Lord Of The Darkwood

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. 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 Lord of the Darkwood. "Brutally thrilling historical fantasy"- Herald Sun The Tale of Shikanoko Book One: Emperor of the Eight Islands Book Two: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child Book Three: Lord of the Darkwood Book Four: The Tengu's Game of Go

"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 . . . "--

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 overrun 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. Against a background of wild forest, elegant castles, hidden temples and savage battlefields, Lian Hearn's Tale of Shikanoko series draws to its thrilling conclusion. - Publishers description.

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 Lian Hearn's Lord of the Darkwood. 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 . . .

A decade ago, Douglas Scott, the elusive Lord Darkwood, survived a horrendous accident that left him with both physical and emotional scars. Abandoned by his beautiful fiancée at his darkest moment, he turns his back on society, embracing a hermit lifestyle, until an unexpected meeting awakes a desperate need for revenge. Unaware of Lord Darkwood's wicked plans, Wendolyne Russell travels to his crumbling manor in the middle of the dark forest to be the companion to Douglas's sickly, bedridden elderly aunt. Used as a servant by her parents, Wendy easily adapts to a similar role at her new home, slowly awakening the once grand manor. Thrown together, the beast learns to yield and the mouse learns to roar, and Douglas and Wendy find themselves warming to each other—to the point of flames. But danger lurks. Douglas's accident was an unsuccessful murder attempt, and the murderer returns to finish what he started.

An epic four-volume adventure in mythical medieval Japan: a world of warriors and assassins, demons and spirits In The Tengu’s Game of Go, the final book of Lian Hearn's epic Tale of Shikanoko--all of which will be published in 2016--the rightful emperor is lost; illness and murder give rise to suspicions and make enemies of allies. Unrest rules the country. Only Shika can end the madness by returning the Lotus Throne to its rightful ruler. As destiny weaves its rich tapestry, a compelling drama plays out against a background of wild forests, elegant castles, hidden temples, and savage battlefields. This is the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, where animal spirits clash with warriors and children navigate a landscape as serene as it is deadly. "Expect graphic violence, fairy-tale magic, flights of comedy, and operatic melodrama but also genuine intimacy and tragedy." - Kirkus Reviews The Tale of Shikanoko Book One: Emperor of the Eight Islands Book Two: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child Book Three: Lord of the Darkwood Book Four: The Tengu's Game of Go

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. 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. The Tale of Shikanoko, Book One: Emperor of the Eight Islands (April 2016) The Tale of Shikanoko, Book Two: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child (June 2016) The Tale of Shikanoko, Book Three: Lord of the Darkwood (August 2016) The Tale of Shikanoko, Book Four: The Tengu's Game of Go (September 2016)