last reads

Lord of the Darkwood by Lian Hearn Publishing information: Paperback; 240pgs Publisher: FSG Originals; 9 August 2016 ISBN: 9780374536336 Series: Tale of Shikanoko #3 Copy: Provided by publisher Review: Tyson Amazon Synopsis:"Shikanoko, at what should be a warrior’s hour of greatest triumph, turns his back on those around him, in mourning for a secret love . . . The Spider Tribe, spurned by their guardian, explore the extent of their powers and ruthless ambitions . . . Hina, who alone knows the whereabouts of the true emperor, has to forge a new identity of her own. No one must ever know that she is Kiyoyori’s daughter . . . As the traditional powers navigate weakness and disarray, old spirits and new figures enter the epic battle for the Lotus Throne . . . In Lord of the Darkwood, the major players of The Tale of Shikanoko are forced to deal with the consequences―expected and unexpected alike―of their past reckless actions. Each of them strives to achieve their destiny, but so far...

Autumn Princess, Dragon Child by Lian Hearn Publishing information: paperback; 288pgs Publisher: FSG Original; 7 June 2016 ISBN: 9780374536329 Series: The Tale of Shikanoko #2 Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "A self-assured warrior stumbles into a game of Go that turns fatal. An ambitious lord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces his son to give up his wife to his older brother. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne. A woman of the Old People seeks five fathers for her five children, who will go on to found the Spider Tribe and direct the fate of the country. As destiny weaves its tapestry in Lian Hearn's Tale of Shikanoko series, an emotionally rich and compelling drama plays out against a background of wild forests, elegant castles, hidden temples, and savage battlefields in Autumn Princess, Dragon Child." I enjoyed Lian Hearn's last book in the series, Emperor of the Eight I...

Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn Publishing information: Paperback; 272 pages Publisher: FSG Originals; 26 April 2016 ISBN: 9780374536312 Series: Tale of Shikanoko #1 Copy: Provided by publisher Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "In the opening pages of the action-packed Book One of Lian Hearn's epic Tale of Shikanoko series--all of which will be published in 2016--a future lord is dispossessed of his birthright by a scheming uncle, a mountain sorcerer imbues a mask with the spirit of a great stag for a lost young man, a stubborn father forces his son to give up his wife to his older brother, and a powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne, the child who is the rightful heir to the emperor barely escaping the capital in the arms of his sister. And that is just the beginning. As destiny weaves its rich tapestry, a compelling drama plays out against a background of wild forests, elegant castles, hidden temples, and savage battlefields. This is the me...