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The Cloud Roads

Volume One of the Books of the Raksura
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( 16,449 ratings, 1,885 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Cloud Roads follows Moon, a shape-shifter who can transform into a winged creature. As an orphan with fragmented memories, he struggles to fit among the tribes of his river valley. When cast out once more, Moon meets another shape-shifter who offers him a place in his community. Yet Moon soon learns his lineage is vital to their survival against the lethal Fell. To protect his newfound kin and himself, Moon must confront a lifetime of conditioning and embrace his true self.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This novel is ideal for readers who enjoy deep fantasy with complex world-building and shape-shifting themes. Fans of epic quests and speculative fiction that explores identity and belonging will appreciate Martha Wells' storytelling.

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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.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series

The Cloud Roads follows Moon, who has spent his life hiding his true nature—a shape-shifter able to transform into a winged creature. As an orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon strives to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, albeit with mixed success. Just as he is once again cast out by his adopted tribe, Moon encounters another shape-shifter like himself—an individual who seems to understand exactly what Moon is and promises that Moon will be welcomed into his community.

However, this stranger fails to reveal crucial details: Moon’s presence will shift the balance of power, his extraordinary lineage is vital to the colony’s survival, and his people face extinction at the hands of the dreaded Fell. Now Moon must overcome a lifetime’s worth of conditioning to save himself and his newfound kin.

Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to offer a wide range of titles for readers intrigued by science fiction (including space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, and near-future dystopia), fantasy (such as grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, and alternative history), and horror (encompassing zombies, vampires, the occult, and supernatural themes), among many more genres. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we remain committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

Series: Books of the Raksura

View all
  • Stories of the Raksura
    Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series Martha Wells returns to the Raksura with a pair of brand-new novellas! In The Falling World, Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud Court, has travelled with Chime and Balm to another Raksuran court. When she fails to return, her consort, Moon, along with Stone and a party of warriors and...
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  • The Siren Depths
    The Third Novel in the Hugo Award-Nominated Books of the Raksura series, from New York Times Bestselling Author Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries). All his life, Moon roamed the Three Worlds, a solitary wanderer forced to hide his true nature—until he was reunited with his own kind, the Raksura, and found a new life as consort to Jade, sister queen...
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  • The Cloud Roads
    Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells follows the story of Moon, who has spent his life hiding his true nature—a shape-shifter able to transform into a winged creature of flight. As an orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon tries to integrate into the tribes of his river...
    Paperback
    $4700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Stories of the Raksura
    Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series Moon, Jade, and other favourites from the Indigo Cloud Court return with two new novellas from Martha Wells. Martha Wells continues to enthusiastically ignore genre conventions in her exploration of the fascinating world of the Raksura. Her novellas and short stories contain all the elements fans have come to love from...
    Paperback
    $4900
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Serpent Sea
    The second novel in the Hugo Award-nominated Books of the Raksura series, from New York Times bestselling author Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries). Moon, once a solitary wanderer, has become consort to Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud court. Together, they travel with their people on a pair of flying ships in hopes of finding a new home for...
    Paperback
    $4700
    Available
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  • The Serpent Sea
    Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series Moon, once a solitary wanderer, has become consort to Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud court. Together, they travel with their people on a pair of flying ships in hopes of finding a new home for their colony. Moon finally feels like he's found a tribe where he belongs. But...
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  • The Edge of Worlds
    An expedition of groundlings from the Empire of Kish have travelled through the Three Worlds to the Indigo Cloud court of the Raksura, shape-shifting creatures of flight that live in large family groups. The groundlings have found a sealed ancient city at the edge of the shallow seas, near the deeps of the impassable Ocean. They believe it to be...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Cloud Roads
    Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series The Cloud Roads follows Moon, who has spent his life hiding his true nature—a shape-shifter able to transform into a winged creature. As an orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon strives to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, albeit with mixed success. Just as...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781949102185

Publisher: Night Shade Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 November 2019

Country: United States

Imprint: Night Shade Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 108.0mm

Height: 171.0mm

Weight: 249g

Pages: 392

About the Author

Martha Wells is the author of more than a dozen science fiction and fantasy novels, including the Ile-Rien series (The Death of the Necromancer), the Murderbot Diaries series (All Systems Red), and the Books of the Raksura (The Cloud RoadsAwards, been nominated for the Compton Crook award, and been published in eight languages. Wells lives in College Station, Texas.

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    Paperback
    $4900
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    Ships in 2-3 weeks
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    The Third Novel in the Hugo Award-Nominated Books of the Raksura series, from New York Times Bestselling Author Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries). All his life, Moon roamed the Three Worlds, a solitary wanderer forced to hide his true nature—until he was reunited with his own kind, the Raksura, and found a new life as consort to Jade, sister queen...
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