Martha Wells has been world-building for several books and this one brings us STORIES OF THE RAKSURA. We initially meet warriors and royalty sitting in a courtyard making seasonal plans. Then we learn that there is shape- shifting in their makeup, and next we get descriptions of these people, whom we're already accepting as people although they are not humanoid and live in tree platform cities. The world is densely layered, with comment on gender roles and politics, suitable for adults or young adults.

Moon is a consort in The Falling World, the first story. His friend Chime wants to accompany a queen visiting another court, in order to search records for explanations as to why his shape-shifting has altered him beyond the usual experience of the Raksura. These are winged lizard people who take a groundling form at times, and the various shapes have different abilities including some magic. Moon doesn't see that Chime has anything to gain, but tries to be supportive. While Chime is gone however, emissaries arrive from the court they are supposed to be visiting. What has gone wrong?

The names tend to be easily grasped, like Stone, Garnet, Pearl, Vine; jungle environment descriptions are absolutely convincing as well as city functions, territorial disputes, castes and the pecking order. After a few pages I was completely hooked. Tensions are quickly present and understandable. Moon was adopted into a powerful tribe after a nomadic childhood, so he is an outsider. Still young, he's had many hair-raising adventures and learned to be a leader, though of lesser status than a female. The Raksura are farmers, predators and prey.

The Tale Of Indigo And Cloud follows a young Raksura queen, Indigo, who has stolen a consort from another court, provoking war, echoing the Helen of Troy story. The Forest Boy recounts a tale of the Mirani people, more like us but in the same world, living on the forest fringe along the Long Road. When they adopt a wildling, who knows what he'll grow into? Adaptation describes how Chime unexpectedly shifts from a magic-using mentor into a warrior. Records suggest that this presages doom for his colony.

If you like SF&F or nature, and you want to know how it feels to hunt on the perilous forest floor or scuttle through treetops hanging on by your hind claws, STORIES OF THE RAKSURA is made for you to savour. Anyone reading these stories is going to want to chase up the earlier novels. Martha Wells has an extraordinary talent and I look forward to reading more of her works.