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The Harsh Cry of the Heron: The Last Tale of the Otori (Tales of the Otori, Book 4) | 
 enlarge | Author: Lian Hearn
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
Buy New: $7.99
You Save: $18.96 (70%)
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Rating:  41 reviews
Sales Rank: 510642
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 528
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.7 x 1.4
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
ASIN: B000R7O2K0
Publication Date: September 7, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
The epic conclusion to the bestselling Tales of the Otori-"one of the most thrilling new series of our time."* The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the rich and stirring finale to a series whose imaginative vision has enthralled millions of readers worldwide, and an extraordinary novel that stands as a thrilling achievement in its own right. A dazzling epic of warfare and sacrifice, passionate revenge, treacherous betrayal, and unconquerable love, The Harsh Cry of the Heron takes the storytelling achievement of Hearn's fantastic medieval Japanese world to startling new heights of drama and action. Fifteen years of peace and prosperity under the rule of Lord Otori Takeo and his wife Kaede is threatened by a rogue network of assassins, the resurgence of old rivalries, the arrival of foreigners bearing new weapons and religion, and an unfulfilled prophecy that Lord Takeo will die at the hand of a member of his own family. The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the ultimate conclusion to the Tales of the Otori series that both completes the characters' lives and brilliantly illuminates unexpected aspects of the entire Otori saga.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...
sad end to excellend trilogy October 13, 2006
Rosomax (Boulder, CO United States)
19 out of 25 found this review helpful
I have to agree with the previous reviewer(s) who said that the book, while losing none of the compelling qualities of writing itself, is a disappointing end to a wonderful series. There's enough material for 2 books with enough plots and subplots to expand on: the foreigners, the "ghostmaster" Hisao, Takeo's sister, Fujiwara's son Kono, and so on. Some characters, instantly likable, such as Taku are dispensed with too quickly, and other characters like Kenji or Shizuka are not given enough time to do anything major. Takeo became a bit too unsure of himself and his abilities and it's a sad read to follow his plight.
Too much time is spent at the beginning and the middle and Maya's magic, effectively making the closing chapters seem written in haste. But, by far, the biggest disappointment is Kaede. Where are the strength, intelligence, resolve, and personality we came to admire in the previous books? She's sadly reduced to a "traditional" village-woman who worries far more (to the point of obsession) about a male-baby than about what she and Takeo built during the span of almost two decades. Hiroshi clearly had Takeo's blessing, but Shigeko all of a sudden seems willing to give up everything that they struggled for. The writer was clearly going for the shock effect and, while it did work, this book will not entice me to come back to it as did the first three novels.
I look forward to a prequel about Shigeru who was a very interesting character, but I wish "The Harsh Cry of the Heron" would have an alternative ending. Hey, considering the series' popularity, that might not be a bad marketing idea.
 terrific historical Feudal Japan thriller September 10, 2006
Harriet Klausner
11 out of 15 found this review helpful
Over fourteen years have passed since Otori Takeo defeated his enemies and united the Three Countries. Prosperity and harmony are everywhere, but underneath the surface calm, Takeo's foes rage as they treacherously plan to avenge their previous defeat. Kikuta Akio and his assassin, followers of the Tribe, want a return to their notorious past that Takeo stopped; his brother-in-law Lord Zenko wants to usurp power; the Emperor wants to end Takeo's independence by dispatching deadly warlord Saga to do whatever it takes; and finally the seer prophesizes that his unrecognized illegitimate son will one day kill him.
Akio raises Takeo's teenage son Hisao by training the lad to hate his father. Takeo has never told his beloved wife Kaede that he has one more offspring from a previous relationship; instead they raise their daughters in love with Shigeko being his acknowledged heir. To reconcile with the emperor, keep his family safe, and to insure Shigeko inherits his legacy and rule, he offers to Saga his daughter in marriage as he knows the forces of military, assassins, and magical destiny will soon converge on him.
The forth Otori tale is a terrific historical Feudal Japan thriller with some fantasy elements. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action. However, it is the cast that makes the tale and the full saga is one of the best of the decade as the audience obtains a taste of political maneuvering to survive. Readers will want to read the quartet, but also know that THE HARSH CRY OF THE HERON can stand alone, a tribute to Lian Hearn's talent.
Harriet Klausner
 Discouraging end to series. September 28, 2006
AvidReader (Top O The World)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
Alls I can say is that if you liked the first three books in the Tales Of The Otori... leave it there. Let that be the end, and that is what Lian Hearn should have done also.
While I have absolutly no qualms with her writing style, which is quick and easy to follow, not complicated with an absurd amount of details and subplots as some other fantasy writers are prone to do; the path she leads her characters down is engaging and exciting... until the last three or four chapters.
I am simply amazed at how thouroughly the author "drops the ball." If you liked the characters in the previous books don't read this... she makes you hate them. Everything in the last couple of chapters is hurried and unfulfilling. Main characters make extreme and unrealistic decisions, all just to help rush to the overly dramatic sense of tragedy in the end.
I can tell that the author was trying to create a compeling, tragic tale, but fails misserably, probably due to deadlines and print dates. All the loose ends and sub-storylines are basically summed up in a brief retelling in the end, the author couldn't even take the time to finish them properly. The end of one of the main plots that continues thoughout the entire series, the death of the MAIN hero IS SUMMED UP IN THE END!!! I was so mad. I had looked forward to this book ever since I heard it was to be written, since I liked the other books so well, but was extremely dissapointed. I gave two stars because the author's writing style is still enjoyable, but I personally will probably never read another of her books if this is how she chooses to end a series...
-T
Five star beginning. Four star middle. One star ending May 15, 2007
Steven Maturin (Seattle, WA United States)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
Incredible writing and compelling character development picks up years in the future of the Otori clan. But what is worse than a generally bad novel is an excellent one that ends poorly. The conclusion is unexpected and not in rhythm with the book. Chapter upon chapter of moving the plot along with the development of the characters is abruptly brought to an end over the course of 2-3 chapters. What makes it even more unsatisfying is the third person description of the fates of characters that we have come to know and love in their own words. You can almost hear Ms. Hearn's phone ring and the publisher letting her know that the novel has met it's publishing deadline and she has to conclude what has taken her so long to write.
Reflecting on previous comments. Yes it may be appropriate for the harsh code of the Japanese warrior but it tries too hard to be Shakesperian or profound literature. I just wanted an enjoyable read that was consistent with the first three books.
Disappointing September 30, 2006
William T. Renk Jr. (Gaithersburg, MD USA)
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
As a fan of the Tales of the Otori series, I purchased this book the day of its release. I was to be severely disappointed. Unlike the other reviewers, I did not find the writing engaging at all. From a technical perspective, in this outing the POV has changed to omniscient from the alternating first-person (for Takeo) to limited third person (on Kaede) of the first three books. For me, this time the writing looses its pacing, intimacy and urgency. And as another reviewer hinted at, there is too much summarizing here as well.
I would question the authenticity of the first couple of reviews; they feel more like marketing material than actual reviews. This book can certainly not be categorized as "action packed," for there is only one brief scene of action (moving from place to place discussing politics does not constitute action) in well over the first half of the book. I found the early going tedious and filled with too many characters.
And getting towards the end, I concur with the other reviewer who said you begin to hate the characters. I wanted to just put the book down and remember them the way they were; it was very frustrating to lose sympathy for them. You can tell a tragic tale without causing your characters to be unsympathetic.
I would recommend skipping this Last Tale of the Otori and waiting to see if the First Tale is any better.
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