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Title: Brilliance of the Moon (Tales of the Otori, Book 3) by Lian Hearn ISBN: 1-57322-270-4 Publisher: Riverhead Books Pub. Date: 03 June, 2004 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 3 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.67 (3 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Satisfying conclusion
Comment: Though the first third of this novel is slowed by political and military maneuvering, there is more narrative and less character interaction than I would have liked, and Kaede plays less of a prominent role, this is an engaging and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
Rating: 5
Summary: a masterful finale!
Comment: Fans of the Tales of the Otori won't be disappointed in Lian Hearn's final installment. Grass for His Pillow ended with Takeo repeating the prophecy: "Five battles lay ahead of us, four to win and one to lose." Brilliance of the Moon will unwind the truth behind this prophecy, even as there are mysteries that will remain (thus the suggestion that there might be another book). Questions about Takeo's past will be resolved, and so will be matters of loyalty. The battles are remiscent of those in the 'Lord of the Rings', but the scope in exclusive: again, the focus will be on the two main characters, Takeo and Kaede, and the love between them. We see the culmination of Kaede's struggle against the prejudices against her gender, although there are harsh obstacles that she will meet. While she is heir to both Shirakawa and Maruyama domains, she has to fight for her inheritance. Meanwhile, Takeo wages a desperate attempt to unite his strikingly different backgrounds: the skills and cunning of the Tribe, the 'Christian' way of the Hidden, and the noble blood and realms of the Otori. Even from 'Grass for His Pillow', it is evident that Lord Fujiwara, Lord Arai, and the Kikuta clan will figure in the battles to come. The action in Across the Nightingale Floor and Grass for His Pillow will pale in comparison. Finally, we see how the little details in 'Across' and 'Grass' will affect the outcome of events in 'Brilliance'. I suggest that you read the two books again before reading 'Brilliance' for fuller appreciation and enjoyment.
I won't give spoilers to the many who anticipate this book. just read it and witness the 'Brilliance of the Moon' - the brilliance of Lian Hearn who has enchanted me with her tale.
Rating: 5
Summary: Avid Reader & Reviewer
Comment: With a mix of Japanese folklore and medieval courtly drama, Lian Hearn takes us on a journey that started with Across the Nightingale Floor, was continued in Grass for His Pillow, and Brilliance of the Moon is the wonderful conclusion to the Tales of Otori trilogy. I highly recommend this series as both entertaining and thought provoking.
At the conclusion of Grass For His Pillow, Lord Otori Takeo and Lady Kaede Shirakawa have married without permission. Takeo lives under a death threat from the Tribe, a ninja-like group of assassins and spies. Kaede is trying desperately to retain her inheritance of Maruyama and heal from her ordeals. Lord Arai has taken over the Tohan and is waging war on the tribe. As one of Kaede's relatives, Lord Arai is outraged by her marriage to Otori Takeo without his permission.
Takeo is troubled by many things. He feels he must avenge his adopted father, Lord Shigeru, who was betrayed by Otori Lords. Takeo is further burdened by the tribe, Kikuta, who have claimed him as their own. Takeo is the son of the Kikuta's most infamous assassin, who was murdered after attempting to leave the family tradition and one of the Hidden. The Hidden are a Christian-like religious group who are persecuted. Lastly, Takeo is driven by his love for Kaede. He loves her in every sense of the word -- carnally, emotionally, and spiritually.
In Grass for His Pillow, Takeo is gifted and burdened with the following prophecy:
Three bloods are mixed in you. You were born into the Hidden, but your life has been brought into the open and is no longer your own. Earth will deliver what heaven desires. Your lands will stretch from sea to sea, but peace comes at the price of bloodshed. Five battles will buy you peace, four to win and one to loose. Many must die, but you yourself are safe from death, except at the hands of your own son.
The prophecy weighs heavily on Takeo and he finds himself falling into despair at the bloodshed his revenge is causing. It takes a very special man to inspire other to their deaths. Those who die by Jato, his sword, and those he could not protect haunt him. Takeo must find a way to seek revenge without the loss of his soul or his love, Kaede. Tales of the Otori is a wonderfully written work of fantasy that is enjoyable on many levels. The story itself is not simply a story of familial revenge. Takeo cannot just kill those who have killed his family. Their deaths are a result of betrayals that run much deeper. That betrayal never ends and is like a weed. You can cut the head off, but the roots run very deep. In the end, Takeo must decide how ruthless he will be in order to seek the vengeance his soul cries out for. That vengeance comes at a very high price in blood.
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Title: Grass for His Pillow: Tales of the Otori, Book 2 by Lian Hearn ISBN: 1573222518 Publisher: Riverhead Books Pub. Date: 01 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Across the Nightingale Floor: Tales of the Otori, Book One by Lian Hearn ISBN: 1573222259 Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover Pub. Date: 22 August, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka ISBN: 0385336411 Publisher: Delacorte Press Pub. Date: 01 August, 2004 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: The Perfumed Sleeve by Laura Joh Rowland ISBN: 0312318898 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Rashomon Gate by I.J. Parker ISBN: 0312287984 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 July, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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