ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR By Lian Hearn

ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR
Tales of the Otori, No. 1
By Lian Hearn
Macmillan - September 2002
ISBN 1405000325 HB
Fantasy
Fantastic Location, similar to Feudal Japan

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde, MyShelf.com
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Set in a fantastic location similar to Feudal Japan, this is a fantasy novel that breaks the Tolkeinesque mold. Young Tomasu lives in a remote village as part of a persecuted sect called The Hidden until the evil warlord, Iida Sadamu, comes with his men to wipe out the hated heretics. His family killed, Tomasu tries to kill Sadamu, but is rescued just in time by Lord Otori Shigeru, a kindly man who seems to want to adopt him as his son. What Tomasu (or Takeo, his new name) does not know is that he is part of The Tribe, a mysterious group of people who possess special powers. Shigeru is going to want to put those powers to a very special use…

Imagine Shogun or the works of Laura Joh Rowland in a fictional setting with a bit of magic added and you will have something of the special magic of this book, the first of a trilogy. Lian Hearn is a newcomer to the fantasy scene, but his highly readable, gripping novel is sure to win him many fans. Nary a dwarf nor a dragon in sight, and under 300 pages; surely a novel that is going to appeal to more readers than just the die-hard fantasy fans. Hearn is adept at creating sympathetic and realistic characters whose fate we truly care about. He conveys a scene with just a few telling words, rather like the brush strokes of a master Japanese artist. Unusual, memorable and highly readable, this is probably the best fantasy novel I've read yet this year. When is the next part coming out?!