Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Night Shade Books (San Francisco, 2011). 1st edition, 1st printing. 278 pages. $14.99.
Description
Moon has spent his life hiding what he is - a shape-shifter able to transform himself into a winged creature of flight. An orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon tries to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, with mixed success. Just as Moon is once again cast out by his adopted tribe, he discovers a shape-shifter like himself... someone who seems to know exactly what he is, who promises that Moon will be welcomed into his community. What this stranger doesn't tell Moon is that his presence will tip the balance of power... that his extraordinary lineage is crucial to the colony's survival... and that his people face extinction at the hands of the dreaded Fell! Now Moon must overcome a lifetime of conditioning in order to save and himself... and his newfound kin.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member zjakkelien
Lovely. This is one of the more original fantasy books I've read in a while. What makes it so original is the races. Our main character doesn't know which race he belongs to, since his family died when he was very young. He is a shapeshifter who can alternate between two shapes: a fully humanoid
What I like about this book is that everything seems to have been done just right. The world and the races are well-described, but not so much that it gets boring. The same goes for Moon's past and his introduction to the Raksura. The Raksura are cool: I like that they have their own status system and customs that are clearly well-thought out, but again, the author doesn't feel the need to club you over the head with it. The information flows naturally.
As for the characters, Moon, Jade, Pearl, and Stone are all well-drawn, and believable. And what I like the most about all of this, is that all characters are very , well, egalitarian. Not that there are no status differences, there are. But there is no mention whatsoever of women being less than men. In fact, the Raksuran are ruled by queens. And although they are more powerful than their male counterparts, the consorts, there is no suppression of men either. The Raksuran don't believe they are better than groundling races, and internally, they don't believe that their flighted members are better than their non-flighted ones. There are really only a few authors in the fantasy genre who manage this. Almost every one else has some version of 'you can't do this because you are a woman', 'if you are a powerful woman, you must be evil', or 'if you are a woman, I can do whatever I like to you'. The only other author I know of who completely avoids this, is Tanya Huff. So kudos to Martha Wells!
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one (his 'groundling' shape) and a flighted one. Unfortunately, in his flighted shape he resembles the Fell, a race of conquerors. Because of that, he keeps his second shape hidden when he tries to blend in with one of the groundling races. Something goes wrong very often, though, and at the beginning of the book, something does just as he encounters his own species for the first time. Again, he struggles to be accepted and to learn the ways of his people. Unfortunately, his people are in trouble...What I like about this book is that everything seems to have been done just right. The world and the races are well-described, but not so much that it gets boring. The same goes for Moon's past and his introduction to the Raksura. The Raksura are cool: I like that they have their own status system and customs that are clearly well-thought out, but again, the author doesn't feel the need to club you over the head with it. The information flows naturally.
As for the characters, Moon, Jade, Pearl, and Stone are all well-drawn, and believable. And what I like the most about all of this, is that all characters are very , well, egalitarian. Not that there are no status differences, there are. But there is no mention whatsoever of women being less than men. In fact, the Raksuran are ruled by queens. And although they are more powerful than their male counterparts, the consorts, there is no suppression of men either. The Raksuran don't believe they are better than groundling races, and internally, they don't believe that their flighted members are better than their non-flighted ones. There are really only a few authors in the fantasy genre who manage this. Almost every one else has some version of 'you can't do this because you are a woman', 'if you are a powerful woman, you must be evil', or 'if you are a woman, I can do whatever I like to you'. The only other author I know of who completely avoids this, is Tanya Huff. So kudos to Martha Wells!
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LibraryThing member pwaites
The Cloud Roads was a very satisfying, original fantasy story. The world Wells’ has created is completely fantastical and doesn’t at all have the standard castles and knights feel. For one, there’s not a single human character. The world completely populated by well developed non-humans of
The protagonist, Moon, is a Raksura, a shape-shifting species who has a winged form. He’s an orphan who’s never known anything about his culture or people. Instead, he tries to fit in among the other species but is always forced to move on.
Until one day, just as he’s being kicked out of the latest village, he finds another shape shifter like him, Stone, who wants to take him to a settlement of Raksura. Moon is weary of the offer, but he goes along and finds out that Stone wasn’t telling him everything….
I didn’t have any major problems with this book, but I never became attached to any of the characters and had some problems distinguishing the minor ones. Don’t get me wrong – the main characters were perfectly companionable, it’s just that I’m likely to forget them in a couple weeks time. What I’ll remember about the book is the phenomenal world building.
I’m certainly recommending this one though. If you’re a fantasy fan looking for something different, The Cloud Roads is the book for you.
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dazzlingly variety. Not only that, but it really has a sense of history to it, like it extends beyond the story on the page.The protagonist, Moon, is a Raksura, a shape-shifting species who has a winged form. He’s an orphan who’s never known anything about his culture or people. Instead, he tries to fit in among the other species but is always forced to move on.
Until one day, just as he’s being kicked out of the latest village, he finds another shape shifter like him, Stone, who wants to take him to a settlement of Raksura. Moon is weary of the offer, but he goes along and finds out that Stone wasn’t telling him everything….
I didn’t have any major problems with this book, but I never became attached to any of the characters and had some problems distinguishing the minor ones. Don’t get me wrong – the main characters were perfectly companionable, it’s just that I’m likely to forget them in a couple weeks time. What I’ll remember about the book is the phenomenal world building.
I’m certainly recommending this one though. If you’re a fantasy fan looking for something different, The Cloud Roads is the book for you.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
I borrowed The Cloud Roads without even reading the synposis because I liked Wells’ All Systems Red so much and the cover looked so intriguing - I love stories about flying.
Moon, who can shift from his “groundling” form to a form with wings (and a tail), does not know what he is. He survived
And then he’s found by another of his own kind and brought to a Raksura colony. Moon remembers the Raksuran language but he understands only little about their biology and knows even less about their culture. He’s used to avoiding attention and concealing his identity as a shifter, and suddenly he’s at the centre of attention for both those who include him and those who want the “feral solitary” to go away. However, the court has much bigger problems to deal with.
I loved this. In some ways, Moon’s story is familiar - the lonely young person whose heritage and/or destiny is suddenly revealed and who has to find their place in this new world is such a stock fantasy trope, but it’s also an enjoyable one. I found it very easy to empathise with Moon, and I like how, even as he tries to hide his feelings from those around him, the narrative very effectively conveys how he is feeling without resorting to simply telling the reader.
But in other ways, Moon’s story is different, because the worldbuilding is so unusual and fascinating. None of the races in the Three Worlds seem to be human, and the shape of Raksura’s society is as much a matter of biology as of culture (Not everyone has wings, for instance, and that affects what roles people have). The Raksura are very community oriented, and can be very supportive and cuddly with each other, but that doesn’t stop them from being hot-headed or moody (sometimes understandably so), nor from disagreeing with each other. I really like the characters, and the strength of their personalities.
The worldbuilding is also immensely appealing. Winged shapeshifters! Flying ships! Giant tree houses! Subversion of gender roles!
I couldn’t get this out of my head and had to pick up the sequel immediately.
Moon couldn’t stop staring. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had thought he would never see this [...] There had to be a few hundred people in there. People like him. It was wonderful and terrifying.
And seeing it let him articulate the thought that had been plaguing him since Stone had asked him to come to a shifter settlement: If you can’t fit in here, it’s not them; it’s you.
Moon, who can shift from his “groundling” form to a form with wings (and a tail), does not know what he is. He survived
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an attack on his home as a child and has been on his own ever since, trying to blend into different groundling communities and moving on whenever he attracts too much suspicion and is mistaken for a Fell or something else goes wrong.And then he’s found by another of his own kind and brought to a Raksura colony. Moon remembers the Raksuran language but he understands only little about their biology and knows even less about their culture. He’s used to avoiding attention and concealing his identity as a shifter, and suddenly he’s at the centre of attention for both those who include him and those who want the “feral solitary” to go away. However, the court has much bigger problems to deal with.
I loved this. In some ways, Moon’s story is familiar - the lonely young person whose heritage and/or destiny is suddenly revealed and who has to find their place in this new world is such a stock fantasy trope, but it’s also an enjoyable one. I found it very easy to empathise with Moon, and I like how, even as he tries to hide his feelings from those around him, the narrative very effectively conveys how he is feeling without resorting to simply telling the reader.
But in other ways, Moon’s story is different, because the worldbuilding is so unusual and fascinating. None of the races in the Three Worlds seem to be human, and the shape of Raksura’s society is as much a matter of biology as of culture (Not everyone has wings, for instance, and that affects what roles people have). The Raksura are very community oriented, and can be very supportive and cuddly with each other, but that doesn’t stop them from being hot-headed or moody (sometimes understandably so), nor from disagreeing with each other. I really like the characters, and the strength of their personalities.
The worldbuilding is also immensely appealing. Winged shapeshifters! Flying ships! Giant tree houses! Subversion of gender roles!
I couldn’t get this out of my head and had to pick up the sequel immediately.
Moon couldn’t stop staring. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had thought he would never see this [...] There had to be a few hundred people in there. People like him. It was wonderful and terrifying.
And seeing it let him articulate the thought that had been plaguing him since Stone had asked him to come to a shifter settlement: If you can’t fit in here, it’s not them; it’s you.
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LibraryThing member puttocklibrary
It was refreshing to read such a well-written, stand-alone fantasy novel. The story here is only the tip of an iceberg of potential stories within this world--which is vast and populated with many different peoples--not just different nationalities, but different species.
Moon has been alone among
One day, his species, the Raksura, find him, and he is no longer alone--instead he is thrust into the middle of a conflict between his own people, and the possible extinction of his entire species.
Moon has been alone among
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the cultures of this world for most of his life. His doesn't know who his people are, and in all his wandering, he has never found another like him--he can shape-shift into a form that can fly. He hides his true nature, moving from culture to culture, because his flying form can be mistaken for a species of vicious, intelligent flying creatures that terrorize the species of the Three Worlds.One day, his species, the Raksura, find him, and he is no longer alone--instead he is thrust into the middle of a conflict between his own people, and the possible extinction of his entire species.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Moon doesn’t know what he is, only that he’s not like the other groundling races he’s met in his wanderings, and in his shapeshifted flying form he physically resembles the predatory Fell that like to tear the other sentient races apart for food and fun. After he’s discovered and left to
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die by his latest community, he’s rescued by another Raksura (which it turns out is what he is), but things don’t get a lot better. Moon is traumatized and distrustful, and many of the other Raksura he meets don’t trust him right back. It’s a good adventure story with a dash of found family, especially by the end, but there is a fair amount of biological determinism tied up with the different shapes and magical abilities of the different Raksura, if that’s not your thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member mssbluejay
I downloaded this book from Amazon because it was free. It's a fantasy book. I got three chapters in and decided that instead of painfully pushing through the rest of this book, I would rather read something more enjoyable. I could not relate to the characters. The author gave too much information
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that ultimately didn't leave me with any better sense of who everyone is or what the setting is like, even after three chapters. So, I am not quitting; I made a conscious decision to put down a poorly written book in favor of the promise of a better one elsewhere. Yes. Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Meh. I could sort of see where the author was trying to go with this, but it didn't really work for me. Having your protagonist as a non-human requires very careful world-building and this didn't manage to achieve that. It was somewhat clunky to have Moon's mother flee with the children, and
Moon is a Raksura, a humanoid species capable of shapechanging into a winged demon-shaped creature. He lives on the Three Worlds - not explained - along with a large number of other humanoid species, most of which have some form of abilities, but few of which fly. Why there are so many humanoids of different types is not explained at any point, although presumably it's something to do with how the Three Worlds came to be, the characters all believe refers to land sea and sky. One of the other flying species are the Fell, who are, of course, evil predators with no culture or reason for anything other than destroying. They look remarkably like the Raksura, which leads to Moon being kicked out of his current home among some non-Raksura, when his identity is 'discovered'. He's finally found by some of his fellows, and is trying to learn to live in this new to him culture amidst all their expectations when the Fell arrive.
I don't like antagonists who are evil 'just because', and I'm not that keen on Protagonists having all kinds of special abilities either which the Raksura do, all split into different types which makes no sense. And I do like carefully explained world-building, even if I have to work out as it goes along, but even by the end there's no explanations, and so it feels like anything could happen next.
Does gain a bonus for having all the character names clear, easy to read and remember, and distinct from each other, more authors should take note of this!
I'm unlikely to continue with this series, although the author's SF novellas are very good.
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subsequently die, leaving Moon alone and hence require explanations of his species' way of life. There was too much exposition early on describing aspects that Moon should have already known.Moon is a Raksura, a humanoid species capable of shapechanging into a winged demon-shaped creature. He lives on the Three Worlds - not explained - along with a large number of other humanoid species, most of which have some form of abilities, but few of which fly. Why there are so many humanoids of different types is not explained at any point, although presumably it's something to do with how the Three Worlds came to be, the characters all believe refers to land sea and sky. One of the other flying species are the Fell, who are, of course, evil predators with no culture or reason for anything other than destroying. They look remarkably like the Raksura, which leads to Moon being kicked out of his current home among some non-Raksura, when his identity is 'discovered'. He's finally found by some of his fellows, and is trying to learn to live in this new to him culture amidst all their expectations when the Fell arrive.
I don't like antagonists who are evil 'just because', and I'm not that keen on Protagonists having all kinds of special abilities either which the Raksura do, all split into different types which makes no sense. And I do like carefully explained world-building, even if I have to work out as it goes along, but even by the end there's no explanations, and so it feels like anything could happen next.
Does gain a bonus for having all the character names clear, easy to read and remember, and distinct from each other, more authors should take note of this!
I'm unlikely to continue with this series, although the author's SF novellas are very good.
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LibraryThing member Angelscryhavoc
When it comes to some Fantasy genre I am very picky about what I read. So when I saw The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells I was a little worried. Here was this great book with amazing cover art and what looked like a wonderful story concept. I even got a little timid worried that I would read the story
Picking it up and the first pages did NOT let me down. I fell in love. I fell in love with Moon, with stone and Jade and flower with all the characters and every single one of the children. I wanted to cuddle the little Speckle. Every turn of the page pulled me in to the world and made me want to know what was going to happen next. Each twist and turn taking you on a magical ride and a love of friends, family, and new beginnings. All in all I say to embrace this novel open it up and read it. Allow it to pull you in and let you fall in love with it as I have.
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find it not appealing and put the book down. After staring at the book picking it up starting to open it then freaking out and putting it down again it took my Kindle breaking to actually get the kick in the rear I needed to stop being afraid that the book would disappoint me and to actually give it the shot that it so fairly needed.Picking it up and the first pages did NOT let me down. I fell in love. I fell in love with Moon, with stone and Jade and flower with all the characters and every single one of the children. I wanted to cuddle the little Speckle. Every turn of the page pulled me in to the world and made me want to know what was going to happen next. Each twist and turn taking you on a magical ride and a love of friends, family, and new beginnings. All in all I say to embrace this novel open it up and read it. Allow it to pull you in and let you fall in love with it as I have.
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LibraryThing member imyril
A solid secondary-world fantasy notable for its entirely created races and its handling of gender and social roles. Loner Moon must decide whether to embrace his true nature and navigate the intricacies of a race he knows little about, or spend the rest of his life as a mistrusted wanderer. When
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his newfound people are threatened by a common enemy, he can't help but get involved. It's arguably by the numbers stuff (not least the romance), but the world-building is excellent and Wells successfully makes the Raksura feel non-human. While there are definitely flaws these are possibly just first novel issues - there are lots of things to be introduced to here, so it is inevitable that many feel rather shallow and sketched - although my main concern is the clear-cut/simplistic morality (or lack thereof in the case of the evil Fell). I'll stick with it for future instalments to see if it gains depth/nuance. Straightforward and entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member chavala
Really creative world building. A land that has had so many peoples (not human) living in it over the eons that it is littered with ruins, some floating islands in the sky, and a predatory race that kills and devours all the others. Moon is from a shape-shifting race that has a winged form. He lost
Engaging, surprising, creative, suspenseful. I liked so many of the characters - they were so complex and real, for all their being shape shifters. The whole series is highly recommended.
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his people very young and has been living with other peoples until his secret is discovered, then moving on. This time, he actually finds others like him.Engaging, surprising, creative, suspenseful. I liked so many of the characters - they were so complex and real, for all their being shape shifters. The whole series is highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Well, it does have action. Battle after battle, from bickering and hissing, to snapping spines and ripping heads off. I guess it would make a good movie? But I was bored.
Well, at least, I was bored when I wasn't trying to untangle the awkwardness. It reads like a debut novel (maybe Wells wrote
I didn't get to care about the characters (except Chime, a little), I wasn't enthralled by the world, I didn't feel how amazing it would be to fly, and the book is just too darn long (if designed more typically, would be more like 350 pp).
Hey, I don't fault anyone who loves this. I just don't want anyone who hasn't read it to think it's perfect. If it's not in your public library, skip it - there're lots more wonderful choices out there.
Well, at least, I was bored when I wasn't trying to untangle the awkwardness. It reads like a debut novel (maybe Wells wrote
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this first, and only published it after other successes?), more telling than showing, lack of explanation when we truly needed it, stumbling syntax. Not a whole lot, but enough to annoy & distract me.I didn't get to care about the characters (except Chime, a little), I wasn't enthralled by the world, I didn't feel how amazing it would be to fly, and the book is just too darn long (if designed more typically, would be more like 350 pp).
Hey, I don't fault anyone who loves this. I just don't want anyone who hasn't read it to think it's perfect. If it's not in your public library, skip it - there're lots more wonderful choices out there.
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LibraryThing member bicyclewriter
A book written for YA, I think this would appeal to boys and girls equally. The writer has done a great job of creating a world, culture, and characters that show males and females in roles and behavior that subtly show strengths and weaknesses that are complimentary, respectful, and synergistic.
I
I
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really enjoyed the story, and will continue the series as a result. Highly recommend for teacher and librarian friends to recommend to the 13 - 20 year old crowd. Show Less
LibraryThing member mbg0312
For some reason, Martha Wells has become one of those authors that I will follow wherever she goes. Although I don't think this is her finest work (a title that probably goes to The Wheel of the Infinite), this was an enjoyable, smart novel taking place in a world that I definitely want to hear
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LibraryThing member crazybatcow
Pretty straight forward non-gory, non-noir fantasy novel. It isn't necessarily written for young adults, but it could be read by them as it is pretty tame (no foul language, no graphic anything).
There is definitely a moral to the story (being an outsider, definition of family), but it is relatively
The race(s) are pretty interesting, and very well created. It seemed believable that such a world of creatures could exist and the dynamics between the species also made sense. Even the "bad guys" were a logical extension of the world's species, and their behavior was believable.
I quite enjoyed the story, even though it was a bit slower-paced - and lot less dark - than my usual fare. There is a lot of world and character building and the only part of this that was a bit on the weak side was the 'romantic' component(s). This romance was required by the story, but the angst between the love interests was told, not shown, and had little tension or "oh no" sense to it.
There is definitely a moral to the story (being an outsider, definition of family), but it is relatively
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subtle and didn't make me roll my eyes.The race(s) are pretty interesting, and very well created. It seemed believable that such a world of creatures could exist and the dynamics between the species also made sense. Even the "bad guys" were a logical extension of the world's species, and their behavior was believable.
I quite enjoyed the story, even though it was a bit slower-paced - and lot less dark - than my usual fare. There is a lot of world and character building and the only part of this that was a bit on the weak side was the 'romantic' component(s). This romance was required by the story, but the angst between the love interests was told, not shown, and had little tension or "oh no" sense to it.
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LibraryThing member Great_East_Road
Cover: Isn’t it beautiful? I love the detail, and I found it helped when it came to picturing the Raksura race.
Review:
After hiding in his human form and constantly travelling between different races of humans, Moon is finally caught out. Having been spotted transforming, Moon is discovered for
Books like The Cloud Roads remind me of why I love fantasy. The world building and detail that are included are simply beautiful, and after reading it I still want to know more about the many different races of creatures mentioned. The way the world was presented was both skillfully done and revealed slowly in an almost frustrating way. Martha Wells teases her readers with glimpses of one race/culture that you can’t help but want to know more of, only to then show you another, equally as fascinating. I hope for many more books in this series, just to see every part of the Three Worlds – sea, land and sky. One of my favourite parts was the flying islands, but I would also love to see more of the sea creatures, as this was only briefly touched upon in book one.
As for the story itself, I liked Moon from the beginning and loved Stone. In fact, my only complaint with this book was that Stone wasn’t featured as much as I would have liked. There wasn’t one character I disliked, and found them all to be detailed and three-dimensional. Even the arrogant, slightly unstable Queen Pearl had an understandable motive for her actions. I enjoyed the growth of Moon, as this is a coming-of-age story, though a more mature one that usual, as the protagonist is about 30 instead of an adolescent. This creates an interesting mix, as Moon is learning who he is, but in some ways he already knows. The other members of the Rasksura court have to adjust to him as much as Moon adjusts to them.
As I have said, I sincerely hope that this series continues beyond the two books already written (The Cloud Roads and its sequel The Serpent Sea), and will grabbing a copy of the sequel as soon as I can.
I truly loved this book and will now automatically buy any more in this series a.s.a.p.
Review:
After hiding in his human form and constantly travelling between different races of humans, Moon is finally caught out. Having been spotted transforming, Moon is discovered for
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what he really is: a creature who can shape shift from human to a being with black scales, wings, claws, and a tail. The group of superstitious humans he has been living with mistake him for a demon race known as the Fell. Poisoned, tied to a post in the middle of the forest and left to die, Moon is rescued by a stranger, named Stone, who turns out to be a shifter like him – not a Fell, but a Raksura, the people he has been searching for his whole life. But when Stone takes Moon back to his court, it’s not the happy homecoming Moon has always hoped for. Tensions rise at his arrival between two Queens, the ruling Queen Pearl and her sister Jade, while other court members are trying to discover why all their new born children seem to be dying, and what is causing the court to sicken. Moon must help strengthen his new home and defend his people from a Fell invasion.Books like The Cloud Roads remind me of why I love fantasy. The world building and detail that are included are simply beautiful, and after reading it I still want to know more about the many different races of creatures mentioned. The way the world was presented was both skillfully done and revealed slowly in an almost frustrating way. Martha Wells teases her readers with glimpses of one race/culture that you can’t help but want to know more of, only to then show you another, equally as fascinating. I hope for many more books in this series, just to see every part of the Three Worlds – sea, land and sky. One of my favourite parts was the flying islands, but I would also love to see more of the sea creatures, as this was only briefly touched upon in book one.
As for the story itself, I liked Moon from the beginning and loved Stone. In fact, my only complaint with this book was that Stone wasn’t featured as much as I would have liked. There wasn’t one character I disliked, and found them all to be detailed and three-dimensional. Even the arrogant, slightly unstable Queen Pearl had an understandable motive for her actions. I enjoyed the growth of Moon, as this is a coming-of-age story, though a more mature one that usual, as the protagonist is about 30 instead of an adolescent. This creates an interesting mix, as Moon is learning who he is, but in some ways he already knows. The other members of the Rasksura court have to adjust to him as much as Moon adjusts to them.
As I have said, I sincerely hope that this series continues beyond the two books already written (The Cloud Roads and its sequel The Serpent Sea), and will grabbing a copy of the sequel as soon as I can.
I truly loved this book and will now automatically buy any more in this series a.s.a.p.
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LibraryThing member MlleEhreen
THE CLOUD ROADS was cozy and charming, with a surly but lovable dragon-shifter protagonist, Moon. The author, Martha Wells, describes the Three Worlds like the author of a particularly luscious travel guide, full of shores, forests, and cities that you can't help but want to visit. I felt immersed
In THE CLOUD ROADS Moon finds himself among his own people, the Raksura, after a life of fruitless searching. He's tried to fit in with many different people over the years, but once they find out that he's a shifter - and resembles a race of rapacious predators, the Fell - they always kick him out. He's nearly too exhausted to try again, now that he's been found by his own kind, especially since years of bad luck have all the Raksura of Indigo Cloud uncharitable and on edge. There's lots of tension boiling under the surface and, because of who and what Moon is, his presence sparks a fair bit of conflict.
The story kept me interested but the relationships between the main characters never quite gelled. Moon develops a friendship with another dragon-shifter, Chime, who has a pretty interesting backstory but never quite came to life. Moon's romantic relationship with Jade, the young queen, develops naturally but I never felt a spark. And so on and so forth with the other secondary characters; almost there, but not quite.
This is really a 3.5 star book. When I'm conflicted, my rule is to round up if I think I'd read another book by the author or down if I don't. I'm not sure; I don't think I'll seek out the sequel to THE CLOUD ROADS, but I wouldn't avoid it, either. On the other hand, you never know. I picked this one up because I'd just finished a book that was really intense and gritty and I wanted something that would keep me glued to the page without sawing at my heartstrings, and this fit the bill perfectly. I guess I'll round up - a book deserves a little boost for offering the right thing at the right time.
EDITED TO ADD: I had a chance to read the sequel, THE SERPENT SEA, and I LOVED it. I'm glad in retrospect that I gave THE CLOUD ROADS four stars - I like where this series is going & suspect I wasn't in the right mood to appreciate THE CLOUD ROADS when I read it.
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in the world and connected to Moon, who I rooted for, and Wells does a wonderful job of dropping the reader into various social groups without letting the new people or customs become confusing or overwhelming. In THE CLOUD ROADS Moon finds himself among his own people, the Raksura, after a life of fruitless searching. He's tried to fit in with many different people over the years, but once they find out that he's a shifter - and resembles a race of rapacious predators, the Fell - they always kick him out. He's nearly too exhausted to try again, now that he's been found by his own kind, especially since years of bad luck have all the Raksura of Indigo Cloud uncharitable and on edge. There's lots of tension boiling under the surface and, because of who and what Moon is, his presence sparks a fair bit of conflict.
The story kept me interested but the relationships between the main characters never quite gelled. Moon develops a friendship with another dragon-shifter, Chime, who has a pretty interesting backstory but never quite came to life. Moon's romantic relationship with Jade, the young queen, develops naturally but I never felt a spark. And so on and so forth with the other secondary characters; almost there, but not quite.
This is really a 3.5 star book. When I'm conflicted, my rule is to round up if I think I'd read another book by the author or down if I don't. I'm not sure; I don't think I'll seek out the sequel to THE CLOUD ROADS, but I wouldn't avoid it, either. On the other hand, you never know. I picked this one up because I'd just finished a book that was really intense and gritty and I wanted something that would keep me glued to the page without sawing at my heartstrings, and this fit the bill perfectly. I guess I'll round up - a book deserves a little boost for offering the right thing at the right time.
EDITED TO ADD: I had a chance to read the sequel, THE SERPENT SEA, and I LOVED it. I'm glad in retrospect that I gave THE CLOUD ROADS four stars - I like where this series is going & suspect I wasn't in the right mood to appreciate THE CLOUD ROADS when I read it.
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LibraryThing member Krista23
We follow the story of Moon, a solitary Raksura who has developed into manhood not knowing where he came from or even what type of people he belongs to. He is described as a shifter, one that can change from a flying creature into a walking creature. He was orphaned from a young age and has been
Stone, the Raksura who has rescued him explains they live in a place called the Three Worlds. There are several types of creatures living in this world consisting of groundlings, skylings and sea creatures. Some of them are obviously interchangeable and have the ability to shift into another form. Moon decides that he will travel back with the Stone to see people like himself and learn about where he may have come from. And the possibilies that his future holds.
Each step of the way they must be smarter, faster and stronger than the Fell that are taking over the world. The Fell are slowly destroying the other creatures to defy their own devastation. All the creatures in this world are experiencing sickness and low breeding numbers. But the Fell have some advantages the other creatures don't have, and they have set their eyes on the Raksura to salvage their dire situation.
The writing is very descriptive and overall easily imaginable. There are so many levels and relations in each type of species that it did take me quite a bit of the book to start to grasp the roles they play in their societies. Both the Fell and the Raksura had different levels of rankings in which some could shift and some couldn't. But the twist of adding the rare shifters in as well, made the book more fantastical and really envelops you into the story. The repetitive descriptions of the people throughout the story helped as well. There is so much adventure and world building and action that literally before you know it the story is over and leaves you yearning for more.
By the end of the book you are fighting for the happy ending, you come to understand all of the creatures, their plight and need to grow in number and survive. How they can work for or against each other and the overall story line -that we all need to find a place to belong.
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moving between groundling camps in which he never fit in and could not reveal his true self to. He lived in constant fear that if a groundling saw him shift into is Raksura form that he would be confused with the enemies of all creatures, the Fell. One day, a flying creature like himself, rescues him from a deathly situation and takes him to a floating island until he can heal. Moon and the rescuer take this time to ask each other questions about where they come from and who they are.Stone, the Raksura who has rescued him explains they live in a place called the Three Worlds. There are several types of creatures living in this world consisting of groundlings, skylings and sea creatures. Some of them are obviously interchangeable and have the ability to shift into another form. Moon decides that he will travel back with the Stone to see people like himself and learn about where he may have come from. And the possibilies that his future holds.
Each step of the way they must be smarter, faster and stronger than the Fell that are taking over the world. The Fell are slowly destroying the other creatures to defy their own devastation. All the creatures in this world are experiencing sickness and low breeding numbers. But the Fell have some advantages the other creatures don't have, and they have set their eyes on the Raksura to salvage their dire situation.
The writing is very descriptive and overall easily imaginable. There are so many levels and relations in each type of species that it did take me quite a bit of the book to start to grasp the roles they play in their societies. Both the Fell and the Raksura had different levels of rankings in which some could shift and some couldn't. But the twist of adding the rare shifters in as well, made the book more fantastical and really envelops you into the story. The repetitive descriptions of the people throughout the story helped as well. There is so much adventure and world building and action that literally before you know it the story is over and leaves you yearning for more.
By the end of the book you are fighting for the happy ending, you come to understand all of the creatures, their plight and need to grow in number and survive. How they can work for or against each other and the overall story line -that we all need to find a place to belong.
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LibraryThing member MatNastos
I wish I could give this book 6 stars because it surprised the heck out of me with how much I enjoyed it. The author created an incredibly unique setting that was a lot of fun to get to see and explore with the lead character. It really reminded me of how I felt when I read "Dragonriders of Pern"
Great book by a fantastic author. It made me a fan.
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back in Junior High School - how I was never really sure what was going to happen or what was waiting around the next corner. Great book by a fantastic author. It made me a fan.
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LibraryThing member sunqueen
The world building aspect of this book was very good, yet I had a difficult time connecting to any of the main characters. Many of the characters were not that likable, and the dialog between them was less then inspiring.
LibraryThing member Carol_W
This is a well-written world-building fantasy featuring a biologically and sociologically interesting race of shape-shifters (the Raksura) in a world that contains multiple intelligent races. It’s an ancient world full of ruins in which almost anything might conveniently by found – which feels
The story is populated with well-drawn, believable characters. They are both human, in the sense of being people we can relate to, and at the same time convincingly alien in various ways. I liked the main character, Moon, and I enjoyed his journeys, both physical and emotional. The writing was strong and evocative. I have really only one serious criticism, which concerns how the plot unfolds. Without giving too much away, there is an event in Moon’s past that we should have had some inkling of well before it was revealed. It need not have been explicit, if Wells wished to surprise us, but it should have at least gotten some oblique reference. To not have the character think about it at all in the context of what is happening to him is just not credible. Many readers might be less bothered by this than I was, so with that one caveat, I recommend this book.
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just a little too easy at times. The history of the place is not delved into either, which disappointed me a little. The Raksura are well-imagined as a species, although clearly drawing on the social insects as a model. Their arch-enemies, the Fell, are not entirely dissimilar, which makes the conflict not quite black and white and that is a strength. The magic is clearly not unlimited, but it’s unexplained with respect to origins or mechanism. Both the magic and the place with its diverse races and species are clearly there to serve the story, and fortunately the story is a good one.The story is populated with well-drawn, believable characters. They are both human, in the sense of being people we can relate to, and at the same time convincingly alien in various ways. I liked the main character, Moon, and I enjoyed his journeys, both physical and emotional. The writing was strong and evocative. I have really only one serious criticism, which concerns how the plot unfolds. Without giving too much away, there is an event in Moon’s past that we should have had some inkling of well before it was revealed. It need not have been explicit, if Wells wished to surprise us, but it should have at least gotten some oblique reference. To not have the character think about it at all in the context of what is happening to him is just not credible. Many readers might be less bothered by this than I was, so with that one caveat, I recommend this book.
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LibraryThing member Capnrandm
Managing to be at once alien and familiar, Moon's journey from wounded loner to champion was touching. Wells's world is accessible, but the unique details making up her ecosystem are vivid and interesting. This book reminded me of the stories of Temeraire, though I love that THE CLOUD ROADS gives
Full review at Read Fragment.
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us the story from the alien's perspective.Full review at Read Fragment.
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LibraryThing member KingRat
The world-building is complex and interesting. The author tried to make the characters and their interactions complex and interesting, but their dialogue and motivations felt obvious to me. Basically an all right story, but it didn't grab me enough that I want to keep reading the series.
LibraryThing member Shrike58
My history with this novel is that I picked it up and put it down several times over the years because something always looked more attractive at the time, this is despite my high esteem for Wells' stories set in Ill-Rien. Maybe it had something to do with not being especially interested in the
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trope of the lone drifter who comes into their own and, actually, it's still not my favorite trope, though the nature of Wells' society somewhat subverts the expectations. Anyway, the real star here is Wells' world building and I do hope for a deeper examination of the history that produced the Three Worlds. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sine
Death of a Necromancer is still my favorite, but I really love this book. A unique departure from her usual fare, and a marvelous world. Looking forward to the next one.
LibraryThing member jakecasella
Fantasy that very much reads like science fiction, with a great plethora of intelligent species and a magic system that feels—not mechanistic, but orderly and natural. Main character is a shape-shifter who is rediscovered by his kind, and becomes involved in a struggle to survive against a
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ruthless invading species. Quite fun, adventurous, put me vaguely in mind of both Avatar (the blue one) and Gears of War. Show Less
Awards
Chesley Award (Nominee — 2012)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011-03
Physical description
278 p.; 5.5 inches
ISBN
9781597802161
Local notes
Inscribed (Dublin, August 2019).