11-20-2006, 06:33 AM
It was supposed to be a trilogy but then the fourth book appeared. It's based on Feudal Japan with Samurai and Ninja and persecuted christians about the time the Portugese showed. Their not called that, of course. It's the three countries, the Warriors, The Tribe and the Hidden.
It's the story of how Takeo, one of the Hidden who is descended from Ninjas, I mean Tribe becomes a Warrior to save the Three Countries.
To make sure we know it's not japan, our Tribe friends have super powers. They have super hearing, they can turn invisible and split off a doppleganger during fight. Naturally, Takeo has all these powers in great abundance.
The first book, "Across the Nightingale Floor" rocked. It made me immediately buy the other three books so they would be waiting for me when I finished the floor. It's the genesis story. It details Takeo's early days, how he learns to be a warrior, what happens when his powers blossom and ultimately his revenge against the people that killed his family.
Books two and three made me regret I had bought book four in hardback. They just didn't have the same spark as Nightingale. It's basically Takeo consolodating his power in the three countries and him running around try to get with Kaede. It's also about how the tribe wants to kill him because of his defection to the warriors.
The fourth book "Harsh Cry of the Heron" redeemed the series. It's fifteen years after the first books. Takeo has been in charge for all that time but the time of peace in three countries is coming to an end. The emperor wants him out. His nephew wants to kill him. The leader of the Tribe wants to kill him. And he's not getting on so well with the love of his life. It's all very satisfying and convoluted. It's a book aout a man's perfect life unraveling.
The fourth book is called the last book of the Otori (Takeo's clan) but there are plenty of danling story threads that I could see more books. But it does wrap up very nicely.
It's the story of how Takeo, one of the Hidden who is descended from Ninjas, I mean Tribe becomes a Warrior to save the Three Countries.
To make sure we know it's not japan, our Tribe friends have super powers. They have super hearing, they can turn invisible and split off a doppleganger during fight. Naturally, Takeo has all these powers in great abundance.
The first book, "Across the Nightingale Floor" rocked. It made me immediately buy the other three books so they would be waiting for me when I finished the floor. It's the genesis story. It details Takeo's early days, how he learns to be a warrior, what happens when his powers blossom and ultimately his revenge against the people that killed his family.
Books two and three made me regret I had bought book four in hardback. They just didn't have the same spark as Nightingale. It's basically Takeo consolodating his power in the three countries and him running around try to get with Kaede. It's also about how the tribe wants to kill him because of his defection to the warriors.
The fourth book "Harsh Cry of the Heron" redeemed the series. It's fifteen years after the first books. Takeo has been in charge for all that time but the time of peace in three countries is coming to an end. The emperor wants him out. His nephew wants to kill him. The leader of the Tribe wants to kill him. And he's not getting on so well with the love of his life. It's all very satisfying and convoluted. It's a book aout a man's perfect life unraveling.
The fourth book is called the last book of the Otori (Takeo's clan) but there are plenty of danling story threads that I could see more books. But it does wrap up very nicely.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit