From Publishers Weekly
The trilogy begun with Daughter of the Empire is here brought to a strong conclusion. Lady Mara of the Acoma clan, named Servant of the Empire by Ichindar, Emperor of the Tsuranuanni, whom she has raised from figurehead to true ruler, feels safe from her enemies for the first time in her life--until an assassination attempt aimed at her kills her young son and heir instead. Convinced her old foe, Jiro of the House Anasati, is behind the deed, she plans war. But her desires are thwarted by the reactionary Assembly of Magicians, who are, Mara begins to understand, the true power in the Empire, having kept the people docile for a millennium. In her fight to bring down her enemies and ensure peace for the Empire, Mara must employ the nonhuman cho-ja and an ancient secret. The characters' efforts to work out their destinies within the constraints of a tradition-bound culture is depicted with skill. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Lady Mara of the Acoma, consummate player of the deadly game of intrigue that maintains the stability of the Tsurani Empire, pits her vision of a transformed society against an apparently unbeatable foe in this conclusion to a trilogy that includes Daughter of the Empire ( LJ 6/15/87) and Servant of the Empire ( LJ 10/15/90). Feist and Wurts have created an exotic fantasy world that is rich in texture and alive with political machinations. Fans of the series, as well as readers interested in Feist's "Riftwar" novels (set in a related universe), will enjoy this well-constructed fantasy.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
``The morning sun shone.'' So begins this concluding volume of the trilogy (Daughter of the Empire, 1987; Servant of the Empire, 1990), in a style more evocative of The Hungry Caterpillar than its obvious paradigm, Shogun. Tsuranuanni, the world on the other side of Feist's previous Riftwar saga, is a pseudo-medieval-Japanese contrivance of contending warlords and aristocratic families, with dollops of magic thrown in. Lady Mara of the Acoma clan is now the most powerful woman of the Empire, hence the target of violent dissent. Her son Ayaki is killed in an assassination attempt whose real target was Mara herself. Gradually, after many distractions, the antagonists are revealed: Mara and her insectoid-alien cho-ja allies must battle the vastly powerful Assembly of Magicians. Mara eventually wins, by a trick so flimsy that it is not worth repeating here, to preserve the leadership for her other son Justin, whose Midkemian father, Kevin, also shows up. Wearisome twaddle that just lies there, quivering feebly. Addicts only. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Review
"I enjoyed [Mistress Of The Empire ] enormously . . .  I particularly enjoyed Mara's adventures in the land outside the Empire."--Robert Gellis, Author of Masques Of Gold and Fires Of Winter


Review
"I enjoyed [Mistress Of The Empire ] enormously . . .  I particularly enjoyed Mara's adventures in the land outside the Empire."--Robert Gellis, Author of Masques Of Gold and Fires Of Winter


Book Description
The world on the other side of the rift: Kelewan, a land seething with political intrigue and deadly conspiracies. Following the opulent panoply of Daughter Of The Empire and the dazzling pageantry of Servant Of The Empire comes the resounding conclusion to the Empire trilogy.Besieged by spies and rival houses, stalked by a secret and merciless brotherhood of assassins, the brilliant Lady Mara of the Acoma faces the most deadly challenge she has ever known. The fearsome Black Robes see Mara as the ultimate threat to their ancient power. In search of allies who will join her against them, Mara must travel beyond civilization's borders and even into the hives of the alien cho-ja. As those near and dear to her fall victim to many enemies, Mara cries out for vengeance. Drawing on all of her courage and guile she prepares to fight her greatest battle of all--for her life, her home, and the Empire itself.


The publisher, Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
"The world on the other side of the rift: Kelewan, a land seething with political intrigue and deadly conspiracies. Following the opulent panoply of Daughter Of The Empire and the dazzling pageantry of Servant Of The Empire comes the resounding conclusion to the Empire trilogy.Besieged by spies and rival houses, stalked by a secret and merciless brotherhood of assassins, the brilliant Lady Mara of the Acoma faces the most deadly challenge she has ever known. The fearsome Black Robes see Mara as the ultimate threat to their ancient power. In search of allies who will join her against them, Mara must travel beyond civilization's borders and even into the hives of the alien cho-ja. As those near and dear to her fall victim to many enemies, Mara cries out for vengeance. Drawing on all of her courage and guile she prepares to fight her greatest battle of all--for her life, her home, and the Empire itself."I enjoyed [Mistress Of The Empire ] enormously . . . I particularly enjoyed Mara's adventures in the land outside the Empire."--Robert Gellis, Author of Masques Of Gold and Fires Of Winter


From the Inside Flap
The world on the other side of the rift:  Kelewan, a land seething with political intrigue and deadly conspiracies.  Following the opulent panoply of Daughter Of The Empire and the dazzling pageantry of Servant Of The Empire comes the resounding conclusion to the Empire trilogy.



Besieged by spies and rival houses, stalked by a secret and merciless brotherhood of assassins, the brilliant Lady Mara of the Acoma faces the most deadly challenge she has ever known.  The fearsome Black Robes see Mara as the ultimate threat to their ancient power.  In search of allies who will join her against them, Mara must travel beyond civilization's borders and even into the hives of the alien cho-ja.  As those near and dear to her fall victim to many enemies, Mara cries out for vengeance.  Drawing on all of her courage and guile she prepares to fight her greatest battle of all--for her life, her home, and the Empire itself.


From the Back Cover
"I enjoyed [Mistress Of The Empire ] enormously . . . I particularly enjoyed Mara's adventures in the land outside the Empire."--Robert Gellis, Author of Masques Of Gold and Fires Of Winter

ANNOTATION

With magnificent cover art from a Hugo Award-winning artist, this superb conclusion to Feist and Wurts' epic collaboration is destined to attract an even larger audience. Filled with intrigue, magic, and surprising passion, Mistress of the Empire continues the saga of one woman's battle to conquer and transform her world.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The world on the other side of the rift: Kelewan, a land seething with political intrigue and deadly conspiracies. Following the opulent panoply of Daughter Of The Empire and the dazzling pageantry of Servant Of The Empire comes the resounding conclusion to the Empire trilogy.

Besieged by spies and rival houses, stalked by a secret and merciless brotherhood of assassins, the brilliant Lady Mara of the Acoma faces the most deadly challenge she has ever known. The fearsome Black Robes see Mara as the ultimate threat to their ancient power. In search of allies who will join her against them, Mara must travel beyond civilization's borders and even into the hives of the alien cho-ja. As those near and dear to her fall victim to many enemies, Mara cries out for vengeance. Drawing on all of her courage and guile she prepares to fight her greatest battle of all—for her life, her home, and the Empire itself.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The trilogy begun with Daughter of the Empire is here brought to a strong conclusion. Lady Mara of the Acoma clan, named Servant of the Empire by Ichindar, Emperor of the Tsuranuanni, whom she has raised from figurehead to true ruler, feels safe from her enemies for the first time in her life--until an assassination attempt aimed at her kills her young son and heir instead. Convinced her old foe, Jiro of the House Anasati, is behind the deed, she plans war. But her desires are thwarted by the reactionary Assembly of Magicians, who are, Mara begins to understand, the true power in the Empire, having kept the people docile for a millennium. In her fight to bring down her enemies and ensure peace for the Empire, Mara must employ the nonhuman cho-ja and an ancient secret. The characters' efforts to work out their destinies within the constraints of a tradition-bound culture is depicted with skill. (May)

Library Journal

Lady Mara of the Acoma, consummate player of the deadly game of intrigue that maintains the stability of the Tsurani Empire, pits her vision of a transformed society against an apparently unbeatable foe in this conclusion to a trilogy that includes Daughter of the Empire ( LJ 6/15/87) and Servant of the Empire ( LJ 10/15/90). Feist and Wurts have created an exotic fantasy world that is rich in texture and alive with political machinations. Fans of the series, as well as readers interested in Feist's ``Riftwar'' novels (set in a related universe), will enjoy this well-constructed fantasy.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING