Customer Reviews

Brilliance of the Moon: Tales of the Otori, Book Three (Tales of the Otori, Book 3)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The first book of this trilogy is the best. So rich in detail. Well defined characters. Such a good pace. It made me scour every bookshop I knew looking for the second and third books. When I found them, I got a distinct feeling that something or someone was rushing Ms. Hearn to finish the series...or she got bored with Japan....whatever the reason is it is to the detriment of the plot. You know when an unimaginative/bored person is telling a story? There's a lot of "and then...and then and then...". Hope you get my drift.

After blazing through the first two volumes, and halfway into the conclusion, my reading, and enjoyment of the series came to screeching halt.

Somewhere between the first page and 200 of the finale, Takeo and Kaede had became bumbling, inept and whining caracatures of themselves. WHAT happened to the strength and insight of the caracters I had learned to love? Their simpering and laughable "decisions" are a gross insult to the series...

Damn, and I was SO enjoying it too!

Fans of the Tales of the Otori won't be disappointed in Lian Hearn's final installment. Grass for His Pillow ended with Takeo repeating the prophecy: "Five battles lay ahead of us, four to win and one to lose." Brilliance of the Moon will unwind the truth behind this prophecy, even as there are mysteries that will remain (thus the suggestion that there might be another book). Questions about Takeo's past will be resolved, and so will be matters of loyalty. The battles are remiscent of those in the 'Lord of the Rings', but the scope in exclusive: again, the focus will be on the two main characters, Takeo and Kaede, and the love between them. We see the culmination of Kaede's struggle against the prejudices against her gender, although there are harsh obstacles that she will meet. While she is heir to both Shirakawa and Maruyama domains, she has to fight for her inheritance. Meanwhile, Takeo wages a desperate attempt to unite his strikingly different backgrounds: the skills and cunning of the Tribe, the 'Christian' way of the Hidden, and the noble blood and realms of the Otori. Even from 'Grass for His Pillow', it is evident that Lord Fujiwara, Lord Arai, and the Kikuta clan will figure in the battles to come. The action in Across the Nightingale Floor and Grass for His Pillow will pale in comparison. Finally, we see how the little details in 'Across' and 'Grass' will affect the outcome of events in 'Brilliance'. I suggest that you read the two books again before reading 'Brilliance' for fuller appreciation and enjoyment.

I won't give spoilers to the many who anticipate this book. just read it and witness the 'Brilliance of the Moon' - the brilliance of Lian Hearn who has enchanted me with her tale.

The Bad:

The books leave you on the verge of reading bliss. You are constantly waiting to cross that line where a great book becomes spectacular, but it doesn't happen. The 3 books combine into an excellent epic story, but the ending seems compact and contrived compared to the amazing depths of detail the author goes through in the first two books. I would have preferred the author to keep the detail and make the third book 1000 pages instead of the 320 or so that just is not long enough. The battles are rushed and while reading I felt like the important detail was wasted on parts of the story I found myself less interested in (only wasted in that the possible 1000 pages of material was condensed to only 320).

The Good:

That being said, the books, as a series, are some of my favorites! I would certainly purchase them again and they are definitely worth reading! I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys the kind of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter - esq books, though these are a bit more real in content and only dabble in magic and fantasy. Its true, I would have liked the series to have a little more detail in the last book, but these are still books that you get addicted to, reading at stop lights and long into the night. The story sucks you in and never lets you go. People actually got mad at me for neglecting my responsibilities while I finished up the series...

Conclusions:
Go get these books! They are worth your time!

This may be a bit of spoiler but I was completly dissappointed in the end of this book/trilogy. I could not understand how she was going to wrap up so many story lines in last few pages of the book and then I learned. I felt I was reading the end of a story witten by a parent trying to rush their children to bed. After three books I had invested a great deal of time into these characters and story lines. To wrap them up so hasty, with such outragouse coincidence and neatness did not do justice to what otherwise was a very thoughtful series of books.

I loved the first book. I enjoyed the second book, but found the plot line somewhat annoying and self-centered. I read about 15 pages of the third book and put it down to read some other time.

I eagerly awaited Brilliance of the Moon, and reread the preceding books before BotM came out. I then read it in two days. It is very readable, as were the first two books. My main complaint with Brilliance of the Moon is that the characters seem weaker. Kaide in particular is just a helpless victim of her circumstances. Even Takeo does little to solve his own problems. Instead, we just watch what "fate" or "god" has planned. Consequently, the conflicts are not satisfactorily resolved, and in fact the conflicts themselves are very minimal. Takeo really doesn't exact revenge on many of his main enemies, and there are some loose ends. The characters here are not as strong as the first two books, but are resigned to accepting whatever fate has in store. This is where the prophecy of Grass for his Pillow really hurts the plot. Finally, the climax is deus ex machina, which is very disappointing.

Obviously, fans of the first two books will continue with this one, but if you are thinking about beginning the trilogy, I'd say you'll enjoy it if you are a fan of Japan and/or a spare style of storytelling.

Whatever magic the first two books had, "Brilliance of the Moon" was mostly lacking. It was more of a pure action kind of story, with a much faster plot. Unfortunately, Hearn does not seem particularly skilled at writing exciting action. It did not have the quiet, contemplative moments of beauty that the first two volumes of the trilogy did, nor the epic feel. Still, there was a lot of good character development and resolution, especially with Kaede, who has really matured.
I was disappointed, but not devastated. The ending was fine, but left me neither sad or happy. I think my expectations were just too high, after "Across the Nightingale Floor" and "Grass For His Pillow", which are some of the best works of fantasy I have read. I hope that Hearn will continue to write in the genre, and I look forward to her future books. If you have read the first two "Tales of the Otori" books, you should read "Brilliance of the Moon" to see how it ends. If you haven't, start with "Across the Nightingale Floor". You are in for a treat.

After reading the two previous books in this trilogy, I have found that this is one of my favourites, with it being full of excitement, tension and has many ways to please your needs as a reader. Being unable to leave the book for under five minutes, I was often reading late into the night and early in the morning, regardless of the time.
The story continues after Lord Otori Takeo's marriage to his lover, Lady Shirakawa Kaede, and he now endeavours to have his adoptive fathers domain returned to him after finding that he is legally an Otori as well as being adopted by Lord Otori himself. His wife, also attempting to inherit the country of Maruyama as the original Lady of this domain had promised. However they are hindered by warlords, angered by Takeo's and Kaede's marriage, and by Takeo being of the tribe he is unwilling to return to them and is often attacked in their desperate attempt to erase their shame of being disobeyed yet again as his father had done. But Takeo is driven on wondering if he is ever likely to be caught off guard, yet the words of the blind fortune tellers prophecy still allow him to continue onward in his constant struggle and plight to return to his true home. He is certain that with Kaede, his friends and allies by his side he likes to think himself almost unstoppable.
Be prepared to read of love, revenge, triumph, fear and betrayal as well as many other emotions as you view the final exhilarating part of The Tales of The Otori.

Review By Steph Brown.

Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others


STORY: The continuing adventures of Takeo and Kaede as they try to connect with each other at a time when the Tribe is trying to assassinate Takeo, Akida is trying to take over all the known kingdoms and the Otori lords have sent the clan armies to hunt and kill Takeo.

MY FEEDBACK:
1) First off, this was a fairly satisfactory ending to an epic storyline. It didn't have the same level of mystic elements as the first book nor the rising action of the 2nd, but it resolved all the necessary characters and sub-plots well

2) I agree some of the other reviews that the author had an opportunity to exploit some battle scenes but decided in skirting the issue. The author decided to quickly resolve the battles instead of taking the reader through the mayhem and chaos of such events. A missed opportunity in my opinion

3) The emotional bonds between the characters are believable and connecting with the reader

4) I've read a lot of fantasy and whenever "prophecy" is introduced into the story it MAY add to the mystic elements or detract from the story by giving things away too early. I believe this happened here in that some opportunities to increase the suspense of a scene was lost due to me as the reader already knowing that Takeo should win based on the prophecy

OVERALL: It still flows with the same feel as the previous two books. It was a must read to know how the story ends and made me feel like so much has happened since the first book that I'll soon need to go back and start the trilogy all over again.