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Title details for Heaven's Net Is Wide by Lian Hearn - Available

Heaven's Net Is Wide

by Lian Hearn
Paul Boehmer
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
The prequel to the beloved Otori tales both completes and introduces the series while standing firmly on its own, recounting a mythical, medieval world of ninjas and samurais. As Tolkien's The Silmarillion is to The Lord of the Rings, Lian Hearn's Heaven's Net Is Wide is the backstory fans have been yearning for. Set before the Tales of the Otori begins, Heaven's Net recounts the life of Lord Otori Shigeru, the series' spiritual warrior-godfather and adoptive father of the Tales' Takeo. We learn about Shigeru's training in the ways of the warrior and feudal lord; his relationship with the Tribe of mysteriously powerful assassins; his fateful meeting with Lady Maruyama, who would become his secret lover; the battle of Yaegahara, where his father is killed; and other turning points that shaped the Tales. The first four volumes gave us only glimpses. Now we are treated to rich detail and more of Hearn's fantastical Japanese world. Gripping and bewitching, Heaven's Net is a new beginning and a grand finale; a story of monumental battles, supreme loyalty, triumphant love, and heartbreak. It ends just before Across the Nightingale Floor begins, bringing the Otori epic full circle.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    August 16, 2007

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781598875171
      • File size: 513516 KB
      • Duration: 17:49:49

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 940
    • Text Difficulty: 4-6

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      With this prequel, the circle of the Otori clan saga is completed. The story of Lord Shigeru's youth introduces a complex plot and numerous characters from the world of the Hidden, the Tribe, and the Otori. Paul Boehmer's impeccable performance--his strong, soothing voice and excellent pacing--sets the stage and conveys the courage, deception, cruelty, and passion of the tale. From the introductory music to the flawless pronunciation of Japanese names and places, the lyrical language fully creates images for the listener. The fantasy combines philosophy, religion, and the human condition with an action-filled narrative. The counterpoint of Julia Fletcher's voice adds a strong female perspective with a clear and pleasant tone. A must listen for fans of the series. L.D.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 28, 2007
      Set in a brutal and breathtaking feudal Japan, this lyrical and moving prequel to Hearn’s Tales of the Otori and also the fifth and final entry in this epic chronicle of ruthless warlords and ill-fated love (after 2006’s The Harsh Cry of the Heron
      ), focuses on the early life of Otori Shigeru, the young heir to the Otori clan. Raised in a strictly hierarchical society that reveres loyalty and honor, the adolescent Shigeru witnesses firsthand how treachery and duplicity play an integral role in the deaths of thousands of Otori warriors, the bloody annihilation of his family and, inevitably, his complete and utter degradation. As a dispossessed heir, Shigeru finds strength and retributive inspiration in the teachings of his former mentor, warrior-monk Matsuda Shingen, and in his illicit relationship with the resourceful Lady Maruyama, whose life has also been devastated by the Tohan. Equal parts historical fiction, high fantasy and revelatory Taoist fable, the now complete Tales of the Otori is a saga to be treasured.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:940
  • Text Difficulty:4-6

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This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Funding for additional materials was made possible by a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.