originally posted by Lyssabits
**Spoilers**
Heheh, I'll cop to having always had a big soft spot for Hokanu, and while I liked Kevin a lot, I always preferred Hokanu. That being said, I think the ending had to happen that way. It wouldn't have been fair to Hokanu to be without an heir, and we'd already established earlier in the book that he'd been disappointed with the thought that he wouldn't ever have a son to raise. I also think it was necessary to show what sort of regent Mara would be. We all knew she wouldn't be a grasping sort, but this demonstrated to everyone else that she would make sacrifices as well for the good of the empire.
originally posted by Brian Clark
I have considered the Kevin/Hokanu question on several occasions and honestly don't think it could have played ot any differenly, given the cultural and socialogical contexts at play.
I too have a soft spot for Hokanu and I have often wondered if that is because I see more of myself in aspects of his nature, or if it is that I see that I am not at all like him, and wish that I were so.
Do you know, one fine day, I got 2 letters from Empire readers - one went on for 7 PAGES ranting about How Could You and Ray EVER!!! have Mara leave Kevin and marry another man - literally, shredding us up side and down…
And the second letter, ranted on at least that long, in very VERY damning language – how COULD we have Mara EVER break her marriage vows, do the D word, and return to Kevin…how morally reprehensible this was, and did we know, it RUINED the series…
What to do? (This is a true story) How to respond?
Well, I just took the letters, reversed them, and sent the one to the other angry party, with a sticky note attached - who do I disappoint??? Your call…
It was Ray's and my call, that for all the tradition breaking Mara and Hokanu and Kevin did…for all the basic cultural shifting of values they accomplished - Family honor remained. Upon this principle, Mara gave up her life in the service of Lashima, and upon this principle, the new Empire would still flourish.
We saw Kevin's return, later, as a bittersweet reward, (beyond Hokanu getting his heirs and son) that the loss of the marriage was not to be for naught.
Can't please everybody - that's for certain! But the ending of the story stayed true to the cultural backdrop.
originally posted by Lyssabits
Hee hee, just goes to show ya, there's always someone who thinks you got it wrong. That's the best story ever.
***All kinds of spoilers!***
I personally loved that Mara left Kevin. Not because Kevin's a bad guy, but I liked her reasons. (Plus that scene makes me cry every time, and I love that.) And I liked that he came back later, rather than choosing to stay and defy the edict. Not just because it was nice to let Hokanu and Mara have their time together (although I enjoyed that also. I loved every minute of Hokanu from the very first.) but it seemed like it would be the only way for them to meet as equals. Time apart to consider what Kevin really wanted, then to return to Mara as a freeman as his free choice… much better.
I guess I also never saw a conflict between the two relationships, so I never felt like she was with the "wrong" person at any given time, except of course Buntokapi. I mean, it's stated pretty baldly in the beginning of Mistress of the Empire how different the two relationships were for Mara, that she could love them both equally for very different reasons. And I don't adhere to the idea that there's one perfect person for anyone, so I rather liked seeing that illustrated so well in this series.
I did feel badly for both Mara and Hokanu at the end there, but knew it had to be that way. I think the person I felt the worst for was the poor Emperor. 
I always felt like he and Mara were kindred spirits, but while she was free(er) to change traditions, he would never have been allowed to, and it was only through the violent upheaval after his death that any substantive changes were going to be wrought. I was always a little sad he had to die for that to happen.
originally posted by John Hulet
Ok, now that we have hashed through Kevin/Hokanu I have a slightly different question. Is there still room for a revisitation of Kelewan? Feist did some stuff with it in his Riftwar Saga, but, to me, Kelewan was actually the more interesting planet compared to Midkemia.
Now, I would rather not interrupt the next Arc of WoLaS, but with all the additions that Feist has done to Midkemia, I would love to see some more from Kelewan. The Empire with the changes that were unfolding was going to be incredibly interesting…the Assembly being emasculated etc…
What do you think, Janny? Something you would entertain?
John - the ideas and the opportunity never came up, although, an emasculated assembly does give one pause for thought !!!
Ray actually has plans for Kelewan…so for that you'd have to finish the Riftwar books. I daren't spoil the plan of intention he mentioned in passing in a phone conversation. Although I do admit, it's making me BITE MY TONGUE rather severely to keep quiet.
originally posted by Mark Stephen Kominski
Much as I loved the Empire series, I'm not going to entertain distraction from WoLaS. Repeat after me, Janny; "Must write Initiate's Trial, must write Initiate's Trial, must write…"
O.K. Returning thread to its proper purpose…
There is that, of course…did you know, that was the biggest howl in my argument, to Ray, against doing the Empire (Daughter) in the first place? That it would delay Light and Shadows for the duration.
If only!!! the two sets of readers were compatible!!! Or, that Light and Shadows was as visible —
Initiate's Trial continues…but you're right, being patient is hardest! I have more than one project going, at the moment, but this one is central. When it moves, it takes precidence.
originally posted by Zorana Lewis
Janny - would that plan for Kelewan be the one he put into his most recent book 'Wrath of a Mad God'? If so then I can't actually quite believe he did it.
Zorana – if that is the last book, and if Ray did what he said he was gonna, then you know why my tongue is a'bleedin' to keep quiet. Not my place to spoil for others who may be his ardent readers.
originally posted by Zorana Lewis
Yeah 'Wrath' is his most recent book, and I can understand why you're biting your tongue - I've got friends reading the series who are a bit further behind and keeping quiet until they catch up is proving difficult. 
originally posted by Walt
I feel you pain Zorana and Janny… I felt a lot of poignancy that the closing scene of Ray's return to Kelewan was on the Acoma estates…
(I hope that that was imbiguous enough!)
originally posted by John Hulet
Drat!! I didn't want to climb back into Midkemia and that whole series again because I really lost interest with some of the characters who had become the central point. A return to Kelewan might be worth it.
I don't know that it could be the same because the voice that Feist writes with is quite different than what Empire was written in…I wonder why??? Said with a smile.
I am a big fan of Feist's work at Magician and the books through Darkness at Sethanon were wonderful…not on a par with WoLaS, but what could be?
originally posted by Lyssabits
I, personally, wouldn't mind being spoiled. I tried reading the new series back when the Serpent War books first started coming out, but I couldn't stick with them. I've always longed for a return to Kelewan, on the other hand, so I personally would LOVE to know this juicy bit of spoilery goodness.
originally posted by Zorana Lewis
If you REALLY want a spoiler, then email me at (email removed) - I don't think it fair to post it in here and ruin it. *g*
originally posted by Mark Stephen Kominski
John, you describe my takes on Feist almost exactly, although I did enjoy the later exploits of Jimmy the Hand and his quasi-successor in character, Roo Avery, within the later books. Did you by any chance note that Honored Enemy recaptured some of that feel? Ray seems at his best when collaborating, and it DOES really shine in the Empire series.
originally posted by John Hulet
I have read some of the later stuff… I think that I stopped with Exile's Return because I found bettter stuff to read. I liked that series pretty well, but I never tried Honored Enemy. That might have been a mistake that I will need to correct.
I think that part of the brilliance of Empire is the combination of Feist's story with Janny's perspective and characters. Like them or hate them(Lysaer, Morriel, etc.) they are vivid, well written characters and in Empire that lead to a uniquely wonderful combination.
Janny doesn't need Ray to write great stuff and he writes well too, but the combination was memorable. Some of my favorite stuff ever…
Crap, now I have to go and upgrade them on my list of books that I can't do without.
originally posted by Hunter
I read a couple of the collaborations and my summation was that Ray had allowed another writer to write a story in his world, to the detriment of the series in my opinion. One felt like a spaghetti western set in Midkemia, with no Clint Eastwood in sight to spice it up.
Jimmy the Hand I rather liked, although the original series unfortunately milked the "honest" criminal element far too much. Roo Avery I was hoping would get killed immediately i.e. I didn't like him as a character at all.
Keep meaning to re-read Magician, I was always hoping Tomas would be the major character - he did get to ride a dragon and marry an elven princess.
originally posted by Carl D. Stolzenburg
Wow, for a couple years now, I've checked out this sight for news of releases and finally checked the forums. A truer bunch of kindred spirits I believe I've never found. Having said that, seventeen years ago, on a grueling car ride in a beat up Subaru to South Carolina with my mother, we stopped at a truck stop that had a bargain book section. I picked up Feist's "Prince of the Blood" because I liked the cover. I devoured it, partially to avoid conversation, and upon returning home bought every book Feist had written.
I don't remember how long it was before the Empire Series lead me to pick up Curse of the Mistwraith, but sufficed to say, that trip brought me to you Janny and for that, I am ever grateful. You hold the title as the only author to scare my dog, as I shouted in triumphant joy while reading PG. You are fantastic. I'll keep notes to you in these forums to a minimum and converse instead with my fellow admirers in hopes that fewer distractions will allow for more writing. Godspeed.
Hi Carl - welcome - POST AWAY!!!
That's not distraction, it's happy encouragement. Automatic ticket to alleviate creative tantrums and turn them into smiles, and smiles fuel More Text, faster Draft.
Whoever says artists/writers have to be miserable to create wasn't a working, producing artist, but a dreaming fool of a total Nutcase!!!
Posts Help.
Even Questions Help - they force me to reexamine the ground, peer into past of future cracks and see the data from another angle.
Sooo…put up your thought balloons, they are most welcome! I do not respond (or embarrass you) unless you Ask my direct input…so you're safe from blushing, too.