Clouds over Planet X

by James Field

Alan, an alien with extraordinary mental powers, has lived among us since the 1940s. Alan likes earthlings, which is fortunate, because the Mantis are back in a savage plague of ravenous destruction, hell bent on destroying Earth once and for all. Alan joins forces with the Cloud brothers and a handful of humans with emerging mind powers. Can they stop the Mantis before they destroy the Earth? The scene is set for the biggest confrontation the Cloud brothers have ever faced...

Genres: Science Fiction

205 pages, ebook

First published January 7, 2012

About the author

Hello, fellow book lovers,

I’m James Field — reader, writer, and lifelong lover of stories.

I write soft science fiction and fantasy, usually with a touch of humour, and I’m always more interested in ideas, people, and curiosity than in strict genre boundaries. I also share a free short story collection, What on Earth, with readers who choose to join my newsletter.

Born and bred in England, I spent much of my working life in automation engineering before life took an unexpected — and very welcome — turn north. I married a Norwegian lass and have lived for the past thirty-five years in Norway, much of that time in the Arctic regions, whose landscapes and light have quietly worked their way into my imagination.

Now that I’m a pensioner, I finally have the time to read widely and write steadily. Alongside science fiction and fantasy, I’m increasingly drawn to books that explore the human condition — philosophical, spiritual, and occasionally uncomfortable ones included.

One author who has always fascinated me is Roald Dahl — his adult stories are mischievous, imaginative, and far darker than he’s often given credit for. That mixture of playfulness and edge has stayed with me.

On Goodreads, I’m here first and foremost as a reader. I enjoy thoughtful discussion, honest reviews, and the slow discovery of books I’d never have found on my own. If that sounds like your sort of thing, I’m glad we’ve crossed paths.

Warm wishes,
James

Reviews

[Ann Sieg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning-Very minor spoilers.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I did not expect this book to be funny, but as the old adage goes, never judge a book by its cover. I very much enjoyed the emotionless humor of Alan, an alien with a very human name. The characters were quite clever and likable, even though James had no qualms about giving most of them weaknesses or even detestable traits.
The science in this book is well described, easy to understand, yet impressive. James has quite the imagination. I really got into the technology and thought to myself how cool it would be to have some of these gadgets.
Humans are depicted as a very flawed race, but Alan is drawn to them, and won't give up on them, even if it means turning his back on his own race. Humans are criticized by the aliens for the wars they make among themselves, but the aliens are pretty much hypocritical in their thinking. This brings the reader (at least me)to draw conclusions that the differences between separate beings are not as vast as once believed.
One can't help but loathe disgusting Tamara, and dislike Christine, the pathetic girl in the wheelchair. Christine is only pathetic because of her attitude. Being in a wheelchair doesn't stop the reader from feeling contempt for her brooding mannerisms. Both characters have a huge chip on their shoulders and have a love/hate relationship with each other.
The other humans (Dennis, Russell, Margery, Trevor)depicted in this story are top notch for their society: smart, loyal, likable and heroic. I'm glad that James provided a menagerie of characters: Klook, the impassive being, the Mantis, terrifying and brutal, and Aidme, a nearly omnipotent being, that recognizes something special in a human that others cannot.
There are a few surprises that I was glad of. I was beginning to wonder if there would be any plot twists, and I was not disappointed. Also, I have to mention that I enjoyed the slight variation between English and American spellings/language use. That made the read even better.
I would recommend this book to everyone, especially Sci-Fi readers. However, you don't need to be a Sci-Fi fan to enjoy this book.

[Sean DeLauder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trevor Cloud is a reclusive genius who has invented a machine that can go anywhere, endure any environment, and is powered by any energy expended around or upon it. His focus on the development of his extraordinary machine, an egg-shaped contraption he calls The Cloud, has left him only dimly aware of the fact that the clouds of Earth are curiously in absentia. It isn’t long, however, before Trevor, and his less reclusive brother, Russell, learn the nefarious source of the missing clouds—an extra-terrestrial agent that is siphoning away Earth’s vapor for reasons unknown.

Brother Russell Cloud could not be more different from his brilliant sibling: athletic, outgoing, upbeat, philosophical, and perhaps somewhat prescient. Nevertheless, the two brothers confide and trust in one another completely.

The story meanders a bit as Trevor and Russell explore the fascinating capabilities of the Cloud, here and there unveiling some new (but invariably important) function, but this is mere winding of the crank before the brothers come into contact with the aliens. Soon circumstances require them to deal with the threat. Indeed, after witnessing the technological capabilities of the visitors’ machines, and the paltry attempts humanity makes to thwart them, Trevor and Russell realize they and their machine may be the only thing that can stop the aliens.

James Field has created a fascinating exploratory device in the Cloud and novice adventurers, the Cloud brothers. Who wouldn’t want to test the capabilities of a nigh self-sustaining machine that could go anywhere and guarantee the safety of its inhabitants? Best of all, improbable as it may seem, Trevor describes the function of his machine and its many failsafes with a scientific literacy and tone that makes the device seem entirely probable.

To my surprise, despite the variety of experiences and entities we encounter on our journey with the Cloud brothers, the most interesting of all were the inanimate characters: the Cloud ship itself, seemingly invincible, infinitely adaptable, and all but unstoppable, and a gadget that identifies itself as Aidme. Part of the fun in reading this story is learning how Trevor will tweak his ship with a few hours of coding to navigate the latest challenge.

This is the maiden voyage of the Cloud and the Cloud brothers, and their first adventure was a doozy. It might be difficult to top, but I hope it isn’t their last.

[Bruno Goncalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Clouds over Planet X without realizing that it was the third installment of a series. Was it followable? Well, it had me lost there for a while, trying to understand the plot and relate to characters whose development must certainly have taken place in books I and II. About one third of the way through the book this problem ceased to be important, though.

As a result, I recommend to all those who are considering reading this book to first pick up the preceding volumes; some books manage to stand tall all by themselves, but others, due to many critical events having taken place beforehand, deserve to be read in sequence in order to be better understood.

Having said that, I still consider Clouds over Planet X to be a very enjoyable book and recommend it to those who wish to block out reality for a few hours in favor of a skillfully crafted take on this universe.

The big detractor? I was left feeling that the climax was over all too quickly; this is a book that could have used a few dozen more pages of hard action. But maybe that’s just me looking for my action fix…

I should also add that the book had five typos in it (that I noticed), quite respectable for an indie-published book of that length, and the style of writing made for an easy, enjoyable read.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for a fair, honest and non-reciprocal review.

[Michael Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifically entertaining.

James Field takes you on a cosmic ride filled with aliens determined to destroy Earth, and a diverse set of characters that must join forces to stop them.

This is sci fi in the spirit of great space operas like Dr Who. It twists from funny, to tense, to tender, to tragic. A great addition to the Cloud Brothers series, and an excellent stand alone novel.

Highly recommended.

[Benny Goldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Brilliant Blend of Wonder, Imagination, and Heart
This story captures the magic of discovery and the thrill of adventure in the most delightful way. Two brothers from suburban London build a flying saucer in the woods and end up in the middle of a cosmic battle for Earth’s survival—yet somehow, it feels completely natural and deeply human.
There’s a real sense of admiration here for mankind’s inventiveness, from ancient wheels to space travel, and it’s woven into a tale that’s both exciting and full of charm. The alien worldbuilding is fun and inventive, but it’s the spirit of the characters—their determination, curiosity, and heart—that makes the story shine.
An uplifting and imaginative journey that reminds us how far courage and creativity can take us—even to the stars.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading science fiction when I was a teenager and falling in love with it. I couldn't get enough. James Field writes science fiction the way it is supposed to be written. The pages are filled with technological wonders and fantastical alien life forms. I was snagged, hook, line and sinker by the first sentence.
"Within the next few seconds Trevor will either experience a titanic swell of satisfaction - or die a gruesome death."
Did it hook you? On to the story.
The Cloud machine may look like a giant egg but it is a technological marvel. Want to go deep underwater, it will take you. Feeling like a little trip into space, climb aboard. Trevors space craft is virtually indestructable and can go anywhere.
trevor Cloud is a physics genius with an amazing idea. Build a travel machine and explore outerspace. he is the more serious of the Cloud brothers.
Russell, the younger sibling, is a martial arts master and a rabble rouser with special meditative abilities and visions. These visions will be needed if they are to survive what is coming.
While traveling in space they discover that it is crowded with aliens and not all of them are friendly. One, in particular, wants our resources.
Add together aliens, the end of the world, heroes and a couple of bumbling thugs, stir vigorously, and you have all the ingredients for a great science fiction adventure. This author sure can cook!

[Marc Secchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clouds over Planet X hustles along at a lively pace, full of humour and intergalactic shenanigans. The aliens live among us. They are, well, suitably alien and not overly fond of earthlings. "Yon smiled, a rare disfiguring muscle cramp among their race." The bad guys are coming (a race of insects) to exterminate the nasty, useless humans. "Humans are insignificant vermin, infesting this galaxy at an alarming rate." What else? And even the humans are inclined to more than a little nastiness of their own.

Stolen spaceships, rampaging aliens, morbidly hating telepathic sisters, boys and their toys, the obligatory mad professor and the mysterious Planet X all feature in this sci-fi romp in the vein of Dr Who other classics of its era.

That's not to say this book is perfect, but it is partly about expectations. The tale is more about entertainment than great substance, and it does entertain throughout, with many plot twists, zany characters, near-death escapes and a satisfying conclusion. The comedic storytelling is particularly strong. The editing could do with a bit of picking at, but it's certainly nothing major - the plot hangs together well, the characterisation is consistent, and the jokes keep coming.

Thoroughly enjoyable for a light, fast-paced read, I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

[Hock Tjoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is science fiction of the first order. It lacks perhaps the philosophical dimensions of Arthur Clarke's fables, but is at least as good as anything Asimov wrote. Two rather young men, one a brilliant student of physics (he takes it to the level of "hyper-dimension physics," if you get the picture), the other an eighteen old master of five different martial arts and of meditation with mental techniques at least as important as his brother's hyper-dimensional physics lead the defense of earth against aliens who are stealing water vapour from Planet Earth. The story is well told and refreshingly uncluttered by any Young Adult drama or romance. To say more would giveaway "spoilers." Science fiction fans rejoice; there is a new master in town!
This review is based on The Cloud Boys: Book One.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear this series gets better with every book! This is an excellent story! It's well written, with fantastic world building, believable and well-rounded characters, and a very creative plot, which will grab your interest from the start, and keep a firm hold on it until the very end.

[Gabriel Boutros · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.
This is the third book of a series and I didn’t read the first two, so I had to take this into account when reviewing it. Nevertheless, I had several problems with it that had nothing to do with knowing what happened before. The book is a bit of a crazy jumble of a story, that begins badly and ends well, but getting to that ending is not a pleasant journey.
The first quarter of the book follows Yon, a 1000-year old alien with telepathic powers but the physical appearance of a teenage boy, who lands on Earth in the early 1940’s. This whole section rushes over a period of about seventy years, with only brief mentions of the things he sees or lives through in this strange new world. He is adopted by a British farmer, he grows up and moves to the U.S., goes to college, marries, has children, gets a job: all of this is described in general and very undramatic terms. For example, we are told (in all of one sentence) that his two children have deformities due to his weak genes, without being told what this weakness is, or what the deformities are, or how their mother feels about them, or what he does with them, etc. The story simply moves on to another stage in his life, as if none of this mattered. Characters popped in and out of the story with no warning and scenes had little connection with each other. At another point Yon stated that he want to study a reported alien landing in Roswell, New Mexico; but this was never mentioned again, which made me wonder why it was mentioned in the first place. There’s quite a bit of that, so it didn’t feel like I was reading an evolving story; more like ideas were being thrown onto the page in a haphazard fashion to stretch it out to book length.
It was around the quarter point of the book that the eponymous Cloud brothers showed up and the story then centered more on them and their dealings with various aliens, both friendly and unfriendly. (Several other characters with telepathic powers were introduced about here; these powers were used in often dramatic ways, but mostly in the last third or so of the book.)
As I read on I realized that the whole first section about Yon was merely an introduction to the main story about the battle against aliens that were colonizing the galaxy. Still, that didn’t make reading about Yon any more entertaining, as the story of his life was told with the depth and drama of a Wikipedia entry.
Once the Cloud brothers arrived on the scene, the author still had a tendency to explain what should have been dramatic situations in one or two throwaway lines. For example, we learn that another alien race called the Mantis, attempted to attack Earth but the Cloud brothers defeated them, saving the planet. The whole matter was told in less than two pages, with very little detail about how any of this was done. (Was it something which happened in an earlier book? I have no idea, but I’d like the book I’m reading to entertain me, not the book I haven’t read.)
This lack of detail about things that happened was a recurring problem in the story. Whether it was the battle against the Mantis (who come back later and try again), or dealing with a rare medical issue, or commandeering a space vessel: a quick comment along the lines of “I used my mental powers to disable the bomb” pretty much solves most problems, so that scenes that could have been tense or exciting are instead very ho-hum. As with much of the story, events occur with the most superficial of explanations, and characters act on the weakest of motivations.
It was only in the final third or so of the book that there were any scenes where the conflicts were described with any sense of the dramatic. A group of humans become marooned on the faraway Planet X. While they argued about whether they should return to Earth or not, the Mantis showed up again to threaten the entire human race with annihilation. The fate of humanity rested with this divided group on Planet X, which included the Clouds and Yon, as well as a couple of other aliens with their own abilities.
These are the only scenes in the book that didn’t feel rushed through, where conflicting loyalties were explored, and human ingenuity was tested against alien mind-control powers. There was still a tendency to solve some situations with eye-rolling ease, but there was also more in the way of ratcheting up the tension, and allowing scenes to unfold more fully, rather than wrapping things up too quickly and neatly. I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy watching Yon, the humans and the Mantis try to outsmart each other.
Reading these final chapters I couldn’t help but wonder if the author was in such a hurry to get to this part that he gave little thought to the earlier two-thirds of the story. With very little effort he could excise most of the book and be left with a compelling little novella, which would have been much more pleasurable to read. Had my review been limited to everything which happened after the group landed on Planet X I would probably have added a couple of stars to it. But, considering the book as a whole, and viewing it as a stand-alone book, a two-star rating was the most I could give it.

[Lou Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally impossible but

so much fun it was very hard to put it down. A factory reset brain/computer/robot gives Trevor better control of the Cloud and keeps alien casualties small. Enjoy!

[Jourdan Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect walking into Clouds Over Planet X- full disclosure, I got a copy for free from the author and just started reading. As I walked in, I found the premise interesting- Yon, an advanced alien with highly developed telepathy, as part of some sort of retirement package, moves to Earth near the end of his life and is instructed not to intervene in Earth's affairs. In order to prevent him from giving in to temptation, a sort of mental splint is inserted into his mind to keep his abilities dormant.

In a slightly painful and somewhat humorous series of events, he loses this splint and gains a new identity, living out life as a human and, quite carefully, keeping his secret.
I'm not going to reveal much more about the story here- in my honest opinion, it's something worth going into rather blind- but I can tell you about the style of the story; it's rather reminiscent, in some ways, of the crazy, fun, adventurous pulp science fiction that once dotted the literary landscape- but different, and better.

Clouds Above Planet X takes what would ordinarily be elements of pulp sci-fi and uses them in a story that's both exciting and compelling. While I do have some minor gripes about the pacing at some points (I feel that the beginning and end of the story could be taken a little slower), I'm otherwise quite happy with the story and plot. Besides the sense of adventure, the book has an unexpected sense of humor- it's well-written and original.

I feel a bit guilty not writing a full review for such a great book (as, at the time of my writing this I'm just a wee bit busy and I honestly didn't read the book with my "critic glasses" on), but I feel safe saying that it's definitely worth reading! If you enjoy adventure and science fiction, this is right up your alley.

Also, I feel the need to mention that the book reminds me of Gurren Lagann for some reason that I can't understand- though it has a different scope to it (and it's not quite as ridiculous as the aforementioned), it just seems to have something in common that I can't quite put a finger on.

[Penumbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Gathering Clouds through Making Connections ARR: Science Fiction for an honest review, thank you.



The blurb to this book pretty much tells what the story is about so I won’t go into that very much. The two main characters are the Cloud brothers, Russell, a martial arts expert, and Trevor, the genius who creates the Cloud. The story is mainly told through their eyes with switching viewpoints.

I found Gathering Clouds to be an entertaining science fiction book. It’s a very quick read with excellent editing and formatting. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to read an eBook where the people involved took the time to make sure that the book is well edited and the formatting is correct. I would give high marks just for this alone.

The dialogue, characterizations and action are different from what I’ve read before. I don’t know if I would call them campy, but the speech patterns, characterizations, and events are larger than life. It took me a while to get used to the style, but eventually I did. It reminds me of a comic book or children’s cartoon where the characters talk in louder than normal voices with exaggerated facial expressions. This makes the book well suited for young adults and especially for young males, because all the heroes are male, there isn’t a single female involved sadly.

This book was a fun read. I’d recommend it to anyone, especially boys, interested in science fiction, and anyone who enjoys over the top characters literally having out of this world adventures.

[Diogenes Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This plot moved so quick that it left my head spinning. I thought the initial premise was there for a good sci-fi story, but the whole thing felt very rushed. It was hard to accept some of the events that occurred throughout the story because the author explains a situation away in a couple of sentences, leaving you wondering how that could be. There is enough stuff happening in this book to fill several novels. A 1000 year old alien that looks like a teenage boy, living among us - that's one book. Alan's life on Earth and his siturations as a telepathic alien living among us - that's another book. The second half of the book with a host of characters, space battles, and all kinds of wild technoloy is enough for a third book. The author has a great imagination and good story potential. There was even a bit of humor laced thoughout the story. If the author would take his time developing the many situations and scenes in this book, rather than explaining them away, it would make for a more compelling read.

[P. Zoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clouds Over Planet X has an intriguing beginning that provokes to full levels the curiosity of any avid reader.
Forced by an imminent end to their artificial lives, Yon and Klook, together with two hundred others, leave their planet in search of a better ending to their stories. Yon chooses Earth as his final resting place. The choice causes him to be embroidered in galaxy wars involving alien enemies and the Cloud Brothers whose mandate is to defend the planet Earth. What ensues is an engaging stream of events where Yon, the Cloud Brothers and their parents have to make inventions and decisions that not only affect themselves but everyone else as they fight for survival.
The story line grew divergent at times and there were many characters to follow.Yon ended up being my favorite character; well developed and overcoming many challenges in foreign environments. However, the story has a strong ending that ties up all events in a satisfying end.

[Michael Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trevor Cloud invents an indestructible flying saucer. Good timing, because there are a bunch of giant alien insects stealing water from Earth. Aided by his brother, Russell, a martial arts expert, they take the ship into space to confront the Mantis. Piece of cake, right? No. The Mantis show them they’re in for a fight and our hero brothers end up on the opposite side of the Universe, in a spaceship junkyard, the victims of the ruthless Mantis.

James Field is a most entertaining writer. In style, Gathering Clouds reminds me of Douglas Adams without the unnecessary meandering plot, or a Terry Pratchett novel with structure and without the random rambling bits. This is epic space opera, highly imaginative, funny and dramatic. Look out for weapons systems that fire “concentrated beams of extinction”, mind control, and action aplenty.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the concept in this quirky sci-fi novel - two brothers fight aliens in their home made spaceship and I'd be happy to read more stories about them.

It seems a bit odd to say it, but I found some aspects of the novel a little implausible. Not the sci-fi, but the 'real world' parts of the story, like the 18 year old martial arts master. And I would have liked a bit more fleshing out of the relationship between the brothers, more back-story if you will. I think this could have easily been a longer novel that gave a bit more detail about the main characters.

Overall, good fun to read.
____________
Having read it again, still great fun, and the implausible bits less so. - Give it a go if you like quirky fiction.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world is going through a dramatic climate change - the clouds and life giving rain have disappeared. Can two young brothers, Trevor and Russell, save the world?

The storyline is very well developed and contains many ingenious ideas, but some of the characters didn’t ring true and some of the writing could have been tighter.

If you enjoy sci-fi (such as Battlestar Galactica) you’ll enjoy this book.

Originally I’ve rated this book 3 star overall – 4 for the storyline, but only 2 for the characters and writing (both of which felt a bit clunky in places). But after reading some stories with very little plot I decided to re-rate it as a 4 overall.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written book, which drew my attention from the start and held it throughout. The characters are well rounded and the descriptions are fantastic. A pleasant combination of action scenes and slower scenes of less activity keep the plot flowing smoothly, and there's just enough scientific information to make it clear you're reading a sci-fi novel without you feeling like you're being bombarded with facts from a textbook. I would highly recommend this book to all fans of science fiction novels, or those looking to try out the genre.

[George Kwiatkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is fun read as brothers Trevor and Russell save the earth from giant insects. The insects are taking earth's water, the planet is drying up and dying. Looks like nothing can stop the bugs as they have been doing this for a while. Enter the extraordinary Cloud brothers and the fun begins.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book resolves around aliens, threats to the human race, space travel and the power of the mind.

I enjoyed this book - it has an unusual / original storyline and set of characters.

If you enjoy Sci-Fi books (such as those by Philip K. Dick) you’ll probably find this a satisfying read.

[Michelle Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was a mix between Dr. Who and Madeline L'Engle. Very funny.