Favourite authors: Jeffrey Overstreet
I like reading fantasy now and then, but because it's such a huge genre, I've so far stayed with 'the classics' from C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and books marketed as Christian fantasy. In this last category I've discovered a real gem: Jeffrey Overstreet and his Auralia's Thread series.
The stories take place in the so-called Expanse, where four Great Houses once peacefully lived together. But House Cent Regus has been corrupted and the inhabitants turned into beastmen. Travelling across the Expanse has become dangerous and the remaining three houses grow apart. In House Abascar, colours are forbidden for all but the highest ranked citizens. Two gatherers, living outside the walls of Abascar, adopt and raise a foundling girl. The girl, Auralia, develops a forbidden talent for crafting colours, which enchant everyone who beholds them and may well change life in the Expanse forever.
Overstreet's fantasy is poetic and original. Though the Expanse is decidedly medieval-like, this is not a typical historical fantasy series with dragons, elves and dwarves. The characters and creatures used in the story feel fresh and interesting (not implying that dragons, elves and dwarves cannot be interesting). Overstreet creates many animal and plant species and effortlessly blends them with in with species such as horses, familiar from our own world. Personally, being a great animal lover and a biologist, this really spoke to me.
The characters are well rounded, not just good or bad, but doubting, growing, adapting. Just like we all do, really. This makes the characters believable and you come close to them while reading, despite the story being 'other-worldly'. The characterization is even stronger in the second book compared to the first. In Cyndere's Midnight, Cyndere, heiress of the House Bel Amica, shares a dream of helping beastmen overcome their curse with her husband. But when he is killed by beastmen, will she still be able to fullfil this dream?
I already mentioned this books to be poetic. Overstreets use of words is really gorgeous, it enchants you and pulls you into the story, into the world of the Expanse. I believe even if someone would not like the story, he or she would still be able to enjoy these books simply for the beautiful language. Places, creatures, clothes and customs are described in-depth, but without being lengthy, so the story does not drag because of descriptions. These books made me wish I could draw or paint, so I would be able to make illustrations of the things Jeffrey Overstreet already pictured with words.
Above, I mentioned this book was marketed as Christian fantasy. This should not shy away any readers however. These stories are not clear allegories, like many of the Chronicles of Narnia are. The novels from Auralia's Thread mirror real life and human relationships like all fantasy does. In my opinion, they also mirror a Christian worldview, just like in my opinion The Lord of the Rings does. But you have to look for the clues, and will be able to simply enjoy the books as a good fantasy story if you're not a Christian reader.
I've only read the first two novels in the series so far and am looking forward to reading Cal-Raven's Ladder and The Ale Boy's Feast soon and discovering what will happen to all the characters and creatures of the Expanse in these next parts of the adventure.