Daughter of The Empire [Hardcover]

Raymond E Feist (Author), Janny Wurts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 19, 1987

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 must rally an army of rebel warriors, form a pact with the alien cho-ja, and marry the son of a hated enemy.  Only then can Mara face her most dangerous foe of all--in his own impregnable stronghold.  An epic tale of adventure and intrigue.  Daughter of the Empire is fantasy of the highest order by two of the most talented writers in the field today.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Feist, author of the Riftwar Trilogy, and Wurts, whose fantasy novels include Sorcerer's Legacy and Stormwarden, have combined their skills to produce this absorbing saga. Mara is taking her final religious vows when a messenger interrupts the ceremony to report the deaths in battle of her father and brother. Now Ruling Lady of the Acoma, the teenager must rally its depleted forces against many enemies, particularly Lord Jingu of the Minwanabi, who sent her menfolk to their demise. Hampered though she is by the rigid traditions of her Oriental society, Mara replenishes her army with the masterless grey warriors and skillfully reaches a bargain with the cho-ja, insectoid aliens. Her most dangerous gambit is a political marriage to cement an alliance. Deprived of overt status, she finds it difficult to manipulate her brutish but cunning husband. This full-bodied dynastic fantasy has the sweep and drama of a good historical novel about an exotic time and place.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'A gripping tale' THE TIMES --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 394 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (May 19, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385233930
• ISBN-13: 978-0385233934
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #943,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wurts shows her stuff based on Feist's Kelewan world, March 10, 2001

By 

Phome "phome" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daughter of the Empire (Mass Market Paperback)

"Daughter of the Empire" is a powerful story of Mara of the Acoma who, upon the murder of her father and brother by an sinister plot of the family's arch-enemy, is left as the only remaining heir of the Acoma estate. In a world where life has no meaning, so long as it is forfeited via subtle political strokes through great Game, Mara needs every scrap of her wits, stubborness and determination to survive and continue the Acoma line.

In this book and the rest of the series, the innocent girl from convent life becomes a powerful and dangerous Player. Determined to be unmoved by her unfortunate position, Mara's keen political sense ensures her survival. Her resolve, persistance and imagination (unusual for the ever traditionally minded Tsurani) propels her family from what is, at best, an uncertain position to one of the most powerful in the world. BUT, not without paying a price. Mara must learn that she is, first and foremost, human, before she is a player.

Based on Feist's Kelewan world, the "aliens" as created in the "Magician" series, Wurts adds her talent for detailed plot, intrigue and human emotion to Feist's imaginative series, to create one of the most powerful stories in fantasy today.

For those who've read the "Magician" series, you will be excited to recognise a number of characters and learn to understand what drives the "aliens". For Wurts fans - this book will not disappoint you - it has every speck of Wurts-ness that make her other series so darn good.

In one word: "unputdownable".

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is the start of a great series, August 2, 2000

By 

Travis Cottreau (Wellington, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daughter of the Empire (Mass Market Paperback)

Daughter of the Empire and the two books that follow are a must for any Raymond Feist fan. It matches the rift war saga in enjoyability and surpases anything else that Feist has worked on. I haven't read any Janny Wurts stuff, so I don't know how it compares.

The book is almost historical fiction, except the events take place in a completely ficticious asian style world. There are enough fantastical elements (the black ones and the Cho-ja) to keep fantasy enthousiasts entertained, but this goes far beyond run of the mill fantasy novels. The writing moves along at a great pace, it starts fast and never stops. The characters are almost always cool and fun to read about, there are seldom characters who you are sorry to get back to when their plot line rotates back again (especially the spy master, I loved that guy).

If you've read these books and are looking for something along similar lines, you'll almost certainly be entertained by Sean Russell's "Initiate Brother" and "Gatherer of Clouds" which are very similar and just as fun to read.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great look at Feist's world of Kelewan., March 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Daughter of the Empire (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a great fan of Raymond E. Feist, and have read all of his books numerous times. In fact, most of the books are so worn out that the pages are falling out. The Empire trilogy is almost as good or better than the Riftwar Saga. It explores the strange culture of Kelewan touched on in Magician:Master and a little in Silverthorn.

Lady Mara is an intriguing character, and is extremely loveable. She is one of the greatest fantasy characters I have ever encountered. Despite the length of the books in this series, it is impossible to put them down. The intrigue and trials in the "Great Game" are unmatched in any other book that I have read. If you are a fan of Eddings, Jordan, McCaffery, or any other fantasy author, READ THIS SERIES, you won't be disappointed.