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    Heaven's Net Is Wide
    Heaven's Net Is Wide
    Heaven's Net Is Wide
    Audiobook17 hours

    Heaven's Net Is Wide

    Written by Lian Hearn

    Narrated by Paul Boehmer and Julia Fletcher

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The prequel to the beloved Otori tales both completes and introduces the series while standing firmly on its own, recounting a mythical, medieval world of ninjas and samurais.

    As Tolkien's The Silmarillion is to The Lord of the Rings, Lian Hearn's Heaven's Net Is Wide is the backstory fans have been yearning for.

    Set before the Tales of the Otori begins, Heaven's Net recounts the life of Lord Otori Shigeru, the series' spiritual warrior-godfather and adoptive father of the Tales' Takeo. We learn about Shigeru's training in the ways of the warrior and feudal lord; his relationship with the Tribe of mysteriously powerful assassins; his fateful meeting with Lady Maruyama, who would become his secret lover; the battle of Yaegahara, where his father is killed; and other turning points that shaped the Tales. The first four volumes gave us only glimpses. Now we are treated to rich detail and more of Hearn's fantastical Japanese world.

    Gripping and bewitching, Heaven's Net is a new beginning and a grand finale; a story of monumental battles, supreme loyalty, triumphant love, and heartbreak. It ends just before Across the Nightingale Floor begins, bringing the Otori epic full circle.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHighbridge Company
    Release dateAug 16, 2007
    ISBN9781598875171
    Heaven's Net Is Wide
    Author

    Lian Hearn

    Lian Hearn studied modern languages at Oxford University and worked as a film critic and arts editor in London before settling in Australia. A lifelong interest in Japan led to the study of the Japanese language, many trips to Japan, and culminated in the Tales of the Otori series.

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    Reviews for Heaven's Net Is Wide

    4/5

    232 ratings17 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Prequels are hard to pull off, being that the ideal one would have both a good story on its own and some call towards knowledge from the already published books. This one does a pretty good job of playing off the Tales of the Otori, with nice little details in there that tie to plot in the trilogy proper, but with a good story of its own.This book's lead character is Otori Shigeru, the mentor character from Across the Nightingale Floor, from his late childhood up through when the trilogy begins. Much of this is quite interesting: how he became the person he is in the trilogy is well charted and described - how he learns about farming, his interest in the Tribe, his training with Matsuda, his relations with his family, etc. Either Hearn planned this beforehand and had it in mind when she wrote the character, or she came up with a lot of plausible stuff in retrospect. The historical sequences that you know must have occuThe writing style is very much the same as the other books, with the evocative feel without too much detail that Hearn excelled at. I also liked the return of the more female viewpoint that one of the secondary characters, Akane, gave. These do feel like people, and I like that.The main problem I have is one of pacing, really: the pacing at the beginning and at the end feel quite different, and there's a big rush towards the end, it feels like, to get it to the beginning of the trilogy. But I can see why she did it; the book probably would have suffered with the extra couple hundred pages it would have taken to get there.I don't think I'd start with this book, still, because I liked the feel in Across the Nightingale Floor of a world that works without you knowing all of the components directly, but it's definitely worth reading if you like the rest of the series. I enjoyed it, and I'm glad it ended well (or began well, as you like).
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this more than The Harsh Cry Of The Heron, though it wasn't all that much happier! I always liked the characters of Shigeru and Naomi, so it was quite interesting to read about when they were younger and when they first got together. There was interesting background for Shizuka, too, and Iida Sadamu. I'm not sure it added terribly much to their characters that I couldn't have extrapolated from reading the original trilogy and The Harsh Cry Of The Heron, but it was interesting and enjoyable anyway.

      One thing I didn't like was that there were no surprises. Not even the illusion of a surprise. It wasn't just that, of course, it was history to the three books of the trilogy so it had to go a certain way. The narrative kept foreshadowing -- without subtlety -- what was to come. You know: "Little did he know but that dream was not to become a reality. In just another month, blahblahblah". I hate that when I'm reading, even if it's a prequel and I know roughly what's going to happen anyway. There's no point in it if you're going to tell the story in full in the narrative anyway, and foreshadowing can be done much more subtly. In fact, is done more subtly elsewhere in the book.

      Still. That's just one of my pet peeves. I certainly don't regret reading the book, and I raced through it within twenty-four hours while doing a billion other things at the same time. I do think it's best appreciated if you've read the trilogy and then The Harsh Cry Of The Heron first.
    • 4/5
      Takes the reader to a mythical place similar to feudal Japan and follows the life of a man learning life's lessons and trying to find a way to seek revenge for treachery while disquising his true plans. First book (prequel) in a series.
    • 4/5
      Having recently read Under Heaven (which, yes, I do know is about mythical China & not mythical Japan); I did wonder if this would suffer in comparison. Certainly Lian Hearn's language is not so poetic as Guy Gavriel Kay's, but the story did engage nicely. I find myself wondering how, if this is the last book but a prequel to the others, how it all fits into a cycle. I guess I will go order the others soon, when my current reading stock runs out ;)
      The only complaint for me was the speed at which the latter third of the book went at; in some places a couple of sentences disposed of a year and a half.
    • 2/5
      I was looking forward to this one, because Shigeru was hands-down my favorite character from "Across the Nightingale Floor." But where AtNF was elegantly succinct, HNiW was bloated and meandering: over 500 pages long in paperback, while AtNF was not even 300. There were far too many chapters from the concubine's perspective; her role just seemed pointless, and I found her downright unlikable as a character. In fact, few of the characters besides Shigeru himself were in any way sympathetic. And, in the end, HNiW just wasn't as well-written--lots of telling rather than showing. A disappointment.

      (Something of a disclaimer... I haven't read any of the rest of the series besides this one and AtNF; the ending of AtNF felt so complete that I never felt any need to go on. But I was excited about Shigeru's backstory.)
    • 5/5
      I have nothing bad to say about this book. NOTHING.

      I'm a huge fan of these series and have been ever since I really got into reading in my mid-teens. It's one of those series that has its own magical world so beautifully described, you get swept up in it. I've read from 'Across the Nightingale Floor' to 'Brilliance of the Moon' in the series about three times. They came as a trilogy until the author (whom I applaud for doing this) decided to write a sequel and a prequel. This is the prequel, following the life of Shigeru, Takeo's adopted father, from the age of a young boy until his late twenties.

      In 'Across the Nightingale Floor' I fell in love with his character and always enjoyed reading about him. I don't think it was ever written in his POV, so we only see him through the eyes of Takeo. Shigeru is intelligent, mysterious, generous, loving and keeps his cards close to his chest. He's known as the 'Farmer' because he was defeated in battle and his leadership was stripped from him, being handed over to his lecherous, betraying uncles. He holds onto that identity purposefully, to appear harmless while he plots his revenge on those who betrayed him. Which was the reason he lost the war.

      In this book, we see how the betrayal and war that led to the rival clan, the Tohan, taking over a large portion of Otori land, happens. How Shigeru winds up where he does in 'Across the Nightingale Floor'. And my god, does he go through a shit storm of tragedy after tragedy. So many deaths. His brother, mother, father (who was dead before this novel), his concubine, his wife and unborn child, his best friend. He also suffers grief for not being able to be with the woman he loves, and losing their unborn child because Maruyama Naomi, out of fear of their love being discovered, has an abortion. In this novel, we see how their passion overwhelms them. How they fear being caught. They're both leaders of powerful clans. She, the Seishuu; he, the Otori. They can't marry, not while their enemy Iida Sadamu is alive. Which is where Takeo comes in in 'Across the Nightingale Floor'.

      This book sounds like it's rough, but despite the tears, it isn't depressing or makes you feel low. You suffer with them but because Shigeru and his true love, Naomi, have hope in their future, and the future of their people, it rubs off on us too. I read the trilogy, so I know what becomes of Sadamu, the tyrant.

      I felt saddened more and more as I read from Shigeru's POV, and Maruyama Naomi too, because I know their fate. I know what happens to them. But it never stopped me enjoying their story.

      I can't wait to read the sequel 'Harsh Cry of the Heron'. This prequel made me understand so much more that was touched on in the other three books. I now wonder what will become of Takeo as a grown man, with grown children. And his partner Kaede.

      It's a beautiful story that you cannot tell whether it is fiction, or holds any truth to history. The author is meticulous in her writing. Her description is absolutely stunning and I never find myself scanning through it. I lick it up. I absorb it. Because it does what it is meant to and brings the scenery to life. I can smell the fragrant flowers, hear the shrill of birds, feel the warmth of the sun or the chill of winter. I can taste the blood on the battle field, hear the war cries and dying men. These series are magical and wonderfully written. I know I'll read them again and again. Out of all the books so far, this is perhaps my favourite, because of Shigeru. But they are all wonderful. You won't be disappointed if you read them.

      For that reason, this gets full marks.
    • 5/5
      How could I have forgotten how good Lian Hearn's writing is, and how much I loved the Tales of the Otori.

      Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go reread "Across the Nightingale Floor"
    • 3/5
      This book is an immediate prequel to Across the Nightingale Floor, and as such feels sort of unnecessary. I mean, Otori Shigeru is a powerful character, but I found him more powerful when we see him as a grown man with a shadowed past that's only revealed in hints and implications, rather than actually seeing him as a callow boy. I suppose for lovers of the series, it's worth reading, but I certainly wouldn't start here and I'm not sure I'd urge people to pick it up.

      That said, I do find it so refreshing to read a fantasy set somewhere other than a medieval-Europe analogue. I would love to hear from actual Japanese people (or even scholars of medieval Japan) and discover how well it works for someone familiar with the thinly-veiled historical period in which it's set - particularly given that the author is English/Australian.
    • 4/5
      "Heaven's Net is Wide" is the prequel to a Trilogy spanning the "Tales of the Otori". I would not have picked this book myself but several friends recommended it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It didn't reach 5stars for me, since the pace dragged in a couple of places. I was also kept on my toes, placing all of the non-central characters, and had to re-read some passages. BUT I will certainly seek out the trilogy of the Otori and look forward to reading them all.
    • 4/5
      One of the best Samurai/Ninja/historical fiction novels around. It is not cheesy nor too exasperating. Another bonus in the mix is a tribe called 'The Hidden' which are IMHO the closest to the early followers of 'The Way' as I've read. If you've never read any of the Otori series this is a great start!
    • 4/5
      Heaven's Net is Wide is the prequel to Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori trilogy. Set in a fictional version of medieval Japan, it tells the story of Lord Otori Shigeru's quest to rescue his once-powerful clan from the hands of his vacillating father and grasping uncles. Although the book has all the intrigues of a spy drama, the author, Lian Hearn says it is really about "human beings reaching for power" and "reacting to a society that restricts their behavior, telling them who to be and what to do." That's what makes these books so fascinating even though the writing isn't perfect. Because this book tells the story that leads up to the action-packed main trilogy, not a lot actually happens -- aside from a lot of plotting, scheming and waiting. The first half of the book, telling Lord Otori's training and coming of age, moves along at a good clip, but after that, it feels as if the author isn't quite sure what to do next. That didn't stop me from waking up wondering what would happen to each of the main characters though. The mix of political, romantic and sexual intrigue was enough to keep me going and make me sorry when the book was over.Even though this is a prequel and chronologically first in the series, it's better to read this after you've finished the original trilogy. It is designed to answer readers' lingering questions about the characters' backstories, and uncovering the surprise details of your favorite character's life is what makes it interesting. Readers who haven't completed, or at least read a part of, the original trilogy might grow bored. If this review intrigues you, the trilogy is worth checking out. Historical fiction replete with large scale battles and one-on-one martial arts duels is not my usual cup of tea, but this series pulled me in from the start. Lian Hearn excels at crafting strong female characters who retain -- and are empowered by -- their unique feminine qualities. But this isn't just "chick lit." Readers of both sexes will appreciate the balance of political intrigue, sword fights, romance and sex (not explicit).
    • 4/5
      More samauri than ninja, but still enjoyable prequel to the Otori series. Infinitely better than the sequel.
    • 4/5
      Prequels are hard to pull off, being that the ideal one would have both a good story on its own and some call towards knowledge from the already published books. This one does a pretty good job of playing off the Tales of the Otori, with nice little details in there that tie to plot in the trilogy proper, but with a good story of its own.This book's lead character is Otori Shigeru, the mentor character from Across the Nightingale Floor, from his late childhood up through when the trilogy begins. Much of this is quite interesting: how he became the person he is in the trilogy is well charted and described - how he learns about farming, his interest in the Tribe, his training with Matsuda, his relations with his family, etc. Either Hearn planned this beforehand and had it in mind when she wrote the character, or she came up with a lot of plausible stuff in retrospect. The historical sequences that you know must have occuThe writing style is very much the same as the other books, with the evocative feel without too much detail that Hearn excelled at. I also liked the return of the more female viewpoint that one of the secondary characters, Akane, gave. These do feel like people, and I like that.The main problem I have is one of pacing, really: the pacing at the beginning and at the end feel quite different, and there's a big rush towards the end, it feels like, to get it to the beginning of the trilogy. But I can see why she did it; the book probably would have suffered with the extra couple hundred pages it would have taken to get there.I don't think I'd start with this book, still, because I liked the feel in Across the Nightingale Floor of a world that works without you knowing all of the components directly, but it's definitely worth reading if you like the rest of the series. I enjoyed it, and I'm glad it ended well (or began well, as you like).
    • 5/5
      Read more at Grasping for the WindHeaven's net is wide but its mesh is fine.Beauty, Grace, Eloquence. These words define the writing of author Lian Hearn. Her Tales of the Otori series of historical fantasy novels are extremely popular worldwide. Years ago, when Across the Nightingale Floor was first published, I was in a manga phase, where I thought I enjoyed manga and Japanese history based stories above all else. So I picked up a copy, since my local bookstore was featuring it. I admit, I didn't like it, and eventually gave away my copy to my younger brother, who has actually been to Japan, and is an animator by trade. I never found out his reaction, but in the years since, the fact that I hadn't finished this book has haunted me like no other book ever has.Fast forward several years, The Tales of the Otori is now five books strong, and extremely popular. Heaven's Net is Wide, the first and last book in the series, the prequel to Across the Nightingale Floor, arrives in my mailbox. Intrigued, I set aside all my other reading and dived in. Heaven's Net is Wide is a great place to begin the story. Because it is a prequel, Hearn has not assumed the reader has much knowledge about the setting or characters. She begins with a hook, describing a confrontation between two members of the Tribe, a family of assassins. Readers of the prior books will recognize the importance of this event right away, but for the new reader, Hearn begins on just the right foot, hooking them into the story. The tale is set in medieval Japan, with some mythic elements, mostly in relation to the unique abilities of the Tribe. After that first chapter, the story abruptly shifts to the story of Shigeru, giving the reader the history of a character that plays a major role in the later books. Shigeru is first-born son of the weak-willed ruler of the Otori. Recognizing that his own son may suffer some of his weaknesses, that ruler seeks to train Shigeru to control his impulses. Shigeru is sent to learn from a sword master the way of the warrior. Upon his return to his father's castle, Shigeru find himself embroiled in political intrigue, intrigue which will eventually lead to war, and the tragic consequences thereof.The novel ends where Across the Nightingale Floor begins, leaving readers desperately wanting to finish the entire series.Lian Hearn has captured the legendary, mythic aspect of story. Although told as a history, the story never drags or moves too quickly. Hearn slowly, subtly builds interest in her characters, her world, and her story. The reader is given time to grasp the strange culture in which the story is set, and is allowed time to tie his or her own emotions into the character of Shigeru. Told through an omniscient narrator, Hearn acknowledges what will happen, occasionally breaking the narrative to say that as a result of a particular event, this or that will follow. But it is a natural break, an obvious outflow of the narrator already knowing the later events. Yet it never reveals too much, nor does it happen often, perhaps only three or four times in the entire 500 page novel.Some readers may think that Hearn is trying to force too much information into the story. There is an awful lot of information, and because of the hints from the previously published books, there is a lot of ground to cover in Shigeru's story. So some readers might find the story to full of information. But the reader should take into account that this is a prequel, and as such, is pretty much one large back-story. While it is never dull, it is essentially a history told as a novel, and so a lot of ground will be covered.Other readers may dislike the positive attitude of the story to the religious sect of the Hidden. An obviously Christian belief, modified to fit Japanese culture, this sect fits within the historical context. It has been believed throughout history that the Apostle Thomas went into the East to preach the Gospel, and that he made it into the Asian countries, there to found Christianity. Hearn unapologetically uses the Hidden as a persecuted people of principles and morals. This positive take on Christian belief may offend some readers, especially as it is juxtaposed against the Buddhist cultural traditions of most of the people in the story. But it is important that the Hidden have a role in Heaven's Net is Wide, especially as the primary character of the later books, Tomasu/Takeo, is one of them, and Hearn, I suspect, makes much of Tomasu/Takeo's beliefs making it hard for him to do what he is later asked to do in Across the Nightingale Floor. In fact, at her website Hearn says that "Takeo's journey is one that must transcend the constraints and beliefs of any one sect." In Heaven's Net is Wide, one character even has a conversion experience. Readers should be careful not to judge this a Christian novel, as Hearn is simply building on her knowledge of medieval Japan, and using the one religion that will not fit well into Japanese culture with its total ban on killing, as a motivator for the story. She is exploring the theme of spirituality in an extremely spiritual society.The only thing I didn't like about this novel was the easy way that every woman Shigeru meets seems to fall in love with him. It makes me think that Hearn (a pseudonym for a previously published author) may be a writer of romance in her other persona. The relative ease with which Shigeru gets women to love him is a bit unreal. This particular character trait also relates to the temptation to apply the label "Christian" to this novel. This is not a Christian novel per se, and in some cases there is sex, and even one case of homosexuality. Hearn never says these are wrong in any way, although a couple of them do have consequences that end in death. Shigeru is involved in all of these, and Hearn has not shied away from being detailed without being crass. Shigeru even keeps a mistress, who for a time provides another perspective in the story. Her character also becomes one the reader will care deeply about, even as we deplore her unfortunate actions.The Tribe is what moves this story from historical fiction, to historical fantasy. Though the people of the Tribe play an important role in the life of Shigeru, they are mostly minor characters; and their magical abilities appear only a couple of times in the story. The later books are more intimately involved with the Tribe, but for Heaven's Net is Wide the Tribe provides a counterbalance to Shigeru's rigid understanding of honor.I thought the character of Shigeru to be a positive character example overall. His understanding of honor and loyalty grows and changes over time. What begins as a black and white issue for him broadens into knowledge about shades of grey. His ability to grow and learn about these ideas based on the events that occur around him make him into a fallible hero. He is not bigger than life, simply wise and strong in the face of adversity, and we see why he becomes a mentor, an Obi-Wan Kenobi like figure for Tomasu/Takeo. The novel is one I would want to read with my Japanese culture obsessed teenager so that we could look at Shigeru's character, the pros and cons of his decisions, and the way of life exhibited by this time and place.Heaven's Net is Wide is written so lyrically, so beautifully, that I didn't want to put it down. Throughout my workday, I would think and ponder on the events surrounding Shigeru, wondering how he was going to deal with the onset of war, his turbulent love life, and balancing his devotion to the Otori clan against his own desires. Hearn's story is so full of the alien, the other; the reader is transported away from him or her self. The primary themes of trying to understand the opposite roles of violence and peace and whether one must inevitably lead to the other are made to unfold in amazing ways. This novel is one you dive into, coming up for air only when you must. If you read no other book this year, you must read Heaven's Net is Wide.
    • 5/5
      Heaven's Net is Wide is Lian Hearn's stunning prequel to the Tales of the Otori saga. This book tells the story of young Otori Shigeru and his rise to become Lord Otori, head of his clan, amidst triumphs and tragedy, friendship, love and betrayal. Hearn's alternate historical version of Japan is as beautiful as ever and her writing adds depth and detail to the picturesque scenery carried through all her novels. I really enjoyed how Hearn stayed true to her multi-character storytelling. Though the story was Shigeru's, I appreciated the chapters devoted to mysterious Tribe members Muto Kenji and Muto Shizuka, and also the background of Lady Maruyama Naomi and the members of the Hidden. Heaven's Net is Wide would be a great starting place for those new to the Otori series, but it is equally enjoyable as the final book in the Tales - bringing the story full circle to where it all began.
    • 4/5
      I too found this book difficult because it was a prequel and written last. Would have loved to have read it first and think that it leads in beautifully to Across the Nightingale Floor which I absolutely adored.
    • 4/5
      I found it a little unsatisfying compared with the rest of the series. Don't get me wrong, it's extremely well written and the setting and characters are all realised in vivid detail. Maybe it's because it's a prequel but I spent a lot of the book thinking "So when is X going to happen? Why is Y still there?" which I think spoiled my enjoyment a bit. That said, it was still a good read and I particularly liked how Hearn took some throw away comments/anecdotes from the other books and gave them added significance by fleshing them out.