Heaven's Net is Wide

Tales of the Otori #0

by Lian Hearn

The new beginning and the grand finale of Lian Hearn's celebrated Tales of the Otori is "rivetingly elegant" (Washington Post).

Heaven's Net Is Wide is 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. The first and the last tale, it introduces readers to the strange and beautiful world of the Otori and closes the circle where it opened in Across the Nightingale Floor. Set in a mythical, medieval Japan, this epic historical fantasy of revenge and betrayal, honor and loyalty, beauty, passion, and the overwhelming power of love, has enthralled millions of readers the world over—and now, with the cycle complete, its audience will only continue to grow.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Japan, Young Adult, Historical, Romance

580 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2007

About the author

Lian 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.

Hearn's forthcoming series: The Tale of Shikanoko will be published by FSG in 4 volumes in 2016. Book 1 will be EMPEROR OF EIGHT ISLANDS out in late-April 2016, followed by book 2: AUTUMN PRINCESS, DRAGON CHILD (June), book 3: LORD OF THE DARKWOOD (August), and the final book (#4) THE TENGU'S GAME OF GO (late-Sept. 2016).

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 immigrating to Australia.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably liked this book better than all the previous publications. (Published last, it is still a full prequel of the events that follow the next generation.)

This has tragic aspects because we just can't get away from it while we spend our time in a Shogunate-ish Japan full of thugs, nastiness, and inequality.

But fortunately, the main characters make up for that. The underlying love story inherent here later becomes the backdrop of so many shocking and sad reveals in the later books so I'm on the fence about recommending this book #0 before #1-4.

The effect of reading #1-4 and then jumping back to this prequel is quite nice. As in, damn, that was a ton of tragedy and this new (but old) history isn't QUITE as dark and at least we get to point at all the previously hidden events in the other novels and go... "Wow, isn't wonderful?" or "This adds so much more dimension."

I can't say for anyone else on this point. But for me, it made this novel my favorite of all five. :) Maybe it's because I've been invested and the payoff is just right and maybe the author's skills are even better in this later book. Who knows?

All I know is that I loved it. :)

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to the Tales of the Otori, explaining and showing a lot that has been talked about in the other books, mainly the first.

Isamu of the Kikuta tribe has converted to the religion of the Hidden and is living in a village called Mino, settling down with a wife.
Meanwhile, a 12-year-old Shigeru Otori learns to mistrust his uncles after an incident with his younger brother. Three years later (yes, there are a few time jumps), we learn what prompts Shigeru to be interested in the Tribe after one of his father's cautionary tales (his father was talking about how illegitimate children could come back to haunt Shigeru, referring to Shigeru's half-brother, who happens to be Takeo's father). Soon after, Shigeru is sent to train at the temple of Terayama. There, we see how Shigeru's first kill comes about and how he slowly but surely becomes not only a good warrior but also a good lord.
Soon, the battle of Yaegahara is forging alliances and occupies the three countries. After the horrible defeat thanks to a number of awful betrayals, an interim ruler is appointed and Shigeru displaced in favour of his uncles.
We then learn why he thinks and feels about the Hidden the way he does and how he met Lady Maruyama (and, likewise, why she thinks and feels about the Hidden the way she does).
Moreover, we meet Shigeru's wife and get to witness Shigeru's and Kenji's first meeting.
In the end, we also find out who gave Shigeru the news of Takeo's existence after which he sets off and meets him at the end of this book / the beginning of book 1.

Mainly, this is the story of how Takeo's father truly died, what Takeo's heritage actually is, what led to the battle at Yaegahara and who betrayed whom and why during said battle that prompts so much in the later books. It's once again a story of women being supressed, of dishonourable and despicable people being rewarded for their treachery and depravity. As such, it is quite depressing, of course.

I don't know what it is exactly but I wasn't as enchanted with this prequel as with the first three books. Maybe it's because sometimes it's better if each individual reader gets to fill in certain blanks themselves?

The writing style is once again beautiful and I always loved Shigeru and Lady Maruyama but there is nothing awfully new here and I simply had other explanations for certain events or had imagined some things differently. As such, the book is far from unsatisfactory, it and I just didn't click as much as I would have liked.
That being said, I found myself at the edge of my seat when we finally got to the battle of Yaegahara, although I already knew how it would end, and I suffered soooo much with certain characters (like Lady Maruyama when she had to kill Shigeru's child).

Nevertheless, at the end of the Tales of the Otori, I'm happy I've read them and enjoyed immersing myself into this fictional feudal Japan with it's subtle magical abilities, clan wars, intrigues and inter-personal relationships.

[Cecilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitivamente me ha encantado! Comienza un poco lento pero al continuar las páginas cada vez se llena de intrigas, manteniéndotelas atrapada en la historia y encariñándose de los protagonistas... había leído la saga desde el “suelo del ruiseñor” pero me faltaba el comienzo. Definitivamente recomendable.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I've read by Lian Hearn, and it was a long one. I am not familiar with Japanese history, so I came to this only knowing that the author had done a lot of research for the period in which her story occurs: a period with a stratified society of warriors, farmers, merchants, and others. The warriors are held above all others in this society, and have a variety of codes they live by.

This is a prequel for Hearn's "Tales of the Otori" series, with the main character being Shigeru. We follow him from his birth to his meeting of Tomasu, his nephew, many years later. There is a lot of political machinations within the Otori clan and between the Otori and the Tohan, a rival clan. Much happens over an eighteen-year span in the book, and there are many characters to keep track of; I confess, I referred to the genealogy trees on the author's website to keep the relationships straight.

The whole story, while punctuated by betrayals and violence, has a calm feel, with quiet descriptions of gardens, and rain. There is also commentary about the warrior class' entitlement, their limitations/inability to imagine value in others, such as women, and the other classes. And about the impact of their plotting and fighting on their families and others.

I'll probably be checking out the "Tales of the Otori" some day.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this to be the first book read in the series (it is written last, but as a prequel to the other four).
The story is beautiful, describing ancient Japan with its beautiful houses and gardens, samurais and their conduct codes, ninjas, Christians' persecutions; it has sword fights, love, treachery, friendship and very well developed characters, that you'll grow to like and take interest in their fate.

“The best way is to be strong enough to make your enemy think twice about attacking you, yet not so aggressive that he feels threatened. Keep your sword sheathed as long as you can, but once it is unsheathed, use it without hesitation.”

[Ian Laird · Rating 3 out of 5]

From time to time we hear ‘life is too short to read bad books’ which I have always regarded as a bit precious because stories are written for different purposes for disparate audiences. What appeals to me may not appeal to you. But there are limits. Well, Tales of the Otori are not bad, but not great, which I’ll attempt to justify in due course.

Before I get there I need to tell a shocking tale of domestic violence which still haunts me. I used to work in Neutral Bay in Sydney, a well to do suburb in the lower North Shore, boasting a high class of thrift shop. One in particular always had hardbacks in excellent condition as you would expect from people who place greater weight on impressing visitors with what they felt they should be reading rather than what they actually read, if they read at all.

One day I found all five Tales of the Otori in excellent condition. I have an enthusiasm for Japan, having studied Japanese politics and more recently visited the country. I liked the sound of these adventures. I then learned the series of five was actually a trilogy with the first (#0) and final (#4) volumes written some time later. That should have been my first warning that the trilogy worked better if preceded by a retro-fitted prequel. In my household at the time lived a young adult, my step daughter Zoë who used to devour each Harry Potter as soon as it was published. Subsequently I gave her the Twilight saga and later the Millennium series. Neither of these sets slowed her down for long. So I put Heaven’s Net is Wide, in front of her. She said it was “OK but not sufficiently compelling to want to read the rest of the series”. This was the second sign.

The third sign was the act of domestic violence. The books were on shelf number seven nearest the floor in the main bedroom. At that time we had two beagles Linus and Lucy. Linus decided that something in or behind shelf seven was worth investigating and Brilliance of the Moon (Tales of the Otori #3), was in the way. He mauled it considerably, pretty much wrecking the dust jacket and savaging the book itself. Not beyond salvaging, but the aesthetic quality of the set was fatally compromised.

I should add that a little time later Lucy, now on her own as brother Linus had gone to beagle Heaven, after 15 years, but inspired by his example, destroyed my late father’s precious edition of Heinrich Harrer’s Seven Years in Tibet, a much treasured book from my childhood. Its loss made me deeply sad. Of course, when I read it as a teenager we did not know about Harrer’s past, but I now acknowledge Lucy’s Simon Wiesenthal qualities as a skilled Nazi hunter.

In case you’re wondering when I might actually get around to talking about Heaven’s Net is Wide, I have been putting this off, but now is the time. I quite enjoyed it. There were some interesting characters, some with special powers, including invisibility and person splitting, a fair bit of action, individual and big battles; family and palace intrigue and a fluid geo-political situation which was fertile ground for skulduggery, alliances and dalliances. A lot of the book is set up to enable us to follow the career of Seguru, heir to the Otori and all-round good guy, who has the help of a spiritual guide much in the way of Shifu from Kung Fu Panda, who seeks to add maturity, patience and swordsmanship to Seguru’s youthful exuberance.

This was all enough for me to move on to the second of the five volumes Across the Nightingale Floor (known as Tales of the Otori #1, as Heaven’s Net is Wide is #0).

[Toby Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely awesome start/end of the best series of books i've ever read. there is no higher praise. Feudal japanese set tales of samurai, geisha, swords, blood, treachery, intrigue, and love. The complex, entertaining and beautiful history of the otori is finally finished with Heaven's Net is Wide - the last in the series and a prequel to the other books. This book is in third person like the recent and equally awesome Harsh Cry of the Heron, and unlike the original trilogy told from Otori Takeo's perspective. This is the story of Shigeru, Takeo's adoptive father/uncle and reveals the much wondered about events prior to the first book - the legendary battles and the real story of Shigeru's brother and tribe knowledge. all the character's that get little time in the trilogy are explored and personalised in this volume. It is awesomely written, moody and evocative, tranquil, yet gruesome in equal measure. It serves as an awesome way into the series and can be read first (as Hearn must now intend) as the book leads on to within 6 pages of the start of Across the Nightingale Floor. Alternatively it can be read last - like i read it - revealing the legendary events the other books are based on. there are one or two instances where it's prequel nature is apparent - sentences like - (name) who would go on to become suchandsuch in the near future. these originally made me think a first time reader should start with the trilogy but upon research i found that these types of sentences appear throughout the series. i now think it is a great place to start as Hearn now intends and should be on your reading list soon. incredible, atmospheric and complex. involving and entertaining - a book to treasure - there are so few this good. 10/10

[Liz Kittencat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta es la historia de Otori Shigeru. La historia de su ascenso y caída como jefe de su Clan, el más poderoso del País Medio.La Historia de de su rivalidad con Iida Sadamu,el poderoso y cruel Señor de la Guerra y de sus relaciones con la enigmática Tribu, una organización compuesta por hombre con poderes casi sobrenaturales. Esta es la historia de su determinación por no dejarse arrastrar por el amor, aun cuando acabe amando desesperadamente. Es la historia de su humíllate derrota y de cómo en ella encuentra la sabiduría necesaria para ser un héroe justo y el padre de su pueblo.

Yo también quiero un pabellón de té

Antes de comenzar mi reseña diré que cuando leí este libro y los que le siguen, en ningún momento pensé que se desarrollara en el Japón Feudal, como he visto que señalan otras críticas. Siempre pensé que era un país imaginario, inspirado en Japón, en sus costumbres, paisajes, de manera que cualquier inexactitud que tuviese la trama me dejaba sin cuidado.

Para mí la lectura de esta historia ha sido una delicia. Me demoré en cada hoja perezosamente, disfrutando de cada descripción al máximo. Me sumergí en la trama que tan bien articula Lian Hearn y me dediqué a acompañar diligentemente a los personajes, los cuales ataban muy bien estructurados y eran coherentes en sus acciones y determinaciones. Se nota que este libro fue escrito al final de la serie, ya que en comparación con los que le siguen en orden cronológico, es una pequeña joyita. Su trama es envolvente, su vocabulario rico, sus descripciones totalmente evocadoras. Se nota la madurez de la escritora, tanto en la forma de escribir como en el ritmo de la narración, la construcción de sus personajes y la solidez del argumento, que para mi gusto, tiene muy pocas y perdonables fallas.

Sobre todo lo que más me gustó y que me impresión gratamente es como describe los lugares, situaciones y estados de ánimos de los personajes. Utiliza una rica cantidad de metáforas, delicadas y a veces desgarradores descripciones de paisajes que te envuelven de tal manera que puedes presenciar con tus propios ojos los personajes con todo su boato, pobreza o sencillez y los entornos en que se desenvuelven. Especialmente amé la descripción del viaje por mar de Shigeru y los cuadros nocturnos con hermosas lunas y sonidos a veces embriagadores, otras cargados de presagios. Hacia mucho tiempo que no me enganchaba con un libro y fue tanto que una mañana que dormitaba con el libro sobre la almohada, soñé con los personajes y con Shigeru en batalla ataviado con una túnica negra y rosa, con el blasón de la garza. Imagínense cuando me habrá deleitado su lectura para logara una cosa así. No recuerdo que me hubiese pasado antes, o no fui consiente de ello. Nunca se sabe ya que imaginación es tan basta como fecunda.

Por primera vez, en mucho tiempo, leí un libro sin identificarme con ningún personajes, lo cual fundamental para que lo apreciara más. Ver el conjunto sin ser parte de él le da a la narración un carácter holístico que yo siempre he apreciado en libros, series o películas.

El romance de Naomi con Shigeru me gustó bastante y me rompió el corazón en varias oportunidades, sobre todo hacia le final del libros, porque yo sé en que termina con anticipación ya que leí El Suelo del Ruiseñor hace años. No es mi culpa que la autora escribiera el comienzo de la serie al último. Si bien su amor me pareció repentino, y por ende un poco forzado, la justificación que se de de ello es lo suficientemente convincente como para que no reparara en ello. Créanme, es hermoso y triste, como a mí me gusta.

Una de la cosas que fueron decisivas para que el libro se transformara en uno de mis favoritos del presente año es el uso que la autora hace, con acierto, de uno de los tópicos más comunes de las historias de venganza: el héroes que se esconde tras una apariencia pusilánime y débil. Es un lugar común, pero explotada de una manera inteligente. Amo es prototipo, quizás porque leí muy pequeña Pimpinela Escarlata y vi las películas del Zorro con entusiasmo.

Creo que un punto destacable es como se representa a las mujeres, no sólo con objetos de deseo y posesión, sino como personas que toman sus propias decisiones, que buscan la forma de decidir su vida y sobrevivir a la dominación masculina. Desde es punto de vista cada una de ellas, representa una cualidad o característica determinada, como el valor, la obstinación ,le orgullo, la pasión, el poder o la ambición. Mi favoritas fueron la señora Naomi y Shizuka, miembro de la tribu. Siempre he preferido los personajes femeninos fuertes y dicididos, aunque no sean buenos en el sentido convencional.

También me gustó muchísimo como trata y utiliza las leyendas y creencias. Tanto en el caso de Los Ocultos como de las tradiciones referentes al Iluminado. Especialmente amé las historias de fantasmas, como la de la niña que se casó con la muerte, o la del cantero cuyo espíritu protegía el puente que en vida había construidos.

En fin ¿qué mas puedo decirles? La red del cielo es amplia es una excelente obra y si quieren leer alguna parte de esta saga, la leyenda de los Otori, busquen este libro. Los siguientes son pobres intentos de contar una excelente historia de forma precaria y básica. Leí el primero y el segundo, pero aun no puedo sobrevivir el tercero y no sé si alguna vez lo logre. Ojalá pueda hacerlo ya que tengo el presentimiento de que le cuarto puede ser más o menos como el que estoy reseñando ahora. Y si van a comenzar la serie, empiecen con este, Creo que los libros posteriores se beneficiaran de este magnífico comienzo.

Finalmente, sólo me resta decir que es una historia de conocimiento, superación y humildad que si bien es dura, no es para nada frustrante. Los personajes crecen a través de las dichas y dificultades y después de todo ¿no es eso la vida? y ¿ no son los libros un reflejo de ésta?

Curiosidad 1

Integré una nueva palabra a mi vocabulario: veranda , que no es lo mismo que baranda, como yo creía. Según al RAE es

(Del ingl. de la India verandah, y este del hindi varandā).
f. Galería, porche o mirador de un edificio o jardín.

Si vas a leer este libro, te conviene aprenderla ya que sal por lo menos una vez cada dos hojas.

Curiosidad 2

Shigeru tiene una esposa llamada Moe Yagani, cada vez que veía su nombre me acodaba del cantinero de los Simpsons xD!

Frases interesantes:

"La noche se vino encima. El viejo edificio estaba pleno de repleto de sonidos extraños, como si numerosos fantasmas conversaran con voces chirriantes, con la boca llena de polvo" P.421

"Lo que se oculta a los ojos del mundo aumenta en fortaleza y valor"- Naomi Muruyama, p.422

"Los hombres no pueden saber el resultado de sus acciones, porque no tienen en cuenta el corazón humano"- Shizuka, p.524

En resumen: Te amo Shigeru xD. A parte de eso, súper recomendable

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed bag for me, having read the main trilogy. It is an extended backstory to the situation which the characters find themselves in at the start of "Across the Nightingale Floor". There are a few foreshadowing moments if the reader can recall events in the trilogy such as when Naomi mentions that she never learned to swim and doesn't like boats. And it was nice to spend more time with Shigeru, one of my favourite characters in the other books, though his relationship with women, his wife in particular, tarnished him somewhat.

But at 578 pages, the book dragged in several places. The pacing was also odd, with some detailed sections covering a few days and then years being skipped over. Yet the pivotal battlefield sequence which has such devastating consequences for Shigeru's life, family, friends and whole country, is dealt with very sketchily and summarily.

Ultimately, although there were some nice sections, the writing was decent and it was a chance to learn more about the survivors previously encountered, I didn't feel it really added anything. So I would only award this 3 stars.

[librosgatosyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lo que más me gustó de este libro es que supe más de Shigeru mi prota fav. su niñez, sus inicios, sus amores, su historia como principal, etc.
Lo que no, es que por momentos me pareció forzadas algunas cosas para que calzaran con la historia.
No deja de ser una tremenda historia, toda la saga es muy interesante, solo que creo que este libro es el que menos me gustó de los 5, exceptuando lo de Shigeru me pareció mas flojito, sin embargo es necesario.
Rescato la historia de Akane, me pareció genial. La tribu me encanta, todo ese mundo creo que da para sus propios libros.
Amo que los caballos sean importantes en la historia, tienen nombre, historia y genealogía etc, unos protas más. también que hablen de otros animales, su importancia y dignidad.
El honor, como lo mas importante, la decisión entre la vida y la muerte, tan arraigado desde niños, me parece muy fuerte pero entendible.
y aunque nunca dicen que es Japón, claramente lo es.
Y bueno una historia genial, me encanta salvo pequeños detalles pero en general muy buena.

[Xander Jeanneret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I don't often do reviews of the books I read, but this is going to be an exception. This is the prequel of the series "The Tales of the Otori", and being a Japanophile I absolutely fell in love with this book. I anxiously await reading the rest of the series, but they are surprisingly hard to find (not at the local bookstores or in the Barnes & Noble at the Grove).

The detail to which the author immerses you into the Japanese culture is astounding, and it wove in just enough fantasy to keep me hooked. I'm sad that the characters I became attached to are only to serve as backstory for the rest of the series, but am also excited to see where the story goes from here.

Hearn really captures the emotional struggle that each class level in feudal Japan had to endure, from high-ranking men to women of the pleasure houses. The buildups to major events were exciting, and the shocking plot twists were hard to see coming (I especially loved the events leading to the death of one character, so. epic.). I know that as soon as I can find the rest of the series I will gobble them up.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

PROLOG YANG SUPER TEBAL.
Sosok Lord Otori Shigeru sangat berperan dalam kehidupan Takeo, hero utama seri ini. Tak di sangka setelah jeda bertahun-tahun lamanya si penulis akhirnya menuliskan kisah hidup Lord yang sangat kharismatik ini.

Kesan pertama dari novel ini adalah tebalnya yang mengintimidasi, 789 halaman. Sayangnya buku setebal ini seharusnya bisa di ringkas menjadi lebih tipis. Perjalanan hidup Shigeru menarik dari awal sampai pertengahan buku. Tapi lewat dari itu semua bab-bab penuh kesabaran pria ini bisa di ringkas dalam 1-2 alinea saja. Aksi laga dan perang yang di tunggu-tunggu hanya muncul dalam sekejab mata. Intrik antar klan dan pembalasan dendam yang di nantikan, tak pernah muncul sampai akhir. Sisi kehidupan asmara, filsafat pengendalian diri dan minat berkebun Shigeru justru mendapat banyak pembahasan.

Buku ini memberi sedikit gambaran tentang hubungan kekerabatan antara Shigeru dan Takeo yang tampak random di buku 1-2-3-4. Benang merah antara Otori dan Tribe juga dijelaskan di sini walau dalam porsi minimalis. Sejujurnya aku berharap lebih dari buku ini dari sekadar bacaan obat kangen pada seri ini.

[David B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to The Tales of the Otori, telling the early life of Lord Shigeru, one of my favorite characters of that series. It follows him during the years that he endures the defeat of his family at the hands of the Tohan and assumes the persona of a peaceful and defeated farmer while plotting his revenge, ending with the events that open the original series.

Lian Hearn writes well and her portrait of a fantasy alternate Japan remains a fascinating setting. There can be a mechanical aspect to a prequel because it must hit certain plot points in order to set up the previously written stories, introducing the danger that characterization will be subordinated to plot. However, Hearn acquits herself well and the characters’ choices always seem well-rooted in psychology and internal motivation. This book also avoids the unfortunate penchant for deus ex machina that she so often indulges in the other books.

https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com

[Durand D'souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been a long time since I had read Harsh Cry of the Heron and I couldn't really remember the characters or the plot very well, however as this was a prequel, I really had no excuses to not read it. Lian Hearn did a brilliant job with this book and it is definitely my favourite Tales of the Otori book, even though it is not part of the original series. I would absolutely love it if there was a sequel to this from the perspective of Shigeru but that is clearly not possible. After reading this book, I had to order the previous four off amazon (for only £12) for a re-read!

[Indah Julianti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kesetiaan untuk Sang Bangau

Judul : Heaven’s Net Is Wide
Penulis : Lian Hearn
Penerjemah : Meithya Rose Prasetya
Penyunting : Lulu Fitri Rahman
Tata Letak : MAB
Penerbit : PT Matahati
Tebal : 786 halaman
Cetakan : November 2009
Kategori : Novel terjemahan/historical Epic

Berseting masa feodal Jepang, tentang keluarga ksatria seperti : Klan Otori (Negeri Tengah ; kota kastil : Hagi), Klan Seishuu (Persekutuan dari beberapa keluarga tua di Negeri Barat; kota kastil utama : Kumamoto dan Maruyama), Klan Tohan (Negeri Timur; kota kastil : Inuyama), Tribe, dan Hidden.

Tokoh utama dalam buku ini : Otori Shigeru (pewaris klan Otori), Matsuda Shingen (guru Otori Shigeru, mantan pendekar, kepala biara di Terayama), Akane (pelacur terkenal, putri seorang tukang batu), Mori Kiyoshige (sahabat Shigeru), Maruyama Naomi (pemimpin klan Maruyama), Arai Daiichi (pewaris klan Arai di Kumamoto), Iida Sadamu (pewaris klan Tohan, sekaligus musuh bebuyutan Otori Shigeru), Muto Shizuka ( Tribe, kekasih simpanan Arai), Muto Kenji (Ketua Keluarga Muto, sahabat Shigeru), dan Tomasu (Hidden).

Sinopsis :
Otori Shigeru, lahir dan dibesarkan dalam keluarga yang mengagungkan kesetiaan dan kehormatan. Shigeru menyaksikan sendiri bagaimana pengkhianatan bertanggung jawab atas kematian ribuan ksatria Otori dan penurunan posisinya sebagai pewaris klan.

Shigeru menemukan kekuatan dalam pelatihan yang diberikan gurunya, Matsuda Shingen, hubungannya dengan nama-nama misterius Tribe, berbagai pertempuran yang menguji kemampuannya, dan pertemuannya dengan Lady Maruyama, yang hidupnya juga telah dihancurkan oleh musuh besar Otori, Klan Tohan.

Ulasan :
Cinta, kesetiaan, kehormatan, perebutan kekuasaan, pengkhiatan, dan pembunuhan, merupakan hal yang selalu ada dalam kisah-kisah ksatria, seperti novel Heaven’s Net Is Wide ini.

Novel karya penulis wanita Lian Hearn, setebal 786 halaman, merupakan prekuel dari kisah Klan Otori lainnya, yang sudah lebih dulu sukses, seperti Across the Nightingale Floor, Grass for His Pillow, Brilliance of The Moon, dan The Harsh Cry of the Heron.

Dalam novel ini, pembaca dibawa menelusuri kisah kehidupan Otori Shigeru, sebelum menyelamatkan Takeo, pewaris klan Otori selanjutnya.

Diceritakan pula bagaimana terjadinya hubungan antara Lady Maruyama dan Otori Shigeru. Wanita-wanita yang berperan dalam kehidupan Shigeru, terutama wanita yang menjadi penyelamatnya dari bencana.

Meski alur cerita terasa lamban di bab-bab pertama, karena fokus cerita lebih mengarah pada proses pendewasaan Shigeru dan pembelajaran yang diterima Shigeru dari Matsuda Shingen, namun pada bab pertengahan, kisah Shigeru mulai mendebarkan.

Dikisahkan bagaimana Shigeru kehilangan satu persatu orang yang dikasihi dan dicintainya, bagaimana Shigeru kehilangan hak warisnya, dan harus mengikhlaskan diri, Otori dipimpin paman-paman tirinya yang pengkhianat dan pengecut, serta keteguhan dan keyakinannya, akan mampu menghancurkan musuh utamanya, Iida Sadamu.

Hal yang disukai dari novel Heaven’s Net Is Wide ini, adalah penjelasan tentang klan-klan tokoh cerita dan anggota-anggota keluarga, sahabat, pendukung klan, serta wilayah-wilayah kekuasaannya, sehingga mempermudah pembaca mengikuti jalan cerita.Juga tentang kelompok Tribe, yang memiliki keahlian khusus, serta kelompok Hidden, yang merupakan kelompok pemeluk agama Nasrani. Selain itu, terlepas dari penulisnya adalah seorang wanita, peran wanita dalam cerita ini cukup mendominasi, bukan hanya sebagai pelengkap cerita.

[Matt Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publisher's Summary

As Tolkien's The Silmarillion is to The Lord of the Rings, Liam Hearn's Heaven's Net Is Wide is to Tales of the Otori. This is the back story fans have been yearning for.

Set before the Tales begin, Heaven's Net recounts the life of Lord Otori Shigeru, the series' spiritual warrior-godfather and the adoptive father of the Tales' Takeo. We learn about Shigeru's training in the ways of the warrior and feudal lord; his relationship with the Tribe of mysteriously powerful assassins; his fateful meeting with Lady Maruyama, who would become his secret lover; the battle of Yaegahara, where his father is killed; and other turning points that shaped the Tales. The first four volumes gave us only glimpses. Now we are treated to rich detail and more of Hearn's fantastical Japanese world.

Gripping and bewitching, Heaven's Net is a new beginning and a grand finale; a story of monumental battles, supreme loyalty, triumphant love, and heartbreak. It ends just before Across the Nightingale Floor begins, bringing the Otori epic full circle.

[Dimitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me two years to finally finish this book, but thanks to L5R I got into the mood and now it's done!
And you know what? It was a damn good book!
I love Hearn's writing style so much! It's so smooth and the beautiful scenery she describes make you feel the atmosphere of the story 100%! So relaxing to read it...
But there was also much more action and gore moments which made the story much more interesting.
It was a nice prequel, that's for sure!

[Konstantinos Amvrazis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Τι υπέροχο βιβλίο! Μετά από χρόνια συνάντησα και πάλι τον Σιγκερου! Η συγγραφέας σε ταξιδεύει στην φεουδαρχική Ιαπωνία με μοναδικό τρόπο. Εικόνες και συναισθήματα σε κυριεύουν ενώ δίνονται και πολλές εξηγήσεις σε γεγονότα που συνέβησαν στην κύρια τριλογία Tales of the Otori.

[Jelka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why, Lian, why..?
I wish this book would've never been written.

I got 20% into Heaven's Net Is Wide before realizing, I'd already read this book before. Probably because everything up to this point was so unmemorable.
Afterwards, the plot becomes more interesting with some boring parts. Overall the book could've been shorter.

I was looking forward to this book fleshing out Shigeru's youth and his relationship with Maruyama Naomi, he's a character I really enjoyed in the first book of the series and I wanted to learn more about him.
However, Shigeru as a young man is nothing like the man he's in the latter book(s). He was a little shithead (atleast as a young man) and I kind of hate him now.

The way Hearn wrote Shigeru's relationship with his wife, Moe, and his mistress, Akane, was horrible. Does Lian Hearne like to torture her female characters?
I felt so sorry for Moe. Not only does Shigeru completely disregard her, she also seems to have some kind of fear of sex and childbirth. One of the servants assaults her so she can have sex with Shigeru but it doesn't work. It is never really commented on, the author should've done better here.
In the end, the only way that she is able to have sex is when she incites Shigeru's anger and then submits to it. WTF Lian?!
She dies during childbirth and the only thing we learned about Shigeru is that he is cruel and gets turned on by forcing himself on his wife.

Akane is also horrible. And while I support women enjoying and wanting to have sex, she simply seemed sex-crazed. Atleast she got to work her dream job. I never understood her motivation and the way she is written is quite cruel as well. Again, WTF Lian!

I was glad however to see Shizuka, Kenji and Naomi again.
Shigeru becomes far more likeable latter on in the book and his relationship with Naomi was quite beautiful. It sadly felt like instalove though.
Naomi has an abortion in this book which I appreciated, however it is also portrayed as a sin that drives her into Christianity. Yikes.

The non-Christian characters repeatedly use the words heaven and hell, without differentiating them from the Christian heaven and hell. And while there is the concept of heaven and hell in Buddhism as well, their conceptions are different, and the author could have done a better job differentiating here.
Especially since the author decided she had to include Christans in her Japanese inspired books and one important point of conflict in this series is the clash between the religion of this country and the new Christian belief. It felt like she wanted to put her ideology into this book.?

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is so sad, and very disapointing.
I have loved this entire series, even more by the fact that I feel like I happened upon it myself years ago and how it seems to have a small audience. You know how it is when you have a favorite book or movie thatyou don't think anyone else knows about about but you, and that it seems made for you? That was how it was for me and the Tales of the Otori series.
This book, technically the fifth in the series but written as the "first", is presumably the last book and I hope so. I was fine with the original four in the "trilogy". To be fair, I gave this book several chances. Of the 480-odd pages, I made it just past 230 - almost half way through. I add that as a disclaimer, because by this point in every other title in the series I was hooked and wanted to call out of work to keep reading. It's such a wonderful world to be in. So far in this title, we've seen a lot of banal political machinations and TONS of unrequited love. This book could easily be shelved in the romance section for all it's dwellings on Shiegru, his mistress, and his wife. That's not to say that the other titles were lacking on romance (they actually thrived on it at times), but it was broken up with bits about The Tribe and other more interesting fantasy elements. They've barely touched upon that here. It seems, at the point I had reached, they are just now introducing elements and characters that would play out in the other four books, and even knowing that, I still don't care. When it feels like it's a chore to force yourself to pick up a book and continue reading it, it's maybe time to stop. And I have. However, I have not completely abandoned it. I do plan on popping in a reading some chapters here and there, just in case (mostly because so many of the other reviews on here about the title seem to overwhelmingly positive - I have not been reading the same book thus far!) I'll update if it changes my opinion any.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can't decide if it would be better to read this as the first book in the series or the last cos i want to read Across the Nightingale Floor all over again! I'm officially putting this series on my list of favorites 😍😍😍

[Weni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saya suka kisah2 Jepang masa lalu.
Saya suka Kisah Klan Otori.
Saya suka Otori Shigeru sejak saya membaca Across the Nightingale Floor. Titik.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The culture of feudal Japan has a certain harsh attractiveness, and one of the things this author does well is display both the harshness, and the beauty. Would I want to have lived in that period, particularly as a woman? Certainly not. But it's a good place to visit, at least in the imagination.

Probably I should have reread the original Otori series before circling back around to this prequel novel; I got confused about who people were, at least at first, and I'm sure some moments that were supposed to be emotionally significant didn't land because I lacked the proper context, but it is still a compelling, and at times devastating read. The characters are wonderful, fascinating, solid people, and if the action is sometimes a bit slow, well, it's worth reading to find out what happens to them.

[Shaitarn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. I liked it, but not enough to give it 4.

This is technically the 'prequel' to the other 4 books in the Tales of the Otori sequence, detailing the story of Lord Shigeru, the legal head of the noble Otori clan and his battle with the evil Iida clan and his own treacherous uncles.

It's an entertaining slice of back story - not an essential read by any means, but it completes the set quite nicely.

[AshishB · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best things about this book is that it never felt like this book was written by a GaiJin on Japan's feudal system. I loved the way the story was written, from the happy days to war changing everything in the life of Shigeru and His Ottori Clan. Losing to the enemy and not giving up your life was a great disrespect in old Japan and yet Shigeru lived his life, plotting revenge on his enemies.
This is more than revenge story. It's a must read for all those who want to know the old ways of Japan.
The next book will be even more interesting than this one.

[Srta. BethSua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y ya, con mucha penita, he finalizado la saga de Leyendas de los Otori con la precuela y quinto libro, “La red del cielo es amplia”. La historia de Shigeru, cómo nació, se instruyó y como llega al momento en el que rescata a ese niño de la aldea, cuyo destino será inimaginable, nuestro protagonista de la saga, Takeo.

Me ha encantado. Sigo diciendo que no comprendo por qué esta historia de fantasía, ambientada en la época feudal de Japón, donde hay de todo: traiciones, amores, un juego de tronos, casi novela de formación, un poco de magia, y al mismo tiempo, descripciones de la naturaleza y con tantos simbolismos, no es todo lo famosa que debería.

Tengo entendido que han comprado los derechos para hacer una película pero se dice desde hace mucho tiempo, no sé si se llevará a cabo. Por fortuna están los libros, entretenidos y envolventes.

Esta saga se queda guardadita en mi biblioteca personal como un tesoro de fantasía épica asiática.

Completamente recomendable.

[Constanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Increíble y casi contradictorio cómo una precuela puede transformarse en el cierre perfecto de una historia. No lo había concebido como una posibilidad antes y aquí estoy, totalmente maravillada con lo que acabo de terminar de leer.

Siendo súper honesta, albergaba mis dudas respecto a si podría disfrutar de este libro de la misma forma que las entregas anteriores. Siempre está esa sombra de recelo... Pero era difícil dilucidar a qué respondía realmente esta, cuando los 4 libros anteriores fueron simplemente: chef kiss. Una vez más, la autora nos regalo oro puro.

El cómo este relato inicia muchos, realmente varios años antes de la historia original pero que nos deje justo donde empieza, es simplemente majestuoso, una conexión precisa y perfecta. Pensé que me encontraría con una mayoría de personajes nuevos, situaba en mi mente esta precuela tal vez muuuuchos años antes, y si bien sí vimos personajes nuevos (algunos de los que ya habíamos escuchado y otros por completo desconocidos hasta ahora), tuvimos ese maravilloso agrado de ver las primeras apariciones y los desarrollos/crecimientos de varios personajes bien conocidos y queridos en la saga original. Quería mucho que fuese así, pero me había obligado a bajar las expectativas y anticipar que no sería así, que la historia iría por otro lado. Pero no, y qué nanai al alma fue ❤️‍🩹

No sé qué más puedo agregar. El relato es fantástico, las descripciones tan detalladas y prolijas, la historia tan atrapante como siempre, nos da miles de explicaciones y contextos a cosas sumamente importantes que suceden luego en la línea temporal, los personajes son entrañables, agggh tengo una NECESIDAD de que todo el mundo conozca esta saga, que tenga el reconocimiento que merece!! Esta precuela, insisto, es el cierre perfecto para la historia. El broche de oro. La más dulce guinda de la torta. Sanó, un poquitito, la penita que dejó la secuela, aún sabiendo todo lo que se viene después.

5 estrellas más que merecidas. No sé si fue el libro que más disfruté de la saga, pero no lo descarto, ah. De todas formas, ya que de alguna forma esta precuela conecta a la perfección con todo lo que sigue a continuación, lo veo como una valoración final.

Definitivamente, las leyendas de los Otori se ha consagrado, inesperadamente, como una de mis sagas literarias favoritas de los últimos tiempos. Dénle la oportunidad. Lo vale absolutamente todo.

[Κλέαρχος Σταματουλάκης · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially I rated it with 4 stars and then changed it since it was based on my personal view that it’d be more interesting if I had read that as the first book of the series. I knew what was gonna happen in an 70-80% and that made me bored a bit. But still it had the magic of Hearn’s writing. Amazing world.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved how smoothly this played into Across the Nightingale Floor. Made me wish I had read this before reading the main series! Shigeru was one of my favorite characters in the Tales of the Otori trilogy. So getting a standalone book focusing on him was a treat. I wasn't too big of a fan of some bits, but overall I loved this book.

[DesSaint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and evocative story of feudal Japan.
This is a prequel to the Otori series.
I have lived in Japan for 5 years and understand Japanese culture but this book has opened my eyes to so much more.
It helped me understand the mind set of those same people that pillaged the Pacific.