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The Cloud Roads cover art

The Cloud Roads

Written by: Martha Wells
Narrated by: Christopher Kipiniak
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Publisher's Summary

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.
Literary Fiction Science Fiction Epic
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What the critics say

"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)

What listeners say about The Cloud Roads

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Profile Image for Liz
  • Liz
  • 2022-12-22

Great story, great reader

This is a really fun, fast-paced story that still doesn't neglect the "inner life" of its characters. I enjoyed the exploration of Raksuran culture and the way Moon's conflicted emotions about finding his birth culture so late felt authentic. The characters were fun and the enemy was interesting. The narrator has a pleasant voice and does a good job of varying his voice to differentiate the characters without being over-the-top about it. The whole series is a favourite of mine to revisit, especially on long drives.

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Profile Image for Crystal Fenerty

Was ok but issues with narrator

Narrator was not consistent with character voices and his voice has a grating sound to it that carried to almost all characters. Also a very limited range to his voice, with a book that has so many female characters in it, some one with a wider voice range was needed. Having female voices sounding deeper and grating or harsh and grating, and some male characters sounding female REALLY gets on the nerves. Not to mention having the majority of male characters having deep thick sounding voices with the irritating grating of the voice. Not sure who picked this guy to narrate this series but they made a very poor choice and the whole series would be better off redone with a better narrator.

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Profile Image for mihaelb

Awful. I wonder if this book is the same one....

Awful. I wonder if this book is the same one that all the other reviewers read!

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1 person found this helpful