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Grass for his Pillow
- Tales of the Otori, Book 2
- Narrated by: Tamblyn Lord, Anna Steen
- Series: Tales of the Otori, Book 2
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
Non-member price: $27.31
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Brilliance of the Moon
- Tales of the Otori, Book 3
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Tamblyn Lord, Anna Steen
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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A beautiful, haunting evocation of the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, this thrilling follow-up to Grass for His Pillow and Across the Nightingale Floor delves deeper into the complex loyalties that bind its characters from birth.... In the third volume of the phenomenal series that began with the best-selling Across the Nightingale Floor and then Grass For His Pillow, the teenage lovers, Takeo and Kaede, are now married.
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Stick with book 2 to get to book 3
- By Kate Louise Webster on 15-11-2017
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The Harsh Cry of the Heron
- Tales of the Otori, Book 4
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Paul English
- Length: 20 hrs and 57 mins
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The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the dazzling continuation of the Tales of the Otori, an unforgettable epic with a vast emotional landscape, a classic work that crosses genres, genders and generations.‘Their realm is held in balance by their union ... Break that union and the Three Countries will fall apart.’Otori Takeo and Kaede have ruled the Three Countries peacefully for over 16 years, following the events laid out in the epic Tales of the Otori.
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Great Story
- By Helen on 29-11-2020
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Across the Nightingale Floor
- Tales of the Otori, Book 1
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Tamblyn Lord, Anna Steen
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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An international best seller, Across the Nightingale Floor is the first book in the Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn. In his black-walled fortress at Inuyama, the warlord Iida Sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard. The youth Takeo has been brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people who have taught him only the ways of peace.
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Great story, but somewhat let down by the ending
- By Todd on 19-05-2017
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Heaven's Net is Wide
- Tales of the Otori, Book 5
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Paul English
- Length: 18 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Heaven's Net is Wide is the first and last tale that both closes the circle and introduces readers to the strange and beautiful world of the Otori. It is an epic historical fantasy of revenge and betrayal, honour and loyalty, beauty and passion and the overwhelming power of love, set in a mystical, medieval Japan, which will enthral readers the world over.
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Great prequel
- By Anonymous User on 06-06-2018
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Orphan Warriors
- Children of the Otori, Book 1
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Patrick Harvey
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
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Taking place in the magical medieval world of Tales of the Otori and following on from The Harsh Cry of the Heron, Orphan Warriors is a coming-of-age adventure story in a human world of courage and sacrifice, behind which always hovers a supernatural world of danger and dread.
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Did not feel like an Otori book
- By Anonymous User on 26-03-2020
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Sibling Assassins
- Children of the Otori, Book 2
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Patrick Harvey
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
As a boy, Arai Sunaomi, was known as the Miracle Child and crossed between the worlds to walk among the dead. Now, he has put aside his past to follow the way of the warrior. His aunt, Kaede, is considering making him her heir, and her General, Miyoshi Kahei, hopes to betroth Sunaomi to his daughter, Kinu. But there is one girl whom Sunaomi cannot forget: Utahime, who has been dead for seven years. Will he dare bring her back to life?
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Tale of sensitivity and passion
- By Jeremy J on 08-01-2021
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Brilliance of the Moon
- Tales of the Otori, Book 3
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Tamblyn Lord, Anna Steen
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A beautiful, haunting evocation of the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, this thrilling follow-up to Grass for His Pillow and Across the Nightingale Floor delves deeper into the complex loyalties that bind its characters from birth.... In the third volume of the phenomenal series that began with the best-selling Across the Nightingale Floor and then Grass For His Pillow, the teenage lovers, Takeo and Kaede, are now married.
-
-
Stick with book 2 to get to book 3
- By Kate Louise Webster on 15-11-2017
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The Harsh Cry of the Heron
- Tales of the Otori, Book 4
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Paul English
- Length: 20 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the dazzling continuation of the Tales of the Otori, an unforgettable epic with a vast emotional landscape, a classic work that crosses genres, genders and generations.‘Their realm is held in balance by their union ... Break that union and the Three Countries will fall apart.’Otori Takeo and Kaede have ruled the Three Countries peacefully for over 16 years, following the events laid out in the epic Tales of the Otori.
-
-
Great Story
- By Helen on 29-11-2020
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Across the Nightingale Floor
- Tales of the Otori, Book 1
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Tamblyn Lord, Anna Steen
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
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An international best seller, Across the Nightingale Floor is the first book in the Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn. In his black-walled fortress at Inuyama, the warlord Iida Sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard. The youth Takeo has been brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people who have taught him only the ways of peace.
-
-
Great story, but somewhat let down by the ending
- By Todd on 19-05-2017
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Heaven's Net is Wide
- Tales of the Otori, Book 5
- By: Lian Hearn
- Narrated by: Paul English
- Length: 18 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Heaven's Net is Wide is the first and last tale that both closes the circle and introduces readers to the strange and beautiful world of the Otori. It is an epic historical fantasy of revenge and betrayal, honour and loyalty, beauty and passion and the overwhelming power of love, set in a mystical, medieval Japan, which will enthral readers the world over.
-
-
Great prequel
- By Anonymous User on 06-06-2018
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- Children of the Otori, Book 1
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- Narrated by: Patrick Harvey
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- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Taking place in the magical medieval world of Tales of the Otori and following on from The Harsh Cry of the Heron, Orphan Warriors is a coming-of-age adventure story in a human world of courage and sacrifice, behind which always hovers a supernatural world of danger and dread.
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-
Did not feel like an Otori book
- By Anonymous User on 26-03-2020
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Sibling Assassins
- Children of the Otori, Book 2
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Overall
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Performance
-
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As a boy, Arai Sunaomi, was known as the Miracle Child and crossed between the worlds to walk among the dead. Now, he has put aside his past to follow the way of the warrior. His aunt, Kaede, is considering making him her heir, and her General, Miyoshi Kahei, hopes to betroth Sunaomi to his daughter, Kinu. But there is one girl whom Sunaomi cannot forget: Utahime, who has been dead for seven years. Will he dare bring her back to life?
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Tale of sensitivity and passion
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Books 1 and 2 in The Tale of Shikanoko series. The first instalment in a magnificent epic by the creator of the global phenomenon the Tales of the Otori, Lian Hearn, whose books have sold over four million copies worldwide. An ambitious warlord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces his younger son to surrender his wife to his older brother. A mysterious woman seeks five fathers for her children. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne.
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frustrating
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Books 3 and 4 in The Tale of Shikanoko series. The second and final instalment of The Tale of Shikanoko: a bold epic of a fantastical medieval Japan from the creator of the global phenomenon Tales of the Otori, Lian Hearn, whose books have sold over four million copies worldwide. Against a background of wild forest, elegant castles, hidden temples and savage battlefields, the adventure that began with Emperor of the Eight Islands draws to its thrilling conclusion in Lord of the Darkwood, the second instalment of Lian Hearn's the Tale of Shikanoko.
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Good listen for otori series fans
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Skilgannon the Damned had vanished from the pages of history. Following the terrible triumph at Perapolis, the General had taken the legendary Swords of Night and Day and ridden from the lands of Naashan. No one knew where he had gone, and the assassins sent by the Witch Queen could find no trace of his passing. Three years later, as a mob intent on murder gathers outside a distant monastery, they are faced by a single unarmed priest. In a few terrifying seconds their world is changed for ever, and word spreads across the lands of the East.
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Once there were three worlds, each with their own human species. Then, fleeing out of the void came a fourth species, the Charon. Desperate, on the edge of extinction, they changed the balance between the worlds forever. Karan, a sensitive with a troubled heritage, is forced to steal an ancient relic in repayment of a debt. It turns out to be the Mirror of Aachan, a twisted, deceitful thing that remembers everything it has ever seen.
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Loved this telling
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As the decisions made in the corridors of power bring the world to the brink of oblivion, five families from across the globe are brought together in an unforgettable tale of passion and conflict during the Cold War. When Rebecca Hoffmann, a teacher in East Germany, finds herself pursued by the secret police, she discovers that she has been living a lie. Her younger brother, Walli, longs to escape across the Berlin Wall to Britain to become part of the burgeoning music scene.
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Japanese Short Stories for Beginners: 30 Captivating Short Stories to Learn Japanese & Grow Your Vocabulary the Fun Way!
- By: Talk In Japanese
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One of the smartest ways to improve fluency is to listen to stories in your chosen language. Finding appropriate literature can be tough when you’re just starting out, but this collection of 30 short stories is a fun and entertaining way of learning Japanese vocabulary and grammar. Each story is around 300 words, making them very quick reads without overwhelming you. Crafted for beginners, this is ideal for newcomers who are trying to approach fluency in a natural way.
Publisher's Summary
Praised for its epic scope and descriptive detail, Across the Nightingale Floor, the first book in the Tales of the Otori series, was an international best seller and critical success.
With Grass for His Pillow, we return to the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's creation - a land of harsh beauty and deceptive appearances.
In a complex social hierarchy, amid dissembling clans and fractured allegiances, there is no place for passionate young love. The orphan Takeo has been condemned to work as an assassin - an enforced occupation that his father sacrificed his own life to escape.
Meanwhile Takeo’s beloved Shirakawa Kaede, heir to the Murayama and alone in the world, must find a way to unify the domain she has inherited, as she fights off the advances of would-be suitors and hopes against fading hope that Takeo will return to her....
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What listeners say about Grass for his Pillow
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jeremy J
- 11-02-2020
Satisfying
A good tale well told. The female narrator is particularly good and I found myself being deeply concerned with the development of her story, which revolved around attempting to usurp the patriarchal structures that bound her. The more action based story of the male protagonist was also enjoyable. Compared to more highly acclaimed but slightly divergent fantasy I have attempted to read lately, the familiarity of the setting and the easily accessible drama was far more satisfying.
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- Kate Louise Webster
- 16-07-2017
More wanted from the second book
The pacing of the first book was perfect. This one felt like a lot of waiting. Which is where the storyline takes you, but I was hoping for more action. Maybe book three will have that.
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- david
- 12-06-2020
highly recommended sequel
great story. mysterious japan. a story about fate, and destiny. well read good clarity and pace. .
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- Ross H
- 27-04-2018
Surprising!
This book has its dull moments, such as the courting of kaede, but it has amazing twists and turns too, particularly where the young lady is concerned
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