Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Publishes
Jan 2, 2024
416 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
Plummet into a kill-or-be-killed competition where a scrappy underdog hell-bent on revenge must claw his way to the top in this thrilling YA fantasy debut
Exiled to live as a Low, sixteen-year-old Conrad refuses to become heir to his murderous uncle. But Meritocracy is a harsh and unforgiving rule on the floating island of Holmstead, and when his ailing mother is killed by monstrous gorgantauns, Conrad cuts a deal to save the only family he has left. To rescue his sister from his uncle's clutches, Conrad must enter the Selection of the Twelve Trades.
Hunter, the deadliest of all the Trades, gains a fresh recruit with Conrad. Now he must endure vigorous training, manipulative peers, and the Gauntlet—a brutal final test that yields riches and status to whichever skyship crew kills the most gorgantauns. Forced to serve in the lowest of stations and unseen by all, Conrad overhears whispers of rebellion in the dark. Conrad had never known anything existed below the toxic black clouds of the Skylands...until now.
Grab your copy of Book One of the Above the Black trilogy today! This action-packed series is reminiscent of Attack on Titan and The Hunger Games—a great pick for fans of Pierce Brown, Scott Westerfeld, and Veronica Roth.
"A thrilling and brilliantly realized series opener; readers will clamor for the next installment." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"This debut YA fantasy has an intricate class-based dystopia, teeth-clenching and gory battle scenes, complex and well-developed characters with constantly evolving relationships, found family, loyalty, and a hint of romance. First in an upcoming trilogy, this book is highly recommended to readers who love fantasy and dystopia." —Booklist (starred review)
"Debut author Gregson plunges headlong into a first-person-present adventure that alternates high-stakes action with nuanced interpersonal drama. Mutinous machinations and improbable alliances distinguish this rousing trilogy opener, and snarky banter and sophisticated character arcs lend dimension to the intersectionally diverse cast." —Publishers Weekly
This information about Sky's End was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Marc J Gregson lives in Salt Lake City with his wife and their three little girls including a set of identical twins. He believes in the power of words and that stories can unite people from all origins. He writes sci-fi and fantasy, and his debut YA fantasy trilogy, Above the Black, begins with Sky's End from Peachtree Teen.
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