Lian Hearn Knihy

Takeo Otori a Kaede Shirakawa sú teraz manželia a sú odhodlaní ešte väčšmi posilniť svoje panstvá. Ich rýchly sobáš rozzúri Daiičiho Araia, veľmoža, ktorý ovláda väčšinu Troch krajín, a urazí šľachtica pána Fudžiwaru, ktorý považoval Kaede za svoju snúbenicu. Tretia kniha Príbehov klanu Otoriovcov Jas mesiaca sleduje osudy Takea a Kaede, keď sa pokúšajú upevniť svoju moc a naplniť proroctvo svätej ženy: Tvoja zem bude siahať od mora k moru, no za mier sa zaplatí krvipreliatím. Päť bitiek ti zabezpečí mier, štyri vyhráš, piatu prehráš...

Krvilačný veľmož Iida Sadamu striehne vo svojej pevnosti v meste Inujama na spev povestnej slávičej dlážky. Majstrovsky zhotovená dlážka totiž vydáva pri každom kroku zvuk podobný spevu vtákov. Najatý vrah po nej neprejde, aby ho nezačuli... Chlapec Takeo, obdarený nadprirodzenými schopnosťami, sa vydá na cestu svojho osudu, ktorý sa naplní medzi múrmi Inujamy.

Takeo, dedič klanu Otoriovcov, obetoval svoj život tajnému kmeňu Kikutov. Nadprirodzené schopnosti – mimoriadne ostrý sluch, schopnosť byť naraz na dvoch miestach a umenie stať sa neviditeľným – z neho spravili najobávanejšieho nájomného vraha. Musí však zaprieť všetky duchovné sľuby svojho pokojného detstva, právo prvorodeného na majetok, pozemky a moc – a najmä lásku ku Kaede. Ak nesplní kruté požiadavky kmeňa, jeho príslušníci ho zabijú. Z Takea vyrastie muž, odhodlaný vybrať sa na cestu nebezpečenstva, utrpenia a obetí v krutej horskej zime. Kaede, ktorú bezohľadne využívajú krutí mocipáni, musí využiť svoj um, krásu a ľstivosť, aby sa presadila vo svete ovládanom mocnými mužmi. Vankúš z trávy, druhá časť svetového bestselleru Príbehov klanu Otoriovcov, nás zavedie do mýtického stredovekého Japonska, a vyrozpráva nám príbeh odohrávajúci sa v očarujúcom prostredí, ktorý je plný bojov o moc, protichodných vzťahov a vášnivej lásky.

Set against a backdrop of deep-seated conflict, this installment of the OTORI series follows a new generation grappling with the enduring enmity that has shaped their world. As tensions rise and destinies intertwine, characters must navigate loyalty, betrayal, and the weight of their heritage. The story promises a gripping conclusion filled with intense emotion and high stakes, culminating in a thrilling climax that ties together the threads of a beloved saga.

Set in a fantastical medieval Japan, the concluding volume of The Tale of Shikanoko weaves a rich tapestry of adventure, intrigue, and complex characters. Lian Hearn, renowned for her masterful storytelling, continues to explore themes of honor, power, and destiny. As the narrative unfolds, readers are drawn deeper into a world filled with mythical elements and the struggles of its inhabitants, promising a captivating and immersive reading experience.

Abducted by his teacher, Kenji, Takeo is condemned to work as an assassin, an enforced occupation that his father sacrificed his life to escape. Still, he is determined to carry on the name of the Otori. At the same time, his beloved Kaede, returns home to a shattered family, and quickly realizes that she can rely on no one but herself.

In his black-walled fortress at Inuyama, the warlord Iida Sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard. The youth Takeo has been brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people who have taught him only the ways of peace. But unbeknownst to him, his father was a celebrated assassin and a member of the Tribe, an ancient network of families with extraordinary, preternatural skills. When Takeo's village is pillaged, he is rescued and adopted by the mysterious Lord Otori Shigeru. Under the tutelage of Shigeru, he learns that he too possesses the skills of the Tribe. And, with this knowledge, he embarks on a journey that will lead him across the famed nightingale floor—and to his own unimaginable destiny...

The new beginning-and the grand finale-to the beloved Tales of the Otori series. Heaven's Net Is Wide is the new first volume of the now complete Tales of the Otori- prequel to Across the Nightingale Floor, the book that first introduced Hearn's mythical, medieval Japanese world. This is the story of Lord Otori Shigeru-who has presided over the entire series as a sort of spiritual warrior-godfather-the man who saved Takeo and raised him as his own and heir to the Otori clan. This sweeping novel expands on what has been only hinted at before: Shigeru's training in the ways of the warrior and feudal lord, his relationship with the Tribe of mysteriously powerful assassins, the battles that tested his skills and talents, and his fateful meeting with Lady Maruyama. Heaven's Net Is Wide is an epic tale of warfare, loyalty, love, and heartbreak. This book leaves off where Across the Nightingale Floor begins, finally bringing the Otori series full circle. And while it both completes and introduces the Tales of the Otori, it also stands on its own as a satisfying, dramatic novel of feudal Japan.

An epic four-volume adventure in mythical medieval Japan: a world of warriors and assassins, demons and spiritsIn The Tengu’s Game of Go, the final book of Lian Hearn's epic Tale of Shikanoko--all of which will be published in 2016--the rightful emperor is lost; illness and murder give rise to suspicions and make enemies of allies. Unrest rules the country. Only Shika can end the madness by returning the Lotus Throne to its rightful ruler.As destiny weaves its rich tapestry, a compelling drama plays out against a background of wild forests, elegant castles, hidden temples, and savage battlefields. This is the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, where animal spirits clash with warriors and children navigate a landscape as serene as it is deadly.The Tale of Shikanoko, Book 1: Emperor of the Eight Islands (April 2016)The Tale of Shikanoko, Book 2: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child (June 2016)The Tale of Shikanoko, Book 3: Lord of the Darkwood (August 2016)The Tale of Shikanoko, Book 4: The Tengu's Game of Go (September 2016)

At the temple of Terayama, the words of the blind sage's prophecy continue to haunt Takeo as he readies his armies for battle. Determined to avenge Shigeru's death and claim his rightful inheritance, Takeo and Kaede, together with Takeo's forces, fight their way to the domain of Maruyama. But then, they must separate.