Tales of the Otori
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tales of the Otori is a series of fantasy novels by Lian Hearn, set in a fictional world based on feudal Japan. The series initially consisted of a trilogy: Across the Nightingale Floor (2002), Grass for His Pillow (2003), and Brilliance of the Moon (2004). It was followed in 2006 by a sequel, The Harsh Cry of the Heron, and in 2007 by a prequel, Heaven's Net is Wide.
The books follow a young warrior named Takeo in his struggles to avenge an adoptive father, escape the legacy of his biological father, and pursue the love of his life in the midst of an enormous power struggle involving dozens of clan lords and thousands of warriors.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
"Five battles to fight. Four to win, one to lose."
[edit] The Trilogy
The story is told primarily in first-person narrative by Otori Takeo. He was born as Tomasu in Mino, a small village of religious outcasts referred to as the "Hidden". The Hidden are persecuted throughout the Three Countries for their beliefs, and in the opening chapter Mino is destroyed by the warriors of Iida Sadamu, Lord of the Tohan Clan. Takeo is rescued by Otori Shigeru, a young Lord of the Otori Clan, and led back to the Otori stronghold of Hagi. There, Shigeru adopts Takeo and begins to instruct him in the ways of a warrior.
Shigeru's uncles, hoping to rid themselves of their popular and powerful nephew, send him to Iida's capital city of Inuyama. Takeo's biological father was of The Tribe, a group of families with special powers, and they abduct Takeo, making a claim upon him because of his ancestry. Shigeru is betrayed and killed, and ultimately Iida himself perishes, and the country overrun by the army of Arai Daiichi.
Takeo is torn between conflicting obligations: to avenge Shigeru's death and claim leadership of the Otori clan; to submit to the Tribe's claim on him; and to follow his heart and marry Shirakawa Kaede. These conflicts drive his actions throughout the trilogy, placing him at odds with the Tribe, the Otori Lords, and the armies of Arai Daiichi.
He initially goes with the Tribe, but absconds and secretly marries Kaede, which offends her overlord, Arai. Eventually Takeo makes an alliance with both Arai and the Tribe (save the Kikuta), and he slays Shigeru's uncles and claims lordship of the Otori. Arai betrays him, but he is shot dead by a firearm as a huge earthquake rocks the Three Countries. Takeo and Kaede, both scarred and wounded, are finally together. But he has fathered a son by Yuki of the Tribe, and a prophecy states that he will only die at his hands.
For a more detailed synopsis, see the individual entries for each novel:
[edit] The Harsh Cry of the Heron
Sixteen years later, Takeo is ruler of the Three Countries. Throughout the book, Arai Zenko (Daiichi's son), married to Kaede's sister Hana, plot his overthrow with the help of the leader of the Kikuta, Akio, and Takeo's secret teenage son by Muto Yuki, Hisao, who was raised by Akio to hate Takeo.
After Muto Kenji dies, the loyalty of the Tribe clans to Takeo starts to wane. Despite installing his daughter Shigeko as Lady Maruyama, and winning over the Emperor, his army is forced to battle the Emperor's general, Lord Saga, while Arai raises an army in alliance with the western barbarians. Driven temporarily insane by grief through the death of her infant son, and the disclosure to her of Hisao's existence, Kaede destroys the castle at Hagi, and seeks sanctuary with the Arai, now hating Takeo.
Takeo seeks sanctuary at Teruyama, where he is attacked by Akio and Hisao. At the crucial moment Hisao freezes; Akio takes the gun, which explodes in his hands, killing him. Takeo, acknowledging that it is his time, holds a knife in Hisao's hand and falls upon it, ensuring the prophecy of his death is fulfilled. Shigeko enters into a treaty with Saga, whose army defeat Arai Zenko, and she will marry him as part of the bargain to ensure peace. They will be co-rulers in the Three Countries. In remorse, Kaede almost takes her own life, but at the last moment decides to live on for the sake of her other daughter, Miki.
[edit] Heaven's Net is Wide
This prequel begins about 17 years before the start of the trilogy, and ends at Takeo and Shigeru's meeting that begins Across the Nightingale Floor. It follows Shigeru's childhood, his training with Matsuda Shingen, and his coming of age. Frustrated by his father's indecision and his uncle's obscure motives, he takes a band of warriors to the border with the Tohan, and discovers a village of the Hidden, tortured and killed by the Tohan. He encounters the belief system of the Hidden, and meets Iida Sadamu for the first time, sparing his life.
Later, the novel covers his brief turbulent marriage, his relationship with the courtesan Akane, and the battle of Yaegahara. The Noguchi betray them, ensuring the Otori defeat, and victory for Iida Sadamu. Otori Shigemori perishes, but Jato, the ancestral sword finds its way to his son Shigeru, via a member of the Tribe, Muto Kenji. Shigeru is forced to abdicate, and he patiently waits for an opportunity to avenge his father. Under the guise of a simple farmer, he secretly compiles records on the Tribe, assisted by Muto Shizuka, and conducts a covert relationship with Maruyama Naomi.
[edit] Characters
- Otori Takeo — born to the Hidden as Tomasu, but given the name Takeo after his rescue from an attack on his village. Son of Kikuta Isamu and heir to Isamu's many supernatural talents. Nephew and adopted son of Otori Shigeru and legal heir to lordship of the Otori clan. Husband to Shirakawa Kaede and leader of a small army during his campaign to claim lordship of the Otori.
- Otori Shigeru — adoptive father and uncle of Otori Takeo. Heir to leadership of the Otori before his death at the hands of Iida Sadamu at Inuyama. Keeps records of the Tribe before his death, which Takeo uses during his later conflicts with the Tribe.
- Shirakawa Kaede — cousin of Maruyama Naomi and heir to Maruyama after the death of Naomi and her daughter. Lover and wife of Otori Takeo. She has two younger sisters, Ai and Hana.
- Iida Sadamu — leader of the Tohan clan. Enemy of Otori Shigeru and responsible for Shigeru's death. Killed by Shirakawa Kaede shortly after Shigeru's body is liberated by Takeo from Inuyama castle.
- Maruyama Naomi — secret lover of Otori Shigeru and head of the western domain of Maruyama, which is traditionally inherited by females. She has a daughter, Mariko.
- Arai Daiichi — As an old friend of Kaede's from her time in the Noguchi household, he is a Seishuu warlord who rises to power in the void left after Iida Sadamu's death. Seeks to conquer the Three Countries and to destroy the Tribe.
[edit] Tribe members
- Muto Kenji — master of the Muto Tribe family. Takeo's teacher in Hagi. Father of Muto Yuki and uncle of Muto Shizuka.
- Muto Yuki — Kenji's daughter and mother of Takeo's first son. She delivers Jato, Shigeru's sword, to Takeo and takes Shigeru's head to Terayama, where Shigeru will be honoured after death. She is executed by the Tribe after giving birth to Takeo's son, whom the Kikuta believe will not be raised to hate Takeo if he is raised in the presence of Yuki.
- Muto Shizuka — aide to Shirakawa Kaede. Kenji's niece. Former lover of Arai Daiichi and mother of his two sons, Zenko and Taku.
- Kikuta Isamu — a talented Tribe assassin who left the Tribe to live with his wife among the Hidden. Murdered by Kikuta Kotaro before his son Tomasu (Takeo) was born.
- Kikuta Kotaro — master of the Kikuta Tribe family and Isamu's cousin. Teacher of Kenji and other members of the Tribe.
- Kikuta Akio - Kotaro's nephew and Takeo's second cousin. He despises Takeo and antagonizes him whenever he can, especially when Takeo and Yuki become lovers.
- Kondo Kiichi - A member of the tribe who works with Shizuka to protect Kaede.
[edit] Others
- Kubo Makoto — a monk at Terayama temple. Takeo's closest friend and advisor.
- Jo-An — an outcast and member of the Hidden. Helps Takeo in his campaigns to the disgust of the warrior class. Takeo ends up having to kill him.
- Lord Fujiwara — a Seishuu noble who takes an interest in Shirakawa Kaede and arranges with Arai Daiichi for a marriage to Kaede, even after Kaede has already married Takeo.
- Mamoru — Lord Fujiwara's lover, protege, and companion. He's also an actor and plays womens' roles in the plays Fujiwara puts on.
[edit] Chronology and Genealogies
[edit] Chronology
The series of novels do not describe a yearly dating system. In a note by the author, she states that there is no conversion between Christian Era dates, and the years in the Novels: indeed, she hints that the years have names rather than numbers.[1]
The following Chronology can be used for internal comparisons, but do not relate to any external dating system. For this purpose, the opening chapter is set as year 0, which as the side effect of making these numbers equal to Takeo's age at the time.
(ch 1: 0; ch 2-5: 1; ch 6-12: 4; ch 13-19: 5; ch 19-26: 6; ch 27- including the battle of Yaegahara: 7 ...)
- Heaven's Net is Wide: 0-17
(ch 1-3: 17; ch 4+: 18)
- Across the Nightingale Floor: 17-18
(ch 1-8: 18; ch 9+: 19)
- Grass for His Pillow: 18-19
- Brilliance of the Moon: 19, 33 (afterword)
(ch 1: 34; ch 4-30: 35; ch 31+: 36)
- The Harsh Cry of the Heron: 34-36
In the genealogies, the following notation is used:
: Adopted or illeg.
... Unknown cousin relationship
(s) A son
(d) A daughter
(3d) 3 daughters
[edit] The Tribe
MUTO KIKUTA
| |
| +----------------------+---------------------+
Grandfather | | |
MUTO (s) (s) (d)
| | | |
+-----+------------+ | | |
| +-------------|-------|----------------------+-----+-----+ |
| | | | | | | |
(s)= (d) Seiko = Kenji Isamu = Sara = Shimon Kotaro (s) Gosaburo Shintaro
| | (1) | | (2) | |
| | +----+ | | |
| | | +-----+--+ | +------+----+
| | | | | | | | |
Shizuka Akio = Yuki ≈ Tomasu Maruta Madaren Akio Kunio Yuzu Ume
| * | (Takeo) :*
| | :
+------+ +---------------------------------+ :
| | | :
Zenko Taku Hisao
[edit] Otori Clan
OTORI Takeyoshi
m. Imperial Concubine
|
(many generations)..................................... (Seishuu)
| | |
wife 1 = OTORI = wife 2 Ichiro | SUGITA
| | | |
| +-------+-------------+ | +-----+------+------+
| | | | | | | |
Shigemori = Masako Shoichi Masahiro Eijiro = Eriko Sachie Haruki Hikaru
: | | : | |
: | | : | |
: +--+--------------+ Yoshitomi Ryoma +------+----+ |
: | | | | | |
Isamu Shigeru = YANAGI Takeshi Lord = Cousin to Danjo (2s+) (3d) Hiroshi
| : Moe SHIRAWAKA | Lady MARUYAMA
| : |
| : +------------+------------------+
| : | | |
Takeo = Kaede Ai = SONODA Hana = ARAI Zenko
| | Mitsuru |
+------+-----+-----+ | +--------+------+
| | | | | | | |
Shigeko Maya Miki (s) (2d+) Sunaomi Chikara Hiromasa
Yanagi Moe is related to both the Otori Lords and to Shigeru's mother.
[edit] Other Clans
MARUYAMA
|
+-------+
IIDA | | ARAI
| (d) (d) |
+--------+ | | +------------------+
| | | | | |
IIDA (s) UEKI = MARUYAMA (d) = Lord ARAI ≈ MUTO (3s)
Sadayoshi | Tadashi | Naomi | SHIRAKAWA Daiichi | Shizuka
| | | | | | (Tribe)
| | +----+---+ +------+ +----+---------------+----+ +------+--------+
| | : | | | | | | | | |
Sadamu IIDA = (d) (2s) Mariko (s) OTORI = Kaede = Lord Ai Hana = Zenko Tomiko = Taku
| Nariaki Takeo ↓ FUJIWARA ↓ (Tohan) |
| | +----+
| | | |
Katsu Lord KONO (s) (d)
[edit] The Tribe
The Tribe are a secret organization that nurture the powers that the world used to have. The Tribe consists of five families that existed before the lords and the clans, a time when magic was common. Since that time the Tribe have retained these abilities through dedication and training. They are frequently employed as spies and assassins by various institutions within the Three Countries. While they usually take on the guise of merchants or travelling actors and acrobats, some members of the Tribe live rather unassuming lives as traders and money lenders rather than as spies and assassins.
Little is known about the nature of the Tribe, and the organization is rarely employed with complete trust. Most of the information that exists on the Tribe was secretly compiled by Otori Shigeru with the help of Muto Shizuka.
[edit] Kikuta
The most ferocious clan that is known for its power, harshness, and skilled assassins. They are the preeminent tribal family in Tohan territory. All true Kikuta have a straight palm line across their hand and have great powers, such as invisibility, splitting off a phantom body, and acute hearing. The Kikuta Master was Kikuta Kotaro, followed by his nephew Kikuta Akio. They are very traditional in their thinking and do not want to let peace succeed throughout the three countries. Takeo's father Kikuta Isamu was a skilled assassin before he defected to The Hidden and later killed by Kikuto Kotaro.
[edit] Muto
One of the two large clans of the Tribe that still have substantial gifts, and the major family in the Middle Country. They are renowned for their changing faces; as such, they are skilled as spies. The Master of the Muto was Muto Kenji, and after his death, Muto Shizuka. The Muto have strong links with the Otori and believe that the Tribe should change in the future. At the beginning of the series there is a close alliance between the Muto and Kikuta which wanes throughout the series. Controversy surrounded Shizuka's appointment as head of the clan, firstly because she was a woman, and secondly because she was appointed by Otori Takeo and not by the family.
[edit] Kuroda
A lesser clan of the Tribe that are mainly merchants, money lenders and informants. They possess some of the gifts of the greater clans, and a characteristic practicality which makes them superb assassins (e.g. Kuroda Shintaro). In The Harsh Cry of the Heron it is mentioned that the Kuroda can perceive invisibility, but cannot become invisible themselves.
[edit] Kudo and Imai
The two lesser clans of the Tribe. They mostly work as grooms and servants.
[edit] Trivia
- The name "Hidden" for the secretly held religious system of belief probably comes from the title that Christians once held in feudal Japan, "Kakureta Kirishitan," literally "Hidden Christians." First Catholics and soon Protestants as well were persecuted by the Tokugawa family after the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Catholics were treated much more brutally, and were publicly executed. Thus, many devout believers concealed their faiths and became "Hidden."
- The three religions in the novel are very similar to three actual religions: the "Hidden" are similar to Christians (although actual Christians do appear later on in the series), those who worship "the enlightened one" follow similar beliefs to Buddhists, and those who believe in the spirits of nature are Shinto (Japan's native religion).
- Takeo's real name, "Tomasu" is very similar to and could be considered the Japanese version of the Christian name "Thomas", as the name of Hidden outcast Jo-An could be perceived as a variation of "John". Tomasu's sister, Madaren, is the Japanese version of Madeline. Japanese Christians in the feudal era took Japanized Christian names.
- All of the titles follow the Japanese poetic style (haiku and tanka poems) of 5 and 7 syllables.
[edit] Film
A movie adaption of Across the Nightingale Floor is being planned, and Lian Hearn has confirmed that a script is in progress, being written by David Henry Hwang.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
|
|||||||||||
