Heaven's Net Is Wide

With this prequel, the circle of the Otori clan saga is completed. The story of Lord Shigeru's youth introduces a complex plot and numerous characters from the world of the Hidden, the Tribe, and the Otori. Paul Boehmer's impeccable performance--his strong, soothing voice and excellent pacing--sets the stage and conveys the courage, deception, cruelty, and passion of the tale. From the introductory music to the flawless pronunciation of Japanese names and places, the lyrical language fully creates images for the listener. The fantasy combines philosophy, religion, and the human condition with an action-filled narrative. The counterpoint of Julia Fletcher's voice adds a strong female perspective with a clear and pleasant tone. A must listen for fans of the series. L.D.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

May 28, 2007
Set in a brutal and breathtaking feudal Japan, this lyrical and moving prequel to Hearn’s Tales of the Otori and also the fifth and final entry in this epic chronicle of ruthless warlords and ill-fated love (after 2006’s The Harsh Cry of the Heron
), focuses on the early life of Otori Shigeru, the young heir to the Otori clan. Raised in a strictly hierarchical society that reveres loyalty and honor, the adolescent Shigeru witnesses firsthand how treachery and duplicity play an integral role in the deaths of thousands of Otori warriors, the bloody annihilation of his family and, inevitably, his complete and utter degradation. As a dispossessed heir, Shigeru finds strength and retributive inspiration in the teachings of his former mentor, warrior-monk Matsuda Shingen, and in his illicit relationship with the resourceful Lady Maruyama, whose life has also been devastated by the Tohan. Equal parts historical fiction, high fantasy and revelatory Taoist fable, the now complete Tales of the Otori is a saga to be treasured.