The Clan of Otori

the Clan of Otori is a series of novels written by Lian Hearn being held in a imaginary Japan Féodal. The four novels ( the Silence of the nightingale , 2002, Snows of the exile , 2003 and the Clearness of the moon , 2004 and Flight of the héron , 2007) make us follow an young man called Takeo in its fight to avenge his/her adoptive father, to escape the heritage from his/her biological father and to find the love of its life through enormous stakes and terrible battles mixing with tens of lords and the thousands of warriors.

Préquelle appeared in September 2007: Heaven' S Net is Wide , however it is not appeared yet in French. Moreover, rumors give a report on a possible film adaptation of the first novel, the Silence of the nightingale .

Synopsis

the Silence of the nightingale

The young person Tomasu, 16 years, carries out a peaceful life in the village of Mino, among a community called the invisible ones, which condemns, in particular, any violence and which prohibits to kill. One evening, it is pilot massacre of all the inhabitants of its village by the Tohan warriors, who scorn the beliefs according to which Tomasu was high. Tomasu is saved of accuracy by a lord of the clan of Otoris, Otori Shigeru, which makes of him his/her adoptive son, thus renaming it Takeo and which takes it along at his place to Hagi.

During this time there, Shirakawa Kaede, girl of a lord of the west, retained as an hostage with the castle of Noguchi, combined of Tohan, for approximately 8 years, have been victim of an assault with intent to commit rape made by one of the guards of the castle. Its only " ami" with the castle, Araï, captain of the guard of Noguchi, save it, while killing keeps it which attacked it. After this event, the Noguchi Lords agree to let Kaede live in their apartments, for after promising it with a man who will die very little of time afterwards. These two events make catch in Kaede the reputation to bring death to the men who wish it. This reputation enormously interests Iida Sadamu, chief of Tohan, enemy of Shigeru, which decides to marry it in Shigeru, and projects to assassinate them all 2 after having attracted them in its residence to celebrate the wedding.

It thus simulates an alliance between Otori and Tohan, via the perfidious uncles of Shigeru, Soichi and Masahiro, and presses Shigeru and Kaede to come in its residence, in Inuyama, to celebrate the weddings. On the way, Takeo will meet Kaede and an insane and secret love will be born between two young people.

All are convinced that this marriage is a trap, and Shigeru sees an occasion there to infiltrate in the residence of Iida Sadamu and to assassinate it, thanks to the talents that Takeo received Tribe, an criminal organization secretes whose Takeo is unaware of initially the existence, but which will exert on him an enormous influence thereafter. But the room of Iida is protected by the parquet floor from the nightingale, a parquet floor able to whistle with the least foot which it effleure…

Snows of the exile

Shigeru died, torture victim by the henchmen of Iida Sadamu. After having joined the temple of Terayama for the funeral of the lord, Takeo recognizes his obligations towards the Tribe and decides to leave with the Masters Kikuta and Muto, thus giving up Kaede after having plunged it in the deep sleep of Kikuta… After being remained hidden during some time in the town of Yamagata, there leaves towards North, for the moved back city of Matsue, in order to follow an intensive drive there, intending to learn how to him to obey the tribe and to develop its own talents. There low, Takeo will maintain a relation secretes with Yuki, the girl of Kenji, one of the Master of the tribe, thus déclanchant the hatred of Akio, its " entraineur" , which will become its larger enemy. One day, Takeo is sent on mission with Akio with an aim of going to seek registers that Shigeru was suspected of holding on the Tribe, thus putting it in danger. It thus leaves for Hagi, and, after being itself introduced into deumeure of Shigeru, it meets Ichiro, its former professor. That Ci announces to him that the registers are preserved in the temple of Terayama. There Takeo will see a gold occasion there to escape its tender from the Tribe and the hatred of Akio. It thus decides to flee for Terayama there to be protected and work out a strategy to eliminate the tribe and to avenge death for Shigeru, but it is without counting the dangers of the arriving winter, and its treason towards the tribe liable to dead… At the time of its way towards Terayama, it will meet a prophetess who will predict her future to him: " Three bloods are mèlent in you, you were born among the invisible one, but your life proceeds now at the great day and does not belong to you any more… You are intended to live and bring peace on the Three Countries. Death will be able to reach you only by the hand of your own son. Your field will extend from the sea to the sea, you will conquèreras it in 5 battles, 4 victories and 1 defeat… " What Takeo was unaware of, it is that Yuki awaited a child of him…

Kaede, as for it, held a terrible secrecy: She had assassinated Iida Sadamu because that Ci tried to violate it. It was also pregnant, of Takeo. She requested so that nobody is with the current and decided to turn over in his family deumeure, in Shirakawa, to re-examine his parents there. She thus put herself on the way with Shizuka, her following, but will find her devastated field, her residence with the abandonment and will learn death from her mother by her father, become insane. The madness of his/her father will finish by killing it, and Kaede after this shock, lost his/her child and fell seriously sick, but will end up going back some. She will meet also the aristocrat lord Fujiwara who will decide to make some its been engaged, but Kaede, hostile with this idea, wants to marry only Takeo, the only man whom she ever loved. When she learns by Shizuka, member of the Tribe, the news of the escape from Takeo towards Terayama. It will put outward journey at the head to find it and will leave without waiting, thus causing the anger of Lord Fujiwara, who already saw in Kaede his future wife…

the Clearness of the moon

After their secret marriage with the temple of Terayama, Takeo and Kaede decide to leave for the field Maruyama, because Kaede is the legal heiress. They are thus put on the way with an army of Otori warriors dissatisfied with the administration of the uncles de Shigeru. On the way, they are initially confronted with the rain, then with a group of brigands, that the army of Takeo will end up overcoming, thus marking the first victory of prophecy. They will also meet tyrannized farmers whose son, Jiro, will join has Takeo. Arrived, at the border of the field, they notice that the guards were massacred, by the army of Iida Nariaki, cousin of Iida Sadamu, which also wished to seize Maruyama. There, it will find a child who hid to escape the warriors. It is Hiroshi. It will join has Takeo and will become a very important character (it is still present in volume 4). They arrive finally at Maruyama, and decide to fight the army of Iida Nariaki, successfully, which marks the second victory of prophecy.

Once in Maruyama, Takeo establishes a strategy to attack Hagi and avenge Shigeru by killing his/her uncles. It decides to call upon the pirates controls by his former friend Terada Fumio, in order to take Hagi by the sea. It is thus put on the way with Makoto and Jiro towards the island of Oshima. Arrived at the coast, they fall on a destroyed village and decide to establish their camping there. One of the rare survivors of the village decides to help them to go to Oshima in boat. It is Ryoma, the hidden son of Masahiro, the uncle de Shigeru. Ryoma thus takes along Takeo to Oshima, where it obtains the support of the pirates thanks to his friend Fumio, and where it makes contact for the first time with firearms. Trapped by a storm, it will set out again for Maruyama with one week of delay. On the way of the return, it is attacked by Hajime, a member of the tribe, which kills Jiro and tries to assassinate Takeo. But Hajime fails, and commits suicide after having warned Takeo which the tribe holds his/her son, the child of Yuki. This news boulverse our hero, because his/her son is the only person in the world able to kill it, according to prophecy.

During this time, in Maruyama, Kaede is bored while waiting for her husband… and decides to leave for Shirakawa, in order to go to seek his/her sisters. It is thus put on the way on Raku, its horse, with Amano, her friend and small Hiroshi. Arrived at it, it learns that his/her sisters were removed by lord Fujiwara. Out of it, it decides to go in the aristocrat to recover them. But arrived at the residence, it is attacked by the servants of Fujiwara, who kill Amano and Raku, and which does it captive. Retained against its liking, it is forced to marry Fujiwara, which saddens it enormously, because not only it does not like it, but in more this last is homosexual and refuses to divide its layer. It thus spends the whole months only, locked up at Fujiwara, which does not give the least attention to him.

When Takeo, income with Maruyama, learn the news from the removal of Kaede by Hiroshi, which succeeded in fleeing the attack of the servants of Fujiwra, it decides to leave on the field with its army, to release it. But, arrived there low, it is taken in ambush by the army of Araï, the lord of the three countries, combined of Fujiwara. Forced to beat a retreat to the coast it finally is overcome (the defeat of prophecy) and is forced to go to Araï. This last, curiously sympathizing Takeo saving and decides to help it to seize Hagi, because it was him even enemy of Otori. Takeo receives also there low supports it of the Muto family, which cannot forgive the Master Kikuta Kotaro to have killed Yuki the girl of the Muto Master. They thus attack Hagi and succeed in with brilliance killing the uncles de Shigeru. But it was without counting the treachery of Araï, which is turned over against Takeo with its army, but which is destroyed by an earthquake. 3rd Victoire. The following night, Takeo sleeps peacefully in the house of Shigeru, but is attacked during the night by the Master Kikuta Kotaro. This last is finally overcome thanks to the assistance of Kenji. But Takeo will be left there with three fingers in less. 4th and denrière victory for Takeo, which learns an important news: Fujiwara died in the earthquake, and Kaede disappeared. It will end fortunately up finding it with the caves of Shirakawa. what thus marks the tripmphe of their love and the end of this epopee.

Flight of the héron

16 years passed since the victory of Takeo and Kaede. The latter are married and reign in peace on the 3 countries with their daughters, Shigeko, Maya and Miki. Unfortunately this peace is compromised. Zenko, the oldest son of Araï and Shizuka, forever forgiven with Takeo the death of his/her father and Takeo fears an attempt at treason of its share.

On the side of Takeo: Takeo takes part has a festival with Inuyama, but is victim of an attempted murder on behalf of the children of Gosaburo, after this event, Takeo takes its attackers as an hostage and retain them has Inuyama. Then, it leaves for the West, to meet Araï Zenko. Bottom, it meets the son of lord Fujiwara, Kono, which announces to him that the emperor sees of an evil eye his way of controlling on the 3 countries, and summons it to abdicate, without what it levèrait an army to destroy Takeo. After having taken as an hostage the wire of Zenko, Sunaomi and Chikara, like guarantees honesty of its vassal, it will meet Fumio, his/her friend, in an inn, where they discover that firearms leave for the capital and thus, towards the emperor. He thus summons Fumio to prevent this disaster, but this last will fail. In the inn, it meets also 2 foreigners and their Madaren interpreter, who is actually the sister of Takeo, which it believed dead 20 years ago, in the massacre of Mino, their native village. After these events, it leaves for Hagi with Ishida, but will remain there only little of time. It will quickly leave for Maruyama in order to celebrate the dedication of his daughter, Shigeko, as administrator of the field. During the winter, he will also learn that Kaede awaits a new child… Then, in spring it will leave for the capital, in order to calm the situation with regard to the attitude of the emperor, by filling this last of present, and by facing lord Saga, its first general, in a contest of hunting for the dogs… If ever Takeo loses, the 3 countries will return in Saga and with the emperor, via Zenko, and Takeo and Kaede will be put at death, on the other hand, if Takeo gains, the emperor will give him his blessing and will destroy Araï Zenko. In spring, Kaede is confined of a boy and Takeo leave for the capital, Miyako, in order to negotiate with the emperor. During its voyage, it stops in Inuyama and makes carry out the children of Gosaburo. Arrived at the capital, they made gift of majestic present at the emperor, of which the kirin, legendary animal that Ishida had paid of one of its voyages. Then, they gained the contest and the emperor thus lined up side of Takeo. Unfortunately, Takeo learned the news from dead from Taku and Sada and the captivity from Maya, by May the sister of Sada. It panicked and decided to return in the three countries as quickly as possible.

On the side of the Tribe: After the murder of Muto Kenji, which had gone to Kikuta in order to propose a trève on behalf of Takeo and to see his/her clean small son, Hisao, the news of the captivity of the children of Gosaburo ends up tenderizing this last which seeks to make a truce with Otori. This causes the ire of Akio, the new Kikuta Master, who assassinates it. Afterwards, it decides to leave for Akashi with Hisao. Once in Akashi, Akio learns the suspicions that Takeo has towards the honesty of Zenko and decides to leave for Hofu in order to be combined with this one, thinking that Zenko would be the ideal partner to be avenged de' Takeo.

On the side of the binoculars, Miki and Maya: In the temple of Hagi, Maya deadens a cat thanks to the sleep of Kikuta. After this incident, it will start has to behave in a strange way. Moreover, it feels a deep aversion for Sunaomi, the son of Zenko, and a day, requires of him to leave the palate to go to gather a branch of a shrub in an alleged haunted house, but Sunaomi is found and brought back to the palate. Takeo decides, to contain the wild side of Maya, to send it to Maruyama at Taku. Bottom, it is disguised as a boy and spy the intrigues of Kono, the son of Fujiwara. But, one night, it surprises the conversation between Taku and Sada, her partner, who reveals that Takeo has a son, Hisao, which is the only one with being able to bring death to him. Deeply shocked by this news, Maya could not be retained to howl. A few months later, in Hofu, Maya pénêtre in a tavern where she sees Akio and Zenko to be combined and speak about their disasters projects, they intend to attack Takeo thanks to weapons which are provided to them by the foreigners Dom Joao and Dom Carlos, in exchange of the adherence of Zenko to Christianity. During this time, Hana, the sister of Kaede will go has Hagi and will acknowledge to him that Takeo has a hidden son, which will destabilize it, because its love and its honesty towards Takeo are its only weak point there. Unfortunately, Akio surprise Maya spirit of the espionner and tries to kill her. it succeeds in nevertheless fleeing and course to join Taku to announce the news to him. Thrown into a panic, they decide to flee for Inuyama but following the treachery of Zenko, they are caught up with in ways by Akio and Hisao, and, following a short combat, Taku and its partner, Sada, are assassinated of a ball in the nape of the neck. Maya, as for it is removed by Akio which hopes to make use of it to cause Takeo… When Shizuka and Miki learned this news, they were all 2 boulversées and left for Hofu, in order to go on the tomb of Taku. There low, Shizuka was taken of an irresistible need to speak in Zenko, its other wire, but the ocnversation degenerated and Shizuka kept nothing any more but Miki like reason to live. But Miki had left to help his/her sister, Maya. Thus Shizuka became completely insane and turned over temple after seeing shaven its cranium. She remained several days there, prostrate and afflicted with sadness, while thinking of the treason of her oldest son and of died of her son junior. Later, Maya in its captivity tried to kill Hisao in the absence of Akio, remembering that only Hisao could kill Takeo, according to prophecy. But it failed because Hisao was protected by the phantom from his/her mother, Yuki.

Comments

The history of the Clan of Otori takes seat on a fictitious island called the " Three Pays" ; Each country is directed by a clan: Eastern European country by the Tohan , the Country of the Medium by the Otori and the Country of the West by the Seishuu . The Three Countries are located at the western end of a group of islands named the " Huit-Îles" on which reign an emperor. Actually, its influence is quite relative since the only authority emanates exclusively from the three clans, each one permanently seeking to extend its influence. Nevertheless, a complex and old network of families crossing the Three Countries, the Tribe , seems to draw its pin from the play with through this fight between the clans…

The principal religion of the island is the worship of Illuminé, religion cohabiting rather well with other local beliefs, like the spirits. Nevertheless, an small group of people, Invisible the , venerate mysterious God, which is worth a persecution without slackening to them, in particular on behalf of Tohan.

The social structure within the Three Countries resembles feudal Japan enormously. The organization is rigid and separate in class: noble, warlike, monks, craftsmen and workmen, peasants and bet. In spite of interactions between various classes, they are relatively closed and have their own habits, rules and codes of conduct.

Characters

The clan of Otori

Otori Takeo (born Tomasu) - Raised at the Invisible ones, it was saved and adopted by Shigeru at the time of the attack of its village.
Otori Shigeko - Oldest daughter of Takeo and Kaede, heiress of Maruyama
Otori Shigeru - Heir to the clan of Otori, it wishes to avenge death for his/her brother assassinated by the clan of Tohan.
Otori Takeshi - Young brother of Shigeru, assassinated by Tohan.
Otori Shigemori - Father of Takeshi and Shigeru, died in the battle of Yaegahara against Tohan.
Ichiro - Tutor of Shigeru then of Takeo.
Otori Shoichi - Uncle de Shigeru, it plots against him with Masahiro.
Otori Masahiro - Young brother of Shoichi, he is also uncle de Shigeru. He seeks to get rid of him.
Otori Yoshitomi - Wire of Masahiro.
Ryoma - Wire illegitimate of Masahiro, it is fishing in Hagi, the coastal capital of Otori.

Sigeko Otori: Heiress of Takeo, girl of Shirakawa Kaede Maya and Miki Otori: girls of Takeo and Kaede.

Terada Fumifusa - a pirate.
Terada Fumio - Wire of Fumifusa, it bound of friendship with Takeo.

The clan of Tohan

Iida Sadamu - Lord of the clan, it wishes the death of Shigeru and the marriage with Maruyama Naomi.
Iida Nariaki - Cousin of Sadamu.
Abe - Henchman of Iida Sadamu.
Ando - Henchman of Iida Sadamu.
Noguchi Masayoshi - Combined of Tohan after having betrayed Otori with the battle of Yaegahara.

The clan of Seishuu

Araï Daiichi - Lord of Kumamoto, it protested against Iida after an affront. He seeks to conquer the Three Countries.
Maruyama Naomi - Amante de Shigeru, it is with the head of Seishuu. It has a girl, Mariko.
Maruyama Mariko - Girl of Naomi, it was kept captive by Iida.
Lord Shirakawa - Cousin of Maruyama Naomi.
Shirakawa Kaede - Cousin of Naomi and heiress of the clan after the death of Mariko, it is in love with Takeo.
Shirakawa Have - Sister of Kaede.
Shirakawa Hana - Sister of Kaede.

Members of the Tribe

Muto family

Muto Kenji - Friendly of Shigeru, professor de Takeo.
Muto Yuki - Girl of Kenji and Seiko. She will have a child with Takeo.
Muto Shizuka - Niece of Muto Kenji, woman of Araï, mother of Zenko and Taku and lady's companion of Kaede and head of the Muto household after the death of Kenji.
Muto Seiko - Woman of Kenji.
Muto Zenko - Wire of Shizuka and Araï.
Muto Taku - Wire of Shizuka and Araï.

Kikuta family

Kikuta Isamu - Assassin within the Tribe, it will give up this role to join the Invisible ones. He will be assassinated by another killer before the birth of Tomasu (Takeo).
Kikuta Kotaro - Household head of Kikuta. Master of many members of the Tribe, of which Kenji
Kikuta Akio - Nephew of Kotaro and cousin of Takeo. It will take in Takeo influenza when this one maintains a relation with Yuki. He becomes chief of the Tribe to dead of Kotaro. killed by Maya Otori, the girl of Takeo.

Hisao Kikuta (Otori): Wire of Takeo and Yuki Muto, assassin of his father.

Kondo family

Shintaro - Celebrates assassin who tried to eliminate Shigeru on order from Shoichi and Masahiro, his uncles.
Kondo Kiichi - Servant and guard of Kaede.

Others

Kubo Makoto - Monk of Terayama, the best friend of Takeo.
Matsuda Shingen - Abbot of Terayama.
OJ-Year - Bet and member of Invisible, it will help Takeo in his countryside.
Lord Fujiwara - Noble of Seishuu, it will be interested in Kaede and will seek to bind it to Araï in spite of its marriage with Takeo.
Mamoru - Companion and protected from Fujiwara.

External bond

Official site of the '' Clan of Otori ''

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