Guest Post: A Reverse Interview with a Reader of The Mercy Series #amreading #kindle
Hi everyone, Cynthia A. Morgan is doing a guest post on my blog today. I hope you'll enjoy her post and give her some reader love.
Cynthia A. Morgan's Guest Post:
A Reverse Interview with a Reader of The Mercy Series
The Mercy Series Synopsis:
It is the year 2446. The first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden. Pestilence, War and Famine have shifted world-wide cultures and governments from technologically advanced civilizations to dictatorships that are ruled with an iron-fist and where commoners have very few rights. Liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman, Death, is released, the Archangel of Mercy makes a bold plea. Tzadkiel cannot believe that mankind has forgotten what it means to be merciful and compassionate. He asks to be allowed to search for even just one human who remembers. 100 years are granted, but at the end of that time the Archangel must release the final Horseman. Releasing Death will conflict with everything he is, but Tzadkiel has no choice. The Horseman must ride.
The Archangel of Mercy takes human form and comes to earth. Humanity is ruled by greed, hatred and fear, but he does not give up hope. After 96 years his long search leads him to France where he encounters Levesque, a cynical military captain who hates the world he lives in and blames God and any who serve Him for the calamities the world has suffered. When Levesque learns who he is, he takes revenge on the Archangel by imprisoning him and subjecting him to torture that would kill a human. Tzadkiel, however, is not fully human. His life-force comes from the energy of the sun and can regenerate his body in hours. It is not entirely a blessing.
After suffering Levesque’s torture for nearly a year, a young servant named Lourdes finds him. Through an act of selfless mercy she reveals her true nature and Tzadkiel knows she is the one he seeks, but somehow they must escape Levesque. Worse, time is running out and Death is growing impatient. Having located the priceless treasure he sacrificed so much to find, Tzadkiel must now find some way of protecting her from the calamity the Final Horseman will unleash.
Good Question. Put simply, it’s a author interviewing a reader about their book…rather than the other way around. In this case, author Cynthia A. Morgan interviewed a reader – a Mr. Chad Slabach – who read and reviewed the first two books of her new Dark Fantasy Dystopian series, The Mercy Series.
Who is your favorite/least favorite character and why?
My least favorite is easy: Sauvage. In a space that is forgetting any resemblance of gentleness or care, his absolute lack of humanity is repulsive.
My favorite has been Chevalier or Levesque for the same reason. As I raged at their apathy and unwillingness to DO SOMETHING, I knew why they didn’t (or couldn’t.) They did for the same reason we stand idly by while the least of us are utterly taken advantage of and great violence is inflicted. Morgan couldn’t have known the specific political/social landscape when she wrote it, but this story is perfect for us, now. I guess it’s perfect for any time, because we are too often Chevalier or Levesque and not enough Tzadkiel and Lourdes. (As it turns out, why I love them is that they DID finally DO SOMETHING and I am proud of them, and it gives me hope for us, for me.)
What surprised you about the story that you didn’t expect
In my reviews I talk about your patience. It’s shocking to me that this story is given such beautiful space to breathe and be exactly what it is. It feels much less like a contrived product driven by bells and whistles and more like a living breathing organism. Then when the bells and whistles do come, they are genuine and unforced and we discover that we actually care deeply for these characters. It’s like we’re watching lives unfold and not just an event.
What are you hoping to see happen as the story moves forward?
Of course, I hope they find their way home and that they can heal from the tremendous amount of pain they’ve suffered. I don’t know if I can hope for anything other than Death to ride, it sounds like that is written so it shall be done. I just hope they all find peace. I love a happy ending (whether there can be a complete one with Death is doubtful.)
Which scene has lingered with you the most? Why?
The 2nd rape/abuse scene at the campsite was horrible and not something I will soon leave behind. It was much more impactful than the 1st (though the act itself is so vile) because I had grown to love them. I read it through tears, with an upset stomach. The visceral reaction I had was surprising...actually, I was absolutely sure the abuse wouldn’t happen. Absolutely sure! And then it did, written so descriptively it was REAL, and I barely kept from throwing up in horror. I still can’t move on.
Does the story remind you of any other books/movies?
There’s nothing like this.
Did you disagree with any of the characters decisions and why?
I think the disagreement was in the complete breakdown in human kindness and civility, like “how can they do that???” But I know, I know. It’s a mirror of what we can become and an invitation to become something more of what we were created to be.
If you could ask the author anything about the book, what would it be?
How does it end???? And How COULD you DO THAT to HER??????????
Chad’s Reviews:
Misericorde- Cynthia A Morgan wrote the Dark Fey trilogy and I loved that...this is a very different sort of book. For one, it's slower paced and the work of a very talented author who has time (there are 3 more books to come in the series) to let the story unfold, to allow the reader to know and understand the characters, times, environments. She is patient and assured - 2 words I would hesitate to use to describe most anything culturally. We are raised on soundbites and fed headlines, but this book/series is, especially the more I think about it, so difficult to adequately distill into a short synopsis. It's spiritual and human. It's violent and tender. It's desperate and deeply hopeful. I can't wait to see where she takes us from here.
Clandestine - The 2nd in a 4-book series, Morgan is remarkably self-assured and I am continually awed by her patience. In today's world of sound bites and quick cuts to the next splashy explosion, the depth of character development is jarring. The plot thickens, but as we get to know more and more about Tzadkiel and Lourdes (and Sauvage and Chevalier and the others), I found myself in a fascinating space: I care for them. Morgan is so in control of her boundless talent here, even as my heart broke over and over, I just cannot wait to see these people again.
Link for Misericorde - http://mybook.to/misericorde
Link for Clandestine - http://mybook.to/clandestine
Cynthia A. Morgan Bio and Social Media Links:
Cynthia A. Morgan is an award-winning author; free-lance columnist, blogger, and poet. Author of the dystopian fantasy Mercy Series and the young adult fantasy Dark Fey Trilogy, Morgan’s captivating tales serve as a backdrop for powerful messages like ‘show thankfulness through kindness and appreciate blessings through generosity’ and ‘the only way to achieve peace is by becoming peace’.
Morgan is also the creator of the popular blog Booknvolume where over 18,000 followers regularly explore Morgan’s own brand of poetry, musings about life, photography, book reviews and more. Morgan’s writing has been featured as a monthly column in Fresh Lifestyle Magazine and she is an active member with Artists 4 Peace as well as supporting the ASCPA since 2008.
Upcoming projects include a fictional drama in Regency Period England, a non-fiction exploration of the supernatural/paranormal and beliefs around the world, and a return to the realms of Dark Fey in a mind-bending prequel.
Some of her other interests includes a deep love for animals and the environment. She is frequently heard laughing, finds the mysteries of ancient times, spirituality, and the possibilities of life elsewhere in the cosmos intriguing, and believes in the power of love, hope and forgiveness.
When asked how she feels about writing, Morgan has said: “To write; to paint with words as an artist bedecks his canvas with hues and shades and layers of pigmentation; to sing a melody upon which the gaze may linger and over which the heart may muse again and again: to create visual splendor with grammar and language is the most beguiling form of intoxication in which I could ever take pleasure.”
You can find Morgan through social media in the following places:
Cynthia A. Morgan’s website: https://www.cynthiaamorganauthor.com
Amazon Author Page: Author.to/CAMorganAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/MorganBC728
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/booknvolume
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/creativiapub/author-board-cynthia-a-morgan/
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14174277.Cynthia_A_Morgan