The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori by Lian Hearn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a Christmas gift and I didn’t realise I had it until late 2009 I think. Anyway, I was browsing my book shelf for a new unread book (I usually have two to three like these stocked up) when I stumbled upon ‘Harsh Cry of the Heron’. It was my first introduction to the Otori Tales and I didn’t let up until I completed the whole four episodes. I liked it so much that I re-read them in August this year when I finally got hold of the fifth episode.

Originally the Otori series was a trilogy; beginning with ‘Across the Nightingale Floor‘, then ‘Grass for His Pillow‘ finally concluding with ‘Brilliance of the Moon‘. ‘Harsh Cry of the Heron‘  is the 4th part and continues the story at the 16th co-ruled year of Lord Otori Takeo and his wife Lady Shirakawa Kaede. The world is an imaginary Asian kingdom based on feudal Japan during the era of Samurais and Ninjas. In fact, Lian Hearn deliberately changed these traditional Japanese class names to ‘Clans’ and ‘Tribes’ with fictional cities and ancient temples called Maruyama, Yamagata, Terayama and so on. Nonetheless, the story is cleverly written and immensely absorbing. Read More…