Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist

As a teenager I loved this story. The lore is fascinating.
However, years later I read the series again. I found it lacking. Where political intrigue is important in the story, the Co-authorship repeatedly pointed this out to the reader. This repetition of "how deadly the game of the council can be" really wore on me. As for describing the beauty and surroundings with imagery, it was great. As for the art of telling a story, it was very lacking. A considerable number of trials are pitched against our Heroin Mara and she seems to overcome them all firstly because she has the luck of having such wonderful retainers, and secondly again by luck of stumbling across a group of gray warriors and an in tack and fully functional Spy network that anyone would drool over. Much too convenient.
I would recommend reading the series once, just to get the lore in mind. I highly recommend much of Feist's works, but those which are coauthored are indeed found lacking.

This magnificent series opener brings together two of the great living authors of epic fantasy. Drawing from the glimpses of Tsuranuanni in Feist's Riftwar series and incorporating Wurts genius for intricate plots and culture, this book follows the rise and rise of Mara, daughter of Sezu, Lord of the Acoma.

Pledged to become a priestess of the Goddess Lashima, Mara is abruptly thrust into the cutthroat intrigue of the Great Game of the Council upon the death of her father and brother. Unprepared and untried, Mara, now Lady of the Acoma, must take a House mighty in honor but bereft of manpower and prevent its destruction. Through a series of brave yet incredibly dangerous political and military moves she manages to turn some enemies into reluctant allies, weaken others and gains the respect of an Empire in the process.

This book makes for compelling reading, and only gets a rating of 4 because the sequels both deserve a 5. Highly recommended.

Welcome to a world where knowing politics is survival and the
best at teh this Great Game, rule the world. Moments before she is
to be devoted for life to a Goddess, Mara is installed as the ruling Lady
of the House Acoma. A minor house with many enemies who intend on
destroying her house's name and it's honour forever. She will marry
an enemy, become an ally of the alien Choja and a favourite in the eyes
of the Emperor. The complexities of the Great Game are enough to bogle
even a master politician's mind. Mara's ingenuity and stuggles tug
at your heart, putting you right along side of her as she vanquishes enemies
and puts the name Acoma higher in the Great Game!

You can visit the author of this review at her site which she has dedicated
to Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series, Home of Toreene al'Mer Aes Sedai.