Reviews

Mistress Of The Empire by Janny Wurts, Raymond E. Feist

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nclcaitlin's review

3.75

The past three years had been good ones. For the first time since childhood, she felt safe, secure from the deadly, unending political intrigues of the Game of the Council.
Mara and Hokanu, with loyal vassals and allies, between them commanded a standing army unsurpassed in the Nations.

However, many would see the Good Servant on her way to Turakamu's halls, simply because of her breaks with tradition, and her climb to a rank unmatched by any previous Warlord.
Most of all Lord Jiro of Anasati. Over the years his youthful thirst for retribution had darkened into the abiding obsession of a dangerous, cunning rival.

Due to Mara’s elevation at the end of the last book, if the Acoma showed any sign of irresolution, the faction that had begun to form in rigid adherence to old traditions would use this as an excuse to throw the Empire into civil war.

This book is more sprawling than the first two, encapsulating many more perspectives at more frequency. Hokanu is a loyal, beloved, and dedicated consort. Akrasi faces his biggest rival, a cunning mastermind, yet. The Magicians conspire and plan behind the scenes.

The start is slow yet filled with momentous events. This allows the authors to explore grief and the harrowing void of hope, vengeance, and vulnerability whilst demonstrating the consequences that can occur in spite of, because of, this all-engulfing void.

Mara almost takes a backwards step at the start due to traumatic events, causing her household to step in. This was frustrating, yet it was a lot more realistic of a character constantly bombarded by disaster and power-hungry plays.
However, I do think this book was my least favourite.

”I have undertaken to change traditions that have shackled us into stagnation. I have seen cruelty, injustice, and the profligate waste of
worthy lives. For this have I set myself up as michwife to a rebirth, without which we as a people will die."

A phenomenal series that has convinced me I need to read more Janny Wurtz.

heylook's review against another edition

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1.0

I cannot say enough bad things about this book. Here's a drinking game: Drink anytime an old person is described as "wizened", someone counts off things on their fingers (if they're not actually counting anything, chug), anytime someone inclines their head, all chapters that begin with "[Noun] [verb]ed," and any time you want to slit your wrists.

Awful. This book was awful.

The authors have obviously never taken the advice "Show, don't tell." Chapters are divided arbitrarily. It will take three chapters (100 pages or so) to cover five minutes of "action", and then in three sentences, five years will have gone by. The characters are all ridiculously stupid, except when they're supposed to be clever and cunning. This book is an insult to the written word.