SKYGULL CALAMITY

As the son of the famed zephyr Olianna Hodges, who broke gender barriers, Blue has a lot to live up to as he heads into Zephyr Academy’s test day.

The family has had money troubles since an accident led to his dad’s death and mum’s memory loss. Blue needs to become a zephyr, someone who pilots the airships called solars. In Nova City, which has hundreds of levels connected by “ladders and lifts, trellises and rigging,” you only get one chance—and unfortunately, Blue flubs the test’s high-altitude jump. Miraculously, he survives, but instead of becoming a zephyr, he’s made a weathermaster’s apprentice. The forecast gets sunnier when Blue meets wealthy Tate Harper, whose parents insist on calling her “Coraline,” the first name she despises, and try to force her to adhere to the limited roles acceptable for girls. As the government conceals an impending weather-related disaster, Blue and Tate unexpectedly find themselves on a solar bound toward a solution. Can they stop the storm before it destroys their home? With careful plotting and memorable characters, Fairchild’s debut taps into the style of classic fantasies while still feeling fresh. Though the tale moves between only two locations, the array of gadgets makes the worldbuilding expansive and original. Rebellion against social norms lends a welcome feminist bent. The minimally described characters largely present white; Blue is cued as neurodivergent. Final art not seen.

Riveting fun with a light nod to tech-induced climate change.