Tales of the Otori

Novel series by Lian Hearn

Tales of the Otori is a series of historical fantasy novels by Gillian Rubinstein, writing under the pen name Lian Hearn, set in a fictional world based on feudal Japan. The series initially consisted of a trilogy: Across the Nightingale Floor (2002), Grass for His Pillow (2003), and Brilliance of the Moon (2004). It was followed in 2006 by a sequel, The Harsh Cry of the Heron, and in 2007 by a prequel, Heaven's Net is Wide. In 2020, two new books were published in a sequel series called Children of the Otori, Orphan Warriors and Sibling Assassins. The books follow a young warrior named Takeo in his struggles to avenge his adoptive father, escape the legacy of his biological father, and pursue the love of his life in the midst of an enormous power struggle involving dozens of clan lords and thousands of warriors.

"Five battles to fight. Four to win, one to lose."

Sixteen years later, Takeo is ruler of the Three Countries, and has three daughters: Shigeko, and twins Maya and Miki (the latter two have inherited tribal skills from their Kikuta bloodline). Arai Zenko (Daiichi's son) and his wife Hana (Kaede's youngest sister) plot for Takeo's overthrow with the help of the leader of the Kikuta, Akio, and Takeo's secret teenage son by Muto Yuki, Hisao. Hisao was raised by Akio, and is a ghostmaster, able to communicate with the dead, including his dead mother. After Muto Kenji dies, the loyalty of the Tribe clans to Takeo starts to wane. Despite installing Shigeko as Lady Maruyama and winning over the Emperor, his army is forced to battle the Emperor's general, Lord Saga, while Zenko raises an army in alliance with the western barbarians. Kaede bears a son, but after he dies, and Hana reveals to her that Hisao is Takeo's son, she is driven temporarily insane. Now against Takeo, she destroys the castle at Hagi, and seeks sanctuary with Arai and Hana. Takeo seeks sanctuary at Terayama, where he is attacked by Akio and Hisao. At the crucial moment Hisao freezes; Akio takes the gun, which explodes in his hands, killing himself and fatally wounding Maya. Takeo, acknowledging that it is his time, holds a knife in Hisao's hand and falls upon it, ensuring the prophecy of his death is fulfilled. Shigeko enters into a treaty with Saga, whose army defeats Arai Zenko, and she will marry him as part of the bargain to ensure peace. They will be co rulers in the Three Countries. In remorse, Kaede considers taking her own life, but at the last moment decides to live on for the sake of her daughter Miki.

This prequel begins about 17 years before the start of the trilogy, and ends at Takeo's and Shigeru's meeting that begins Across the Nightingale Floor. It follows Shigeru's childhood, his training with Matsuda Shingen, and his coming of age. Frustrated by his father's indecision and his uncle's obscure motives, he takes a band of warriors to the border with the Tohan, and discovers a village of the Hidden, tortured and killed by the Tohan. He encounters the belief system of the Hidden, and meets Iida Sadamu for the first time, sparing his life. Later, the novel covers his brief turbulent marriage, his relationship with the courtesan Akane, and the battle of Yaegahara. The Noguchi betray them, ensuring the Otori defeat, and victory for Iida Sadamu. Otori Shigemori perishes, but Jato, the ancestral sword, finds its way to his son Shigeru, via a member of the Tribe, Muto Kenji. Shigeru is forced to abdicate, and he patiently waits for an opportunity to avenge his father. Under the guise of a simple farmer, he secretly compiles records on the Tribe, assisted by Muto Shizuka, and conducts a covert relationship with Maruyama Naomi.

Iida Sadamu: leader of the Tohan clan. Enemy of Otori Shigeru, due to longstanding jealousy and hatred, also responsible for Shigeru's death. Killed by Shirakawa Kaede shortly after Shigeru's body is liberated by Takeo from Inuyama castle.

Muto Kenji: master of the Muto Tribe family. Takeo's teacher in Hagi. Father of Muto Yuki and uncle of Muto Shizuka. Muto Yuki: Kenji's daughter and mother of Takeo's first son. She delivers Jato, Shigeru's sword, to Takeo and takes Shigeru's head to Terayama, where Shigeru will be honoured after death. She is executed by the Tribe after giving birth to Takeo's son, who the Kikuta believe will not be raised to hate Takeo if he is raised in the presence of Yuki. Muto Shizuka: aide to Shirakawa Kaede. Kenji's niece. Former lover of Arai Daiichi and mother of his two sons, Zenko and Taku. Kikuta Isamu: a talented Tribe assassin who left the Tribe to live with his wife among the Hidden. Murdered by Kikuta Kotaro before his son Tomasu (Takeo) was born. Kikuta Kotaro: master of the Kikuta Tribe family and Isamu's cousin. Teacher of Kenji and other members of the Tribe. Kikuta Akio: Kotaro's nephew and Takeo's second cousin. He despises Takeo and antagonizes him whenever he can, especially when Takeo and Yuki become lovers. Kondo Kiichi: A member of the tribe who works with Shizuka to protect Kaede. Kuroda Shintaro: a notoriously talented member of the Tribe, despite being born into the lesser Kuroda family. He is sent to assassinate Shigeru, but his death at Takeo's hands reveals Takeo's true nature as someone who possesses the blood of the Tribe.

The Tribe are a secret organisation that nurture the powers that the world used to have. The Tribe consists of five families that existed before the lords and the clans, a time when magic was common. Since that time the Tribe have retained these abilities through dedication and training. They are frequently employed as spies and assassins by various institutions within the Three Countries. While they usually take on the guise of merchants or travelling actors and acrobats, some members of the Tribe live rather unassuming lives as traders and money lenders rather than as spies and assassins. They are like ninjas. Little is known about the nature of the Tribe, and the organization is rarely employed with complete trust. Most of the information that exists on the Tribe was secretly compiled by Otori Shigeru with the help of Muto Shizuka. Unfortunately for the Tribe, the abilities they possess are being lost with new generations, possibly due to inbreeding depression. This theory is likely since some Tribe members with a non Tribe parent have shown to have great abilities.

The most ferocious family that is known for its power, harshness, and skilled assassins. They are the pre eminent tribal family in Tohan territory. Many true Kikuta have a straight palm line across their hand and have great powers, such as invisibility, splitting off a phantom body, acute hearing, and the ability to put someone in a deep sleep merely by staring at them (the 'Kikuta sleep'). It was said that many of the Kikuta gifts were dying out, which was why the Tribe desired Takeo's talents so much. Minor skills, possess by the weaker Kikuta, include agility and the ability to perceive invisibility and the second self. In some very rare cases, some Kikuta members are ghost masters, and have the ability to communicate with the spirits of the deceased, as well as commanding them. The Kikuta Master was Kikuta Kotaro, followed by his nephew Kikuta Akio. They are very traditional in their thinking and do not want to let peace succeed throughout the three countries. Takeo's father Kikuta Isamu was the greatest assassin in the Kikuta before he met Takeo's mother and defected to The Hidden. He was killed later by Kikuta Kotaro when he had refused to fight him because of the Hidden's religion and the vow he made to never kill again after he married Takeo's mother.

One of the two large clans of the Tribe that still have substantial gifts, and the major family in the Middle Country. They are renowned for their changing faces; as such, they are skilled as spies. They also share some of the more famous skills of the Tribe with the Kikuta, such as invisibility. The Master of the Muto was Muto Kenji, and after his death, Muto Shizuka. The Muto have strong links with the Otori and believe that the Tribe should change in the future. At the beginning of the series there is a close alliance between the Muto and Kikuta which wanes throughout the series. Controversy surrounded Shizuka's appointment as head of the clan, firstly because she was a woman, and secondly because she was appointed by Otori Takeo and not by the family.

A lesser clan of the Tribe that are mainly merchants, money lenders and informants. They possess some of the gifts of the greater clans, and a characteristic practicality which makes them superb assassins (e. g. Kuroda Shintaro). In The Harsh Cry of the Heron it is mentioned that the Kuroda can perceive invisibility, but cannot become invisible themselves. The only other Kuroda character encountered in the series is Kondo Kiichi (taking the name Kondo from adoption into his mother's side of the family.)

The two lesser clans of the Tribe. They mostly work as grooms and servants.

The name "Hidden" for the secretly held religious system of belief probably comes from the title that Christians once held in feudal Japan, "Kakure Kirishitan," literally "Hidden Christians." First Catholics and soon Protestants as well were persecuted by the Tokugawa family after the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Catholics were treated much more brutally, and were publicly executed. Thus, many devout believers concealed their faiths and became "Hidden." The three religions in the novel are very similar to three actual religions: the "Hidden" are similar to Christians (although actual Christians do appear later on in the series), those who worship "the enlightened one" follow similar beliefs to Buddhists, and those who believe in the spirits of nature are Shinto (Japan's native religion). Takeo's real name, "Tomasu" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Christian name "Thomas", as the name of Hidden outcast Jo An could be perceived as a variation of "John". Tomasu's sister, Madaren, is the Japanese version of Madeline, and his other sister, Maruta, could be a version of "Martha". Japanese Christians in the feudal era took Japanized Christian names. All of the titles follow the Japanese poetic style (haiku and waka) of 5 and 7 syllables. Author Lian Hearn details the origins of the Tribe in her four book series The Tale of Shikanoko, published in 2016. The events in The Tale of Shikanoko occur many generations before the events in the Tales of the Otori.

The first book of the series, Across the Nightingale Floor, was featured in Bloomsbury Good Reading Guides to the hundred best fantasy novels, with the Otori tales described as "a shimmering blend of quiet delicacy and ruthless action", and as setting "a new standard for young adult fantasy".