Great Y A Authors From Chronicles Network Readers

[rune]

Lian Hearn

Another YA author, that I would say firmly falls into the Teen age range

Anyone read Tales of the Otori series?

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Re: Lian Hearn

Certainly have.
Quite enjoyable - very downbeat which is unusual in a fantasy series. Normally the hero triumphs against 'impossible' odds before nipping home for tea.

 

[finvarre]

Re: Lian Hearn

I've read only the first volume, Across the Nightingale Floor. I liked the story mainly because of the setting. I really like novels/films that take place in Japan/Korea/China and Hearn undoubtedly knows a lot about the Japanese culture, the world she created is clearly based on Japan.

Having said that, the plot was a bit too simple for me, especially compared to Mistress of the Empire by Wurts/Feist based on the Korean culture or with Sean Russell's Initiate Brother duology that takes place in alternate China. But maybe this is a little unfair as the Otori Tales are clearly YA books and very good as such. Unlike you, Rune, I like politics in fantasy/sci -fi so maybe that's what I think this novel lacked most.. as well as another character's point of view , besides Takeo. All in all, the book was interesting and I'm going to read the remaining 2 volumes in the future. Surely my judgment after having read the entire trilogy will do more justice to these books - one cannot really judge a series before reading all volumes..

 

[rune]

Re: Lian Hearn

I thought book 1 and 2 of the Otori series was very good, the 3rd book I felt was a little of a let down. But still a reasonable read.

 

[Alia]

Re: Lian Hearn

Did some research...

Lian Hearn is a pseudonym used by Gillian Rubinstein. Gillian is an Australian. *looks around for Gollum*

Here's her Bibliography...

Liam Hearn

Series
Tales of the Otori
1. Across the Nightingale Floor (2002)
2. Grass for His Pillow (2003)
3. Brilliance of the Moon (2004)
The Tales of the Otori Trilogy (omnibus) (2005)

Grass For His Pillow
1. Lord Fujiwara's Treasures (2005)
2. The Way Through The Snow (2005)

http://www.glbtfantasy.com/?section=fantasy&auth=Lian+Hearn

Gillian Rubinstein


Series
Space Demons
1. Shinkei (1988)
2. Skymaze (1989)
3. Space Demons (1993)

Novels
Beyond the Labyrinth (1988)
Answers to Brut (1988)
Melanie and the Night Animal (1988)
Flashback: The Amazing Adventures of a Film Horse (1990)
At Ardilla (1991)
Dog In, Cat Out (1991)
Galax-Arena (1992)
The Giant's Tooth (1993)
Foxspell (1994)
B'ku, B'ku (1995)
Sharon Keep Your Hair on (1996)
Mr Plunkett's Pool (1996)
Under the Cat's Eye: A Tale of Morph and Mystery (1998)
The Pirates' Ship (1998)
The Fairy's Wings (1998)
Pure Chance (2004)

Collections
Annie's Brother's Suit and Other Stories (1996)

http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/childrenslibrary/authors/gillianrubinstein.htm

 

[rune]

Re: Lian Hearn

Didnt realise she wrote under another name. You've done it now I'll have to go research her other stuff

 

[Alia]

Re: Lian Hearn

While doing the research I wondered 'why'. Why does an author change their name? It looks like she published in the same genre.

 

[GOLLUM]

Re: Lian Hearn

I thought book 1 and 2 of the Otori series was very good, the 3rd book I felt was a little of a let down. But still a reasonable read.

My feelings too on this series, which I enjoyed quite a bit. I remember posting something on a thread on this but can't remember where that was. If I find it I'll repost it or link.

 

[rune]

Re: Lian Hearn

While doing the research I wondered 'why'. Why does an author change their name? It looks like she published in the same genre.

I find this annoying to be honest, as it makes it confusing when trying to buy their books

 

[GOLLUM]

Re: Lian Hearn

Well Gillian is an aussie author, who has written quite a number of children's books as witnesed by Alia's Bio.

Here's an extract from a post relating to Gillian's response to the question of why she adopted a pseudonymn of Lian Hearn:

I felt strongly that I wanted to use a pseudonym for these books but at first I did not have a clear idea why, apart from the fact that Tales of the Otori seemed to be quite different from anything I had written before. I have problems with names and identity anyway as nothing about my exterior self seems to bear any relationship to the self that writes. It also seemed to be essentially Japanese: to change one's name to indicate a new phase in one's life, a new direction. Lian is a family nickname and Hearn means heron -- one of the key symbols of the book, as well as being the name of Lafcadio Hearn, the 19th century Japanophile.