United we climb. Divided we fall.
United we climb. Divided we fall.
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Halidom was built to survive after the world couldn't. A vertical city built beneath an engineered rainfall. Above the clouds, the Highborn look away. Below them, the Rooted keep it running.
When Jax crosses the Cloudline, he finds a city that's been lying to everyone, including itself. His journey pulls him toward a spire no one was meant to find, and airships that hold the world together with song.
His story unfolds across three acts: The Divided Sky, The Eleventh Spire and Skywoven.
I. The Divided Sky
I. The Divided Sky
The city's towers harness power while the ground holds them up. Its people have forgotten they depend on each other. Jax has spent his life climbing ropes meant for other hands. When Elyra descends beneath the Cloudline, she finds something in Jax the ground was never meant to keep.
II. The Eleventh Spire
II. The Eleventh Spire
The rain begins to change. The Cloudline has been tampered with. Beneath the soil, the ancient Bloom stirs. Following a Seedbinder named Brae, Jax, Zinn, and Elyra journey to the spire Halidom erased from its maps. In its abandoned labs, they find a betrayal that began inside the Council itself.
III. Skywoven
III. Skywoven
High above the wasteland, the phase-runners move as one. Eight airships tethered to a central cradle, their song holding the Rootbane back. But the harmony is breaking. When Jax and Zinn reach the Skywoven, they discover the towers were part of a much larger system.
Hopepunk with Roots
Hopepunk with Roots
The Great Weathering scattered them, and the Cloudline sealed the divide. Now the systems holding Halidom together are beginning to break. Seeing the world from different skies, four kids discover what it will take to put it back together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What's at the heart of the story?
At its heart, it's a story about people choosing unity over division and learning from their mistakes.
Is this a dystopia?
It's post-collapse hopepunk. A story about rebuilding after the world's greatest mistake nearly ended everything
What age range is this for?
Young adult (ages 13+). It's written for older teens but reads well for adults.
Do I need to be a sci-fi fan?
No. It's sci-fi in setting, but a fable at heart. Focused on people, not technology.
Appropriate for all audiences?
Yes, it's safe for all audiences. No graphic violence, no sexual content, and no profanity. Read more about the themes of the story.
How long is it?
Just under 60,000 words, it's a fast-paced read most people finish in a week.
Found family
Revolution without war
Hope in a fractured world
The Giver
Skyward
Miyazaki-style worldbuilding
Me and the little dog
(aka, Kitty)
(aka, Kitty)
About the Author
About the Author
Greetings, I'm Patrick LaJuett. Quick background... I grew up in Rochester, NY. The city that helped the world imagine through film, print, and lens. I learned that people can build remarkable things, but even the greatest systems last only if someone maintains them.
I've spent my career in visual communication and marketing, where storytelling has always been at the heart of my work. Beneath the Cloudline is my first novel, a YA hopepunk fantasy about a city divided by clouds and the people who keep it running.
Today I live with my wife and our dogs in the scenic foothills of North Carolina.
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