Lord of the Darkwood ~ Paperback ~ Lian Hearn

The rightful emperor is lost. Shikanoko is condemned to live half man and half deer, an outlaw in the Darkwood. Yet the mightly lords who now rule the Eight Islands are prey to suspicion and illness, and drought and famine overrun the realm. Only Shikanoko can bring healing by restoring the preordained ruler to the Lotus Throne and only one person can bring him back from the Darkwood. Against a background of wild forest, elegant castles and savage battlefields, Lian Hearn's Tale of Shikanoko series draws to its thrilling conclusion. LORD OF THE DARKWOOD is Books 3 and 4 in THE TALE OF SHIKANOKO and follows EMPEROR OF THE EIGHT ISLANDS (Books 1 and 2 in the series). Praise for EMPEROR OF THE EIGHT ISLANDS: 'huge imaginative vitality' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 'a fitting follow-up to the Otori series' THE AGEAuthor BiographyLian Hearn's beloved Tales of the Otori series, set in an imagined feudal Japan, has sold more than four million copies worldwide and has been translated into nearly forty languages. It is comprised of five volumes: ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR, GRASS FOR HIS PILLOW, BRILLIANCE OF THE MOON, THE HARSH CRY OF THE HERON and HEAVEN'S NET IS WIDE. The series was followed by two standalone novels, BLOSSOMS AND SHADOWS and THE STORYTELLER AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS, also set in Japan. EMPEROR OF THE EIGHT ISLANDS is Books 1 and 2 in The Tale of Shikanoko and is followed by LORD OF THE DARKWOOD (Books 3 and 4). Lian has made many trips to Japan and has studied Japanese. She read Modern Languages at Oxford and worked as an editor and film critic in England before emigrating to Australia. For the latest news from Lian, visit lianhearn.com, follow Lian on Twitter @LianHearn, or join the readers who have become Lian's friend on Facebook.