What do you think?
Rate this book
Cloudlanders
A fast-paced, laugh-out-loud fantasy adventure with a unique cast of characters, tonnes of heart, and gasp-inducing moments – perfect for fans of Ben Miller, Tom Fletcher and Terry Pratchett.
An island of magic and mayhem floating above the flooded Earth, Bastion has long been the last country left in the world. Then one day best friends Kurt (an eight-foot mushroom with a fear of heights) and Flicker (a tiny, tough-talking gemstone faerie) stand on the edge of the land and see the a plane from nowhere is heading straight for them.
Kurt and Flicker join forces with a rag-tag band of friends – including wood-nymph twins (one bounty hunter, one bookworm) and a gruff, shapeshifting wolf – to rescue the pilot and face a dangerous enemy. Can the Cloudlanders save their island from crashing into the Endless Sea and the terrifying tentacles of a massive monster?
An island of magic and mayhem floating above the flooded Earth, Bastion has long been the last country left in the world. Then one day best friends Kurt (an eight-foot mushroom with a fear of heights) and Flicker (a tiny, tough-talking gemstone faerie) stand on the edge of the land and see the a plane from nowhere is heading straight for them.
Kurt and Flicker join forces with a rag-tag band of friends – including wood-nymph twins (one bounty hunter, one bookworm) and a gruff, shapeshifting wolf – to rescue the pilot and face a dangerous enemy. Can the Cloudlanders save their island from crashing into the Endless Sea and the terrifying tentacles of a massive monster?
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 17, 2023
1 person is currently reading
29 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 17, 2024
What worked:
Magical lightstone lifts the land of Bastion up into the skies and the leaking magic reveals creatures and characters of all kinds. This prepares readers for the appearance of many strange, unexpected things. The seven-foot mushroom called Kurt, the fairy made of gemstone named Flicker, an invisible boy named Boy, and a magical Auger are only a few of the magical beings. A giant, talking wolf named Lycan can morph into any kind of creature, including a human, and he becomes a prominent character. All technology has been banished from the kingdom so the appearance of a crashing aeroplane raises quite a stir. All of these imaginative qualities help to build an entertaining plot.
While the characters are trying to survive their various predicaments, some questions are raised that create a mystery to solve. Bastion was forced to escape into the atmosphere because of the Wavewrecker down on the planet and it will never forget that this piece of land escaped it. Its agents have infiltrated Bastion and they’re trying to undermine the citizens and release the lightstone. One of these Tidekins is covertly introduced as an innocent character so readers will need to figure out which one is up to no good. A strange boy crashes onto Bastion and his emergence from nowhere is full of intrigue. He can’t talk and has mechanical body parts which makes his arrival unexplainable and concerning. It seems there’s an imminent, catastrophic threat to the kingdom that the characters and readers will need to figure out before it’s too late. Palatin Flint is married to the queen but citizens are leery and fearful when he comes to their towns. No one knows about a terrible thing he did in the past but the issue resurfaces in the later parts of the book.
The author focuses on different characters in alternating chapters which allows the story to jump between settings. These chapters mainly follow Aliana and her brother Garrett. Aliana is an adventurous risk-taker and she joins the story as a bounty hunter searching for Lycan. The exchanges between these two characters add a touch of humor to the story as they become partners in rescuing a young girl. Garrett is a thinker who loves to research and discover new artifacts from society before the Lift. While Aliana is out exploring different areas across Bastion, Garrett’s chapters are located in the city of Floatania. Other chapters follow Kurt as he tries to keep the aeroplane pilot safe from Paladin Flint.
What didn’t work as well:
Flicker is a main part of the story early on but then she inexplicably leaves Kurt in a time of need. Readers are left to wonder why for most of the book until she returns with a compelling revelation. Also, leaving the settings after some chapters break the momentum developed at those points in the story. The changes help build anticipation but they stop the flow of emotions that were being created.
The final verdict:
I wouldn’t describe this book as “laugh-out-loud” as the synopsis says. The author has created innovative conflicts with memorable characters and that is always a model for successful books. Overall, this book will be enjoyed by lovers of speculative fiction and I recommend you give it a shot.
Magical lightstone lifts the land of Bastion up into the skies and the leaking magic reveals creatures and characters of all kinds. This prepares readers for the appearance of many strange, unexpected things. The seven-foot mushroom called Kurt, the fairy made of gemstone named Flicker, an invisible boy named Boy, and a magical Auger are only a few of the magical beings. A giant, talking wolf named Lycan can morph into any kind of creature, including a human, and he becomes a prominent character. All technology has been banished from the kingdom so the appearance of a crashing aeroplane raises quite a stir. All of these imaginative qualities help to build an entertaining plot.
While the characters are trying to survive their various predicaments, some questions are raised that create a mystery to solve. Bastion was forced to escape into the atmosphere because of the Wavewrecker down on the planet and it will never forget that this piece of land escaped it. Its agents have infiltrated Bastion and they’re trying to undermine the citizens and release the lightstone. One of these Tidekins is covertly introduced as an innocent character so readers will need to figure out which one is up to no good. A strange boy crashes onto Bastion and his emergence from nowhere is full of intrigue. He can’t talk and has mechanical body parts which makes his arrival unexplainable and concerning. It seems there’s an imminent, catastrophic threat to the kingdom that the characters and readers will need to figure out before it’s too late. Palatin Flint is married to the queen but citizens are leery and fearful when he comes to their towns. No one knows about a terrible thing he did in the past but the issue resurfaces in the later parts of the book.
The author focuses on different characters in alternating chapters which allows the story to jump between settings. These chapters mainly follow Aliana and her brother Garrett. Aliana is an adventurous risk-taker and she joins the story as a bounty hunter searching for Lycan. The exchanges between these two characters add a touch of humor to the story as they become partners in rescuing a young girl. Garrett is a thinker who loves to research and discover new artifacts from society before the Lift. While Aliana is out exploring different areas across Bastion, Garrett’s chapters are located in the city of Floatania. Other chapters follow Kurt as he tries to keep the aeroplane pilot safe from Paladin Flint.
What didn’t work as well:
Flicker is a main part of the story early on but then she inexplicably leaves Kurt in a time of need. Readers are left to wonder why for most of the book until she returns with a compelling revelation. Also, leaving the settings after some chapters break the momentum developed at those points in the story. The changes help build anticipation but they stop the flow of emotions that were being created.
The final verdict:
I wouldn’t describe this book as “laugh-out-loud” as the synopsis says. The author has created innovative conflicts with memorable characters and that is always a model for successful books. Overall, this book will be enjoyed by lovers of speculative fiction and I recommend you give it a shot.
August 21, 2023
Cloudlanders
By Christopher Mackie
August 17, 2023
Cloudlanders was an adorable middle grade fantasy novel about Kurt and his good friends rescuing a pilot from an airplane and a menacing opponent.
Bastion, a magical island floating about Earth, has been the last country in the world. How can the diverse team must save their home from colliding into the sea and from a frightening behemoth?
Such a cute MG novel including an eight foot tall mushroom man/character that is afraid of heights, a shapeshifting wolf, a bookworm and a bounty hunter. I recommend this novel to anybody who likes adventure and humor.
Thank you to Floris Books and Edelweiss for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
By Christopher Mackie
August 17, 2023
Cloudlanders was an adorable middle grade fantasy novel about Kurt and his good friends rescuing a pilot from an airplane and a menacing opponent.
Bastion, a magical island floating about Earth, has been the last country in the world. How can the diverse team must save their home from colliding into the sea and from a frightening behemoth?
Such a cute MG novel including an eight foot tall mushroom man/character that is afraid of heights, a shapeshifting wolf, a bookworm and a bounty hunter. I recommend this novel to anybody who likes adventure and humor.
Thank you to Floris Books and Edelweiss for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2023
A wonderfully imaginative and captivating world! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and am looking forward to a sequel.
October 27, 2023
An utterly bonkers read that all children will love. The magic and mystery had me hooked from start to finish.
November 4, 2023
I really enjoyed this - a sweeping romp through an imaginative fantasy world, and a real ensemble piece, rather than giving you one main character to root for. Some lovely, entertaining language.
November 18, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Some complex themes for children to explore.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews