Flying isn't just for Peter Pan. Many people have dreams where they fly. Some have dreams where they aim for the ground and miss, which could be considered the same thing. Here are some novels for adults about a favorite fantasy.
Tom Miller manages the near-impossible in his debut, The Philosopher's Flight. Robert "Boober" Weekes longs to join the Rescue and Evacuation Corps of WWI. Before he does that, however, he has to pass sigilry school at Radcliffe and ends up falling in love. You see, in this alternative history, women are stronger at magic (known here as empirical philosophy), especially flying, and there's quite the prejudice against men with the audacity to try it. Of course there's also still misogyny running rampant, and violence often erupts between empirical philosophers and "Trenchers." Speaking much to the present day, this is a rollicking adventure in a superbly built world that will make you sad to leave it.
Fran Wilde's Updraft takes place in a world of spires of living bone where the ground is lost to memory. Young Kirit dreams of taking her skytest and working as a trader. However, she inadvertently breaks one of the unassailable laws of her world and is coerced into training for leadership. A premise of a primitive civilization built on falsehoods may seem old hat, but Wilde makes it compelling reading.
A darker tone is struck in Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. The corrupt city of New Crobuzon is built within the skeletal remains of an ancient behemoth, and an eccentric scientist named Isaac lives there. When Isaac encounters Yagharek, a winged being who has lost his wings, his curiosity is piqued, and he instigates the liberation of a creature that even the Ambassador of Hell is loathe to challenge. While not for the faint of heart, this book has both action and philosophy spread out over a broad canvas.
Have other tales of the airborne? Tell us about them in the comments.
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