Harsh Cry of the Heron
The Last Tale of the Otori
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Narrated by:
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Julia Fletcher
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Henri Lubatti
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By:
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Lian Hearn
About this listen
16 years of peace and prosperity have passed since Lord Otori Takeo united the Three Countries. Takeo and his beloved consort, Kaede, have three daughters and a happy family life. Their success has attracted the attention of the distant Emperor and his general, the warlord Saga Hideki, who covet the wealth of the Countries. Meanwhile, the violent acts and betrayals of the past will not lie buried, and other secrets will not stay hidden. Everything that Takeo and Kaede have achieved is threatened.
In full ninja versus samurai fashion, Hearn delivers a kinetic, heartbreaking, and uplifting resolution to a thoroughly gripping saga.
Don't miss the rest of the Tales of the Otori series.©2006 Lian Hearn (P)2006 HighBridge CompanyListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"Seizes you from start to finish." (The Washington Post)
"Hearn seamlessly fuses fact and fantasy to create a sprawling, bewitching realm of magic." (Publishers Weekly)
"The Otori saga gets better with each book, and this is the most absorbing entry in the series, complete with intrigue, magic, romance, and action. A perfect final chapter." (Booklist)
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Born Queen of Scotland, married as a young girl to the invalid young King of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdom of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. A second marriage to her handsome but dissolute cousin Lord Darnley ended in murder and scandal, while a third marriage to the dashing, commanding Lord Bothwell, the love of her life, gave her joy but widened the scandal and surrounded her with enduring ill repute.
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Fiction being the key word
- By Bonnie-Ann B on 09-25-09
By: Carolly Erickson
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Funeral Games
- A Novel of Alexander the Great
- By: Mary Renault
- Narrated by: Roger May
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-three, leaving behind an empire that stretched from Greece and Egypt to India.After Alexander's death in 323 B.C. his only direct heirs were two unborn sons and a simpleton half-brother. Every long-simmering faction exploded into the vacuum of power. Wives, distant relatives and generals all vied for the loyalty of the increasingly undisciplined Macedonian army. Most failed and were killed in the attempt.
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Postmortem of an Empire and the Dream that United
- By James on 02-26-15
By: Mary Renault
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The Songs of the Kings
- By: Barry Unsworth
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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A thoroughly modern tale of politics, spin-doctoring, and media manipulation. As the harsh wind holds the Greek fleet trapped in the straits at Aulis, frustration and political impotence turn into a desire for the blood of a young and innocent woman - blood that will appease the gods and allow the troops to set sail. And when Iphigeneia, Agamemnon's beloved daughter, is brought to the coast under false pretences, it looks as if the ships will soon be on their way.
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The politics of power haven't changed.
- By susan on 12-06-12
By: Barry Unsworth
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Buddha
- A Story of Enlightenment
- By: Deepak Chopra
- Narrated by: Deepak Chopra
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Deepak Chopra brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping account of the young prince who abandoned his inheritance to discover his true calling. This iconic journey changed the world forever, and the truths revealed continue to influence every corner of the globe today.
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Excellent +++++
- By Daniel on 04-17-09
By: Deepak Chopra
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The Tiger's Daughter
- By: K Arsenault Rivera
- Narrated by: Caroline McLaughlin
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The Hokkaran Empire has conquered every land within their bold reach - but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests. Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.
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Writing format that didn't work for this book
- By kara-karina on 02-24-18
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The Queen's Bastard
- A Novel of Elizabeth I and Arthur Dudley
- By: Robin Maxwell
- Narrated by: Angele Masters
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Historians have long whispered that Elizabeth "the Virgin Queen's" passionate, lifelong affair with Robin Dudley, Earl of Leicester, may have led to the birth of a son, Arthur Dudley. In this exquisite sequel to The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, Robin Maxwell fashions a stunning fictional account of the child switched at birth by a lady-in-waiting who foresaw the deleterious political consequences of a royal bastard.
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Story? what Story?
- By A User on 06-08-13
By: Robin Maxwell
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Lavinia
- By: Ursula K. Le Guin
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Highly acclaimed author Ursula K. Le Guin lends a resonant voice to a pivotal yet often overlooked character of Vergil's The Aeneid. Born into peace and freedom, Lavinia is stunned to learn that she will be the cause of a great war - or so the prophecies and omens claim. Her fate is sealed, however, when she meets a man from Troy.
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Fascinatingly well written
- By Kennet on 03-11-09
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Magdalen Rising
- The Beginning
- By: Elizabeth Cunningham
- Narrated by: Heather O'Neill
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Young Magdalen and Jesus, brimming with youthful charm and arrogance, find each other and fall in love, forging a bond that is stronger than death. Their pleasure is overshadowed by a brilliant but unbalanced druid who knows a perilous secret about Maeve's past. The prequel to The Passion of Mary Magdalen.
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The Story as Maeve meant you to hear it!
- By Elizabeth Cunningham on 07-27-15
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The Greener Shore
- A Novel of the Druids of Hibernia
- By: Morgan Llywelyn
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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After Julius Caesar triumphs over Gaul, the druid Ainvar and his three wives sail west to the brilliant green island of Hibernia. Here, Ainvar and his clan try to reestablish themselves.
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Captivating
- By PhoenixMark on 02-22-07
By: Morgan Llywelyn
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The Half-Drowned King
- A Novel
- By: Linnea Hartsuyker
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the son and grandson of kings, grew up believing that he would one day take his dead father's place as chief of his family's lands. But, sailing home from a raiding trip to Ireland, the young warrior is betrayed and left for dead by men in the pay of his greedy stepfather, Olaf. Rescued by a fisherman, Ragnvald is determined to have revenge for his stepfather's betrayal, claim his birthright and the woman he loves, and rescue his beloved sister, Svanhild.
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I was disappointed
- By TC on 04-06-18
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Imperial Woman
- The Story of the Last Empress of China
- By: Pearl S. Buck
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 17 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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The story of Tzu Hsi is the story of the last empress in China. In this audiobook, Pearl S. Buck recreates the life of one of the most intriguing rules during a time of intense turbulence. Tzu Hsi was born into one of the lowly ranks of the Imperial dynasty. According to custom, she moved to the Forbidden City at the age of 17 to become one of hundreds of concubines. But her singular beauty and powers of manipulation quickly moved her into the position of Second Consort.
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The Last Empress and the Destruction of China
- By MarilynArms on 07-29-13
By: Pearl S. Buck
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Fire from Heaven
- A Novel of Alexander the Great
- By: Mary Renault
- Narrated by: Roger May
- Length: 18 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Alexander's beauty, strength and defiance were apparent from birth, but his boyhood honed those gifts into the makings of a king. His mother, Olympias, and his father, King Philip of Macedon, fought each other for their son's loyalty, teaching Alexander politics and vengeance from the cradle. His love for the youth Hephaistion taught him trust, while Aristotle's tutoring provoked his mind and Homer's Iliad fuelled his aspirations.
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Renewed Pleasure
- By James on 01-28-15
By: Mary Renault
What listeners say about Harsh Cry of the Heron
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- McDork
- 02-15-07
Otori Clan - an excellent story
When I started the first book many months ago, I was captivated and enthralled. The main characters in the book were well developed. I found myself wrapped up in the lives of these people; much like the people who watch soap operas. I cheered for the good guys , booed the bad ones and kept coming back for more and more.
The book was billed as a trilogy. I devoured all three. At the end, I wondered - what happened? There is so much more that I need to know. This can't be the end of the trilogy.
With this final book, I am content. I know how everything worked out.
The political intrigues, the status and use of the "Ninja", the introduction of the foreigners in Japan all served as excellent background for the characters to develop.
It is a 4 book trilogy, but well worth the time and expense. You will not be disappointed.
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Overall
- Johnathan
- 10-24-06
Realistic
I loved the first three books, and thought that the tale was over.. Well, the first three books did not achieve a couple of things that needed to be achieved. I won't say, ( so not to ruin the story ), but, just like in real life, ( no matter how well things are going ) your past catches up with you. It ties up the remaining loose ends that were left from the first three. The story was incredible. Not nearly as much action as the last three. It would not have been apropriate if it had anyway. The characters were really well written. Some do make turns, but it only adds to the realism of the characters. An absolute marvel to listen to, if you like drama! Incredibly awesome if you like Fantasy, and yes, absolutely wicked if you favor the gothic.
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Overall
- Anonymous User
- 09-28-06
Just as Good as previous titles
The last installment in the Otori saga is just as good as the previous three. The ending of this book is very emotional and different in tone from the other books. This is one of the best books I've read this year, if not ever. If you have not read the other novels, I would highly recommend them because they are some of the best books written in recent years. Fans of all genres should like all Hearn's books.
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- Micah Gaspary
- 04-11-18
Beautifully written
Beautifully written, same deep character development and flowing story telling as the first 3 books. I have to echo other reviews as far as how the book ended. The author almost seemed to tire of writing and wrap everything up at once. I still enjoyed it and recommend it but was a little disappointed with the end.
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Overall
- W.Denis
- 06-20-08
Too much of a good thing
I listened to the prequil and then went back and listened to the original three Tales of the Otori again enjoying them with much more insight.
The second "final tale" was strained with fantisy and femininism to the point that it was hard to finish.
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12 people found this helpful
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- Joel Orr
- 11-01-12
I loved this book! I don't understand the negative
Where does Harsh Cry of the Heron rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Right near the top!
Who was your favorite character and why?
So many! Takeo, of course, and Kaide; Shiguka, the twins--I'd have to list most of the cast of characters. It is an ensemble.
What does Julia Fletcher and Henri Lubatti bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Excellent performances, adding nuance to the characters.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Many! I don't want to share spoilers.
Any additional comments?
I read the first three books in this series, and was enthralled. But when I went to get the fourth, I saw several negative reviews. My experience of the first three was so wonderful that I did not want to spoil it.
A couple of months later, my wife said, "I want to try the fourth book." So I downloaded it and we listened to it. We were stunned.
Not only was the story as good as the prior segments, the narrators--though different from the narrators of the first three books--were quite good. And this book, if anything, probed more deeply into the complex characters than the first 3 books.
We enjoyed this book profoundly. We both cried at the end.
Thank you, Lian Hearn, for creating such amazing people, and for giving us such an incredible experience!
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- Fred
- 02-26-13
Good ending to the series
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes. The story needed a strong ending and this provided it.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
The ending was not exactly predictable, but it wasn't surprising either.
What does Julia Fletcher and Henri Lubatti bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
A lot of listeners reacted poorly to the change in narration. I have seen this to be a trend in a number of series from Audible. People equate the narrators with the story and do not like when narrators change between books. I am not sure why Audible isn't learning this basic lesson.
Having said that, the narrators did a fine job on this last book. They seem to be getting bad reviews more because they are different than because they weren't good.
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Overall
- Mariesa
- 11-07-06
Great book, but Poor Listen
I am a fan of this set of 4 Tales of the Otori books. The first 3 had excellent narriators and I was very dissapointed to see that they did not complete the fourth and last book of this excellent series. Because of the narriators, I had difficulty keeping focused on the book. But, as always, once I was able to focus on the story, it was a supurb ending to the series. If you listened to the first 3 and loved them, I would recommend reading the last book as to not ruin the characters for yourself.
I would have given this audible 5 stars, but the narriators were horrible. I couldnt bring myself to give this audible less than 4 stars however, as the story is very well written and complete.
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- Tai
- 09-06-18
a solid ending to the series
considering I found the third installment rather disappointing at least compared to the first two books, this made for a much stronger ending to the series. there were a few pacing issues and odd or unfinished character decisions. but overall very enjoyable 8.5 out of 10
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- Bruce
- 12-08-19
Happy ending kind of spoils the story
One does not read Japanese period historical dramas for happy endings. With Madam Butterfly in mind, I was a little disappointed in the last paragraph. But 5 stars for the previous 19 hours and 52 minutes; except for the giraffe (really?!). Intrigue, honor, revenge and debt always trumps sentimentality in this locale, which may seem irrational to the gaijin. Henri is a great improvement in the narration, but I did miss Aiko Nakasone. As I reflected about there series afterward, one thing that came to mind is that the world described in the story is one in which I definitely would not want to live in; in contrast to Japan today.
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