Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.....

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.

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.

Cyndere's Midnight is the second in Overstreet's Auralia Thread. The first is Auralia's Colors (The Auralia Thread Series #1). If you haven't read that one, check it out first before reading further in the series. These stories are NOT stand-alone.

The story of Cyndere is all at once emotional, dark, lovely, exciting, fast-paced, hilarious, and tender. Can one story really be all those things? Hallelujah, yes it can! I think Overstreet manages to accomplish this (without giving the reader whiplash) by having multiple viewpoint characters, each fully-fleshed out as a human being (or beastman, as the case may be) and with his own agenda, struggles, and emotional journey. The story is fast-paced and exciting while we follow the exploits of a murderous beastman with ambitions for the throne. It's tender and emotional when we get glimpses of a widow's debilitating grief. It's humorous as we climb into the mind of a simple, forgetful beastman, torn between love and fear. It's lovely when we discover an unlikely friendship and sense of understanding between two characters we'd never expect to have a thing in common. Now, what sets this story apart for me is the mastery with which Overstreet is able to weave these separate, yet completely dependent, stories together. The same was true in Auralia's Colors, as we hopped from head to head throughout the story. Finally, at the climax of the novel, you understand why each separate story was being told and how each viewpoint character played a part in the ultimate outcome. Wonderfully done.

A second highpoint of Overstreet's writing is his characterization. Each character's voice is unique and distinct. This is important, having so many point-of-view shifts throughout the story. Every character is either likable or understandable, meaning that even if you don't like a character, you understand his motivations and why he behaves the way he does. Overstreet's ability in this area is solid, even masterful in places.

The two major criticisms of this series I have read are that it's confusing (these are people trying to start the series in the middle... see my above disclaimer) and that some people don't think the "Christian element" is strong enough to be considered a CBA book (WaterbrookMultnomah is a Christian publisher). This is a valid opinion, but I'd respectfully disagree. Are the allusions in The Auralia Thread thus far subtle? Yes. Is there much direct allegory? No. But I would argue that there is a place for this type of literature in CBA, right alongside Narnia or The Dragon Keeper Chronicles with their more obvious parallels. One of Overstreet's biggest assets as an author is his subtlety. There are whispers of Beauty and the Beast in Cyndere's Midnight, but it's not like reading a fairytale retelling. It's clear that the Bible and Overstreet's Christian faith are strong influences in his work, and that's enough for me. It's fiction, not Bible study.

Overall, I'd highly recommend Cyndere's Midnight. But please start with Auralia's Colors first. :)

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 to us: Jordam, the beastman whose spirit is awakening from its slumber thanks to Auralia; and Cyndere, the grieving princess determined to find humanity hidden in the worst deformities. Both struggle against what their peoples say is right, in order to form a tenous friendship lit by magical colour.

Once again the writing here is beautifully crafted, a sparkling thing of wonder. The story does seem to move very slowly at times, as if to let us soak in the otherworldly atmosphere and feel the written words through our five senses. But there is a delicious underlying tension running throughout that never lets up, even in quiet moments, for the key players suffer much anguish in their minds while doggedly pursuing their desires to make things better.

It isn't so much a plot as it is an immersion in an entire world; but everything changes by the last page, and there are even a few surprises along what is otherwise a gentle and evocative tale. This is a book to be recommended for the simplicity of its story couched in the intense beauty of its words, bursting with colour and deep emotion.

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.

If a reader wonders why the second in the Auralia's Colors series is titled "Cyndere's Midnight," Overstreet wastes no time answering him. Heiress to the Bel Amican throne, Cyndere, is grieving the loss of her father and brother, thinking she would not throw herself into the sea that day, when she hears of the death of her husband, Deuneroi. In time, she goes to an outpost named Tilianpurth to mourn, and many around her don't know how to help. Being royalty, she will not take difficult counsel easily.

Elsewhere in The Expanse, a band of four beastmen roam the wilderness, killing children and traders. The beastmen are werewolf-type monsters cursed long ago by wicked strangers with unknown motives. One them, Jordam, has stumbled onto a supernatural, dragon-like monster called The Keeper, and in a way it has shocked him into new life. Jordam was physically and emotionally broken when he ran from The Keeper. Those wounds and Auralia's artwork began to heal him.

The hope of redemption is a major theme in this adventure. Cyndere and Deuneroi hope to overcome the curse of the beastmen. The ale boy has earned the name Rescue by the people he has given his life to save. Auralia, though only a background character in this story, continues her influence on many people with her infectious love of life and the endurance of her artwork.

But it isn't as if Auralia is the one light of goodness in a dark world. Overstreet's fantastic setting teems with life as if created by a wild and loving god. Colors found everywhere and the pure water of the deep well depicted on the cover give an enchanted life to those who absorb them. It's part of the magical fiber threaded throughout. It's one of many things I love about this series, which I believe deserves a place on your bookshelf.

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. Beastmen, the very people that she and her husband had dreams to save from a curse. We also learn about Jordam, a beastman who, in "Auralia's Colors," was drawn to the girl's cave and tamed by her colors. Through a series of events, Jordam and Cyndere are brought together and, in the fashion of Beauty and the Beast, learn to see through each others' exteriors and care for the person within. Don't get me wrong, this definately isn't a love story. There's conspiracy and assasinations, a mysterious seer who seems to have power over both the people of Tilianpurth and a vicious beastman named Mordafey, Jordam's older brother.
The book is fast paced and full of action. Then there are those moments that make your heart ache. There were twists and reveals that shocked me, and in the end, I was craving more. Can't wait to pick up Raven's Ladder. This one was so good.

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 and slow poisoning of its people and environment by evil, arcane forces. Three kingdoms vie for supremacy in the Expanse: the rival city-states of Bel Amica and Abascar, and the depraved realm of Cent Regus, where the use of a powerful liquid called Essence that grants superhuman strength has twisted its inhabitants into mutant beast-men. The mutagenic Essence has spread into the ecoystem of Cent Regus, corrupting the plant and animal life, its influence widening with each passing day.

As we begin Cyndere's Midnight, we find the heroine, Cyndere, heir to the throne of Bel Amica, contemplating suicide. She has lost her father to shipwreck and her brother to the depredations of the beast-men. In a final, crushing blow, her husband, Deuneroi, has been killed by the beast-men while on a mission of mercy to the ruins of Abascar, whose subterranean metropolis was destroyed in a cataclysm. Cyndere and Deuneroi had shared a dream, inspired by the mysterious artisan Auralia, to find a way to heal the beast-men and restore their humanity, but Auralia is missing, presumed dead in the disaster at Abascar. Her life in shambles, Cyndere wonders if it would be better to throw herself into the sea and end the pain.

However, hope has a way of springing from unexpected places in the Expanse, and powerful forces are at work, for both good and evil. Cyndere will soon find herself at the center of a battle for the very soul of her world.

In Cyndere's Midnight, Overstreet has created a world both familiar and alien, just a little askew from our own, and populated it with memorable characters. I've not read Auralia's Colors, but Cyndere's Midnight drew me into the world of the Expanse immediately, and important details of the preceeding story were unobtrusively blended in, so I didn't feel too lost or disoriented.

This is, however, a very dense story with a detailed and complex plot. It asks for focused reading and deep thought, and sometimes the weight of the story slows it down. Cyndere's Midnight is a journey, and it's often arduous and emotionally draining, but it's a trip worth taking. I liked this book, and I recommend it to fans of epic fantasy, or anybody who simply enjoys a good story.

This book is the second *strand* in The Auralia Thread series. At the end of the first book Auralia herself disappeared. Not in a way that smacked of foul play, just that her initial job was done. So while she doesn't really play an immediate role in this second novel, the mark she left on The Expanse is still growing and still affecting everyone she came in contact with.

About the only thing I didn't love about the first novel was Jeffrey Overstreet's use of omniscient point-of-view. I quickly got sucked into the novel anyway and found it didn't bother me once I was immersed. In Cyndere's Midnight I found that Overstreet used a limited third viewpoint and that it helped me to feel closer to the characters.

There are four major players in this novel, some of whom we knew well from the prequel: the ale boy, who still doesn't have a name; Cal-Raven, now king of the remnant of Abascar; and the beastman, Jordam, whom Auralia's colors had *tamed*. Cyndere is new--I don't remember if she was mentioned in the previous novel or not, but she definitely wasn't a player.

Cyndere and her husband had a dream to help the beastmen to throw off the curse that had brought down their house, but Cyndere's husband was killed by the beastmen while trying to make contact. Devastated, Cyndere swings between severe depression and hints of hope that the dream might yet become a reality. When she and Jordam meet at a mysterious well where Auralia's colors are prevalent, the world of The Expanse is set upon a new course.