Updraft (Bone Universe, #1) in The Sword and Laser

Dec 02, 2014 E.C. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya

I expect I will have much more to say about this book closer to its release date, but I am in love with this world! It's rare to encounter such an original and fascinating setting as this city with its living bone towers, winged citizens, and frightening sky monsters. Wilde has built a world with a detailed, believable history and society, and layered the story with intrigue, action, and compelling characters — rich with themes of tradition, progress, ambition, and class struggles that will reso ...more

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Jan 06, 2015 Michael Underwood rated it it was amazing

Shelves: speculative-fiction, 2015-reads, my-friends-books

One of the coolest debuts I've read in some time. The worldbuidling is nuanced, layered, and sophisticated.

Definitely recommended for fans of the New Weird, and also a good fit for fans of YA fantasy expanding into adult SF/F.

-NB I received an ARC for an honest review.

-NB Fran is a friend of mine and writing colleague (go team Tor.com Publishing!) ...more

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Feb 17, 2015 Raq rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pleasure, gift, favorites, ya

Grabbed me and pulled me in and kept me there. The world-building and conflict reminded me of the classics of Golden Age SF, the stuff that got me hooked in the first place. The writing style perfectly reflects the world of bone and thin air...this is one of the most original and coolest worlds I've ever read, and I hope we learn more about it in the sequel! (Barnes and Nobles agrees, and everything on their list is a 4-star book for me - go read them!)

The story and characters in Updraft seem li ...more

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May 31, 2015 Brittany rated it liked it

Shelves: sciencefiction

Updraft is a bemusing mix of unique creative concepts and a tired cliched story.

It's like what would happen if you gave your smartest, most imaginative friend a Mad Libs. She would fill in the blanks with mind-blowingly fresh, fun ideas. But in the end, you'd still have the same boring old Mad Lib, just with cooler details.

The world of Updraft is refreshing and startlingly original. Fran Wilde obviously has flying chops, and it shows in the way the book reads as real and concrete. I could have ...more

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May 19, 2016 Beth rated it liked it

Shelves: sword-and-laser

I was too often annoyed at how the obliviousness of the protagonist hid the contours of her society. Since she had no understanding of the laws of her society (and I don't mean the secrets that drive the plot), there was no way to judge her actions. She never betrayed any understanding of whether she was breaking a small social rule or a major safety regulation, and so I never knew whether she should have been surprised at the consequence or whether she was being shielded from her actions. And m ...more

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