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Knigoizdatelska Kŭshta "Trud" Knigoizdatelska Kŭshta "Trud" i(6601322 works by) (Organisation) assertion
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5 7 y separately published work icon Blossoms and Shadows Lian Hearn , Sydney : Hachette Australia , 2010 Z1728584 2010 single work novel historical fiction

'This is the story of the birth of modern Japan, told by Tsuru, a young woman who breaks every stereotype of the Japanese lady. We meet her on the day of her sister's wedding, and soon realise that she will not accept the same domestic role that her sister is about to take on. Instead, Tsuru is ready to embrace the new world, defend her beliefs, look for love, and follow her career as a doctor working alongside her husband on the battlefields.

'In the mid 1860s Japan was in the grip of a revolution almost as tumultuous as the French Revolution 100 years earlier, yet we in the West know very little about it. This book lets readers feel they are there among the revolutionaries, guided by the engaging character of Tsuru. By the end of the first chapter readers will feel they know her, and want to fight with her as she battles against the conventions of the day and falls into a forbidden love.' (From the publisher's website.)
12 7 y separately published work icon Heaven's Net Is Wide Lian Hearn , Sydney : Hachette Livre Australia , 2007 Z1430145 2007 single work novel fantasy 'Heaven's Net Is Wide is the new beginning to the celebrated Tales of the Otori, the prequel that reveals the full story of Lord Otori Shigeru, the figure who has presided in both life and death over the entire series, the man who represents the true spirit of the Otori Clan. As the story opens, the young Shigeru, heir to the clan, is eager to assert his authority and to face down treachery from within his own family and hostility from the far corners of the Three Countries. His noble education and training as a warrior have prepared him for leadership and combat, but can anything prepare him for the terrible consequences of loss and defeat? As his youthful determination pushes the Otori inexorably toward war with the rival Tohan Clan and their ruthless, scheming warlord, Iida Sadamu, fate appears to have some difficult lessons in store for Shigeru. Shigeru's life is under constant threat, but just as he is surrounded by implacable enemies, he is also supported by loyal allies, such as Lady Murayama, the only woman rule in the Three Countries. And he has friends among the Tribe, the clandestine network of assassins who not only will protect him but also will reveal the existence of a boy in a remote mountain village - a boy who belongs to the secret sect known as the Hidden, a boy who might prove to be vital to the future of the Otori.' (Source: Book jacket)
15 8 y separately published work icon The Harsh Cry of the Heron Lian Hearn , Sydney : Hachette Australia , 2006 Z1296146 2006 single work novel fantasy

'Thanks to his enlightened leadership, 15 years of peace and prosperity have passed since Otori Takeo united the Three Countries, but his enemies continue to plot their revenge—including the Tribe, a ninja-like group of assassins, and the duplicitous Lord Zenko, one of Takeo's retainers. Perhaps the greatest threat, however, is the prophecy of a holy woman that Takeo will die only at his son's hand; his only son, an unacknowledged bastard, is being raised by his sworn enemy Kikuta Akio, the head of a Tribe family. With his beautiful (and legitimate) daughter and heir Shigeko by his side, Takeo must navigate these treacherous shoals to save his lands and his legacy from destruction'. (Publisher's blurb)
25 10 y separately published work icon Grass for His Pillow Lian Hearn , Sydney : Hodder Headline Australia , 2003 Z1068839 2003 single work novel fantasy young adult

'The pseudonymous Hearn's second thrilling installment of her Tales of the Otori trilogy (after 2002's Across the Nightingale Floor) is once again set in a magic-haunted version of medieval Japan where no one wields unchallenged authority and no one is safe. The swirl of treacherous, shifting clan alliances threatens to overwhelm young lovers and aristocrats Takeo and Kaede. Separated throughout most of the action, the two must develop their talents while trying to maintain their integrity. Takeo possesses superhuman gifts such as the ability to become invisible, project a double image of himself and hear distant conversations; however, he must discipline his skills and control his impetuous temper. He also must work out his relationship with the Tribe, a treacherous secret organization of spies and assassins that saved his life but that may have murdered his father. Kaede, meanwhile, has to escape the powerless role of a woman if she is to protect herself and her family domain from predatory neighbors'.

Source: bookseller's website.

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