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Title details for Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn - Available

Across the Nightingale Floor

#1 in series

by Lian Hearn
ebook
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1 of 1 copy available

Set in a mythical, feudal, Japanese land, a world both beautiful and cruel, the intense love story of two young people takes place against a background of warring clans, secret alliances, high honour and lightning swordplay.
Lian Hearn's stunningly powerful bestseller, Across the Nightingale Floor, is an epic story for readers young and old.
In his palace at Inuyama, Lord Iida Sadamu, warlord of the Tohan clan, surveys his famous nightingale floor. Its surface sings at the tread of every human foot, and no assassin can cross it. But sixteen-year-old Otori Takeo, his family murdered by Iida's warriors, has the magical skills of the Tribe – preternatural hearing, invisibility, a second self – that enable him to enter the lair of the Tohan. He has love in his heart and death at his fingertips . . .
The first novel in the epic Tales of the Otori series, Across the Nightingale Floor is followed by Grass For His Pillow and Brilliance of the Moon.
'Quite simply the best story of magic, love, sex, revenge and suspense to have come this way since Philip Pullman.' – Independent on Sunday

  • Creators

  • Series

    Tales of the Otori

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    September 4, 2008

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780330477192

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780330477192
      • File size: 2054 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 840
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 22, 2002
      Mystical powers and martial arts rampage through this pseudo-Japanese story, the first of a projected trilogy by newcomer Hearn, with an abandon that's head spinning. From the entrance of the 16-year-old hero, Takeo, as he is about to be swatted down by a mounted horseman and the way he can become invisible or make a duplicate of himself when he needs to, to the head-rolling decapitations that follow interminably, the impossible becomes the semiplausible. Takeo, who joins the Otori clan, is a religious outcast, and also, surprisingly, a member of "the Tribe," a secretive race that has unusual mental and physical powers that lend them an unworldly air. Takeo learns how to control his burgeoning talents just in time to avenge the death of his mentor, while politics and clan rivalries lead to an increasing amount of graphic bloodshed. Takeo enjoys a few blissful moments with the fetching Lady Kaede Shirakawa but, unfortunately, she is not destined to be his, now or in the future. For fans of Japanese samurai warrior fantasy, this novel is right in the ballpark, filled with swords, clan in-fighting, love affairs, invisibility and magical Ninja powers. However, for those looking for something with a bit of depth, the author tends to gloss over the details of why and how. Takeo learns the craft of the Tribe offstage and all the political maneuvering that goes into the clan warfare is rather murky. Hopefully, the next book will show what Hearn is really capable of. (Sept. 2)Forecast:With movie rights sold to Universal Studios and foreign rights sold in 11 countries, this one seems a sure bet for genre bestseller lists.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 25, 2005
      Originally published in one volume, the handsomely designed, pocket-size Firebird editions break Hearn's book into two episodes. "Mystical powers and martial arts rampage through this first of a projected trilogy," according to PW, . "For fans of Japanese samurai warrior fantasy, this novel is right in the ballpark, filled with swords, clan in-fighting, love affairs, invisibility and magical Ninja powers." Ages 12-up.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:840
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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