{"title":"Series: The Tale of Shikanoko","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"emperor-of-the-eight-islands-by-lian-hearn-9780733635137","title":"Emperor of the Eight Islands","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike George R. R. Martin, Lian Hearn has captivated millions of readers worldwide with her masterpiece of imagination, \u003cem\u003eTales of the Otori\u003c\/em\u003e. Now, against a dazzling canvas of wild forest, elegant court and savage battlefield, she brilliantly brings to life the world that existed 300 years earlier. Hearn weaves an intricate tapestry—seething with intrigue, adventure and love—of two rival clans struggling over who will be crowned \u003cem\u003eEmperor of the Eight Islands\u003c\/em\u003e, in a medieval Japanese country inhabited by warriors, assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits. And as the laws of destiny play out their inexorable drama, the battle for the Lotus Throne begins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eComing soon: \u003cem\u003eLord of the Darkwood\u003c\/em\u003e. Books 3 and 4 in \u003cem\u003eThe Tale of Shikanoko\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eEmperor of the Eight Islands\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n‘huge imaginative vitality’ - \u003cem\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n‘a fitting follow-up to the Otori series’ - \u003cem\u003eThe Age\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n‘colourful and fascinating characters’ - \u003cem\u003eCourier Mail\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n‘a must-read’ - \u003cem\u003eAurealis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n‘stands alone for fine storytelling’ - \u003cem\u003eWest Australian\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n‘sure to recruit a fresh legion of fans’ - \u003cem\u003eThe Saturday Paper\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDon't miss any of the novels in the \u003cem\u003eOtori\u003c\/em\u003e saga:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAcross the Nightingale Floor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eGrass for His Pillow\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eBrilliance of the Moon\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Harsh Cry of the Heron\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eHeaven's Net is Wide\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072503267564,"sku":"9780733635137","price":37.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5051663482449.jpg?v=1765114077"},{"product_id":"emperor-of-the-eight-islands-by-lian-hearn-9780733635267","title":"Emperor of the Eight Islands","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn ambitious warlord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces his younger son to surrender his wife to his older brother. A mysterious woman seeks five fathers for her children. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne. These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSet in a mythical medieval Japan inhabited by warriors and assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits, \u003cem\u003eEmperor of the Eight Islands\u003c\/em\u003e by Lian Hearn is a brilliantly imagined novel, full of drama and intrigue—the beginning of an enthralling, epic adventure: The Tale of Shikanoko.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Brutally thrilling historical fantasy' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHerald Sun\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Wildly successful... Convince[s] as if being read in translation, as if Hearn is merely the medium for some lost and ancient text. Much like Game of Thrones, the book can be read as political intrigue, with great strength deriving from the character studies. Nobody is black or white, rather shades of grey' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Age\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Moves onwards with the narrative force of a flood. It is easy to let the book sweep the reader away, to engage with strange events... very compelling characters [and] huge imaginative vitality' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'The action comes thick and fast ...Compelling characters and captivating worldbuilding' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJapan Times\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'A must-read' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAurealis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'One of the great joys of genre novels is that they usually care deeply about plot, satisfying the innately human desire for story. And there is story aplenty here. The unfolding events are so fascinating, the writing so lithe and seductive. There's no need to have read Hearn's earlier Otori series, set in the same remarkable fantasy world, to enjoy this one. Indeed, her new epic seems sure to recruit a fresh legion of fans' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Saturday Paper\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Stands alone for fine storytelling' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWest Australian\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Colourful and fascinating characters' \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCourier Mail\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable now: \u003cstrong\u003eLord of the Darkwood\u003c\/strong\u003e, Books 3 and 4 in \u003cstrong\u003eThe Tale of Shikanoko\u003c\/strong\u003e. Don’t miss any of the novels in the \u003cstrong\u003eOtori\u003c\/strong\u003e saga:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eAcross the Nightingale Floor\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eGrass for His Pillow\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eBrilliance of the Moon\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Harsh Cry of the Heron\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eHeaven's Net is Wide\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072503398636,"sku":"9780733635267","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5052963482449.jpg?v=1765114098"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/series-the-tale-of-shikanoko.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}