This is the second title in the four-book series, Tales of Shikanoko-- a historical fantasy set in Medieval Japan (12th century). The story actually begins with Emperor of the Eight Islands:

...there's adventure, court intrigue, sorcerers, magic... Kumayama no Kazumaru is the heir-presumptive to a small, but important estate in the imaginary/mythical kingdom that the author has based on Medieval Japanese tales. On a hunting trip with his uncle however, Kumayama is left for dead; but through the intervention of a stag, some magic, and a sorcerer, our hero is invested with power and re-born as "Shikanoko" ("deer's child"). From here on in, his fate/destiny becomes entwined with that of the kingdom. The plot is fast moving and the lack of in-depth interior thought may fail to engage some readers fully; but I stand by my review of 2016:

Stylized like a translation of a feudal Japanese tale, this is a story of magic, passions, political power and shifting allegiances. It is spare prose that yields rich imagery, a slender book that bears an epic story. The internal beat or meter of the story is reminiscent of medieval chansons de trouveres with the evocation of poetry, the lyrical prose, the linear narrative told in small sections, and the ultimate sum being greater than the parts.

In Autumn Princess, Dragon Child, the focus shifts away from Shikanoko to Nishnimi no Akihime ("Aki"), a young woman promised to a temple as a nun but who finds her destiny subverted at the end of Emperor of the Eight Islands. On the run with the true Emperor, she must find sanctuary and her own fate. Relationships are entangled and movement through the imaginary kingdom is swift with many place names sounding similar-- so even though the novel is relatively short, having the "List of Characters" and a Map at the beginning of the print editions is very helpful when a quick reminder is needed. ( )

This second installment of Lian Hearn's Tale of Shikanoko picks up where the first one ended. Where the writing still seemed to keep me at arm's length, it was to a lesser degree than the first book. Possibly because there was more dialogue and interaction.

Those who enjoyed the first book would enjoy this one. The political plots continue to twist, and the interpersonal plots are still flailing around and I'm not sure how they will connect back together in the end.

One thing about this book that may put some people off, and this happened in the first book as well - No one is safe. The author will kill off characters to further the plot, even if she has spent the past few chapters, or book, or even two books making you like them. This adds a degree of suspense to the plot which, in my opinion, badly needs it due to the reserved writing style.

I'll continue on to the third book eventually, but these are slow reading for all that they are short, and I want something a bit different after spending several weeks' time with Shika.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. ( )

Autumn Princess, Dragon Child by Lian Hearn is the second volume in her Tales of Shikanoko series. These stories are intense fantasies set in a mythic Japan of the author’s imagination. I have come to realize that I need to read these books closer together as the story reads as one continuous story with no recap to reacquaint the reader with the characters or their plot lines. These stores are full of fugitive emperors, evil priests, and young demons. The humans who come into contact with the fore-mentioned are forever changed by the contact if they are still alive.

The author has obviously researched ancient Japan as the book feels authentic to Japanese culture and history but is also highly entertaining as the reader is drawn into this story of intrigue, adventure, betrayal and sacrifice. Evoking a feeling of destiny, this story plays out against a background of deep magical forests, isolated fortresses, haunted homesteads and holy temples. There isn’t much resolution to be found in this volume but it is fast paced and, once you get the various characters straight (thank heavens for a list of characters at the front of the book) the story is captivating.

The authors’ straight forward writing draws one into the story and then you begin to realize just how complex and twisted the plots are. Personally I am captivated by these Tales of Shikanoko so I am eager to continue on with volume three and four. ( )

I'm enjoying this story except for one problem, I just can't get connected to any of the minor characters. Not only are there too many and they are hard to keep track of, but they just don't get enough time to connect to them. The two main characters I have no problem with, but the mass of other characters, almost all with just one name becomes confusing.

This is the continuation of the story of Shikanoko, the Autumn Princess and to a lesser extent, the Prince. However in this book there are some other characters that are given chapters so we can follow along the general story, except there's almost no story that doesn't involve Shikanoko or the Princess. I really enjoy the Japanese feel of these books, but not quite as much as the first one. ( )

I'm starting to think that I would have preferred to read this as one 1000 page epic than as four shorter novels. I should have waited for the omnibus edition. ( )