Would just like to add a comment of thanks for the Empire Series, they were an awesome read! I have a lot of respect and admiration for you and Raymond Feist, you two are my favourite authors, with consistently good books that I am able to lose myself in other worlds. Keep up the good work! (I can't wait to read Stormed Fortress once I finally get my copy..!)

Hi Stephen - thanks and welcome here!

Thank you both so much for writing this series. I have now passed it on to several friends and family members, and they all love it (even the non-sci fi fans).

Thank You!!!

I know the idea gets tossed around a lot, but this series would make an awesome movie. Picture it: exotic sets, elaborate costumes, CG animations......it would be great.

Hi Rebecca - welcome here!

What a nice thing to see on an already beautiful day - yes, indeedy, a movie of this story would be quite spectacular....I would LOVE to see that, too!

Hope you will explore around, a bit - there's a nice bunch on this chat. And of course, teaser excerpts and mp3 audio files of some of the other titles, and tons of artwork pertaining to the stories.

I am with Rebecca on this one completely in that The Empire series combines such a broad range of events and scenes that it would have a lot of appeal as am movie. Can you imagine how breathtaking it could be if the director for LOTR were to apply his particular genius? Some of the imagery could be amazing.

I agree in principle, JH, but I'd be rather disappointed if he decided to go Hollywood with Mara the way he did with Faramir in LOTR....

How do you see that? I guess that even though the LOTR movies were not perfectly in line with the books, they were an amazing adaptation and have probably done more good in throwing greater attention on Fantasy Literature than anything else.

Did you not like the character they chose for Faramir or did you not like the way he did the movies?

I'll weigh in on this though Mark's opinion may differ.

I found the depiction of Faramir to be imprecise. His character on the screen failed to capture the significant difference between him and his brother. Faramir was a true son of the line of the Stewards, descended from Numenor an age before. But Boromir was not. That blood running true enabled Faramir to utterly refuse the ring... 'though it were lying beside the road' but not so in the movie. He played the 'good son' the 'Boromir wannabe', but that was not Faramir.

Further, Faramir was much like his father, Denethor, but yet another character was twisted into a poor shadowed caricature of the man that Tolkien put on his pages. Denethor was also a true descendant of his blood line and could not be broken by Sauron, only fooled with false images in the Palantir until he succumbed to hopelessness. He was not a madman who dribbled food down his front.

But that's just my $.38 (inflation you know).

Trys

I think that Trys has nailed the Faramir problem.

There is also the Frodo problem, and the Elrond problem. Aragorn was also quite different from the book, but not necessarily in a bad way.

One must remember that Jackson repeatedly stated that the screenplay was an interpretation of the books, not just a mere adaptation. Certain parts could have been adapted better, such as the characters of Faramir, Frodo and Elrond. As it was, Faramir was the wannabe, Frodo was the whiner, and Elrond was just plain bitter.

On the flip side, Boromir was done beautifully, Gandalf was Great, Gollum was perrrrrfect, precious, and Gimli and Legolas were pretty darn good. The best bit of casting: Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee. He nailed that part.

Uh, did we just hijack this thread?? Inside joke...

I can see what was meant now. It's interesting because if you have to pick and choose with things to keep and which to drop, it's got to be pretty tough.

Since we are on the subject of Empire and movie... Who do you cast as Mara of the Acoma? Do you look for an Asian actress or does it matter? My image of Mara is of a small, slight, cute not pretty woman with loads of intellect and amazing percpetion. What female actress carries that role off well?

And the Sam problem. Character assassination of Sam occurred on the stairs of Cirith Ungol... Sam would NEVER, EVER have left Frodo... "Don't you leave him." ::said Gandalf:: "I don't mean to sir." and he didn't.

Yes, that really wasn't a Sam problem, though. That was script-writing, and an addition to the plot that was unnecessary. Sam's character was only assassinated by the plot, not by the way the character was written or directed.

Frodo, on the other hand... I hated him by the end of RotK. In the book, he was far more stoic. In the movie, his decline occurred at the first encounter with the Black Rider in the Shire (sniff sniff). By Weathertop, I began to really dislike him.

And yes, John, we did hijack this thread, but we had accomplices this time!

Clansman, I suppose your right... that said there was only one problem... the Peter Problem. Given that there is a solution to the Peter Principle, I wonder.... <grin>

In pre ILM, cgi 1974 some friends and I decided LOTR would be difficult to bring to film because Who Could play Aragorn??? His character is so layered and nuanced. I never thought about the battle scenes or grand vistas.
Almost 30 years later and countless re reads including with my children I was impressed with the richness and detail on screen but disappointed with the mixed
casting,characterizations and acting ability. I certainly understood why Aragorn was written the way he was(although I think PJ did not do this conscioulsy) given the actor originally slated to play him and one who actually got the role, I did not expect the movies to be an exact replica of the book (and face it the target audience was 14-30 year old males)but I did not understand why some characters were written so well and others so poorly. For example Theoden was essentially unaltered and Denethor trashed.I won't waste my time on Elrond,Frodo, Sam, Eowyn, Haldir

It seemed as though by the third movie the director just got bored (probably why Farimir was fairly bland)and threw everything into endless cgi battles.After all he already recouped his investment! Many people in the theater left before the end!

Hi Janny from Sydney Australia. Like others here, I would like to add my gratitude for the Empire series.

This is a stunningly beautiful work and there is something in the style that is both captivating and exciting and yet, soothing and gentle, to my mind at least. I have read it many many times, taking the time to absorb the detail often missed in the rush to move on.

Two questions only at this time.

Firstly, have you and your family ever visited Australia?

Secondly, and more importantly, The Empire series is the only work of yours that I have read, and being co-authored, I was wondering what you would recommend to me of your own work that I might like.

I am sure you love all the works that you have published, but when I ask others about your work they all recommend something different of yours.

So, where should I start, given that I loved The Empire series.

Kindest Regards

Jimmy

So many different choices. I have recommended To Ride Hell's Chasm as a great book to get started with to other people. It's a single volume, but just a wonderful ride and it lets you get a feel for Janny's writing before committing to The War of Light and Shadows. If you read the one you are almost certain to agree to the latter.....

Hi Brian Clark - Welcome here, and thanks for your extremely kind response to the Empire.

Yes, I have visited your wonderful country - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Alice Springs & surrounds, and Tasmania. What an incredible experience, I'd return in a heartbeat! The people there - all a delight. We made some lasting friends.

Past question start with To Ride Hell's Chasm, the reviewers who liked Empire seemed to enjoy that one enthusiastically. It is still in print in your country, and should give you a feel for my stuff without stepping off the cliff with a huge series.

My works tend to wind up, and set things in place - till about halfway, when all murder busts loose. Try to time the end bits when you can shut off the rest of your life (wives burn food, husbands neglect Honeydo lists...just a friendly warning)

Janny - Clansman and I actually had quite a discussion about that by the way. I am still a huge fan of Sorcerer's Legacy, it's tough to top because it's short, it's action packed and very well written. Clansman, once again proving he's smarter than I am, was able to point out that TRHC contains a better sample of many of the themes and the style that you use. So, at this point, I stand firmly with him on THRC being a wonderful intro.

Thankyou Janny, and John, for your advice. As soon as I finish Mistress of the Empire [again] I will pick up a copy of TRHC. I am looking forward to it, because I am extremely fussy on what I read and rely on recommendation.

Jimmy

Makes sense. There is so much being printed these days and being able to avoid the bad stuff so that you can invest your reading time into things like Empire and TRHC is essential. Getting a solid recommendation makes all kinds of sense.


*** Spoiler ****

Speaking of Mistress.... Are you a big fan of the ending? I was always frustrated with who she ends up with because I felt that Hokanu totally got the raw end of the deal....

**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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. :D

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!)

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?

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. ;)

If you REALLY want a spoiler, then email me at musicalsam@gmail.com - I don't think it fair to post it in here and ruin it. *g*

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hi Janny....

well, it is all coming to a head again in MOTE, and I am glad to say that following your recommendation, I have tracked down a hard cover edition of TRHC.

As my partner and I are going on a South Pacific cruise in about 6 weeks, I think I might time the start of this book so that I am about half way through it as I board the ship, and am reaching the conclusion somewhere near Tonga.

What a way to combine passion, excitement and delayed gratification!!

cheers

B

Brian - have a fun trip, on both counts!

Oh, and when you reach the last 1/3 of Hell's Chasm -- try to do it when you won't have a thrilling shore excursion planned, or immediate scheduled fun...because when this book really winds into the finishing sequence, you won't have nice little leisurely "stopping points" - just a warning, the the pace picks up and by that point gets a bit relentless...

Dear Janny

Ok will do re: the last third of TRHC. By the way, I am just finishing up Re-reading A Darkness At Sethanon by Ray so I can get a good run into TRHC.

THE POINT IS THIS; I AM HAVING MY EYES LASER CORRECTED ON WEDNESDAY, SO YOUR BOOK WILL BE THE FIRST I WILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ WITHOUT GLASSES....EVER!!

Quite an experience for me and I am sure an honour for you : )

I have some reservations re the surgery, but have wrestled with fear in my life before and so will put my credentials to the test, so to speak.

After all, the only things we can truely change in life is the way we feel about things.

I look forward to seeing you more clearly dancing behind each sentence. I never forget a syntax.

B

Brian -- good luck with your surgery - Don had his eyes corrected some years back, and he said, the scariest part of the whole thing was the FORMS you had to sign off on beforehand.

It went swimmingly - as I am sure yours will, too. My thoughts are with you, all the way.

May the Man's hand be steady - take care, recover quickly.

In defence of peter jackson remember that he filmed the three movies concurrently. there wasn't any running out os team by the third movie because it was filmed at the same time. the only things that were not done at the same time were the editing and special effects.

As for sam leaving frodo, that could not be helped as he did that in the books, it is key to why he took on the ring and became the last of the ringbearers to leave middle earth.

The characters that were the most glaringly changed were arwen and eowyn. But this i attribute to the breaking of the boys club that some film adaptations and re-doings have done (anyone seen oceans 11-12-13, julias character is a much bigger role than the original one).

And now back to topic. Mara is by far and away my favorite character from the riftwar cycle. followed distantly by arutha, jimmy, pug and miranda. of all creations by janny or raymond i fell in love with her the most. only arithon's deep compassion and depth can compare.
(it's a toss up for me, mara or arithon, who do i like more)

And as for who would play her in a film adaptation possibly the girl who played sparrow in the forbidden kingdom. if she had been younger i would have said Michelle Yeoh, she would play an excellent adult mara, able to stand up and stare down any overbearing arrogant ruling lord and not only show then she was their equal but humble them and show them she was their superior. I would hope against hope that they would Not choose Zhang Zhi Yi, because though she has done well with the roles she has done she would not suit Mara.

I could see Casper Van Diem playing kevin, or perhaps Tatum Channing. Both of them are big guys able to overshadow a lot of people. Jet Li could make a good Hokanu.

Though in casting it would have to be remembered that though the tsurani culture is more asiatic the people are not homogenous. though they are mostly short and lighter their features and colouring run the full gammit of human appearance.

My complaint of Sam leaving Frodo is not a reference to when he leaves what he believes to be a dead Frodo which occurred after the Shelob encounter but rather the movie versions earlier departure on the stairs of Cirith Ungol before encountering Shelob. Sam would never, ever, ever, ever, ever leave Frodo unless he thought Frodo was dead.

Ah thanks for the clarification. I see and conceed your point.

Who would you cast as Mara, Kevin and Hokanu in a movie adaptation? past and present actors are applicable.

* Spoiler Alert *







* Spoiler Alert *

You have been warned.

While I enjoy Ray's stuff quite a bit (though the earlier stuff grabs me more than the current stuff) I am pretty disgusted by his pretty much destroying Kelewan, and making sure that we can't ever have more stories about how the land develops after Mara's time.

I am fairly ticked off, though I will still keep reading the new books. And I am looking forward to eventually reading the Jimmy the Hand book. Got to do that fairly soon.

And there are few people who are as straight-laced as me when it comes to people ending relationships and starting new ones, I have to say the situations with Kevin do not bother me. Now Mara getting what's-his-name killed ... I understand, but don't like.

SPOILERS!!!!!!!





Jon, I was very saddened about Kelewan's demise - when I heard about it (after the fact). Sigh. More than unhappy, disturbed...

But it IS Ray's "universe" - he has the only say.

Spoiler? Spoiler? Spoiler? Spoiler? Spoiler? Spoiler? Spoiler?



Janny, I tend to read as an observer and just follow the events to see where they lead. While I was reading, though, I did wonder about your perspective on the events involving Kelewan. I would think you should have received at least a short note in advance.

In case you haven't yet and want to read for yourself, I'll just say that it's not necessarily the end for all of the peoples of Kelewan...and there is a kind of continuity from pre-Empire events.

Of course, I don't want to distract you too much from working on Arcs IV and V of WOLAS... (Now isn't that just a little bit selfish of me?)
***smile***

Jeff - I had no consult or say.



SPOILER!! SPOILER!!!

I do realize he "saved" the people and he thought it a necessity. If I'd been consulted (no obligation to on his part) I'd have looked for the grace of another (third alternative) solution to the problem.

But it was a done deal.

To reassure you - right now, I'm reading little, writing lots.