I was disappointed with the tales of the Otori, as I’ve mentioned in previous reviews of Hearn’s work. How can a book about an alternate Feudal Japan with ninjas, spies with supernatural powers, and samurai go wrong?

Heaven’s Net is Wide is the strongest entry in the series, which is sad on its own since the main character from her other books doesn’t show up until the last few pages. The book does do a good job of filling in gaps that the rest of the series alludes to. Shigeru is a strong main character who exhibits cunning, patience, and bravery in the face of hardship.

The pace is a little slow at times, and Hearn ends the book in her typical rushed fashion. I’m beginning to wonder if she has a word limit to her stories. All of the books seem take most of the story setting up the climax, only to rush through them or take shortcuts to bring about the conclusion.

As much as I’d like to, based upon the concept and what it could have been, I cannot recommend this series.

Rating: 3 out of 5 (What’s This?)

Has anyone listened to a piece called “Bolero”? It was written in 1875 by Maurice Ravel of France. Bolero is almost an experimental piece of music, in that it exists entirely of one, 17 minute long, crescendo.

I have never heard it myself until it was the question in Final Jeopardy a few days ago. When I heard that, I realized that Daemons are Forever is the fictional equivalent Bolero. The only difference is that Green starts his book on forte already, and it just keeps getting louder until you can almost not bear it anymore.

I don’t know about you, but I have not read too many other books that include a witch, druids with magical armor, elves, fairies, luck vampires, inter-dimensional demon hunters, immortal serial killers, time travel, a ghost and his past self, a future warrior from another series of the author’s own books, TWO higher dimenionsal beings, soul eating demons, half-breed demonspawn, and a button that can wipe out an entire universe in an instant. And that’s just the half of it.

I read Green’s first book in this series, The Man with the Golden Torc, and enjoyed it. There is action on every page, more trouble than you have ever tried to imagine, and a hip, James Bond feel to the whole thing.

If you want to be overloaded with paranormal imagery and cool fights, this book is for you. If you prefer dialog and existential debates, maybe not so much, although the time travel discussion might make your head explode. I know I’ll be going back for The Spy Who Haunted Me soon.

3 out of 5 (explain the ratings to me!)

Sometimes I am a glutton for punishment. I didn’t enjoy much of the Otori tales trilogy before this, and yet I decided to read the epilogue. Well, I decided that long before I read the last two books of the trilogy. It’s been sitting on my shelf for a while.

This book picks up 18 years or so after the trilogy ends. Things have gone very well for the Otori clan, but cracks are beginning to form on the edges that quickly give way to disastrous effect.

I have many of the same issues with this book that I had with the previous efforts. The characters and place names continue to be hard to follow. I don’t know how that can be after three previous entries in this world. Seventy percent of the book is slogging build-up, ten percent enjoyable climax, and twenty percent lazy cleanup.

I did enjoy where the characters ended up. It was a fitting end to the series. Unfortunately, most of the book was filled with tedious build up to the trip to the Mainland to meet the Emperor. The couple of chapters with the Emperor and the battle after were well done. Then Hearn sort of hit fast forward to wrap the story up quickly.

There’s one more Otori book on my shelf. The First Tale of the Otori, which is a prequel to the trilogy. It may just have to sit there for a while.

2 out of 5. See the rating system here