Flightless - by Marie Parks (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Riff is a disgraced, low-class thief. All of his hopes hinge on Ascension, so he can rejoin the elite, upper-class thieves guild he belonged to as a youth. When he's offered a rare, lucrative job to steal an artifact and prove himself to the guild, there's no question he'll take it. But as his crewmates grow skittish, and one of his usuals refuses to join the operation, Riff wonders what they know that he doesn't.

As his crew prepares, they face sabotage and betrayal. The only way out is forward, because the artifact is their sole bargaining chip for their lives. Riff must discover how far he's willing to go to improve his station and confront his ambitions. This job has the potential to fulfill all his dreams... or end his career.

Review Quotes

"This was the book I needed. The fun, heisty bits create a tasty coating for real conversations about revolution. Intimate, sweeping, and full of flight."

--Mary Robinette Kowal, author ofThe Calculating Stars

"Flightless is an exhilarating blend of Maximum Ride and Gentleman Bastards I didn't know I needed."

--AJ Alexanders, Author of Not Your Mountain

"A moving story of a disadvantaged group's struggle to survive in a society divided by birthright, and a revolutionary reveal that affirms there is honor amongst thieves."

--Hugh Fritz, author of The Mystic Rampage Trilogy

"A thrilling heist to restore a broken reputation turns into so much more in this stunning solo debut."

--Jes Honard, author of The Grigori Cycle

"Flightless is fantastic, with characters that fly off the page through a unique world that resonates with modernity."

--Daniel Eavenson "Fantasy Book of the Month Podcast"

"From the opening pages of Unrelenting, the reader is swept along in Bridget's quest to find her sister. Along the way, she meets unlikely allies, makes dark enemies, and learns unbelievable secrets. I particularly enjoyed the well-crafted secret world we discover in the story. And I was reminded of Tanya's Huff's Smoke trilogy - fans of that series will enjoy Unrelenting."

--LeeAnn McClennan, author of The Supernormal Legacy Trilogy

"Memorable characters, a fascinating world, tons of action, and deep political intrigue: FLIGHTLESS, Marie Parks's impressive solo debut novel, has it all."

--D.B. Jackson, author of the Thieftaker Chronicles

"Parks' universe of three species living in strict social and legal hierarchy makes Flightless immediately and, unfortunately, perpetually relevant."

--Benjamin Gorman, author of Don't Read This Book, You Were Warned, and You People Are Monsters

"Readers will eat up this fantasy heist that's given depth by its social conscience and heartfelt hero."

--Neal Holtschulte, author of Crew of Exiles and Tall Boy Sun

"Unrelenting effortlessly blends supernatural fantasy and thriller into one cohesive, wholly accessible story-one that expertly subverts the story and character tropes of those genres, yet takes full advantage of the structural commonalities that readers love about them."

--Peter Malone Elliot, Pipeline Media Group

About the Author

Marie Parks is an LGBTQIA+ fantasy author who won the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards for best LGBTQ book for her co-authored debut, Unrelenting, in 2022 and was a finalist for the Futurescapes Award for Most Promising New Author. Additionally, she was a finalist for the Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest. She lives in New Mexico, where she founded Sandia Starforgers retreats for writers. She enjoys hiking, camping, and eating green chile.