In Autumn Princess, Dragon Child, Lian Hearn's mythic Japan fully unfurls, expansive and engrossing, rendered in crystal-clear prose that reads like the translation of a book from outside of time. This kind of story, written with this kind of craft, has become rare. There are fugitive royals and evil monks; there is forest magic and high politics. The swords all have names. There’s a name for this genre, even if you don’t see the label stuck to shelves much anymore. The word for The Tale of Shikanoko is: adventure!” —Robin Sloan, author of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore
“Lian Hearn has written a one-of-a-kind epic series brimming with spirits, demons, and warriors. The story is as deeply imagined and immersive as it is addictive. One doesn’t know whether to give in to the desire to turn the pages as quickly as possible or to linger and savor Hearn’s crystalline prose and striking emotional observations. Hearn’s characters grab you by the hand on page 1 and whisper, ‘Follow me.’ It’s a pleasure to obey.” —Kelly Luce, author of Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail
Praise for The Tale of Shikanoko
“[Emperor of the Eight Islands is] a thrilling, fast-paced fantasy with plot twists, political intrigue, romance, and a richly detailed setting that will appeal to a variety of readers, especially those with an interest in Japanese mythology and otherworldly influences."—Karin Thogersen, Library Journal
"Hearn’s new series is off to an exciting and promising start.” —Kristine Huntley, ALA Booklist
"Hearn begins her new series, The Tale of Shikanoko, by introducing the primary characters while setting up conflicts and relationships that will evolve in the three volumes to follow, all to be published this year . . . he fluid prose and morally ambiguous characters are magically seductive." —Kirkus Reviews
"With meticulous attention to detail for the period, along with a bone-deep appreciation of Japanese culture, Hearn's homage to those masterpieces is as close as we're going to get for the moment and tremendously entertaining in its own right. 'The Tale Of Shikanoko' has romance, intrigue, fantasy, passion, betrayal, sacrifice and the old-fashioned pleasure of truly having no idea what will happen next. Now where the heck are Volumes 3 and 4?” —Michael Giltz, BookFilter
2016-04-13
The second installment in Hearn's The Tale of Shikanoko series about a mythical version of feudal Japan. Newcomers to the series may initially find it difficult to follow the storyline, which picks up without preamble or recap where Emperor of the Eight Islands (2016) left off. The young warrior sorcerer Shika awakens in the Darkwood and returns to the hut of the sorcerer Shisoku, whom he hasn't seen for more than a year, with the magic mask Shisoku made for him and that he has broken. The sorceress Lady Tora shows up at the hut, too, and soon gives birth to five demon male children. Before the flames of death engulf her, she charges Shika to raise the boys, who grow with unnatural speed. Shika yearns to find Aki, the princess he loves but betrayed, and Yoshimori, the Hidden Emperor whom he wants to restore to the throne, but first he sets out to regain the estate his uncle has stolen from him. Meanwhile, Aki and Yoshimori find protection among a family of monkeys. Lord Aritomo of the Miboshi has taken political control as the new emperor and sends off his close ally Takaakira to find Aki at her father's old estate, unaware that Takaakira is harboring Hina, daughter of Aritomo's slain enemy Lord Kiyoyori. Hina's self-serving but charismatic uncle Masachika keeps switching allegiances between the warring factions of Miboshi and Kuromori but still loves his estranged wife, Tama, who has won a legal battle against him over her father's land. Gradually these major characters begin to have fateful interactions with each other, fueled by human love, greed, ambition, and vengeance, while aided or hindered by supernatural forces often hidden within animals or objects. At the center is Shika, whose frequent escapes from death promise a special destiny. Even those immune to the charms of fantasy and operatic tribal warfare can admire Hearn's skill at juggling so many characters who defy fairy-tale simplicity.
