The Cloud Roads

By: Martha Wells

Narrated by: Christopher Kipiniak

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 himself - and his newfound kin.

©2011 Martha Wells (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Martha Wells' books always make me remember why I love to read. In The Cloud Roads, she invents yet another rich and astonishingly detailed setting, where many races and cultures uneasily co-exist in a world constantly threatened by soulless predators. But the vivid world-building and nonstop action really serve as a backdrop for the heart of the novel - the universal human themes of loneliness, loss, and the powerful drive to find somewhere to belong." (Sharon Shinn)

"Wells merrily ignores genre conventions as she spins an exciting adventure around an alien hero who anyone can identify with." (Publishers Weekly)

"Wells... has created a new world of dragonlike shapeshifters and human tribes that could serve as the background for future novels in this exotic setting. Concise storytelling and believable characters make this a good addition to most fantasy collections." (Library Journal)

A regular relisten.

Oh, I love this series and I love the narrator. I listen to this series at least twice a year every year since I added it to my library.

Highly Innovative Fantasy World

What made the experience of listening to The Cloud Roads the most enjoyable?

What made me enjoy this book as much as I did was Moon and how he slowly comes to learn about his culture including the complicated court politics of his people. Because neither Moon or the reader know anything about the Raksura, this allows a level of world building that feels almost like we're taking this journey with Moon. We're experiencing this strange new place with him, and it gives Wells such freedom of expression with the culture and people. She's allowed to dwell on her world building, presenting Moon and the readers with this beautifully crafted landscape and culture. She weaves this new information into the story without having to resort to info dumping.

Which character – as performed by Christopher Kipiniak – was your favorite?

Chris Kipiniak was an excellent choice in the reading the series. I loved the gravelly voice he used for Stone, which made the character actually sound like his name. However, I enjoyed his characterization of Moon best and thought he did a superb job with capturing the wry nature of Moon's personality and Moon's conflicted nature that knew he should practice selfish self-preservation but ultimately always did what was right.

Any additional comments?

With the world building, Wells did a terrific job of fleshing out her characters and races, making most of them feel like more than just humans with odd colored skin tones and some structural appearances. Some races outside the Raksura can feel fairly typical for the fantasy setting, but the author still manages to give them cultural differences to make them memorable. The Raksura culture is treated with ingenuity and craftiness by Wells. There's something that feels familiar and human about them, making the reader empathize with them while giving them this unique culture and mannerisms that sets them apart from typical humans or even the groundlings in the story.

In this first book, Wells has introduced us to a wildly imaginative world with these fully fleshed out characters and traditions that take the reader on quite a journey. This is one of the more innovative books I've read in any genre. There haven't been many books that make me feel like I'm reading something that's truly fresh and special, but Wells has managed to make me feel like I've stepped into a whole new world with the Raksura while keeping elements that make it feel familiar.

Love this series

Love all her books but this series best of them with interesting characters and unique world

Glad I found

story was well written with engaging characters. the main male protagonist was written in the proper way a reluctant hero should be. the world and creatures created are different and refreshing

would recommend

nice story bad edit

the constant clicking of the recording was very distracting. maybe try editing better in the future.

Fascinating Story

I enjoyed the combination of magical and human aspects of the story. The twists and turns weren't all predictible. The characters could have been a bit more deep but overall a very enjoyable listen.

My first audible book

Absolutely loved it! Martha Wells's story brilliant as usual, Christopher excellent. Hours of listening pleasure.

Awesome

this is such a great story with an awesome theme. It kept me hooked from the beginning to the end. it's really a story about fitting in in a setting that captures your attention. magical creatures, ruined floating cities, ancient evil creatures that must be destroyed....

Fantasy lovers should love this.

Unique world...

I'm always tentative and even skeptical staring a new story. Sometimes it's hard to "click" with someone else's imagination. I was pleasantly surprised with the this unique new world and characters. This book got me through many workouts and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I would also like to comment that the narration was top notch and gave the characters their own voice.

Great book!
-Mike

Great read, can't wait for the next book.

Christopher does a great job narroating, the story draws you in making it difficult to stop listening. I'd never heard of this series before but found myself avidly listening sitting at the edge of my seat as the story developed around moon and jade.