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I took longer than I intended getting to the second volume of Jeffrey Overstreet\u2019s Auralia Thread<\/i>, Cyndere\u2019s Midnight<\/a><\/i>. I need to make sure I don\u2019t do that again. I enjoyed it immensely.<\/p>\n In the first book of the series, Auralia\u2019s Colors<\/i>, Overstreet told the story of the law-bound land of Abascar, whose queen had forbidden the people to wear any colorful clothes or own any colorful objects. This led to the persecution of the strange girl Auralia, who wove and painted colorful things out in the wilderness. Eventually Abascar was destroyed, and now, as this book begins, a few refugees of Abascar eke out a perilous existence in caves.<\/p>\n Now the focus turns to the kingdom of Bel Amica, whose religion is more sensitive and feelings-oriented than Abascar\u2019s. The heiress to the Bel Amican throne, Cyndere, mourns the death of her consort, Deuneroi, at the hands of the inhuman beastmen. The loss is made more poignant by the fact that she and Deuneroi had dreamed of finding a way to heal the beastmen and free them from their addiction to the Essence, a potion that alters their shapes and their natures. Cyndere\u2019s plan now is to add to a traditional widow\u2019s rite of sacrifice her own act of suicide.<\/p>\n But other characters interfere with her plan. One is the beastman Jordam, who fell under the spell of Auralia\u2019s colors and through the power of their memory is struggling with his need for Essence\u2014as well as with the murderous plans of his brother beastmen. And the Ale Boy, Auralia\u2019s friend, who follows a path laid out by the mysterious, almost forgotten Keeper\u2014a dragon-like creature which protects him and guides him as well.<\/p>\n The center of the story is Jordam\u2019s struggles\u2014with his own devolved nature, with his brothers, and even with the humans who do not trust him when he tries to help. He takes up Cyndere\u2019s cause for Auralia’s sake, and must protect her not only from his brothers but from some of her own people.<\/p>\n Jeffrey Overstreet\u2019s prose is a pleasure to read. It\u2019s deft and light. His fantasy world is the most original I\u2019ve encountered, post-Tolkien. I don\u2019t recommend the book for children, solely because of the vocabulary required, but any reader who can handle this book will come away inspired. Highly recommended. I took longer than I intended getting to the second volume of Jeffrey Overstreet\u2019s Auralia Thread, Cyndere\u2019s Midnight. I need to make sure I don\u2019t do that again. I enjoyed it immensely. In the first book of the series, Auralia\u2019s Colors, Overstreet told the story of the law-bound land of Abascar, whose queen had forbidden … Continue reading Cyndere’s Midnight, by Jeffrey Overstreet<\/span>
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