Emperor of the Eight Islands (Tale of Shikanoko, #1)

Questions About Emperor of the Eight Islands (Tale of Shikanoko, #1)

by Lian Hearn

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Answered Questions (5)

Hey folks, just wondering if anyone has any (spoiler-free) thoughts on the quality of writing in this series. I find the plot idea intriguing, but the writing style seemed erratic in the small free sample I'm able to get on Kindle. Cheers! PS Apparently my question needs to contain a question mark to be valid for posting so..............................................? bam
Jeffrey The book is written in a spare style which I think is similar to what I've read in various books about myths and folklore. It is definitely different …moreThe book is written in a spare style which I think is similar to what I've read in various books about myths and folklore. It is definitely different than most modern fiction in the absence of extreme detail or stylistic flourishes in the writing. Personally, I don't mind the tone or style at all and I think it is perfectly suitable for the subject matter.(less)
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I read the Tales of the Otori and the Games of Thrones series and I really like them. But I wonder.. Will I love this book as much as the Tales of the Otori ? Or is this book really different from the others ? ..
Tyson It is very similar to the Otori books but it is definitely a new world. If you enjoyed the first series you should have no problem with this one as it…moreIt is very similar to the Otori books but it is definitely a new world. If you enjoyed the first series you should have no problem with this one as it feels very similar.(less)
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Do you need to read Tales of Otori before jumping into tale of Shikanoko? I'd like to just jump into Otori.
Jeffrey No, this is where I started and I was able to enjoy it.
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Hello. Can please anyone tell me, what is the difference between this book and the one that will be published in Jan 2017? They have the same title and are both first books of the series. But there is a huge difference between pages: 251 pages for that one and 448 pages for the one that is not yet published. Is the story different?
Jens Raab You probably know the answer by now but I'll respond anyway in case other people find themselves equally confused.

The editions with the much higher pa…moreYou probably know the answer by now but I'll respond anyway in case other people find themselves equally confused.

The editions with the much higher page count are almost certainly the omnibus editions containing two novels that have since been issued (for the British market?). Unfortunately, in my opinion, the titles don't reflect this:
The first two novels of The Tale of Shikanoko were reissued under the title Emperor of the Eight Islands (the title of the first novel) and the third and fourth novel were reissued as Lord of the Darkwood (the title of the third novel).

Not a clever way to name omnibus editions if you ask me but as you noticed, the page count helps to distinguish them.(less)
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Tales of the Otori were very much geared to the YA series I was wondering if this is gritty enough to be an adult series ?
Jeffrey The tale involves murder, war, death, sex and rape - but not in such graphic terms that I think that a 16 year old adolescent would be overwhelmed. I …moreThe tale involves murder, war, death, sex and rape - but not in such graphic terms that I think that a 16 year old adolescent would be overwhelmed. I appreciate the folklore-like style of the writing. It is written in a spare style, but the subject matter is serious enough that I don't find it to be simplistic or off-putting.(less)
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