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Published Jun 2023
528 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Paperback Original.
Publication Information
Enter a lush world of cataclysmic storms, planet-wide jungles, floating cities and devastating magic in this first book of an explosive new science fantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of N.K. Jemisin, Tasha Suri and Martha Wells.
High above a jungle-planet float the last refuges of humanity—plant-made civilizations held together by tradition, technology, and arcane science. Here, architects are revered deeply, with humanity's survival reliant on a privileged few. If not for their abilities, the cities would plunge into the devastating earthrage storms below.
Charismatic and powerful, Iravan is one such architect. His abilities are his identity, but to Ahilya, his archeologist wife, they are a method to suppress non-architects. Their marriage is thorny and fraught—yet when a jungle expedition goes terribly wrong, jeopardizing their careers, Ahilya and Iravan must work together to save their reputations. But as their city begins to plummet, their discoveries threaten not only their marriage, but their entire civilization.
"Rao weaves a tale of broken love, redemption, and the Hindu concept of samsara in her magical and mind-bending debut. Drawing deeply from Hindu mysticism, this heart-pounding cli-fi adventure will leave readers breathless." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"This Hindu-inspired sci-fi fantasy is a transcendent debut, full of cosmic magic and set in an exquisitely glorious and treacherous world. Such a daring ecological and metaphysical endeavor is perfect for fans of Wesley Chu and Brandon Sanderson." —Library Journal (starred review)
"...a fast-paced, fascinating novel wrapped in philosophy and spirituality. Rao's debut will dazzle many." —Fantasy Hive
"Enthralling and highly imaginative. The Surviving Sky is a richly crafted story set in a fascinating world of flying cities, deadly storms and intricate magic, with intriguing characters. I loved the protagonists and their relationship, fraught with tension and secrets, ambition and desire." —Sue Lynn Tan, bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess
"Breathtakingly inventive, The Surviving Sky is a twisty, cerebral journey through a fractured marriage, a world plagued by storms, and the question of what it means to be human. This is a book to get lost in." —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
"Kritika H. Rao crafts an inventive and cerebral debut, reimagining South Asian culture in a wonderfully different world. A story about love, duty, power, as much as it is about fascinating lore and costly magic. The struggles of magic, class, and the needs of the many versus the needs of oneself are all examined and put to the test within The Surviving Sky." —R. R. Virdi, USA Today bestselling author of The First Binding
"Intensely imaginative and heartbreakingly human, The Surviving Sky paints a brutal, unforgiving world and the life that tenuously exists above it. Filled with both startling revelations and the intimate portrait of a struggling marriage, this is a story that is hard to put down." —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
This information about The Surviving Sky (Rages Trilogy, 1) was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kritika H. Rao is a science-fiction and fantasy writer, who has lived in India, Australia, Canada and The Sultanate of Oman. Kritika's stories are influenced by her lived experiences, and often explore themes of consciousness, self vs. the world, and identity. She drops in and out of social media; you might catch her on Twitter or Instagram @KritikaHRao. Visit her online at www.kritikahrao.com.
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