"Untethered Sky" is one of this year's crop of Nebula-nominated novellas. It's a naturalistic fantasy: there are rocs and manticores, but they feel like real creatures with sinew and muscle. The story is narrated by Ester, who -- spoiler warning -- becomes a ruhker, the equivalent of a falconer, but for a huge predatory roc, the only creature that can take down a manticore.It has a very different atmosphere from Lee's Green Bone Saga. In place of urban gangs and the drug-like effects of jade, this conjures wild creatures hunting in a windswept expanse of grass and scrub.I found the first four-fifths of the book good. I liked Ester, I especially liked the details about the rocs, and that they were not over-glamorized. For instance, Lee includes the detail of Ester's roc, Zahra, crapping before she takes to the air (as falcons typically do: less weight to launch). The tone was almost sweet, though not soft.I outright loved the final fifth of the book. Excellent.Overall, four out of five untethered stars (five out of five for the closing section).About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).