Across the Nightingale Floor

Tales of the Otori, Book One

By: Lian Hearn

Narrated by: Kevin Gray, Aiko Nakasone

Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

A tour-de-force novel set in ancient Japan filled with passion, fantasy, and feuding warlords. The first volume in the highly anticipated Tales of the Otori trilogy.

Sixteen-year-old Takeo's village has been massacred by an evil warlord, and he is about to be slain by the men who murdered his parents and neighbors. At the last moment, his life is saved by a nobleman, who claims the boy as his kin and begins his education.

But nothing is as it seems. Takeo discovers that he has rare powers that are useful to those around him. As he grows into manhood, he must decide where his loyalties lie: with his noble master and adoptive father; with the Hidden, a secret, spiritual sect whose beliefs are forbidden; or with the Tribe, the assassins and spies who consider him one of their own.

A story of treachery, political intrigue, and the intensity of first love, set in a world ruled by formal ritual and codes of honor, Across the Nighingale Floor crosses genres, generations, and genders to captivate fans of all ages.

Don't miss the rest of the Tales of the Otori series.

©2002 Lian Hearn (P)2003 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"The novel fills a unique niche that is at once period piece and fantasy novel." (Amazon.com)

Wow! Can't Put it Down

This is one of the best books I've gotten from Audible yet, and one of the best books I've encountered so far this year. The story is great and has a bit of everything. I'm glad that there are two more books following it, not only because I've enjoyed this one so much, but because the author has introduced so many potential plot threads. I'm hooked!

While both readers are excellent, the female reader is just a little annoying. She speaks so slowly and carefully that I become impatient with her. While the male reader seems to "lose himself" in the characters, the woman's reading is a bit too dry. Nonetheless, the whole experience of this novel is delightful.

Good, but they get better.

I read "Harsh Cry of the Heron" before this first book. I loved "Harsh Cry of the Heron," but this book, while beautiful and interesting, has some problems. The last chapters seemed rushed, and I lost my feel for the characters.

I am looking forward to new work by the author, but I won't go back and read the in-between books unless I find them on sale as I did this one.

Wonderful narration of a great story

Most people dedicate their reviews to the writing, but let me use this space to put in a big plug for the narration. Kevin Gray does a fantastic job of reading this great story, and the voices that he creates for the characters are very convincing. I did a search for his name on Audible and was sorry to see that he's done only the Otori Trilogy. He should do more!

Love it.

I love Lian Hearn. THis series that she has done is a must have. I couldn't put any of them down.

I loved it I hated it...

I have never been this conflicted about a book, audio or otherwise.

What I loved:
The author's development of the characters, settings and emotions is exceptional. One gets a sense of the time and environment of the place without the avalanche of words and crushing weight of description that so many authors indulge in. The same is true of the characters. The author creates persons of interest and substance. By the middle of the book there is a reality to the characters that has you emotionally invested, positively and negatively. Kevin Gray's narration is spot on!

What I hated:
The ending! I could not believe it. I could not see those events unfolding as they did. None of the main characters would have resigned themselves to the events as they did. I literally stopped the audio seven times in disbelief of the events. I was incredulous! This book, the first of three I gather, ended so badly I am not convinced I will get the rest of the series. Aiko Nakasone's narration on its own would be fine. I do not think it was complimentary with Kevin Gray's narration;the juxtaposing was often startling and disrupted the story's flow and "dream state".

This book leaves me at a loss. The characters,settings and style attract me while the story's structure and ultimate resolution repel me.

Entertaining, but probably better to read

What made the experience of listening to Across the Nightingale Floor the most enjoyable?

Entertaining story, beautifully descriptive.

Any additional comments?

Did not care for the female narrator's voice. I may have enjoyed the book more had i read it rather than listened.

Feudal Japan Bodice Rip & Tear Romance

The potential of this book was unfulfilled in the end. The setting was well done. The characters were well conceived and well drawn. The narration was considerably above average. But there were holes in the fabric of the novel. Certain intriguing avenues were left unexplored. While entertaining enough it left me dissatisfied, for when all was said and done it amounted to nothing more than a romance novel.

coy but worth the payoff

this book is subtle in the best sense of the word. the author doesn't come out and beat you over the head with imagery, emotion or adjectives. i found the writing clean and precise and thoroughly enjoyable. those who like a lot of swashbuckling and people coming right out with things and emoting all over the place probably won't be happy, but those who are drawn in by poetics and like to reflect on th events as they pass will be enthralled. i had trouble getting out of the car, like others have mentioned.

i found the narration excellent and well paced. the male voice was perfect for the character and the voices he intorduced for other characters blended in and added to the story. the woman's voice was slow and measured and had an almost meditative quality. i enjoyed this since i was able to take in much more of the story than i normally do with an audiobook. i felt the tone of both voices was excellent for the setting and events of the story. i would listen to other books either of them had read. i think this might be at the top of my list at the moment for favorite audiobooks. enjoy!

Fascinating setting in feudal Japan

I found the setting fascinating, the descriptions of the characters and environment so detailed I felt I was there. It's hard not to like the characters in this book. I also enjoyed the male voice for Takeo's chapters and the female voice for Kaede's chapters. It's a refreshing change from other novels set in this timeframe and always set in a European culture context.

Eastern Fantasy

You will like this book if you enjoy: fantasy stories, the setting of fuedal Japan, the conflicts of belonging to several groups with competing interests. The book begins fast -- characters are dying, being uprooted, and pledging their lives to one another before you are past chapter two. At first, it's disconcerting -- you might feel like you have missed a chapter or started the book halfway through. But the author has purposefully done this so that they can get to the part of the story that really shows the characters' insights and feelings. Don't let the abrupt opening put you off. Throughout the novel the dual-reader style keeps your attention focused on the main characters effectively. The quality of the writing is not superb (there are cumbersome adverbs, the syntax between "omniscient" and "1st person" narratives are identical) but you forget it against the intriguing story and constant threat of death that surrounds the characters. As you learn about the male character's secret abilities you will feel like you are becoming a member of 'the tribe' as well...