Friday, April 23, 2010

RAVEN'S LADDER by JEFFREY OVERSTREET




A DEADLY MENACE IS BREAKING THROUGH THE GROUND. THE PEOPLE OF ABASCAR MUST ABANDON THEIR STONE REFUGE AND FLEE INTO VULNERABILITY IN THE FOREST. BUT THEIR KING HAS HAD A VISION…
Following the beacon of Auralia’s colors and the footsteps of a mysterious dream-creature, King Cal-raven has discovered a destination for his weary crowd of refugees. It’s a city only imagined in legendary tales. And it gives him hope to establish New Abascar.
But when Cal-raven is waylaid by fortune hunters, his people become vulnerable to a danger more powerful than the prowling beastmen––House Bel Amica. In this oceanside kingdom of wealth, enchantment, and beauty, deceitful Seers are all too eager to ensnare House Abascar’s wandering throng.
Even worse, the Bel Amicans have discovered Auralia’s colors, and are twisting a language of faith into a lie of corruption and control.
If there is any hope for the people of Abascar, it lies in the courage of Cyndere, daughter of Bel Amica’s queen; the strength of Jordam the beastman; and the fiery gifts of the ale boy, who is devising a rescue for prisoners of the savage Cent Regus beastmen.
As his faith suffers one devastating blow after another, Cal-raven’s journey is a perilous climb from despair to a faint gleam of hope––the vision he sees in Auralia’s colors.


MY REVIEW: I received a free copy of Raven's Ladder, for the CSFF blog tour, from the publisher. As always, Overstreets lyrical prose, while unusual, is compelling reading. Raven's Ladder focuses on King Cal-Raven who seeks to lead his people out of the caves where they have lived since the literal collapse of their House Abascar in Auralia's Colors. However, danger is buidling and deadly vines spreading underground are chasing them out of hiding. Now they have become vulnerable to threats from the other houses. Characters like Jordam and Cyndere appear in this tale as well as the returning Aleboy...there's plenty going on. However, I couldn't maintain the same interest I enjoyed from the first novel, Auralia's Colors. It seemed as though Auralia, being the character behind these colors, not to mention the inspiration of many in the story, is sadly missing in all of the sequels since. She is the connection, but having been killed in the first book, leaves a void that I haven't found the side characters interesting enough to fill. Overstreet is a gifted writer, but I'm finding Auralia's Thread less interesting the further it travels away from that central, wonderful character...Miss you O' Raya :-)

3 comments:

Phyllis Wheeler said...

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

James, did you get to the very end of this book?

Auralia does have a cameo in it! I have a feeling she returns in full force in the next book.

James Somers said...

Admittedly I was having trouble staying interested by the mid-point. I began skimming to the more interesting parts after that...just couldn't stay connected with it. Glad to hear Auralia may be coming back though...i hadn't noticed the cameo! As I said, I really enjoyed the first book much more than the sequels...especially the last 3/4 when Auralia is taken prisoner by House Abascar and is thrown in the dungeon...cool and creepy with that Sadist prison keeper. I'd love to see her come back in a huge way for the next book.

Rachel Starr Thomson said...

I actually never connected to Auralia as much as to Cyndere and the Ale Boy and Jordam and various characters who feature heavily in this book and the previous one. Interesting that you did -- just goes to show that we're all going to bring ourselves to a book!