Servant of the Empire (Riftwar Cycle: The Empire Trilogy)

In "Daughter of the Empire" the first book of the series, Mara of the Acoma defeated her most immediate and dangerous enemy and saved her family name from obliteration. However, the defeat of Jingu of the Minwanabi doesn't end Mara's problems. Jingu's son Desio and his nephew Tasaio have merely taken up the family cause. And Tasaio was the cunning architect of the plans that killed Mara's father and brother. A long range thinker and a proponent of the idea of a well laid plan, Tasaio is a formidable enemy.In the meantime, Mara buys Kevin of Zun and takes him into her home as a slave. As prisoners of war from the land of Midkemia across the rift, Kevin and his "barbarian" countrymen make terrible slaves. They don't believe in the Kelewanese concept of caste or of their treatment of slaves. They are rebellious, prone to escape and refuse to bow down to their masters. Mara is fascinated by the handsome slave and his strange ideas of freedom. Soon Mara and Kevin become lovers and Mara begins to learn more about the way of life in Midkemia. Kevin quickly becomes a valuable part of Mara's household and in her fight against her enemies. Mara has always been an unpredictable thinker and incorporating Kevin's off-worlder ideas into the fabric of her moves in the Great Game of Council further confounds her enemies.Once again Mara manages to outwit her enemies using unconventional thinking, a lot of luck, and an Emperor who doesn't plan to be just a figurehead any longer.The second book of Wurts' and Feist's Empire series is equal parts political fantasy and romance novel. Mara is once again deeply involved in the maneuverings and manipulations that at once gain her stature among her peers and strengthen her House against those who would see her destroyed. The inclusion of Kevin gives Mara a true love interest (her abusive husband from the previous book doesn't qualify) and gives her an outsider's view of her culture's enigmatic and often destructive way of life. It also ushers in the change of Mara from uncanny survivor to social reformer. I liked the first book in the series but I liked this one better. The characters deepen, we see more of the countryside and meet more of the Tsurani people including the Emperor and the mysterious Black Robes. The introduction of the outlander Kevin to the story helps to drive the plot and also serves as a logical place for exposition. Kevin can stand in for the reader and ask the questions "Why" and make the wry observations that about the Tsurani way of life. He serves brilliantly as the Outsider-who shakes-up-the-establishment and is the focal point of the members of Mara's household beginning to question their culture's stance on many issues including honor, death and slavery. Great book. I Highly recommend.

With Servant of the Empire fantasy author Janny Wurts successfully continues her magnificent Kelewan series. Lady Mara of the Acoma not only has succeeded to strengthen her terribly weakened house, but also has managed to strike a severe blow to the House of Minwanabi, her blood-sworn arch-enemies. But the forthcoming events don't give much room to relax, as her enemies rally under a much more deadly leader and occurrences of a much wider scale threaten to upset the very foundations of Tsurani society. But again Mara finds yet another unexpected source of help.Enter Kevin, a captive from Midkemia, the world beyond the Rift. A battle-proven veteran, smart, witty and not willing to accept his place as a will-less slave in a society that is solidified in its own rigid traditions and castes. He wins the heart of Mara (admittedly not that unexpected, but that's okay) and earns the legitimate respect of Mara's most trusted intimates and officers. But most important, he lends Mara new insights to her own society, one of these being an awakened awareness that it's the deeds that define a man's worth and not his social standing.One may argue now, that constellations like a slave winning his mistress' (or her master's) heart while changing her (his) view to things around her (him) are nothing new, but the way Janny Wurts exploits this setup for the trilogy's overall development is brilliant. One reason is, that in contrary to the first book, where Mara was the absolute main protagonist, she now has to share sympathies with Kevin. The recurring changes between both characters' viewpoints paint a whole new picture of the world of Kelewan.Additionally Janny Wurts once again delves deep into the fascinations of a complex political and social structure with intricate plots, ambitious rulers and a deadliness that can plunge a mighty House into utter destruction just within a good day's scheming. And of course for all fans of Feist's Midkemia saga, the events involving Mara and Kevin are perfectly woven into the plot preset by Feist.As a summary, Servant of the Empire is a great fantasy novel, which manages to grab the readers attention for many hours but still has enough room to spin a complex tale with love for detail and many surprising twists.

Once again, the Feist-Wurts team has created a beautiful masterpiece. Feist supplies the intricate fantasy setting, and Wurts tells the tale from a woman's perspective. Fearfully, I actually began to view Mara of the Acoma as my own personal hero! Time to take a break and ground myself in reality. But truth to tell, Janny Wurtz has struck an admirable balance between strength, beauty, and self-improvement. The Feist-Wurtz heroine is a more realistic one than is often seen on the fantasy shelves, as the progression of the story lies as much in her own development as in the plot. Forgoing the traditional "sword and sorcery" formula, this book may well be a fiction novel from another world.

This is a wonderful book! Full of political intrigue, love, greed, and just about everything to make this a rewarding read of fantasy and sci-fi! Lady Mara of the Acoma is the brilliant Ruling Lady who happens to thwart and conquer just about anyone who tries to mess with her. Introducing Kevin, her barbarian lover, and the old cast, including Nacoya, Keyoke, and her son and Spy Master. It is a must-read! She might seem harsh at times, and she gets all goody at the end, but all in all it is a wonderful wonderful book! --Phoenix King

The only one of Feist's novels that I have read 4 times, Servant of the Empire is a brilliant balance of politics that would make anything on earth seem like a nursery game, and an emotional upheaval in a woman who for the first time sees the injustices of the society she has been brought up to love before all other things. Along with A Darkness at Sethanon, this novel is Feist's best. After the tragedies of the Riftwar, any story that can make me relate to the Tsurani more than the people of the kingdom has to be amazing. Another Empire novel would be a dream come true!