Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity, towering for miles over the mist-shrouded surface of the world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace. Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting...

Briefly describes some of the machines that fly in the air, including the Wright brothers' flying machine, helicopters, ultralights, dirigibles, hurricane hunting planes, supersonic airplanes, and others.

Describes the development and early flights of airships and the disastrous explosion of the passenger airship, Hindenberg, at a New Jersey airfield on May 6, 1937, in which thirty-six people were killed.

For eleven year-old Hugo Ballard, flying on the Hindenburg is a dream come true. Hugo, his parents, and his four-year-old sister Gertie, are making the thrilling four thousand mile journey across the Atlantic in a zeppelin as big as the Titanic. But as the zeppelin gets ready to land, a blast rocks the Hindenburg and fire consumes the ship. The entire disaster lasts a mere thirty-two seconds, but in those few seconds, Hugo finds himself separated...

"The fate of the Cinder Spires may be decided by crossed swords in the next exhilarating fantasy adventure from the author of the Dresden Files, in this New York Times bestselling series of noble families, swordplay, and airships. For centuries the Cinder Spires have safeguarded humanity, rising far above the deadly surface world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses rule, developing scientific marvels and building fleets of airships for defense...

"Brought to the flying city of Highgate when he was only five years old, orphan Milo Quick has never known another home. Now almost thirteen, Milo survives one daredevil grift at a time, relying only on his wit, speed, and best friends Jules and Dagda. A massive armada has surrounded Highgate's crumbling armaments. Because behind locked doors--in opulent parlors and pneumatic forests and a master toymaker's workshop--the once-great flying city protects...

"Creeper, a scrappy young teen, is done living on the streets of New Orleans. Her sights are set on securing passage aboard Captain Ann-Marie's smuggler airship Midnight Robber, earning the captain's trust using a secret about a kidnapped Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon he calls the Black God's Drums. But Creeper keeps another secret close to her heart-- Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, who speaks inside her head and grants...

The Cahills are the world's most powerful family, but their strength is being tested. A sinister man calling himself The Outcast has targeted the family and set them an impossible test. He's recreating four of history's worst disasters and challenging the young Cahills to find and stop the tragedies before it's too late. Now, with one disaster behind them, siblings Dan and Amy Cahill and their friends have just days to discover what the Outcast's...