Emperor of the Eight Islands

Like George R. R. Martin, Lian Hearn has captivated millions of readers worldwide with her masterpiece of imagination, TALES OF THE OTORI. 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 Emperor of the Eight Islands, in a medieval Japanese country inhabited by warriors, assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits. And as the laws of destiny play out their inexorable drama, so the battle for the Lotus Throne begins.

Coming soon

LORD OF THE DARKWOOD: Books 3 and 4 in THE TALE OF SHIKANOKO.

Praise for EMPEROR OF THE EIGHT ISLANDS:

'huge imaginative vitality' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

'a fitting follow-up to the Otori series' THE AGE

'colourful and fascinating characters' COURIER MAIL

'a must-read' AUREALIS

'stands alone for fine storytelling' WEST AUSTRALIAN

'sure to recruit a fresh legion of fans' THE SATURDAY PAPER

Don't miss any of the novels in the OTORI saga

ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR

GRASS FOR HIS PILLOW

BRILLIANCE OF THE MOON

THE HARSH CRY OF THE HERON

HEAVEN'S NET IS WIDE

“One of the most thrilling series of our time. - The Times on TALES OF THE OTORI The best story of magic, love, sex, revenge and suspense since Philip Pullman. - Independent On Sunday on TALES OF THE OTORIA classic in the making. - Sydney Morning Herald on GRASS FOR HIS PILLOWAn engrossing fantasy saga of literary quality. - The Age on TALES OF THE OTORIAn enthralling and original work of fantasy. - The Times on TALES OF THE OTORILian Hearn's marvellous storytelling talent makes reading these books a moment of pure bliss. - Le Monde on TALES OF THE OTORIA tour de force of pure storytelling. - Sydney Morning Herald on THE HARSH CRY OF THE HERONRich with character and detail, yet effortless to read. - Sydney Morning Herald on HEAVEN'S NET IS WIDE”

brutally thrilling historical fantasy - Herald Sun

fine storytelling - West Australian

huge imaginative vitality - Sydney Morning Herald

a fitting follow-up to the Otori series - The Age

a must-read - Aurealis

[Hearn's] new epic seems sure to recruit a fresh legion of fans - The Saturday Paper

colourful and fascinating characters - warriors, ghosts, sorcerers and supernatural beings - are everywhere in this epic - Courier-Mail

the reader fully and unquestioningly inhabits the teeming, bloodthirsty but fascinating medieval world Hearn has created - Adelaide Advertiser

One of Australia's most internationally successful writers, Lian Hearn's books have been translated into 42 languages and have sold millions of copies. Nine of her books are set in a mythical country based on medieval Japan: these are the five Tales of the Otori books, starting with Across the Nightingale Floor; The Tale of Shikanoko: Emperor of the Eight Islands and Lord of the Darkwood; and Children of the Otori: Orphan Warriors and Sibling Assassins. She has also written two historical novels set in nineteenth-century Japan, Blossoms and Shadows and The Storyteller and His Three Daughters.

Lian's passionate interest in Japan began when she was a teenager. She received an AsiaLink arts fellowship for travel and research in 1999. She travels frequently to Japan and has studied Japanese for many years. She has always been deeply interested in languages and has a BA and MA in French and Spanish from Oxford University. She worked as an editor and film critic in England and Australia before beginning her career as a novelist in 1986, under the name of Gillian Rubinstein, with the bestselling and award-winning children's novel Space Demons.

You can follow Lian on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Like George R. R. Martin, Lian Hearn has captivated millions of readers worldwide with her masterpiece of imagination, TALES OF THE OTORI. 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 Emperor of the Eight Islands, in a medieval Japanese country inhabited by warriors, assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits. And as the laws of destiny play out their inexorable drama, so the battle for the Lotus Throne begins. Coming soon LORD OF THE DARKWOOD: Books 3 and 4 in THE TALE OF SHIKANOKO. Praise for EMPEROR OF THE EIGHT ISLANDS: 'huge imaginative vitality' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 'a fitting follow-up to the Otori series' THE AGE 'colourful and fascinating characters' COURIER MAIL 'a must-read' AUREALIS 'stands alone for fine storytelling' WEST AUSTRALIAN 'sure to recruit a fresh legion of fans' THE SATURDAY PAPER Don't miss any of the novels in the OTORI saga ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOORGRASS FOR HIS PILLOWBRILLIANCE OF THE MOONTHE HARSH CRY OF THE HERONHEAVEN'S NET IS WIDE

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