The Ale Boy's Feast

The Auralia Thread #4

by Jeffrey Overstreet

Book 4 of the Auralia Thread series

The king is missing.
His people are trapped as the woods turn deadly.
Underground, the boy called Rescue has found an escape.

Hopes are failing across The Expanse. The forests, once beautiful, are now haunted and bloodthirsty. House Abascar's persecuted people risk their lives to journey through those predatory trees. They seek a mythic city - Abascar's last, best hope for refuge - where they might find the source of Auralia's colors.
 
They journey without their king. During a calamitous attempt to rescue some of his subjects from slavery, Cal-raven vanished.

But his helper, the ale boy, falling through a crack in the earth, has discovered a slender thread of hope in the dark. He will dare to lead a desperate company up the secret river.

Meanwhile, with a dragon's help, the wandering mage Scharr ben Fray is uncovering history's biggest lie - a deception that only a miracle can repair.

Time is running out for all those entangled in The Auralia Thread. But hope and miracles flicker wherever Auralia’s colors are found.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Christian, Young Adult, Adventure, Christian Fiction, Christian Fantasy

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2011

About the author

My name is Jeffrey Overstreet.

I am a teacher and a writer, and I travel all over the place speaking about creative writing, film criticism, fantasy, faith, and the power of play.

Sometimes I'm invited to teach creative writing courses and workshops. This brings me great joy.

Currently I am celebrating ten years working as communications specialist at Seattle Pacific University.


My dream? To someday have a full-time job teaching creative writing and film-related courses.

My other dreams? They've all come true.

These are my published novels, so far:
Auralia's Colors
Cyndere's Midnight
Raven's Ladder
The Ale Boy's Feast

This is my memoir of "dangerous moviegoing," published by Regal Books:
Through a Screen Darkly

This is my blog: Looking Closer with Jeffrey Overstreet

This is my Facebook page: http://facebook.com/jeffreyoverstreethq

This is my Twitter account:
http://twitter.com/jeff_overstreet

I grew up in Portland, Oregon. My father was a teacher there during that time, and my mother has worked as a teacher too... so I grew up in a world of educators.

My younger brother Jason is some kind of singer/songwriter/composer genius. He has a singing group called Rescue that continues to amaze and bless audiences everywhere. I'm proud of that guy.

My wife, Anne, comes from Roswell, New Mexico. (Insert alien-related joke here.) We just celebrated our 16th anniversary. She works as a gardener and a freelance editor, but her poetry is what really blows my mind. Read her book: Delicate Machinery Suspended. It's breathtaking. Really.

I've been writing books since before I started kindergarten. I think the first one was called "The Sea Monster," and it was full of scribbled drawings of a massive, fanged beast trying to swallow a little stick-figure man. I'm not sure what that represented, or if I identified with the man or the beast.

But, thanks to a whirlwind of events in 2005-06, and a few meetings that could only have happened through God's wild imagination, my first book was published: Through a Screen Darkly: Looking Closer at Beauty, Truth, and Evil in the Movies (from Regal Books). It's a book about art, faith, and the way that a good movie can change the world. It's a memoir of sorts, but also a collection of meditations on great movies, and I include some excerpts from memorable interviews with filmmakers and movie stars.

I'm also a novelist. Auralia's Colors and its three sequels, Cyndere's Midnight, Raven's Ladder, and The Ale Boy's Feast, were published by WaterBook Press, a Random House imprint.

What is more:

I'm a contented resident of Shoreline (north end of Seattle, Washington).

I'm the contributing editor of Seattle Pacific University's Response magazine.

I've worked for decades as a film critic for a variety of publications including Paste, IMAGE, Christianity Today, Books and Culture, Risen and more.

I'm a trouble-prone follower of Christ.

I guess that'll do for starters. Any questions?

Reviews

[Jill Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters from book three, Cyndere’s Midnight, continue along their way. We follow many different groups of characters, most importantly: Cal-raven and the ale boy. King Cal-raven, having escaped Cent Regus, eventually meets up with some companions and sets off to find the New Abascar. The ale boy attempts to lead a group of former captives toward a safe location. Deathweed and visorclaws are growing throughout the land and killing many.

Mr. Overstreet writes beautifully. I tend to favor books that follow one or two main characters, and his book follows many, though they are all wonderful, deep, realistic, fun, yet flawed characters. It took me a while to remember who everyone was and where they were and why. If I had read these books one after another, this wouldn’t have been an issue. But it had been a while, so I had a hard time following so many characters and caring about what happened to them all.

The storyworld is amazing and creative and beautiful. I love it. And I like the questions Overstreet posed about creation and a creator, though I admit I was painfully seeking out the Christian allegory the whole time. Turn out this isn’t that kind of series.

A Jeffrey Overstreet book is not one to read through in a day. It is one to read slowly and thoughtfully. It is not a fast-paced adventure but a literary journey. I was happy to discover some very interesting answers in this final volume, some of which I guessed, some of which totally surprised me. But as to the ending… I’m a happy ending girl. And while this ending wasn’t necessarily unhappy, if was murky. I couldn’t quite tell what happened. So I went back and re-read the last few chapters again, thinking I somehow missed something major. Alas, no. So I had to take my best guess as to what happened. And it left me feeling slightly disgruntled, like I couldn’t understand what the author was trying to say. So I would have liked a little more resolution. Even if one minor character said, “Well, I guess this is what happened,” I would have felt better. My two cents.

[Mark Oppenlander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that makes me wish there was a way to give 3.5 stars on GoodReads. It is better than three, but I can't quite find it in my heart to give it four.

One of the dangers of reading a series is that you begin to have an investment in the characters and their outcomes. You may also develop preconceived notions of how the series wraps up or feel that the author is foreshadowing certain things - which inevitably means that you will find your hopes fulfilled or dashed against the rocks. In the case of this, the final book in a four-book series, there was some of both.

There are a number of things that I think Overstreet gets right. The incursion of the Seers' Keep is excellent. Cesylle's conflicted nature rings true. The final scene with the Ale Boy at the Cent Regus Core is marvelous. Jordam's confession to Cal-Raven and the response are pitch perfect.

But other aspects are puzzling and disjointed. Several major characters face fates that seem harsh and even unwarranted, either from a narrative perspective or from a symbolic/emotive perspective. Other characters come and go, with little regard to their final disposition (e.g. What happens to Emeriene's boys? Are they affected at all by what Ryllion did for them?) I felt that Overstreet was trying to wrap up all of his loose threads in a rush; I would have liked it more if he had lingered on some of them more OR simply focused on fewer characters. This is part of what made Cyndere's Midnight the best book in the series: The narrative was tighter and more focused.

Overall though, I would recommend the Auralia thread to anyone looking for a new fantasy series that doesn't read like every other epic fantasy ever written. This is highly original work and although it incorporates some familiar elements (e.g. dragons, magic and even a sword in a stone), it will probably be unlike anything you have read before in the genre.

[Ksenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the ending twice and still don't know how the story ends. Super annoying after investing so much time.

[Ranting Dragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-ale-...


The Ale Boy’s Feast is the final installment in Jeffrey Overstreet’s Christian-inspired fantasy quartet, The Auralia Thread (read the first three books’ reviews: Auralia’s Colors, Cyndere’s Midnight, and Raven’s Ladder). House Abascar remains in shambles and Cal-raven must fight his way through a crisis of faith to rescue his people from the worst threat yet. The mystery behind Essence and the Deathweed is finally revealed, and all of the major characters from the previous three books–the ale boy, Auralia, Cyndere, Ryllion, Jordam, and Emmeliene, among others–make appearances, confront their mistakes and seek redemption.

The search for salvation
The Ale Boy’s Feast is darker than the first three in the series. Increasingly complex characters make mistakes or reveal themselves to be misguided all along, and Overstreet does not hesitate to kill or de-glorify characters we’ve grown to love. It’s a violent book, although less so than most mainstream fantasy, and the emotional pain experienced by every character is even worse than the physical.

And yet the reason the novel gets dark is so that its characters can finally find peace and redemption, even if it only comes after death. None of the characters, even most of the villains, leave the novel unchanged, and, through Cal-raven and his kingdom, Overstreet expertly explores the struggle between dispensing justice and learning to forgive. Despite its darkness, The Ale Boy’s Feast ultimately ends The Auralia Thread on an uplifting, hopeful note, yet it’s still populated by mostly realistic characters.

A surprising ending to the series
But the ending is unexpected. A certain stalwart character is revealed to be delusional. Other characters abandon their motivations from the past three books, and move on to new journeys. Opinions change and beliefs are shattered. It’s certainly not at all what I was expecting.

As fiction, I consider the ending unsatisfying. None of the characters end up where I thought they would. Underdeveloped love triangles are resolved implausibly. And the main characters’ worldview, painstakingly established in the first three books, doesn’t play the role you’d expect in this last novel. As symbolism, though, the ending should be commended for exploding and complicating the too-easy answers given earlier in the series. The Ale Boy’s Feast forces you to think about the relationship between faith and art. The process may be uncomfortable, but I assure you it’s worthwhile.

Beyond Christian fantasy
With this complicated ending, The Auralia Thread quartet expands beyond simple Christian allegory. This isn’t Biblical and the Expanse isn’t real, so its mechanics don’t correspond exactly to real-life Christian beliefs. A woman becomes pregnant before marriage, and that’s all right. Many people express skepticism, and that’s also all right. Good people die. A few good people go (physically) unrewarded. Although the quartet is obviously inspired by the Christian mythos and, more generally, by the importance of religious belief as a spiritual and moral guide, The Auralia Thread doesn’t adhere slavishly to those concepts. Instead, it asks questions of them. It’s not an easy confirmation of someone’s faith; it’s a constructive exploration.

Of course, some aspects of this series are still simplistic. The true villains – the Seers and Deathweed – remain underdeveloped to the end. It’s never clear why they want to murder humans and take down House Abascar and the others, other than their own pure malevolence. I think it’s telling that, of the normal and human inhabitants of the Expanse, none of them are purely evil. It’s all a misunderstanding. If those bad characters could only learn the truth and understand the world’s reality, they would no longer do evil things. Of course, if you’re a Seer or Deathweed, then you’ve no hope of redemption at all. There is no overlap.

Why should you read this book?
Although The Ale Boy’s Feast doesn’t redeem the series’ flaws, it is worth picking up for its thoughtful complexities and positive message. The Auralia Thread is not at all typical epic fantasy, but if you enjoy an emphasis on thematic symbolism in your fiction, with a Christian and generally religious touch, you may fall in love with these books.

[Phyllis Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ale Boy’s Feast caps off a four-book series starting with Auralia’s Colors, a finalist for a Christy award. In the set of tales, residents of The Expanse struggle with a spreading curse of terror and evil. In this world, certain bloodlines confer special powers: sculpting stone, walking through fire, charming with music, communicating with animals. But only one person has the gift to weave colors to bring hope and healing to dark places. That person is Auralia, who seemed to die at the end of the first book, but who returns to life and the struggle in the third and fourth, not remembering at first who she is.

At the opening of The Ale Boy’s Feast, the king of House Abascar, Cal-Raven, is missing. The homeless people of House Abascar have been sheltered in House Bel Amica, another of the four houses of The Expanse. But Bel Amica has mighty struggles of its own, and it’s time to leave.

A group of Abascar people set out northward following Cal-Raven’s dream, seeking a mythic city on the other side of the Forbidding Wall that borders The Expanse. They don’t know whether they can find the city, whether they unlock its gates, or whether it would be a good city for them. But they have no place else to go.

Meanwhile, the Ale Boy, Auralia’s young friend, leads a band of survivors northward from the ruins of a third House along an underground river, away from the land of their slavery and pain.

And the missing king struggles with despondency. Will he return to his people? Will they make it on their terrifying journey through the deadly woods? And, most of all, can the curse be identified and stopped?

What do I think?

This series is amazingly rich in many ways. The characters are unforgettable, the plots intricately fashioned and woven together.

Overstreet’s style is a bit unusual. For example, he gives the native animals and plants odd names alongside sketchy descriptions. This technique puts the reader’s imagination into overdrive constructing possibilities. Meanwhile, most of what each viewpoint character is thinking comes out through dialog, not through reporting thoughts. The overall effect may be somewhat like reading a movie script, with the reader’s mind supplying visuals based on cues rather than full description. Some readers may not like this style, but I loved it.

Is it a Christian work? Yes and no. There isn’t any “Jesus” figure in it, but there is intelligence and mercy at the heart of the world Overstreet has made. The worldview will be familiar to Christians, yet not alien to nonChristians. This book can sit on the fantasy shelf at any bookstore and be enjoyed by anyone.

I emailed Overstreet and asked about what I thought seemed a dangling plot thread. Here is his response:

One of the recurring themes throughout this series has been: Are people open to mystery? Are we ready to live with uncertainty, and to hold our understandings loosely, ready to expand them when our vision is increased? Christ was fond of saying, “You have heard it said _________, but I say to you _________.” And so he makes all things new, constantly humbling us and revealing a bigger picture of the truth. Anybody who pursues the truth will experience this.

So I felt like it was appropriate to leave some things unknown, even as the author, so that people keep reading and rereading. They’ll find that some of the “loose threads” at the end are actually answered earlier in the series… the answers preceding the questions, and so fleetingly that they might never get noticed. Others remain open for us to think about. Many of my favorite stories and poems work that way.

Overstreet is a master fantasy writer. I highly recommend this series and this book. Don’t miss them!

He answered three questions from me in a video. Here’s the link.

[Joel Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the final book of The Auralia Thread, Overstreet does a commendable job of exploring issues of faith and doubt in the midst of a fully realized fantasy world. Themes such as resurrection, salvation, eternity, redemption, forgiveness, and the rekindling of lost faith are explored. Overstreet explores these amidst a story that moves through the lives of characters that readers of the series have become familiar with. Cal Raven rediscovers faith and does so in a way that enlightens him further. The Ale Boy realizes his full potential as a person called to rescue others (a calling many of us should take upon ourselves). Even Ryllion discovers salvation and redemption. First he recieves forgiveness from Cal Raven and then in his actions toward other characters he finds purpose and what I believe to be salvation. I was slightly disappointed in the resolution of Cyndere's story. I feel there is more to tell in regards to her story and the healing of the beast men. I find Overstreet's prose to be well thought out and articulate. At times his vast descriptions reminded me of Tolkien. Perhaps that is why it took great focus to read parts of the story. I really appreciate his use of metaphor and descriptions. This is a satisfying conclusion to the Auralia Thread. I admit at times I did not know how all the plot points were going to be brought to resolution, but Overstreet brought the story to a fitting conclusion. If you enjoy great fantasy with images of the struggle of faith woven throughout pick up each volume within the Auralia Thread and discover a new world while also discovering your own continued journey as a person of faith.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

[Desarae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a fan of this series, or this book, but I started this series a few years ago and finally decided I wanted to finish it and see what happened. I wasn't about to reread the other books, so I just jumped in after a quick synopsis read of the others as review. I was kind of confused and lost for a while, but honestly, that is how I felt through this entire series anyway.

There was too much back and forth, it felt like we retraced ideas as well as landscapes and locations over and over again, with people making hasty decisions and running off to odd parts of the world, only to change their mind and run clear across the map somewhere else. There are 300 pages of a lot of nothing happening, really, I just wanted to get to the point and finish.

Also, this series is kind of gory in places, and this book was no exception. Disturbing death scenes from enemy attacks, lots of blood, people getting ripped apart and maimed; disturbing imagery. I feel like this series should be YA, but I wouldn't want to put it there because of the graphically violent content. It's probably no different than Hunger Games, I suppose, in that regard.

Most of the characters in this series fall flat for me-- really, the only characters that I ever felt connected to were Jordam and Krawg. I didn't even like the main characters, honestly.

I would give this entire series a pass. The conclusion wasn't satisfying, and the whole thing felt like a vague dream that you never fully make sense of.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last novel in the The Auralia Thread a tetralogy. This was a rather unique fantasy novel that had some basic elements of this genre without feeling derivative at all. This series has been very character driven and the length of the series has given the necessary time for the characters to develop to give them added dimension.

I found the ending surprising, but perfect and really it is the type of ending I should have expected of this series. In some ways it reminded me of the ending of the Lord of the Rings in that it wraps it up while also being bittersweet. A very worthwhile series with solid prose - not the type of writing to be rushed through.

This series seems to me to be a novel of Christian imagination reflecting Mr. Overstreet's faith. Though when I say a novel of Christian imagination I am referring more to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings than Lewis' Narnia Chronicles. There is a moral worldview involved that takes seriously things like redemption and forgiveness along with gratitude and the acknowledgment of mystery in everyday life.

I certainly enjoyed this novel and it goes without saying when you are reading the 4th novel in a series that I enjoyed the series and found it a superior example in this genre.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gah, I don't know how to review this one. On one hand, it's got some really great themes and impressive allegory . . . but on the other hand, I spent a lot of time frustrated, and I am not highly satisfied by the ending. I don't mind an open-ended ending, but that was too open, in my opinion.

Jordam's fabulous, though. And I love how this book occasionally wanders into the outskirts of horror territory, then remembers it's supposed to be a fantasy novel. (That's not sarcasm, for the record. I actually get a kick out of how much of this series in general would be horror in any other context.)

So, yeah. I do appreciate this book more than I did the first time I read it, but Goldstone Wood is better.

[Andrew Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The faith of King Cal-Raven is not as dead as he would like to believe; for even in his despair, he can see that there is a purpose to the world, something beyond what he can perceive with his senses, that has been guiding him along his quest to establish New Abascar. Off in the wild, he is reunited with Old Soro, his guide up Taamos Raak’s tower. Soro brings him to Auralia’s caves, where he encounters the disgraced Bel Amican captain, Ryllion. Promising Ryllion sanctuary, the two set off in pursuit of Tabor Jan and the Remnant of Abascar that he leads north, to Inius Throan, following the course which Cal-Raven laid out for them. Meanwhile, the ale boy, brought back from the brink of death, leads a group of survivors away from House Cent Regus via an underground river that flows with healing waters. Overarching the story is the continual threat posed by the Seers and their diabolical Deathweeds, as well as an even more sinister creature yet to be unleashed.
Jeffery Overstreet finishes his series in spectacular fashion, with another trek across the expanse, vicious trees that try to kill, and a long-dead romance brought suddenly to life. The grand scale of the story, the fate of the expanse, is played out intimately in the heart of man: the struggle to choose between one’s own desires and the calling of a mystery, one path leading to destruction and death, the other leading to glory. When we serve our own self-interests, it ultimately leads us to despair, as can be seen with [SPOILER ALERT] Cal-Raven’s mentor, Scharr ben Fray, who is thought by the reader to be a benevolent individual, but as it turns out, he is actually working for his own glorification. When Cal-Raven comes to realize this, he discovers that a good many other things that his mentor told him were simply spoken for the sake of pushing the mage’s own agenda. Scharr ben Fray tells his brother that it is better to follow a story that gives you meaning, even if it is not true, than to live in despair; with that as his moral compass, he has little trouble telling Cal-Raven tales of the Keeper, all the while knowing that the version he is telling is not the whole truth. Eventually, that misstep brings about his downfall, as Cal-Raven comes to know the whole truth (or at least, enough to recognize the lie in the mage’s words; there is still some mystery left at the close of the book in regard to the true nature of the expanse).
One thing that might be drawn from this tale is a sense of universalism; that is to say, it seems that everyone who dies in the Expanse is drawn back to a sort of heaven, implying that there is no hell-like place for those who do not seek after the mystery. That being said, it is dangerous to infer from a fantasy story that the rules that bind the world reflect the author’s view of the real world. In a fantasy world, an author might make any rules that he or she wishes, simply because they want to; it needn’t be an exact representation of what they actually believe. Simply because Overstreet wants to save all of his characters does not mean that he believes God will ultimately save everyone, even those who reject Him. Though, it is an interesting concept in fantasy, although not entirely original. George MacDonald propagates a similar notion in his work Lilith; though in that case, the rules of the fantasy world did reflect the author’s personal views.
While on the subject of George MacDonald, there is another part of The Ale Boy’s Feast that is reminiscent of Lilith; it should be said here that mild (or perhaps major) spoilers from both books are about to be revealed; continue reading at your own peril. The relationship between Cal-Raven and Auralia is rather similar to that of Mr. Vane and Lona in Lilith; both Auralia and Lona turn out to be rather ancient individuals, Lona being the daughter of Adam and Lilith, and Auralia being one of the two original “puppets” which the mystery made and brought to life, from before Taamos Raak’s rebellion (she is actually his sister). As Mr. Vane and Lona fall in love, so too do Auralia and Cal-Raven; and when they are finally able to be together, it is at the doorway to a heavenly realm. All that being said, whether or not Overstreet was inspired by MacDonald is a non-issue; these are just a few parallels that the writer of this review noticed between the two books.
In typical Overstreet fashion, the prose is very good, flowing as naturally along the course of the story as a river follows its own banks. That being said, there were some issues with the tale, one thing being the number of loose threads at the end; and yes, that pun was intended. There are numerous storylines that Overstreet has written into the series, but many (dare I say most?) of these are not brought to a conclusion; one of particular interest and somewhat of a surprise is the relationship of Cal-Raven and Emeriene, particularly because of the amount of focus it receives in the final two books. There is some history between these two that is vaguely hinted at from the second through the last books, and while it is made known to the reader that they shared a romantic connection at one time and are still at least somewhat enamored with each other, there seems to be more behind it that the author never brings out. For instance, there is a portion of The Ale Boy’s Feast where Cal-Raven is thinking about two dark secrets he carries, one of which concerns a converted beastman, and the other has to do with Emeriene. It seems that their feelings for one another are no secret to most of the people around them; so what is he afraid will be revealed? We are not given an answer.
Perhaps the author’s intent with leaving so many loose ends was to show that ultimately, all of our concerns and plans and strivings pale in comparison to the ultimate quest, that of following after God; and that all the cares of the world are but a passing thing, a mist, as it were, that comes up in the morning and is gone by the afternoon. Cal-Raven comes to realize this by the end of the book; he finds the destination he was truly after; and just as the Keeper’s tracks led him along many different paths before he finally reached his journey’s end, so too God may lead us over winding roads and into strange places before He finally brings us home.
The Ale Boy’s Feast, as well as the entire Auralia Thread, is packed with good moral lessons told through engaging stories. Overstreet’s work should be more widely-read; and hopefully this series of reviews has helped to expand his audience. The world has great need for more storytellers like him.

[bumblethunderbeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this series because I heard the author at a conference and I was impressed by his down-to-earth personality. Needless to say, I thought the series was good enough to continue through the the final book. I definitely grew attached to some of the characters although I wasn't always confident of everyone's motivations.

Unfortunately with this final book, I'm left with more questions then answers. Seriously...I'm not quite sure what happened to some of the characters at the end. It felt a bit enigmatic. And the entire time I was reading the series, I had this sense that I was missing some significant symbolism, that it was just beyond my grasp. Thus the rating of "3" for each book.

[Bill Ketchem · Rating 1 out of 5]

A truly muddled ending to the series. How disappointed I was in the conclusion of this series. I think the author got as tired of writing this as I got of reading it, took all the loose ends on the word processor, stitched them haphazardly together and sent it off to meet the publisher's deadline. An author should probably write the last chapter of the book series before he ever starts so he'll know where he's going. Long dead character brought back to life as a completely different character and suddenly changed into a main character who lost all the inspiration and energy of the original.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely not a stand-alone book; you may want to go back through and re-read previous books before you dig in again. I'll admit I never did finish this book; it came across as disjointed and occasionally disorganized, and like the author's heart wasn't in it. The world itself is definitely unique, and the very definition of dark fantasy, so if you're into dark Christian fantasy, go for it...but start from the beginning.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was pretty darn awesome. Overstreet's style takes some getting used to, and it definitely improved over the four books in the series. I can imagine a lot of people quitting before they get to the fourth book, but that would be a shame. Extremely redemptive; authentically hopeful; unique vision; solid fantasy writing.

VISCORCLAWS ARE SCARY!

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good story plot but made too complicated. Ended up needing a chart & that was within 1st 4 pages. Didn't help that lots of new made-up names & words with little context but enough to know meaningful Got annoyed so skipped to the end. Liked the ending but no desire to read the middle

[Shianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my thing

[Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of threads coming together in the end. I may have lost track of a few so seems like the ending left some things unresolved.

[Phil Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this series. The story that appears to be about a magical rebellion to small, oppressive rulers in the first book becomes an adventure about radical reconciliation by the fourth book. It asks big questions: Can the great curse be revoked? Can a traitor return to his kingdom or be accepted in a new one? Can criminals build a new place of law and order? And more than these questions are the ones driving the narrative behind the scenes: Does the glorious beauty we see in this world point to a glorious otherworldly source? Is that beauty sewn together with love, peace, joy, and hope? Is life (in the land of these books) about rejoicing in the hope of beauty, both natural and crafted?

Of course, this weaves cleanly and smoothly into the biblical theology of this world, because our goodness is defined by the Lord and peace on earth will be to those on whom God’s favor rests, but that doesn’t appear to be the central thrust. Wonder and beauty as they pull us back to God appears to be what this adventure is all about.

In the third book, Raven's Ladder, we learn explosive details about Overstreet’s world. The real enemies are revealed. Plots and deceptions are discovered. A new threat, a pervasive weed that lives on blood, is tunneling from its Cent Regus heart throughout the country. Cal-raven is running for his life as well as trying to discover a new home for his people, the House Abascar which is ruined in the first book. At one point, he is compelled to rescue prisoners in House Cent Regus and is broken by what he learns there and in its aftermath.

In this book, Cal-raven begins to wander, despairing of ever answering his life-long questions. In the meantime, his loyal men attempt to follow his plans for establishing a new house without him. As they go, something seems to be poisoning everything around them. This book is the fourth of a rich, complicated series, so begin with book one. There’s no other way.

In fact, the story may be too complicated. The conclusion of Raven’s Ladder changes everything, and the end The Ale Boy’s Feast changes it all again. Many minor characters have their hours in the spotlight, and while the story always moves forward—yes, there’s always a reward for the detour—I wonder if these books would be stronger with a bit more simplicity. A few critical details in this installment come up short for me.

Among the complexities I love is the development of The Keeper, and I don’t want to spoil it. The idea introduced in the first book which led me to speculate that this mysterious dragon was a god-figure expands to a dramatic crash at the end of book three. The explanation revealed in this book is wonderfully fantastic. This is not the least of all the things to love in these multi-layered stories.

About that which I did not like, I’ll say two things.

1. In one late chapter, two main characters argue about the larger story being revealed. They talk of lies, liars, and which historic records are true. Perhaps I should have understood by this point that one of these men had a problematic perspective, but I didn’t. I thought these two were on the same page at this point. In their argument, they seem to circle each other, not even holding to one firm perspective. It’s as if they are floating theories to fit all the facts. This argument proves to be a major revelation, both of character and story, and I believe I understand it now, but I didn’t while in the thick of it. My confusion led to frustration when one of these men takes action later on.
2. Part of this adventure’s conclusion feels a bit forced. It’s like a murder mystery being resolved by cuffing a character introduced in the last chapter. I see a poetic quality in it, a balance of images, but it doesn’t feel organic like so many other threads enjoyed in this series.

I’ll close with a beautiful thought from that chapter I criticized a few lines up. One man says, “It saddens me that you cannot imagine a life without someone to serve.” The other replies, “It saddens me that you think joy comes any other way” (pg 340).

In the end, Auralia’s radiant colors cannot be exploited for commercial or selfish gain. They are a service to others as well as a thing to be served. They “lure people out of the dark, away from all they thought they owned, and show them something grander” (pg 249).

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this 3.5 stars, if Goodreads would have let me. It ranks higher than “liked”, but lower than “really liked” for me.

Story summary
The Ale Boy's Feast is the fourth book in a fantasy/fiction tetralogy. The world is in disarray, two main houses have fallen under the Seer's power and corruption. The king of one, House Abascar, is still alive and determined to lead the survivors to a new place where they can start over. His vision, which comes from a lady by the name of Auralia, is a place of colours, peace, and happiness.

While the world is being destroyed by the Seer's influences, the king and his people struggle to a place of hope. Their current world is full of strange, fantastical creatures and dangers, which sets up the book so that seemingly at every turn of the page, some new tribulation greets the survivors. While exciting, thought provoking, and very, very interesting, I felt that I would have been more attached if this wasn't the first book in the series I had read. As it was, this is still a decent stand alone, but if you read the other books first, you'll likely not be wondering what the author was talking about when referencing previous events or when descriptions of his strange, fantastical creatures are lacking.

Characters
The characters of the book are mainly Auralia, Jordam, King Cal-Raven, the ale boy/Rescue, Krawg, Warney, and a few others that I have forgotten in the few moments since I put the book down. In just this book they are not well described or thoroughly fleshed out, but I can see how the characters would have grown from the previous books to this one by the references to previous incidences contained therein.

Be warned to any that have difficulty with names. There are a lot of strange ones for the people that are hard to get your brain around, and seemingly interrupt the flow of the story because you slow down to try to pronounce them. There are also a lot of individuals with names that do not really mean anything to the story if this were a stand alone book. They appear once or twice, don't really have any major part, nor do they have any descriptions.

I personally think I might have bad a better connection to the characters if this wasn't the first book in the series I had read. Perhaps I shall seek these books out at the local library soon, and go backwards through the series.

Thoughts
When I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for review, I was not sure what book in the series this is. It is not written on the front, nor inside the front cover. This is very misleading, and it wasn't until I saw other reviews after I had started that this was the 4th in the series. Alas, I was not the only that was mislead. Despite of that, this was still a decent stand alone that is quite enjoyable, if not a little confusing from time to time.

There are a lot of strangely named critters in this book that are not described at all, or very little. So, names of critters can often be glossed over because they don't add any value to the story. Just use your imagination. For instance, they ride something the author calls vawns. I thought they were horses, then suddenly the word “scaled” was used as a descriptive word. That got me going to the Internet to get a better description, for which there isn't any. This happens quite often, and I can only hope that in the first book this is rectified so the readers aren't always confused.

The way Overstreet describes scenes are fairly surreal, sometimes very rich, and most of the time fantastical. The wording is often poetic, which creates a nice flow, but not a good picture in your mind. I would have found this style of writing more magical had I read the first books in the series and known what he was talking about throughout the book.

**Disclaimer**
I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.

[Rachel Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The journey began in Auralia’s Colors, when two crotchety old thieves outside House Abascar found a child lying in an enormous footprint. That child grew to be an artist, a reckless, loving girl who dared display the colours she saw to a kingdom in which colour was forbidden. Those colours captured the heart and fired the imagination of the king-to-be, Cal-Raven, and of a bloodthirsty beastman called Jordam. Likewise, they captivated a small boy with no name, a servant in the king’s house known only as the Ale Boy.

Then came the disaster, when House Abascar collapsed upon itself.

Auralia, most thought, died—but the vision she had shown transformed Jordam, drove Cal-Raven to seek a better home and future for his wandering people, and forever changed the Ale Boy.

Possessing only his gift of firewalking and his desire to love people for Auralia’s sake, the Ale Boy went into the ruins of House Abascar to rescue any he could find—and then further, into the hell-hole of House Cent Regus, from whence stems the curse that made beastmen, pulled down Abascar, and even now threatens to rip the world asunder.

The Auralia Thread is a beautiful, terrifying journey. It continues in Cyndere’s Midnight, when the heiress of the glamorous House Bel Amica embraces the mad vision of helping beastmen become human again, and in Raven’s Ladder, where Cal-Raven first glimpses the northern city of legend to which he hopes to lead his people—if they are not ensnared by the moon-spirit religion of Bel Amica’s Seers first. And it ends, at last, in The Ale Boy’s Feast, with a new beginning—the best possible ending for a story that is always calling us to come deeper, look farther, think harder, and above all, to see—

To see the truths that have always been there, before our eyes, hidden not by a malicious creator but by tricksters, by false stories, and by our own deceiving hearts. And to let those truths lead us home.

I loved The Ale Boy’s Feast. As the above plot summary indicates, it should not be read apart from the rest of the series—but read within its context, it’s a challenging, moving story that is both a heart-pounding adventure and a heartbreaking song. Jeffrey Overstreet’s writing has only gotten better, as even those characters who appear only for a few scenes are depicted with the detail that makes them human. His prose has all the density and mystery of poetry, demanding that readers pay attention. Not in any way a simplistic allegory, this book nevertheless offers us a lens through which to see ourselves, our world, our stories, and our history; a lens through which to cast aside deception and embrace beauty and truth.

I find myself at a loss, really, to sum up all I experienced as I read this book. I feel that I have read many different stories and could review them all, or I could just rise on a whirlwind of words, images, impressions—of glassworks, kites and kitemakers, golden ale, underground rivers, far northern mountains, toys, wings, love, death, nightmares, tears, men, women, and children. I close the covers and savour the names, the places, the accents, the people.

I can’t really do it all justice. The best I can do is encourage you to read this book, to read all four, and savour the feast with me.

A disclaimer, for parents and youngsters: This book, like the last three, is highly moral but not simplistically so. It includes violence that is scary and disturbing at times, and characters act like adults with adult temptations and sins (and blessings, for that matter).

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright. I can't summarize what happens because there's simply too much packed into this book. It was an incredible read, but I did end a little confused.

In the end, I guess I understood that Cal-Raven and Auralia went on with the Northchildren, but I couldn't figure out what happened with Krawg and Warney. Did they go on, too? Or did they go back to House Auralia?

I was a little confused about Ryllion, too. Did he die? If he did, then did a seer take over his body when he stood up again? I wasn't quite clear on that. I felt bad for him, though. He wasn't a nice guy, but he tried to do better when he was given a second chance. I respect that.

I loved the viscorclaws! Wait, let me rephrase: they were perfect. They were absolutely terrifying! Imagine the trees converging on you, with only the intent to destroy, mutilate, and maim. They scared me, but I'm so happy that they did. They were some of the most perfect evil things I've ever read about.

Speaking of villains and bad guys, those seers surprised me. I wasn't expecting that Krawg's story about the puppets was in any way true, but it makes sense why the seers didn't want him to tell that story. I don't know why the seers would get to be carried to the original world place. If this is a parallel to dying and going to heaven, why would the seers go? They never repented of trying to destroy beauty.

I was a little disappointed in Scharr Ben Fray. For three of the books, he was the mysterious mage whose only priority was making the people see what they had lost. Then, as the people had the chance to go from House Auralia to the "heaven" place, he wanted the people to stay out of paradise. I just don't understand why he'd do that. Was he really that selfish? He wanted to lead a people? I don't know. It made me sad that his relationship with Cal-Raven went down the drain, too.

The thing that struck me was the parallels. The mages strove to forget the beauty in life because beauty was only temporary and, in their eyes, it lied. Honestly, this reminded me of the Buddhist teachings where nothingness, or Nirvana, is the ultimate goal. I think that there is more beauty in this world than in nothingness, and I loved to see that shown in a very clear way in this book.

As well, the seers gave a perfect illustration of Satan. Not only did they want to destroy all beauty and make people remember them instead of the creator, they didn't even like each other. I think that we often think of demons and Satan liking each other in a brotherly way, when it might be that they are comrades only as far as their common goal puts them. In other words, what if the only uniting factor of evil is that it hates God and his beauty, love, grace, and sufficiency? It would mean that Satan, when he tempts us, is not offering us a "new" brotherhood that's simply different from the one God planned. Rather, he's just hoping we'll join his mission against God, and there's no real fellowship involved. I have no idea theologically if this idea is correct, but it's something I'd like to think about more.

So, though I had many questions, confusions, and a few disappointments, I really did love this book. I will want to reread it again someday, along with the other books, so that I can try to understand all of it fuller. There was simply too much in it for me to understand it all in a single read-through.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

{{{ SPOILER ALERT!!! }}} The fourth book needed to pull everything together. And there was a LOT to pull together - the story had more and more layers of complexity as it went along. The Expanse and most of the people in it are a total mess. Where are the armies to protect the Expanse??? Oh yeah, they're mostly dead from House Abascar's implosion and collapse, beastmen attacks and slavery, evil acts of the Seers and their powders and potions, general violence everywhere, and Deathweed, not to mention the mass amount of suffering from homelessness and hunger. And now, just when we feel we can’t handle any more death and destruction, Overstreet brings us... VISCORCLAWS! Now it CERTAINLY can’t get any worse, can it??? Or, . . . CAN it???… . . . . . .

And by the way, while we’re reading along asking questions, they do pile up: Is there one grand evil plan behind all this suffering, death and destruction? What planet are the Seers from? Is the Keeper a total Myth after all? And what is the Truth about its place in the subconscious of the four Houses? (This one, I thought I had TOTALLY figured out - WRONG!) What IS the ultimate meaning behind Auralia’s colors, so impactful on everyone who sees them, to the point of some being healed? And who IS that Ale Boy??? ‘Cause I could really use an ale about now!

This never ceased to be a beautiful reading experience, and the ending was the most poetic and beautiful yet. So much so that you know it is not meant to be "understood", but rather, "Understood". In fact, because of the complexity and the intentional feeling of pressure near the end (pressure to bring it all to a coherent conclusion, that is), it is a shocking ending in that it happens so peacefully, sort of like snow melting. All of a sudden as you're reading along with thoughts of biting your nails, thinking "HOW will he POSSIBLY bring this together?????", it is suddenly all making sense before your eyes. I had to read the last chapter twice, to absorb it, because it was slipped in so gently. I don't know how he did it. If as you read this review you think it sounds like I’m making a case for a too-abrupt ending, that is not what I'm intending. I am just trying to say that, by the end of the series, I totally trusted this author and was floating along steeped in his wonderfully crafted writing - and the ending came as a surprise to me timing wise, like is snuck up on me, and also in the fact that many of the conclusions were totally unforeseen - the ending most certainly did not disappoint. In fact, I think it is one of the most amazingly-written endings I've ever had the pleasure to read.

The last thing I want to add is, while enjoying this series, I often realized that the experience of reading it was very much like watching a very-well-animated movie. Overstreet’s writing and imagination are SO VIVID, it would be a natural to write it up as a screenplay. Hmmmm…, and Overstreet is a well-respected movie reviewer, who I’m sure has a vast network of Hollywood contacts… Hmmm… Puzzle, puzzle….. One can only hope…

[jD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave up a night of sleep to finish this book. It the long awaited final installment of Auralia's Colors. This is truely a fine work of high fantasy. Mr. Overstreet's imagination seemed to have no boundries. He took me on a break-neck journey to the very last word.

If you have not read this series, I will warn you, the ending is not neat and clean. I was quite frustrated with the loose ends and vague implications. Had I known it would end without answering all my questions, I would not have read it. I guess it's the chance we all take when we pick up a series that is unfinished.

On the plus side, I would say 90% of the mysteries were resolved in very unexpected ways. There were plot twist I did not see coming. The sacrefices of life, limb, and property these characters experienced felt very real and sobering at times. The story moves swiftly most of the time then too slowly at other times. The pacing was good overall for me because I needed to catch my breath more than once. The world that Mr. Overstreet created was not a pretty place but he intergrated hope like a master craftsman. I applaud him for giving me a piece of fiction that rivals Dune in my mind. You really have to use a great deal of imagination to appreciate his work. Although visualization of people is sketchy at times basically encompassing -- clothes, height, and hair. I found this disappointing throughout the series. With this said, I will use this opportunity to do a shout out to female fantasy writers, they tend to describe in great detail what a person looks like and why they are attractive or not. As a reader, I like to see what the writer sees in every aspect of his/her world. This weakness in Mr. Overstreet's writing was not enough to take more than half a star. The other half comes off for the messy ending. I have to assume there will be more books about this world at some point, at least I hope so.

If you are a romantic, skip this one. If you are really into what happens to every character, skip it. If you want a happy ending -- skip. If you don't want to do some of the lifting as far as understanding all the plot elements -- skip. If you are a fan of A Game of Thrones -- this is a can't miss. If you loved Deep Water -- you will find the journey very similar in it's plot devices. I believe this story can be read by most age groups. Younger reads will need to be prepared for the level of violence, there is plenty.

[Matthew Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was worth the wait. Overstreet creates remarkably real and human characters in the midst of an engaging "fantasy" world -- a world whose land and cultures and people are described vividly, beautifully, and poetically.

It is the realness of the characters I am especially drawn too. The heroes are flawed, but not simply cynically dismissed. The villains whom we despise one moment, are shown to be redeemable at another. And yet the very rage and animousity the reader feels for these villains who have betrayed and caused such sorrow gives us insight into how difficult it may be for characters inside the story to forgive (and, of course, how difficult it may be in the real world.)

The previous paragraph might make the book sound more didactic than it is. It is also a very captivating story, with rich drawn detail and description, and poetic language. It was difficult to put down once I started it. I not only cared about the characters, but about the world itself. There was something important at stake.

Keep in mind that this is the fourth (and final) volume of the Auralia's Colors quartet. You should read the previous volumes before reading this one. It successfully brings together several of the twists and turns introduced in the previous two volumes, while introduce some new twists of its own. Most satisfying to me in reading this book as a conclusion to the series was the final revelation of the true story behind this world's great myth--and how various characters react to that story.

I would recommend this book not only to readers of the highest quality fantasy literature, but to any reader who appreciates compelling characters and a captivating story.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ale Boy’s Feast by Jeffrey Overstreet is the fourth book in the Auralia Thread fantasy series. When I first noticed this, I wondered if I would understand what was going on, but I found that wasn’t the case.There is a lot going on in this book (which was slightly confusing for the first few chapters). There’s the ale boy, called Rescue, who falls through a crack in the earth, and finds himself leading a party of people from both Bel Amica and Abascar, along with a beastman named Jordam. There’s the king of House Abascar, Cal-Raven, who has gone missing. There’s the mage, Scharr ben Fray, who uncovers the lie so many had believed. Auralia, who many are searching for because of the color she brought into their world. And that’s just the beginning of the many characters involved.I was thrilled to find such a great book, and fantasy at that. The author tells a wonderful story, showing skill in weaving so many characters together. As an aspiring writer, I really appreciated how there are so many new things in this book that are different from the world we live in (vawns, Deathweed, mawrn, beastmen). The Ale Boy’s Feast was excellent, and one of the few books that I would read many times over, and recommend to other fans of the fantasy genre.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Blogging for Books, and my first thought was how beautiful and lush the cover was. As I began reading, I realized the writing matched it perfectly. There is some serious poetry woven in these pages, some spellbinding images that capture you as they move the story forward.
This is a high-fantasy novel, the fourth in a series, so it’s not best to jump right in without knowing a bit about the particular world in which it is set and a basic idea of who the characters are. The names can be a bit daunting, but it is definitely not one of the more convoluted fantasy stories out there. I was fascinated by the creation of Deathweeds, roots with murderous intentions, they are such an original idea that I cheered every time they appeared on the page.
The conclusion (no worries, I will not reveal it) is so gorgeous that I have the urge to reread the last few pages. I highly recommend this book to all of you that, like me, want a cloak of colors to sink under and dream.

[Reading Through the Lists · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible finish to an incredible series.

Not everything was done perfectly and some threads were left undone at the journey's end (something I am slowly learning to appreciate rather than resent), but after the last page, I closed the book and just stared off a moment, overwhelmed by the beauty of everything.

What started as a story about Auralia and her colors became a story about Jordam, about Cyndere, about Cal-Raven, about Krawg and Warney, about Emeriene, about Ryllion, about Scharr ben Fray, and about my favorite character of all, the Ale-Boy.

Their many stories were woven together deftly, and even if the finished tapestry has a few frayed edges, it still holds and holds beautifully.

The entire Auralia's Thread sequence is deserving of five stars. As a Christian and a future author, I found the series renewing my belief that there can be books which speak of beauty and pain, mystery and certainty, light and darkness. There can be truly beautiful stories.

As Cal-Raven says, "Beauty is leading us home."

[Jason Shuttlesworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book. Very prosy too. A little choppy at times, but I think the writer was being pushed a bit too hard to meet a deadline. TABF has many interesting names for common creatures...some mythical...that makes it a bit quirky. Quirky in a good way. It answers a lot of questions in the first three books. BTW, I recommend that the first three books be read first...it would make the Ale Boy's Feast easier to read.

I felt the last parts of the book were a bit awkward to read, especially the ending. (Of course, I may be a bit prudish.) It sort of made me feel uneasy.

One of the interesting parts was the description of death and how the Northchildren undo the threads of a person, .... and you'll have to read the book here... The unthreading of a person got me to think very hard about the afterlife and heaven. TABF makes you yearn for heaven and eternity, and in this respect, I think it accomplishes it's goal.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the other three books in the series the writing was wonderful. The world created is so wonderfully described the reader could almost step right into it. ONce again an author has created a book full of Christian values without screaming "This is Christian Fiction". The Seers of Bel Amica are still destroying the land using Deathweed. The four books in this series has plot lines that meet and twist together. However, I often felt confused because there were too many things going on at one time. I would definitely read the first three books in the series so that you can get up to speed Although this last book was not my favorite I would recommend the series to all who like fantasy and for those who like an element of Christianity in their fiction. I know the first three books in this series have been checked out since I first put them there. This will indeed be a great addition to my collection for my classroom.

[Barb Terpstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed "The Ale Boy's Feast", although I was at a bit of a disadvantage--I had not realized that this was the final book in a trilogy called The Auralia Thread. If I had read the first two books, I think this read would have been much more meaningful for me.

If you have a teen or young adult or loves fantasy, this would be a good read for them. The story line between good and evil, the giving of second chances, the holding on to hope are all represented well. I especially liked the giving people a second chance story line, and how difficult that can be when you know no-one else feels that person is deserving.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.