DiscoverHugonauts: The Best Sci-Fi Books of All TimeCloud Atlas - A genre-bending book we can't stop thinking about!
Cloud Atlas - A genre-bending book we can't stop thinking about!

Cloud Atlas - A genre-bending book we can't stop thinking about!

Update: 2025-11-04
Share

Description

With six interconnected stories (in a narrative style that broke all kinds of new ground), it's hard not to find at least a few characters you love. And even for those you don't personally love, the voices are unforgettable - it's wild that all these characters with such distinct personalities were created by a single person.

As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.

Similar books we recommend: 

  • Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
  • Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
  • Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

This episode is sponsored by #1.1 by Allen Dean Maiora

If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode:  

  • 00:00 Intro
  • 01:10 Book setup
  • 2:17 Our review 4.5/5
  • 3:56 The unique structure
  • 7:08 The incredible voices
  • 10:44 Power and subjugation
  • 12:58 Our favorites of the stories
  • 23:17 Sponsor - #1.1 by Allen Dean Maiora
  • 23:40 Similar books we recommend
  • 26:06 Spoilers section - book summary
  • 34:18 Spoilers section - discussion
Comments 
loading
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
1.0x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Cloud Atlas - A genre-bending book we can't stop thinking about!

Cloud Atlas - A genre-bending book we can't stop thinking about!

Brent Gaisford, Cody Troyer