The Tale of Shikanoko Series by Lian Hearn

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.These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield... moreAn 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.These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield. Set in a mythical medieval Japan inhabited by warriors and assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits, Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn is a brilliantly imagined novel, full of drama and intrigue - and it is just the beginning of an enthralling, epic adventure: The Tale of Shikanoko. less

A self-assured warrior stumbles into a game of Go that turns fatal. An ambitious lord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces his son to give up his wife to his older brother. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne. A woman of the Old People seeks five fathers for her five children, who will go on to found the Spider Tribe and direct the fate of the country... moreA self-assured warrior stumbles into a game of Go that turns fatal. An ambitious lord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces his son to give up his wife to his older brother. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne. A woman of the Old People seeks five fathers for her five children, who will go on to found the Spider Tribe and direct the fate of the country. As destiny weaves its tapestry in Lian Hearn's Tale of Shikanoko series, an emotionally rich and compelling drama plays out against a background of wild forests, elegant castles, hidden temples, and savage battlefields in Autumn Princess, Dragon Child. less

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.These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield... moreAn 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.These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield. Set in a mythical medieval Japan inhabited by warriors and assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits, Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn is a brilliantly imagined novel, full of drama and intrigue - and it is just the beginning of an enthralling, epic adventure: The Tale of Shikanoko. less

"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.The rightful emperor is lost. Shikanoko is condemned to live, half-man and half-deer, an outlaw in the Darkwood. Yet the mighty lords who now rule the Eight Islands are prey to suspicion and illness, and drought and famine choke the realm... more"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.The rightful emperor is lost. Shikanoko is condemned to live, half-man and half-deer, an outlaw in the Darkwood. Yet the mighty lords who now rule the Eight Islands are prey to suspicion and illness, and drought and famine choke the realm. Only Shikanoko can bring healing, by restoring the preordained ruler to the Lotus Throne. And only one person can bring him back from the Darkwood . . ." less

The rightful emperor is lost to the world, farther from the throne than ever before . . . The lord of the usurper clan has fallen ill, and further unrest looms . . . Shikanoko has withdrawn to the furthest reaches of the country, leaving his allies stranded and the Spider Tribe unchecked . . moreThe rightful emperor is lost to the world, farther from the throne than ever before . . . The lord of the usurper clan has fallen ill, and further unrest looms . . . Shikanoko has withdrawn to the furthest reaches of the country, leaving his allies stranded and the Spider Tribe unchecked . . . Lakes are drying up, rivers receding-have the powers of Heaven abandoned the Eight Islands? The Tale of Shikanoko began with an unusual game of Go, as young Shikanoko's father sat down to an ill-advised match against a tengu. Now, in the last chapter of The Tale of Shikanoko, the stones are arrayed in their final positions on the board. In The Tengu's Game of Go, all are forced to confront the missteps of the past, as the wrath of Heaven weaves tight around its mortal players. Hidden identities are revealed, loyalties are put to their ultimate test, and death appears around every corner. Throughout The Tale of Shikanoko, Lian Hearn has masterfully captured the thrilling danger and beauty of the medieval and magical. In the final installment, Shikanoko risks everything for fate and justice-an exhilarating ending to an unforgettable adventure. less