When Jax—a fearless young rigger raised by the Rooted—meets Elira—a tower-born girl questioning everything—their connection sparks a rebellion that could reunite a divided world. Beneath the Cloudline is a YA sci-fi fable about broken systems, shared myths, and the climb back to unity.
Jax was raised on the ground—among storytellers, riggers, and rebels. He swings from scaffold lines, cleans tower glass, and hums the hymns of the Rooted. Then a girl from the towers sees him. Sees herself in his reflection. Everything changes.
Elira was born in the clouds, engineered for obedience and groomed for power. But one question sparks a fire: What was buried to build the sky?
Together, they uncover a secret that could unravel the myths of their world—one rope line, one memory, one echo at a time.
A World Divided
High above the clouds, the ten towers of Halidom gleam with filtered air and glass walls. Beneath them lies a living city—rooted in stories, sweat, and song. The Rooted keep the towers breathing. The towers forget they exist.
Now the system that erased Jax is watching again. The climb back to truth begins.
Book Two of Beneath the Cloudline
Before the towers reached for the sky, they were built to survive the ground.
To protect Halidom, Jax and Elira join forces with Wren—a seedbinder child from beyond the mist—and Zinn, a sharp-tongued climber who's scaled more towers than he's followed rules. Together, they descend into the one spire sealed before the others rose: the Eleventh Spire. Exiled. Erased. No longer empty.
Whispers of the Bloom—the invasive memory-seed that nearly ended the world—echo through the roots. The rain is changing. Someone has tampered with the Cloudline's core.
Some roots don't grow. Some roots wait. Some remember.
Book Three of Beneath the Cloudline
A city of song. A sky stitched against the dark.
Above the mist, nine great airships drift in unison—not as vessels, but as one woven city. The Skyloom.
Held together by ancient harmonics, its song shields the valleys below from the Rootbanes' return. But the harmony is fading. One of the ships has gone silent.
When Jax joins the phase-runners of the sky, he uncovers a forgotten truth: the towers below were never the whole system. They were the anchors. The real safeguard was sung.
The melody falters. What waits beneath the silence is listening.
The threat is ascending. The ground must remember how to sing.
The Giver
Skyward
Hayao Miyazaki-style worldbuilding
Class-divided sci-fi with a hopeful heart
Found family
Revolution without war
Identity, legacy, and re-learning truth
The power of story, rhythm, and memory
Patrick LaJuett is a storyteller, designer, and lifelong explorer of the edges between sky and soil. He writes luminous fables that blend future tech with forgotten myths, always asking: What if the systems we built forgot who they were for?
Beneath the Cloudline is his debut novel — a tribute to second chances, engineering empathy, and the truths that outlast silence.
Is this a standalone or a series?
Beneath the Cloudline is Book One of a three-book series. Each book has its own complete arc, but they're best read in order as Jax and Elira's understanding—and the world's scope—deepens.
Do I need to like sci-fi to enjoy this?
No. If you love The Giver, Avatar: The Last Airbender, or Studio Ghibli films, you'll feel at home here. It's sci-fi in setting, but it's a fable at heart.
When does Book One release?
Beneath the Cloudline is set to release in Spring 2026. Sign up for updates to be notified the moment it's available.
Is this a dystopia?
Not quite. It's post-collapse hopepunk—a world rebuilding after the Bloom nearly ended everything. The towers aren't evil; they're a flawed solution. The story asks: Can we do better?
What age range is this for?
This is young adult fiction (ages 13+). It's written for teens but built for anyone who loves hope with teeth, vertical worldbuilding, and characters who choose courage over comfort.
Where can I buy it?
Beneath the Cloudline will be available wherever books are sold, including online retailers, local bookstores, and digital formats. Pre-order links coming soon.
Will there be romance?
Yes—but it's slow-burn and earned. Jax and Elira's connection grows from trust, not tropes. Their relationship is built on shared risk, not instant attraction.
Is this a safe read for all audiences?
Yes. This series contains no graphic violence, sexual content, or profanity. It's not preachy or politically charged—just a story about people choosing unity over division. Readers from all backgrounds and beliefs can enjoy it without feeling lectured or excluded.
