FOUR MILLION COPIES SOLD. In 40 languages. One of the most thrilling series of our time. In this magnificent new epic, destined to become a classic, bestselling Australian author Lian Hearn transports us to a mythical Japanese world set 300 years before TALES OF THE OTORI. Like George R. R. Martin, Lian Hearn has captivated millions of readers worldwide with her masterpiece of imagination, TALES OF THE OTORI. Now, against a dazzling canvas of wild forest, elegant court and savage battlefield, she brilliantly brings to life the world that existed 300 years earlier. Hearn weaves an intricate tapestry - seething with intrigue, adventure and love - of two rival clans struggling over who will be crowned Emperor of the Eight Islands, in a medieval Japanese country inhabited by warriors, assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits. And as the laws of destiny play out their inexorable drama, so the battle for the Lotus Throne begins. Coming soon LORD OF THE DARKWOOD: Books 3 and 4 in THE TALE OF SHIKANOKO. Praise for EMPEROR OF THE EIGHT ISLANDS: 'huge imaginative vitality' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 'a fitting follow-up to the Otori series' THE AGE 'colourful and fascinating characters' COURIER MAIL 'a must-read' AUREALIS 'stands alone for fine storytelling' WEST AUSTRALIAN 'sure to recruit a fresh legion of fans' THE SATURDAY PAPER Don't miss any of the novels in the OTORI saga ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR GRASS FOR HIS PILLOW BRILLIANCE OF THE MOON THE HARSH CRY OF THE HERON HEAVEN'S NET IS WIDE