The Cloud Roads

Moon has spent his life hiding his true nature while wandering between groundling settlements in the Three Worlds. He is a shapeshifter who can transform between a scaled, winged form and a groundling form, but he has never met another of his kind. When Moon encounters Stone, a member of the Raksura species, he discovers his heritage and a possible place among others like him. The Raksura live in colony-like courts with complex social structures and customs that Moon must navigate as an outsider. The story follows Moon's struggle to find acceptance within the Indigo Cloud court while facing threats from the predatory Fell race. His experiences reveal a world of floating islands, multiple intelligent species, and layered relationships between different groups. The Cloud Roads explores themes of belonging, identity, and the tension between individual nature and community expectations. The novel presents social structures and species interactions through a non-human lens while maintaining relatable emotional core experiences.

Readers highlight the unique non-human protagonist Moon and the fresh take on shapeshifting creatures that avoid standard fantasy tropes. Many reviews note the strong worldbuilding and well-developed culture of the Raksura species. Readers appreciated: - Complex social structures and relationships - No info-dumping despite intricate worldbuilding - Character development, especially Moon's journey - Original take on non-human societies Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Some found the romance elements predictable - Difficulty visualizing the Raksura forms - Wanted more explanation of world's history Ratings: Goodreads: 3.95/5 (16,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (800+ ratings) Reader quote: "Finally, a fantasy book where humans aren't the default and their absence isn't treated as strange." - Goodreads review Critical quote: "Takes too long to get going, but pays off if you stick with it." - Amazon review

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan A memoir-style fantasy chronicles a woman's scientific study of dragons in a Victorian-inspired world where the creatures exist as natural beings rather than mythical monsters.

The Books of the Raksura by Martha Wells The second series in the same universe follows different characters through the Three Worlds, expanding on the rich world-building and shapeshifting societies introduced in The Cloud Roads.

Updraft by Fran Wilde In a city of living bone towers high above the clouds, a young woman discovers secrets about her society's flying traditions and the dangerous creatures that share their aerial world.

The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood A dragon-raising society faces political intrigue and religious upheaval when a rare celestial dragon appears to a young woman at her family's dragon-breeding compound.

The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston In an alternate Canada where dragons feed on carbon emissions, a dragon slayer's apprentice learns the truth about her world's history and the complex relationship between humans and dragons.

🌟 The Cloud Roads is the first book in Martha Wells' "Books of the Raksura" series, which spans five novels and two collections of shorter works. 🌺 The Raksura are shapeshifting creatures who can switch between a groundling (humanoid) form and a winged, scaled form - a unique take on shapeshifters that avoids traditional werewolf or dragon tropes. 🌟 Author Martha Wells originally conceived the Raksura while creating a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, developing them from her desire to write about non-human characters. 🌺 The book's world contains no humans at all, instead featuring dozens of unique species living in a variety of societies - from tree-dwelling colonies to floating cities. 🌟 Before writing The Cloud Roads, Wells had faced a significant career setback with several rejected novels, making this book's success a remarkable comeback that revitalized her writing career.