It was a life that she never wanted. But it was a responsibility that she couldn't ignore. Mara, newly made Lady of the Acoma, must navigate ruthless politics, crafty spies, deadly assassins and ruthless opponents in order to save her House from complete annihilation.
Epic Fantasy Series Summary by Mulluane
This saga is set in a world that reminds me of feudal Japan. A world where honor is everything and the dishonored commit ritual suicide by falling on their swords. Internal politics provide the conflict, black magicians provide the magic and Mara fits the mold of reluctant heroine to a tee...
♦ The Story. The series follows the life of a young girl literally minutes from pledging her life to a temple. That is before she receives word that she is the sole surviving heir to the House Acoma and therefore its Ruling Lady.
The series chronicles her struggles, her tragedies and her triumphs through multiple marriages, numerous brushes with death, and several children. Having not been trained as heir, Mara must learn and learn quickly how to navigate the deadly Game of Council. Fortunately, she is surrounded by loyal soldiers and one irascible servant. With their help, she learns to survive but it is her own ability to think outside of the box that leads to her victories.
♦ The Magic. Magic in this world rests solely in the hands of the Black Magicians. Anyone found to have power is removed from their family, required to cut all family ties and must promise to dedicate their abilities to the "good of the empire."
Obedience to the Magicians is unquestioning. They are extremely powerful, greatly feared and mysteriously reclusive. A Magician's word is law and not even the Emperor can gainsay them.
♦ Character or Plot? Without a doubt this is a character-driven story. Mara grabs you from the first page and holds you to the last. The secondary characters are colorful and often temporary, but none of them ever take over the POV. This is all Mara, all the time.
The plot on the other hand, keeps things moving steadily along and it too varies widely. You have adventure, travel scenes, home life, and trade wars. There is plenty of action in the form of assassins, spies, blood feuds and foreign battles. There is romance and intrigue, alien creatures and defiant slaves, uneasy alliances and unexpected allies, a divine emperor and conniving mages.
Trust me, this story is never boring!
♦ Conclusion. This series will keep you entertained as you suffer when Mara suffers and cheer when Mara triumphs. And you will miss her once the series is done.
Daughter of the Empire ~ Servant of the Empire ~ Mistress of the Empire
Author: Raymond E. Feist
Author: Janny Wurts
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Content: Political Intrigue, Magicians, Strong Female Lead
Series: Riftwar Saga: Empire Trilogy
Publisher: Random House
Source: Personal Copies
Amazon Affiliate Links: Daughter of the Empire ~ Servant of the Empire ~ Mistress of the Empire
Cover Art: Don Maitz
All are available in Kindle
See individual reviews for more information.
More Great Epic Fantasy Series
Epic Fantasy Series Summary of Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts - Reviewed by
Mulluane
- on
April 11 2015
- Rating:
of 5 Stars
Now I have to read this! I have not been in the reading game very long, so I have not read a whole lot. But I have been searching for a sort of samurai fantasy, and I think this will be the next best thing. How exciting. Currently I am going through all of R.A. Salvatores works, but once I have scaled that mountain this series will be my next go to. Thanx for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! This series is truly a gem that I bet has largely been forgotten. I hope you enjoy it :>)
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