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)

Didn't want it to end

I really enjoyed this audio, not only because it is so well narrated, but because it is simply a good story. The author did such a good job holding my interest I hated to see it end.

Super book.

Fantastic book; couldn't put it down. Couldn't wait to get back to it. Miss the characters.

Easily the best audio book I have heard lately

"Across the Nightingale Floor" is fantastic. The story is fast-paced and well written, but it is the readers that truly bring the characters to life. Kevin and Aiko both do a truly wonderful job of infusing the two 'point of views' that the story is told from with sympathy, grief, and rage. It is for them that I give 5 stars.

Great start to a trilogy

I love multi-book stories. I love that the story continues past the last pages of the book I am reading. The characters are worth caring about. The story is well ready by the 2 readers (and these readers continue in books 2 and 3, thank God). The twists are well done. Just when you think you know what is going to happen (and sigh that the author took the 'easy' road) he surprises me with a novel twist that kept me listening.

Freakin awesome

Can't say a single negative thing about this book, except maybe that it ended altogether way too soon.

Exceptional

I purchase 24 audiobooks annually -- this one is my favorite for the past year. The story is gripping. After listening to it, I bought a paper copy for my teenage daughter, who also enjoyed it. The narrators have a quiet style, one that could seem too restrained to some listeners. On the other hand, their tones fit the story well, and when more passion enters their voices their prior calm makes the change more effective. Having both a male and a female narrator to reflect the two points of view presented in the novel is well done. I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a romance that contains some elements of fantasy.

A Must Have!!

This is a great story written by a great author. I could not put it down! Across the nightingale floor is probably the best book I've read this summer. I'm now on the second book and almost through. I am impressed with the Otori trilogy and plan to read them all.

Awsome and captivating

Great story, soothing dialog, and very engaging!

stunning fiction fantasy

Quite simply the best trilogy I have read in years. This first book in the trilogy draws you in and leave you hanging on the edge for more. All the better for a reader just coming across these books now as i had to wait a year between each one. I have purchased these books for everyone I know. And everyone has sung there praises.
A totally original story rich in fantasy but tightly held close to its historic period, beutiful imagery and deep spirituality interwoven into each of the characters. fully submerged in these stories I am heartbroken that I have finished the final story. However I have hope that this author will break the trilogy and continue this story as there is defintely room. I would recommend this and the books that follow to anyone tired of the same old routine and looking for a story that will stir there senses and expose to them the beauty of the asian culture.

Stunning and engaging story, narration a bit weird

The story was wonderful: breathtaking at times, the entire range of emotions, beautifully written. But the narration was a bit weird. The woman narrator spoke much slower than the man, and I found myself having to constantly change the narration speed going back and forth between the two. They only switched at chapters, so not a huge deal, but a bit annoying.