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Cyndere's Midnight: A Novel (The Auralia Thread)
 
 
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Cyndere's Midnight: A Novel (The Auralia Thread) [Paperback]

Jeffrey Overstreet (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

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Book Description

September 16, 2008 The Auralia Thread
When a bloodthirsty beastman discovers Auralia’s colors, his conscience awakens. When the heiress of a powerful kingdom risks everything to help him, their lives--and the lives of a kingdom--hang in the balance.

“Cyndere walked down to the water to make her daily decision — whether to turn and go back into House Bel Amica, or to climb old Stairway Rock and throw herself into the sea…”

In Cyndere’s Midnight, the power of Auralia’s colors brings together a bloodthirsty beastman and a grieving widow in a most unlikely relationship… one that not only will change their lives, but could also impact the four kingdoms of The Expanse forever.

Jordam is one of four ferocious brothers from the clan of cursed beastmen. But he is unique: The glory of Auralia’s colors has enchanted him, awakening a noble conscience that clashes with his vicious appetites.

Cyndere, heiress to a great ruling house, and her husband Deuneroi share a dream of helping the beastmen. But when Deuneroi is killed by the very people he sought to help, Cyndere risks her life and reputation to reach out to Jordam. Beside a mysterious well–an apparent source of Auralia’s colors–a beauty and a beast form a cautious bond. Will Jordam be overcome by the dark impulse of his curse, or stand against his brothers to defend House Abascar’s survivors from a deadly assault?

Critics hailed Jeffrey Overstreet’s first fantasy novel, Auralia’s Colors, as “exceptionally well crafted,” “beautiful,” and “masterfully told.” Now he continues weaving this fantastic tapestry with an enchanting fairy tale for ambitious imaginations of all ages.

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Cyndere's Midnight: A Novel (The Auralia Thread) + Auralia's Colors (The Auralia Thread Series #1) + The Ale Boy's Feast: A Novel (The Auralia Thread)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Overstreet's writing is precise and beautiful, and the story is masterfully told.”
Publishers Weekly


“Overstreet paints vividly imagined scenes and develops his characters and story with thought-provoking insights into human motivations.”
CBA Retailers+Resources


“[Overstreet weaves] a story filled with an intriguing plot; vivid characters; and, most importantly, imagination.”
Church Libraries


“Overstreet writes gorgeous and gritty fantasy that leaves us wanting more.”
Youth Worker Journal

Review

“Overstreet's writing is precise and beautiful, and the story is masterfully told.”
Publishers Weekly


“Overstreet paints vividly imagined scenes and develops his characters and story with thought-provoking insights into human motivations.”
CBA Retailers+Resources


“[Overstreet weaves] a story filled with an intriguing plot; vivid characters; and, most importantly, imagination.”
Church Libraries


“Overstreet writes gorgeous and gritty fantasy that leaves us wanting more.”
Youth Worker Journal
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: WaterBrook Press (September 16, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1400072530
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400072538
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #989,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jeffrey Overstreet is the author of The Auralia Thread, a four-volume fantasy series that includes "Auralia's Colors," "Cyndere's Midnight," "Raven's Ladder," and "The Ale Boy's Feast." He also writes about art and culture at LookingCloser.org, and his "memoir of dangerous moviegoing" is a book called "Through a Screen Darkly." Jeffrey's film reviews are published at ImageJournal.org twice monthly, and at Filmwell.org. In the past, he has written for Paste, Christianity Today, and various other periodicals. He regularly lectures at universities and conferences around the country, on many subjects including Storytelling, Fantasy, Play, and Film Interpretation. He lives in Shoreline, Washington, and works as the contributing editor for Seattle Pacific University's magazine Response.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
With "Auralia's Colors," Overstreet introduced an expansive and vast world with lush language and a huge cast of characters that were juggled nicely for a premiere novel. In "Cyndere's Midnight," Overstreet's great writing has only gotten better, with a larger cast of characters that are handled more effectively than in the previous book, a deeper delving into the world of Abascar, and a pretty fast moving storyline with plenty of classic bloody fantasy action. There's romance, lust, betrayal, magic, evil, and a powerful sense of good. It's an engaging read from start to finish.

There's several different plotlines that make up the story of the book - the central one being a well-rendered classic beauty and the beast tale, of a beastman named Jordam who awakens from the beastmen's eternal ravenous walking slumber, thanks to Auralia's Colors, and meets Cyndere, the heiress who is determined to bring back the Cent Regus house from the deep dark pit into which "The Essence" flung them.

The novel also follows a storyline from the perspective of The Four Brothers (beastmen)- Mordafey, Jorn, Goreth, and Jordam, who want to make a deal with the Cent Regus monsters so they can take over House Abascar and steal all their treasures. Often in fantasy novels, when the writer chooses to write from the perspective of the "bad guys," it's done cheaply, where the author merely imprints human characteristics directly onto a beast. But Overstreet shows more attention to detail than this; the way the beastmen speak and the way they act, and their very attitude, are much more than simply the opposite of humans - they're their own twisted and scarred race.

There's of course several other small characters spatted through the lot, the more prominent of them being Captain Ryllion, a soldier at Tillianpurth who is willing to do anything to kill the beastmen once and for all; Emerienne, one of Cyndere's handmaidens and her closest friend; and Pretor Xa, a Seer from Bel Amica with mysterious intentions and a creepily confident always-there grin. And this just scratches the surface. With "Cyndere's Midnight," Overstreet has overcome the problem that the first book encountered, where the language took over the characters and detached the reader from the story slightly.

Now, the characters and the language dance together, one rarely overtaking the other, usually balancing out perfectly. When the story is written from the perspective of Jordam, the sentences are written with earthy, lushy, violent tones, appropriate to a beastman, but when we get the perspective of Cyndere, the language is appropriate to that of royalty - Cal-Raven's perspective usually has a strong tone of pride in House Abascar and a sincere desire to do what's right - all these different perspectives balance out in a story that takes the reader all around the Great Expanse, and though it's not unpredictable or ridiculously inventive, it is an extremely well crafted tale that fascinates and enchants and fulfills the promise that "Auralia's Colors" gave.

Overstreet also threads in dozens of different themes throughout the book, from the obvious beauty and the beast theme to others like finding your calling, the power and danger of human reason and pride, the need to trust in something greater than yourself, and the important task of the stronger needing to help the weak, regardless of personal danger or loss. It undergirds the whole story with strong morality that will cause readers to become thoroughly involved in the large and seemingless endless Expanse. The morality also firmly entrenches "Cyndere's Midnight" in a world that has some very clear rules and some very clear mysteries that readers will want to learn more about as soon as the book is closed, though unfortunately we've got to wait a couple more years till "Cal-Raven's Ladder" comes out. All right, Mr. Overstreet, we're waiting.....
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was a well-crafted novel, with great storylines and characters. Jeffrey writes exquisite scenery with beautiful imagery, that comes to life off the page. I particularly enjoyed the Beastman storyline, as we follow Jordam's struggle between righteousness and the familiar. There seemed to be intriguing parallels between this novel and the current issues of the 21st century, as Jeffrey paints a dilemma between assisting the Beastmen to change and grow, verses eradicating them or using them as war machines. The best of fantasy helps us reconsider our own reality, and Cyndere's Midnight certainly does that.

I would certainly rate this book higher if for one point: it follows Auralia's Colors. Auralia's Colors was just that good, and Cyndere's Midnight is a good book, but not on the level of the first. I was trying to wrack my brain to understand why, and I think it's because of this: there are just too many threads to follow in Cyndere's Midnight. There are too many main characters, and we don't know who to emotionally invest ourselves in, or who to root for- at least not until the last couple chapters. In Auralia's Colors, it was clear that Auralia was the character. In Cyndere's Midnight, The strongest and most intriguing thread is certainly that of Jordam, but he's not the title character, and frankly Cyndere's story is rather uninteresting. She, the Ale Boy, Captain Ryllion, Emerienne, and Cal-Raven all have their own storylines, but they feel only hinted at, and at the same time demanding at times our full attention. The book would be stronger for having a focus on only Cyndere or only Jordam, with supporting characters.

I recommend this book, to both fans of Auralia's Colors and those who have never read Overstreet before. But I recommend more Auralia's Colors, and, I believe, the next book in Overstreet's series.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A Fresh New Fantasy Voice September 16, 2008
Format:Paperback
House Abascar lies in ruins while Auralia's colors live on. The Beastmen of Cent Regus now roam the land looking to take down any Abascar survivors. In House Bel Amica, Cyndere, heiress to the throne, mourns after hearing the news that her husband was murdered by Beastmen while looking for Abascar survivors. Longing for change and a chance to grieve, Cyndere flees to her childhood retreat. After she arrives Cyndere has a chance encounter with a Beastman named Jordam. She soon realizes that Jordam is different from the other Cent Regus monsters. It seems that he has been changed after being exposed to the beauty of Auralia's colors. Cyndere now has hope that her husband's dream of helping the Beastmen can now become a reality.

As Cyndere and Jordam grow closer, a sinister plan comes to light threatening to destroy the remaining members of House Abascar. Thwarted by their loyalty to their own Houses, Cyndere and Jordam must work together to save these innocent lives who have already suffered so much.

Jeffrey Overstreet continues to awe and inspire with this second strand of the Auralia Thread. This is fantasy writing at the highest level and every line drips with moving prose and breathtaking description. Overstreet possesses the rare talent that allows him to methodically pace his narrative, all the while keeping the reader hanging on every word. It is impossible to fly through this story and at no time will you want to.

Cyndere's Midnight is a beautiful tale laced with themes of love, honor, and justice. Jordam's character is a wonder to behold as he struggles against his dark nature in the fight to embrace all that is right and true. Cyndere's unyielding compassion for her rightful enemy will leave your heart soaring long after the last line.

As we journey further into this series, more revelations are brought to light that give the story an added dose of excitement. However, the larger mysteries still linger with promises of revelation in the final two installments. Overstreet also treats us to some intriguing new characters as well as bringing back the favorites from the first book. Yes, even the beloved ale boy is back!

If you are looking for a fresh new fantasy voice, then look no further. Jeffrey Overstreet will take you on a wondrous journey unlike anything you have ever experienced.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Masterful writing. Must-read series.
Cyndere's Midnight is the second in Overstreet's Auralia Thread. The first is Auralia's Colors (The Auralia Thread Series #1). Read more
Published 11 months ago by L. Franklin
Intense and introspective
Auralia is gone, but her colours live on to change the lives of the people who encounter them. Some, like the nameless ale boy, we know from the previous book, but others are new... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Grace Brigette Francis
excellent service
I was very surprised how quickly I got the book, which was in perfect shape and wrapped to ensure it was not damaged through the mail. I will definatly use this vendor again.
Published 15 months ago by Melissa Smith
Glorious Fight for Life, Power
If a reader wonders why the second in the Auralia's Colors series is titled "Cyndere's Midnight," Overstreet wastes no time answering him. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Phil Wade
Not Belle's Beast
In Cyndere's Midnight we meet an heiress who has lost everything, her father to the sea, her brother and her husband to the hands of beastmen. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Cynthia
An imaginative story set in a world both familiar and alien
Cyndere's Midnight is the second story in the Aurelia Thread series. The stories describe events in the vast territory called the Expanse, which is laboring under a doom of unrest... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Fred L. Warren
Even better than book one!
This book is the second *strand* in The Auralia Thread series. At the end of the first book Auralia herself disappeared. Read more
Published on April 30, 2010 by Valerie Comer
A Tale of Nobility and Savagery
A Tale of Nobility and Savagery

Cyndere's Midnight is a swirling tale of noble and base elements, of a kingdom trying to find something they lost, and another kingdom in... Read more
Published on April 27, 2010 by Jason Joyner
Another Late Night
This is the most fun I have had reading since I first read Tolkien as a young person. As an artist, I was thrilled to read about the power of beauty to transform lives. Read more
Published on February 28, 2010 by David Meharg
Cyndere's Midnight
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Jeffrey Overstreet has created a wonderful fantasy world that I am looking forward to returning to in his next book, or... Read more
Published on November 26, 2009 by Sylvia Clark
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