There is something rather delicious about flight, is there not? The very notion of slipping the surly bonds of earth and soaring among the clouds has captivated storytellers since the first human gazed upward and wondered what it might be like to join the birds in their wind-borne dance.
If you, dear reader, share this particular fascination—if your heart lifts at the thought of characters who possess the extraordinary gift of flight—then you have come to the right place. We have gathered here the finest tales of winged heroes, magical flyers, and remarkable souls who take to the skies in the most imaginative ways.
1. The Wendy by Erin Michelle Sky and Steven Brown
Now here is a tale that shall make your heart sing and soar in equal measure. The Wendy reimagines the story of Peter Pan with a rather brilliant twist—Peter is not a boy but a full-grown man with features chiseled by the gods, wings like a hawk, and a tiny dragon companion who loves to stir up trouble.
But the true magic lies in our heroine, Wendy Darling, an orphan with dreams as vast as the sky itself—she longs to captain her own ship and sail the seven seas. The writing style echoes the whimsy of classic fairy tales while delivering a thoroughly modern adventure, complete with sword fights, secrets, and magic that smells like green and tastes like pickles.
Readers have declared it “better than the original” and praised Wendy as “close to the pinnacle of perfectly created strong female heroines.” The prose is wickedly clever, the adventures are thrilling, and by the time Peter drops out of the sky in Dover, you shall be utterly enchanted. The complete trilogy is now available, so you needn’t wait to continue the adventure.
2. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
What if children were created in a laboratory with wings grafted to their very backs? Such is the delightfully terrifying premise of James Patterson’s blockbuster series. Fourteen-year-old Max leads a “flock” of six winged children who escaped from a sinister facility called The School.
When the youngest member is kidnapped, Max and her companions must brave terrible dangers to rescue her, all while evading the monstrous half-wolf creatures hunting them. It is, as one clever reviewer noted, “like the best sort of video game or action movie, in book form.” The flight sequences are exhilarating, and Max’s determination to protect her found family proves quite irresistible.
3. The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
Martha Wells, beloved author of the Murderbot Diaries, here presents something altogether different and wonderful. Moon is a shapeshifter who can transform into a winged creature, yet he has spent his entire life hiding this ability, never knowing where he came from or what he truly is.
When he finally discovers others like himself—the Raksura, a race of flying shapeshifters—he must learn to navigate their complex society while helping defend them against a terrifying enemy. The world-building is breathtakingly original, featuring no humans whatsoever, and the flying sequences are rendered with loving detail. N.K. Jemisin called it “that rarest of fantasies: fresh and surprising.”
4. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
Piper McCloud is a farm girl with a secret she simply cannot keep hidden—she has been able to fly since she was a baby, as naturally as breathing. When her gift is discovered at a village picnic, she is whisked away to a special school for children with extraordinary abilities.
Stephenie Meyer described this charming tale as “the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men,” and that captures it perfectly. Piper’s innocent wonder and unshakeable goodness make her impossible not to love, even as she uncovers dark secrets lurking beneath her school’s pleasant surface. A delightful read for young adventurers and those who love them.
5. Updraft by Fran Wilde
Imagine a world where humans live in towers of living bone that stretch above the clouds, traveling between them on mechanical silk wings. In this extraordinary setting, young Kirit dreams of becoming a trader like her mother, soaring through the sky on her own wings.
But when she inadvertently breaks the mysterious Laws that govern her city, she is forced to join the secretive Singers who guard against terrifying invisible predators. The world-building earned a Nebula nomination, and the flight sequences capture both the freedom and the danger of a life lived entirely in the air.
6. Windhaven by George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle
Long before dragons, George R.R. Martin collaborated with Lisa Tuttle on this beautiful tale of a world where humans fly on metal wings salvaged from ancient spacecraft. The flyers have become an elite caste, passing their precious wings only to their own children.
Maris, a fisherman’s daughter who learned to fly, dares to challenge this tradition. The flying sequences are lyrical and breathtaking, and Maris’s story spans decades as she fights to make the skies open to all who dream of flight. Jane Yolen praised it as “a book for adults and children who have dreamed of flying with their own wings.”
7. His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik
What if the Napoleonic Wars were fought not only on land and sea, but in the air—with dragons? Captain Will Laurence of the British Navy captures a French ship carrying an unhatched dragon egg, and when the dragonet Temeraire bonds with him, his entire life changes.
The aerial combat sequences are masterfully rendered, with dragons carrying fighting crews into battle like magnificent flying ships. Temeraire himself is a delight—intelligent, curious, and fiercely loyal. This Hugo-nominated novel launched a beloved nine-book series that reimagines history with dragons soaring through every chapter.
8. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
At Basgiath War College, cadets must bond with a dragon or die trying—quite literally. Violet Sorrengail, despite a condition that makes her bones fragile, is determined to survive and thrive in this brutal academy where students fly on the backs of telepathic dragons.
This phenomenon became one of the bestselling fantasy novels of recent years, blending pulse-pounding aerial action with compelling romance. The dragon-rider bond creates opportunities for breathtaking flight sequences, and the stakes could not be higher. Perfect for readers who like their flying adventures served with a generous helping of danger and desire.
9. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
In a world where airplanes were never invented, magnificent airships rule the skies. Matt Cruse is a cabin boy aboard the luxury vessel Aurora, and he loves nothing more than being aloft among the clouds. When a dying balloonist tells him of mysterious creatures that live their entire lives in the sky, Matt dismisses it as fantasy—until a determined young passenger arrives seeking to prove the creatures exist.
This Printz Honor Book captures the wonder of flight in an alternate world that feels both familiar and magical. Reviewers have compared it to Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, and the aerial adventures with pirates and sky creatures are utterly thrilling.
10. Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
Though this tale takes place in space rather than atmosphere, the flight sequences are too spectacular to ignore. Spensa dreams of becoming a starfighter pilot, defending her people from the mysterious aliens that constantly attack their planet. But her father’s disgrace as an accused coward stands in her way.
When she discovers an ancient ship with a peculiar personality, Spensa finds her chance to prove herself. Brandon Sanderson’s dogfight sequences, crafted with input from real fighter pilots, capture the exhilaration and terror of aerial combat. The New York Times bestseller launched a four-book series perfect for readers who dream of soaring among the stars.
There you have it, dear reader—ten magnificent tales of flight to set your imagination soaring. Whether you prefer wings of feather, wings of silk, or the back of a dragon, these stories shall carry you to heights unknown. Now off you go—the winds of fate wait for no one.
