Thief of the Heights by Son M. & Robin Yao
Squire meets Parasite in Son M. and Robin Yao's debut young adult SFF graphic novel, Thief of the Heights, in which three friends hope their inventions will propel them to the top of their vertically stacked city and away from disease ridden waters of the lower level. But when all is not what it appears, they'll have to decide whether to fight for those they grew up with or fall in line to achieve everything they've ever dreamed.
Lifelong friends Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah have carved out a place for themselves in their corner of Muqadas, where they dream of climbing from their place in the city’s lowest level, above the limb-snatching, disease-infested waters, to the very top of their vertical city. Young inventors who’ve seen firsthand the havoc the Habar infection causes set out to dazzle the masses with their innovative prosthetics and escape the dangers of Lake Saha.
When their inventions catch the eye of a scout who is on the hunt for new talent to bring to the higher tiers, their dreams are suddenly within reach. But as the wonders of the upper tiers enchant, Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah begin to question why the bounty of Muqadas falls short of reaching Lake Saha's inhabitants.
Behind the beauty of the city's upper tiers lies dark and dangerous secrets—ones that threaten not only everything they’ve worked for but everyone they love. And when Mustafa and Aarfah are cast away for their allegiance to Lake Saha, Basem is faced with the difficult choice: Fight to bring justice to all of Muqadas? Or abandon his friends and fall in line to achieve everything he’s ever dreamed of?
Specs:
240 pages | Paperback
9 in H | 6 in W | 1.2 lb Wt
ISBN: 9780063067325
Squire meets Parasite in Son M. and Robin Yao's debut young adult SFF graphic novel, Thief of the Heights, in which three friends hope their inventions will propel them to the top of their vertically stacked city and away from disease ridden waters of the lower level. But when all is not what it appears, they'll have to decide whether to fight for those they grew up with or fall in line to achieve everything they've ever dreamed.
Lifelong friends Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah have carved out a place for themselves in their corner of Muqadas, where they dream of climbing from their place in the city’s lowest level, above the limb-snatching, disease-infested waters, to the very top of their vertical city. Young inventors who’ve seen firsthand the havoc the Habar infection causes set out to dazzle the masses with their innovative prosthetics and escape the dangers of Lake Saha.
When their inventions catch the eye of a scout who is on the hunt for new talent to bring to the higher tiers, their dreams are suddenly within reach. But as the wonders of the upper tiers enchant, Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah begin to question why the bounty of Muqadas falls short of reaching Lake Saha's inhabitants.
Behind the beauty of the city's upper tiers lies dark and dangerous secrets—ones that threaten not only everything they’ve worked for but everyone they love. And when Mustafa and Aarfah are cast away for their allegiance to Lake Saha, Basem is faced with the difficult choice: Fight to bring justice to all of Muqadas? Or abandon his friends and fall in line to achieve everything he’s ever dreamed of?
Specs:
240 pages | Paperback
9 in H | 6 in W | 1.2 lb Wt
ISBN: 9780063067325
Squire meets Parasite in Son M. and Robin Yao's debut young adult SFF graphic novel, Thief of the Heights, in which three friends hope their inventions will propel them to the top of their vertically stacked city and away from disease ridden waters of the lower level. But when all is not what it appears, they'll have to decide whether to fight for those they grew up with or fall in line to achieve everything they've ever dreamed.
Lifelong friends Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah have carved out a place for themselves in their corner of Muqadas, where they dream of climbing from their place in the city’s lowest level, above the limb-snatching, disease-infested waters, to the very top of their vertical city. Young inventors who’ve seen firsthand the havoc the Habar infection causes set out to dazzle the masses with their innovative prosthetics and escape the dangers of Lake Saha.
When their inventions catch the eye of a scout who is on the hunt for new talent to bring to the higher tiers, their dreams are suddenly within reach. But as the wonders of the upper tiers enchant, Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah begin to question why the bounty of Muqadas falls short of reaching Lake Saha's inhabitants.
Behind the beauty of the city's upper tiers lies dark and dangerous secrets—ones that threaten not only everything they’ve worked for but everyone they love. And when Mustafa and Aarfah are cast away for their allegiance to Lake Saha, Basem is faced with the difficult choice: Fight to bring justice to all of Muqadas? Or abandon his friends and fall in line to achieve everything he’s ever dreamed of?
Specs:
240 pages | Paperback
9 in H | 6 in W | 1.2 lb Wt
ISBN: 9780063067325
PERFECT FOR FANS OF SQUIRE and ON A SUNBEAM: With SWANA/MENA-identifying readers clamoring for more stories, Thief of the Heights is sure to make a splash with fans of science fiction. Perfect for readers of ND Stevenson, Tillie Walden, Sara Alfageeh, and Nadia Shammas!
"This story, which features an ethnically diverse cast in a world infused with North African and Islamic cultural elements, as well as meaningful queer and disabled representation, explores complex themes around inequality paired with compelling art. Introspective and insightful, with eclectic characters who burst through the narrative." -Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Son M. is an Algerian Amazigh Muslim writer who enjoys creating narratives in both prose and visual mediums. She specializes in horror, science fiction, action, thriller, and mystery. Son’s very passionate about comics, games, and animation, leading her to create stories in all three mediums. She draws her power from the Sun. You can find her work being published by Dark Horse, DC Comics, Vault Comics, and more. Visit her online at theboglands.com.
Robin Yao is a queer Chinese American illustrator who loves to tell stories through environments and world-building—the rich narrative that fills the negative space around the characters in impactful and subtle ways—be it in games, animation, comics, or just about any visual medium that exists out there. Oh, and they have a penchant for horror. See their work at robinyao.com.
