple mentions of the war and the context for what you need to know are given in the book. I would say you can probably read these first though I imagine you'll have a deeper experience if you read the series in publishing order and closer together than I did.

The Empire of Tsuranuanni has a lot of Asian influences with touches of Mayan/Incan cultures. The society is based on Great Houses and heavily caste based with a highly complicated and strict system of honor. The people of the world hold their code of honor so high they will often choose death over dishonor. It also makes navigating society an interesting game, the Game of the Council as it's called, as the slightest change in expression or wording can take people from being the best of friends to the most hated of enemies. While the rules are not well explained I felt like I understood it well enough to follow along with Mara's decision making in her society's context.

The story is told from Mara's point of view. She is the type of heroine I love in fantasy. She meets her challenges head on and proves she's up to the task. Highly intelligent, she constantly proves that people underestimate her abilities at political intrigue. She tackles her problems logically and it's with her rigid political structure in mind that she's able to manipulate events to turn in her favor. She goes on quite a character arc that by the end of the book most of Tusarni society knows that Mara of the Acoma is a force to be reckoned with.

Overall this was an intriguing read. There were some great moments though it is a slow burn in general as the story takes a lot of setup for each situation to come to fruition. It made for some uneven pacing as I blew through some parts and the book was easy to set aside others. There were also a couple other minor annoyances that I won't get into save to note they are there. I enjoyed the book enough I will definitely be continuing on to the second. ...more

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Jun 14, 2018 Emily rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I'm a bit torn on what to rate this - 3.5? 4?. I think the book/series has potential, but there were a few things that bugged me...

1. Mara starts off the book as this innocent, naive, anxious teenage girl, then a few days later she's turned into this conniving, cunning, political player who is besting everyone - including men who have been playing at dangerous politics for their entire lives.

2. Mara never tells anyone her plans - even when it would be helpful to her prote ...more

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Jan 24, 2019 Lena rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, fantasy

Politics, intrigue, lust, assassination, bluffs, and bravery: the Game of the Council, so portrayed as overcomplicated dangerous frippery in the previous Midkemia novels.

Well, no one's laughing now.

No one thought the young nun foisted to head her great house would live out the year.

Well, no one's laughing now.

Having read 42% of the book I thought I would enjoy all of it.

Well, I stopped laughing.
I stopped smiling.
I stopped reading.

For over 20% of the book Buntopkapi raped, beat, and humiliated Mara and members of the household. It ...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Sandra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, audio

There's a discussion going on right now at Goodreads about whether magic is necessary to a fantasy novel, and I have to say that this one certainly proves that it's not at all necessary. The realm of Kelewan is on the other side of the 'rift' from the realm of Midkemia that we were introduced to in the four Riftwar novels leading up to this one. It's a fully formed land with strange (to us) flora and fauna and other races (the choja). While it has an oriental flavor, it is also original and fasc ...more

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Mar 19, 2017 Amanda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was excellent, exactly the type of fantasy I dig. Sure, battles are fine, but the polite smiles and sharp wits of politics that feature in this novel really make me invest. And this one has the addition of a truly strong female character. Mara of the Acoma is thrust into the position of Lady of her House by the deaths of her father and brother. She is unused to the Great Game of the Council, and has few allies outside her own house. Through her knowledge, sharpness of mind and staggering br ...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Penny rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, series

I didn't particularly enjoy this one. Perhaps my expectations were a bit high after loving The Riftwar Saga as much as I did.

For me it felt a lot like I was watching someone play a game that I didn't know the rules of. I knew that Mara was plotting something and her seemingly unwise behaviour was motivated by some secret scheme she had planned, but since I didn't know all the rules within the culture of the Tsurani I couldn't possibly foresee how her plans might work out until they d ...more

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Jan 06, 2019 Timelord Iain rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-reads, genre-sf-fantasy, buddy-read, audiobook-listen-2019, 5-star-rating

Favorite Riftwar book to date... wish more of Janny Wurts books were on audio, because I'm loving her influences on this collaboration. Reminds me a bit of Shalador's Lady & the Shadow Queen, from Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series (with higher stakes)... might not be able to wait until the next Buddy Read to continue...

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Dec 27, 2013 Laura Hughes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

At the beginning of this year I embarked on my Big Riftwar Read/Re-read, starting with Magician and the rest of the Riftwar Saga. Part of the reason I’ve been so enthusiastic about this so far is because I couldn’t wait to revisit one of my favourite series of all times: the Empire trilogy. The trilogy is a stunning collaboration between Feist and his fellow epic fantasy writer Janny Wurts, and reveals much more of the world on the ‘other side’ of the Rift. This isn’t the Middle-Earth-ish Midkem At the beginning of this year I embarked on my Big Riftwar Read/Re-read, starting with Magician and the rest of the Riftwar Saga. Part of the reason I’ve been so enthusiastic about this so far is because I couldn’t wait to revisit one of my favourite series of all times: the Empire trilogy. The trilogy is a stunning collaboration between Feist and his fellow epic fantasy writer Janny Wurts, and reveals much more of the world on the ‘other side’ of the Rift. This isn’t the Middle-Earth-ish Midkemia, with its forests and its mud and its grey skies; this is Kelewan, hot and exotic, home to a powerful society in which personal honour is held above all else, ritual suicide is the norm, and public displays of emotion are deemed shameful. This intriguing society places great emphasis on honour and social standing, and reader will come to understand – and be fascinated by – the social implications of such seemingly minor things as clothing, jewellery, and behaviour such as bowing or smiling.

I LOVE reading about Tsurani society. Kelewan is bizarre and colourful, and its inhabitants even more so. The rich and powerful consider it a mark of wealth and status to dress extravagantly, even gaudily, to the point where even their soldiers wear armour to reflect the colours of the family they serve. Tsurani society is organised into strict hierarchical family units, with the more powerful of these families referred to as Houses. There are hundreds of these Ruling families, each with their own colours and allegiances, and the book’s frequent and casual references to lots of different names really conveys a sense of the sprawling and ancient hierarchical society of the Tsurani empire. This society revolves almost entirely around politics, deriving much of its order from an endless political struggle known only as the Game of the Council.

Daughter of the Empire accompanies Mara, the new and untested Ruling Lady of House Acoma, throughout the first two years of her rule as she strives to protect her ancestral family name and gain enough strength and standing to enter the Game of the Council. The book focuses solely on her social, emotional and political journey, from a sheltered temple initiate to an independent Ruling Lady. Mara is a sympathetic and admirable protagonist, someone you can really root for. She starts out in a frighteningly weak position, and must use her wits and resources to strengthen her House, making great sacrifices along the way. Mara regrets not having the physical strength to defend her family: her enemies undermine and underestimate her since she is a member of the ‘weaker sex’, and she’s forced to compensate by exercising exceptional skill in the areas of politics, business and high society. She goes above and beyond expectations to ensure the honour of her House is preserved, even to the point of orchestrating schemes that are uncharacteristically ruthless and vicious, and often struggles to deal with the emotional turmoil that often arises as a consequence of her actions.

Feist has created a beautiful and deadly world, and here Wurts really helps to bring it to life. Each page bursts with the rich and vivid setting of Kelewan, with just a sentence or two here and there managing to evoke smells and sounds and colours: you can hear the calls of the bargemen and see the bustle of the markets when Mara travels to the city; and you can smell the akasi blossoms in the evening and hear the needra being brought in from pasture when she returns to the peaceful Acoma estates. Daughter of the Empire is immersive and flowing, and is thoroughly engaging for its setting and atmosphere as much as its plot. There’s little in the way of action, and there are few scenes in the book that can be described as fast-paced, yet Daughter of the Empire is never plodding or arduous. There are plenty of tense moments, as well as one or two mini climaxes before the big finale, and the authors make even the nuances of Tsurani politics thrilling to read. And of course there’s nothing better than witnessing the political payoffs: it’s well worth the wait to see Mara’s plots finally coming to fruition after hundreds of pages of plotting and pain.

Re-reading Daughter of the Empire after so many years has reaffirmed this trilogy as one of my favourites of all time. Knowing how the rest of the series pans out only makes me more eager to continue with the series, and more enthusiastic in recommending it to others. Seriously: it’s magnificent. ...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Giacomo rated it it was amazing

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 it was amazing

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 th ...more

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Nov 19, 2007 Tina rated it really liked it

Shelves: z2018-reads, sff-fantasy, audiobook, re-read

RE-READ: this trilogy is now available on audio but I had read it so long ago I decided to give it a whirl as an audiobook. My original review (below) and rating still stand up as my feelings are still the same. This is great book, and just like when I originally read it, one of the things I appreciate the most about it is that an old skool epic fantasy doesn't have to take place in a setting that is a Medieval Western Europe analogue.

One thing that did change for me a bit is that, while yes, I RE-READ: this trilogy is now available on audio but I had read it so long ago I decided to give it a whirl as an audiobook. My original review (below) and rating still stand up as my feelings are still the same. This is great book, and just like when I originally read it, one of the things I appreciate the most about it is that an old skool epic fantasy doesn't have to take place in a setting that is a Medieval Western Europe analogue.

One thing that did change for me a bit is that, while yes, I sill really rooted for Mara, this time around I saw her as more manipulative than I did the first time around. I mean, to survive the game of council -- which is their way of life -- you have to be constantly thinking ten moves ahead of the other people around you or else you die. And Mara's situation was more dire than most. But there were flashes where Mara's manipulation feels like a punch down. Her two biggest pawns in the book, Buntokapi and Bruli, were rather weak and really just not up to her weight in either intelligence or cunning. She singled them out to neutralize bigger threats and while it is a rather delicious to read on one hand, it is a rather dirty victory. To her credit, Mara does come to the same conclusion. But still I just felt it more this time around compared to my hand-wave of the collateral damage the first time around.

The narrator was great. I plan to follow up with the rest of the trilogy on audio.
-------------------

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

SYNOPSIS: Just a few short gongs away from being pronounced a priestess of the Goddess Lashima, Mara of the Acoma is whisked away from the sanctuary of the Goddess to take over as Ruling Lady of her House. Her father and brother, through the devious machinations of a lifelong enemy have perished in the Riftwar. Now it is up to Mara, a young, naïve girl to see to it that her family name isn't obliterated.

In the land of Tsurani, the ruling houses play a deadly form of political one-upmanship known as The Great Game. Murder is only frowned upon if you do it in poor form. And Mara's death is being meticulously planned by the same wily person who planned her father's death. But Mara, young though she is, won't go without a fight. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Mara flouts long held traditions in order to bring her family name back to strength. Mara quickly learns how to play the Game and to manipulate events to her favor. She gains a provident alliance with an alien race, she chances upon a very clever spy, and she brokers herself into an advantageous marriage. And while Mara only does what she needs to in order to survive, others see her as ambitious and dangerous, creating more enemies than she started with.

The Good:
I love political intrigue books especially set in fantasy, alien worlds. Tsurani has a very oriental flavor which is a real nice departure from the more common western-European/medieval flavor most fantasy novels have. The authors do a fantastic job of painting a picture of a very mannered culture steeped in very rigid ideals of honor, caste and duty.

Mara is an engaging heroine. You get her inner dialogue full of doubt, fear, desperation and you get her outer visage that is remote, serene and above all, correct. She is the ultimate out-of-the box thinker and in the context of the story it works. Desperation often makes people do unconventional things. It is also nice that while the authors make her a generally sympathetic character she can also be as manipulative and ambitious as her detractors think she is.

Great set up for the next book in the series.

The Not So Good.
Things happen too neatly for Mara. She is extremely lucky and I think this is a flaw in the storytelling. Yes, it is great to see Mara triumph and outwit her enemies, but I wish the road to her triumph was a bit sloppier, not so precise. People don't act like you want them to all the time. They are unpredictable and surprising. But they fall into her traps easily enough. Also she hits the right mark too often. Yes, she listened to her father practice state craft as a child but sometimes her actions bespeak a sophistication that should be beyond her.

But these are small quibbles. Overall this was a fun and fast read and leaves you anticipating the follow up. ...more

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Mar 26, 2011 Mike rated it really liked it

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 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. ...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Molly Ison rated it it was ok

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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Aug 29, 2014 Adrian G Hilder rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adrians-recommended-5-star-reads

I read Daughter of the Empire so long ago I can't write a detailed review now. What I can tell you is The Empire Trilogy left a lasting impression on me. Almost 30 years later I can still say Mara of the Acoma is my all time favourite fantasy heroine. She never touches a weapon of war as far as I can remember. She is armed with her wits and intellect and wields them to devastating effect.

It is best to read Magician (these days split into two volumes Magician: Apprentice Magician: Master) then Silverthorn and A Darkness ...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Daughter of the Empire [Jan 1, 2019]	74	64	Feb 01, 2019 12:49AM
Play Book Tag: Daughter of the Empire by Raymond Feist - 5 Stars	9	20	Jan 15, 2019 07:54AM
Gail Carriger Fan...: December 2014: Daughter of the Empire by Feist & Wurts (Adult)	26	78	Sep 03, 2018 05:14AM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Daughter of the Empire [Feb 8, 2018]	79	51	Feb 22, 2018 05:57PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Adult Fantasy - Girl about to join convent, then father brother murdered and she must head her heavily weakened family. [s]	3	19	Jan 31, 2018 02:25PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. The heroine goes through this series growing as a person. She has to find a way to keep her family in honor, she marries the enemy, manages to gain the aid of a sentient warrior bees in her planet. /s	4	28	Aug 06, 2014 05:32PM

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About Raymond E. Feist

Raymond E. Feist

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Raymond E. Feist was born Raymond E. Gonzales III, but took his adoptive step-father's 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 1 ...more