When Kirit Densira left her home tower for the skies, she gave up many things: her beloved family, her known way of life, her dreams of flying as a trader for her tower, her dreams. Kirit set her City upside down, and fomented a massive rebellion at the Spire, to the good of the towers - but months later, everything has fallen to pieces.
With the Towers in disarray, without a governing body or any defense against the dangers lurking in the clouds, daily life is full of terror and strife. Naton, Kirit's wing-brother, sets out to be a hero in his own way - sitting on the new Council to cast votes protecting Tower-born, and exploring lower tiers to find more materials to repair the struggling City.
But what he finds down-tier is more secrets and now Nat will have to decide who to trust, and how to trust himself without losing those he holds most dear, before a dangerous myth raises a surprisingly realistic threat to the crippled City.
About the Author
Fran Wilde is an author & technology consultant. Her first novel, Updraft was published in 2015. Her short stories have appeared in Asimov's, Nature, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Wilde also blogs about food and genre at Cooking the Books (franwilde.wordpress.com/cooking-the-books) and for the popular social-parenting website GeekMom. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family.
Industry Reviews
"Cloudbound by Fran Wilde is a thrilling and complex tale about the most difficult stage of a revolution: what do you do after you win? Highly recommended both for the story it tells as well as how it tells that story. Wilde takes risks that pay off hugely. Ken Liu, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of The Grace of Kings A fantastic follow-up to Updraft I liked it better than its predecessor, particularly for what it says about the politics of fear and prejudice, and how giving people what they want isn't always the best thing." Aliette de Bodard, award-winning author of House of Shattered Wings"Wilde's worldbuilding remains one of Cloudbound's delights. The revelation at the novel's conclusion which I will not spoil, because it's worth coming to in its own good time of what the bone towers actually are is a perfect example. But throughout Nat s sojourn in the clouds, the slow revelation of the world below the clear air of tower society comes with a damp and atmospheric logic, a lowering sense of threat and claustrophobia, that adds immeasurably to the novel's tension. ...In terms of pace, style, structure, and sheer flair? Cloudbound represents the opposite of a sophomore slump. It's that rare bird, the follow-up to a highly praised first novel that doesn't just equal its predecessor's accomplishments, but exceeds them. I felt Updraft was a promising debut effort; Cloudbound sees much of that promise realized, with hints of more to come. Locus Publications"The world of the towers grown from bone, where residents strap on wings and soar the air currents, is captivating...Kirit s journey to find her place is satisfying, but the real draw is a world that readers will be anxious to revisit in future volumes of this exciting new series." Library Journal, starred review, on Updraft"A world with a detailed, believable history and society... rich with themes of tradition, progress, ambition, and class struggles that will resonate with readers." E.C. Myers, Norton-Award winning author, Silence of the Six, on Updraft"A book that s impossible to put down. [Wilde has] planted herself firmly in the authors to watch category." Andrew Liptak on Updraft"
