The Cloud Roads

By: Martha Wells

Narrated by: Christopher Kipiniak

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

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.

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)

Awesome new world

The book flew by. I love how Martha conjured up a completely new and fascinating world that we get to explore. The plot points make sense and the narrator is amazingly talented.

FUN, EXCITING AND MOST IMPORTANT DIFFERENT

What did you love best about The Cloud Roads?

If you’re tired of the same creatures with the same story line as I was, then this is a great series. Once you get use to the sexual role reversal, the hero is insecure, emotional and cuddly the heroin is stoic, strong and protective the rest of it is a whirl wind of excitement battles and intrigue. Martha wells does a good job of building up the characters and getting you cheering for them, while still guessing at what comes next. It was fun and refreshing to listen to. Christopher Kipiniak did a good job with the different characters and accents while putting the right amount of passion and fear behind his performance.
The only thing I am disappointed about is that I am done listening to it and must wait for the next book in the serious to come out.

Very Creative

It is easy to be impressed with the creativity in Cloud Roads. The book includes unique fantasy elements which I enjoyed. Unfortunately, the book also includes Romance elements and I am not interested. (Well, except for the aggressive females who take what they want.) I became bored during repeated arguments that she thinks he is being aloof while he is mad at her for being needy. Blah, Blah.

Great book, I would highly recommend it

The author has a great ability to take animal behavior and intertwine it with human society. The characters are well-thought out and the book keeps you interested all the way through. Can't wait for the next one. The narration is also great.

Great Book

Love the reader to peaces! I wish my husband had a voice like that ;). His woman voices left a little to be desired but its not distracting.

I found the story very enjoyable from one moment to the next, and am very existed to listen to the rest. I couldn't stop listening until it was over. It was intriguing, inventive, the love story was tasteful and made for funny moments, the man character wasn't totally annoying since he is of the 'somthings wrong with me because no one likes me' audited. And all side characters were fun, colorful, and felt like fully forms characters rather than just popping in to say a line and leave.

Out of this world experience!!!

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

Being in a different world with colorful beings and flying people!

What did you like best about this story?

How hard it is to find out who you are and the struggles of fitting in when you do!

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes when Grandfather Stone hits Moon upside the head for all his dumb questions!!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole series is great!

Any additional comments?

This is a awesome series!! A fantasy trip worth the taking. I have already listened to the series three times and can not wait for the next book!!

Summer Read

This was a decent story, but nothing about the plot or the performance kept me very interested in knowing what's next. Works as a stand alone story for me.

Adventure

that was fun to listen to so much to see all these new little creatures I've never seen before. It's been so refreshing to listen to it's not my usual genre so I took a chance and it was very satisfying

Decent story impaired by wooden reader

I almost put the book away by the end of the first chapter. The reader is stilted, wooden, and awkward in his phrasing, and it detracts heavily from the book. The story takes a bit to hit its stride, but blossoms in to something free of many traditional cliches in world building.

Disappointed

Would you try another book from Martha Wells and/or Christopher Kipiniak?

Probably not.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Connie Willis' "Blackout."

Would you listen to another book narrated by Christopher Kipiniak?

Yes, if it were a good book.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

I agree with another reviewer who also bought this book because of the many high ratings. It's not a terrible book, and the world is unique and imaginative, and I gave it 3 stars for that. However, for me, good world-building is not simply about being imaginative - worlds come alive through the depth of characterization, and from start to finish, the characters never did come alive for me. I read through to the end only because of an unfortunate quirk I have - once I've started a novel, it is almost impossible for me stop reading before I've finished it. What I love is when I finish a novel and it feels as if I've reluctantly waked up from an intense dream that I did not want to end. The main emotion I felt as this book neared its conclusion was, It's almost over, I can stop reading soon. I feel no inclination to continue the series.