Flight of the Fallen

Magebike Courier #2

by Hana Lee, Natalie Naudus (Narrator)

Hana Lee’s gritty, queer Mad Max -inspired fantasy duology continues with more high-stakes political intrigue, monsters of all kinds, and a high-speed motorcycle adventure to find a refuge for humanity beyond the wasteland.

Jin-Lu should be happy. Princess Yi-Nereen of Kerina Rut and Prince Kadrin of Kerina Sol have reunited after twelve long years, having survived a near-apocalypse. They are safe and in love—thanks to Jin—and they want her to join them for their upcoming nuptials in Kerina Sol.

But their happy ending came at the cost of Jin’s.

Jin lost everything in the fallout of saving the world. Now she’s Talentless, scrabbling to eke out a living in the lowest echelons of society. All she wants is to be left alone with her shameful secret, but the storms that sweep the wastes have other plans.

When refugees from a fallen city flood into Kerina Sol, the delicate balance between Talented and Talentless shatters. With tensions rising and civil war looming, Yi-Nereen, Kadrin, and Jin must join forces again to save their own people and the refugees.

Now their salvation lies beyond the wastes, in the mythical home of the the First City.

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Science Fiction, Romance, Queer, Dystopia, Adult

Audible Audio

Published June 10, 2025

About the author

Hana Lee is a biracial Korean American science fiction and fantasy author. By day, she makes her living as a software engineer. Her short story "Bari and the Resurrection Flower" was included in the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy 2024 anthology, and she is the author of the Magebike Courier duology (ROAD TO RUIN & FLIGHT OF THE FALLEN), which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and was featured on the Locus Recommended Reading List. Her hobbies include fiber arts, gaming, and performing with her a capella group.

Reviews

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Kadrin gripped her hand and smiled at her, and Jin’s heart cracked. What would it take for him to stop smiling? Whatever it was, she’d burn the world to prevent it from ever coming to pass.”

as a sequel and a conclusion, i enjoyed this one. each of the characters had their time to shine and Kadrin has become my favorite character out of the whole group. i loved his development and how refreshing it was to have someone with his personality to balance everyone out. they’re all struggling with their own issues that i won’t elaborate on to keep from spoiling, but the pacing was perfect and i still really enjoy the magic and the setting. even though Sou-Zell was testing my patience, i actually ended up appreciating having his perspective on everything around him. Jin and Yi-Nereen were like opposite sides of the same coin, I’m glad they’ve found a way to be happy with the cards they’ve been dealt. my only complaint is that i wanted more of the romance, i thought it’d be a bigger focus but it wasn’t at all really.. either way, i believe the plot was engaging enough to carry this one through. also loved the dinosaur battles and Screech specifically, just a great duology overall.

➛ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Saga Press for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[BookishKB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queer Mad Max

🏍️ Bookish Thoughts
Flight of The Fallen started off slower than I expected, and I was worried for a bit, but it really picked up around the 40% mark. From that point on it was basically non stop action, and it went in a direction I didn’t see coming but ended up enjoying.

I do wish the romance had played a bigger role. It definitely took a back seat in book 2, which was fine, but book 1 set it up in a way that made me expect more focus on that subplot here.

Overall, this was a solid 4 star read.

🛠 What to Expect
• Queer Mad Max
• Dinosaur battles
• Magitek worldbuilding
• Refugee crisis
• Found family
• Political rebellion
• Talent vs. Talentless
• Dystopian setting
______

📖 Final Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📅 Pub Date: June 10, 2025
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany)]

The first half of this was pretty slow and didn't have the action I was expecting from book 1, but the payoff in the second half is pretty fantastic. There are big twists and reveals, and where the characters end up is satisfying. It starts off with a much different vibe than book 1 but I'm glad I continued with it. Still thinking about some of the revelations we get and I would have loved more on that! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[CarlysGrowingTBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A rip roaring conclusion to The Magebike Courier duology

Book Stats:
📖: 464 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Saga Press
Format: Physical ARC
Series: Book 2/2 of The Magebike Courier Duology

Themes:
🏍️ : Saving Humanity
🏍️ : Love at any cost

Representation:
⚡️: Polyamory (F/F/M)
⚡️: Biracial Korean Author

Tropes:
💗: One Bike
💗: Slow Burn romance
💗: Fast paced


🥵: Spice: 🌶️ (closed door)
Potential Triggers: **check authors page/socials for full list.

Short Synopsis:
Picking up right where we left off: The Prince and Princess should be set. They're due to be married and survived the almost apocalypse. Jin is in shambles and talentless. But of course, nothing can stay calm, a nearby Karina Falls to the storms, and Karina Rut is overwhelmed with refugees. With their mana stores depleting Karina must figure out how to save not only their people, but the refugees as well, from utter devastation.

General Thoughts:
This duology ended on such a high note for me. The action packed fight sequences and racing across the wasteland only ramped up in this next installment. The character development continued and was taken places I did not expect which was new and refreshing. While it still held on to the same excellent storytelling and writing style from the previous book, it developed enough that it almost felt like its own story.

I did have issues in the first book with what I felt was a lack of world building, and I do feel like that was resolved within this novel. It was more explained how the world's relied on the mana stores and I felt like I had a better grasp of the political world as well. Some characters that I felt I did not get enough of the first book were definitely more prominent in this instrument as well.

I really enjoyed where the story went. It was high stakes enough to keep it action packed and captivating, while giving just enough slowburn romance to enhance the story without overwhelming it. Do not go into this novel expecting heavy romance the main point is the fantasy.

In conclusion, I found this duology to be unique and fresh. Something different from the norm of fantasy and sci-fi genre bending. I cannot wait till Hana Lee writes something else if this was the debut and it was the stellar.

Disclaimer: I read this book via physical ARC from Saga Press. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Frances White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dynamic and propulsive with real heart, Flight of The Fallen is the perfect sequel to Road to Ruin, expanding the intriguing world and the fascinating people who inhabit it. At its core is a trio of characters and their enduring love in a cruel and unforgiving landscape. Hold on tight, you’re in for a wild ride.

Also, I would die for Kadrin. ❤️

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.

Even before I finished Road to Ruin, I knew I needed to get my hands on Flight of the Fallen as soon as possible! The world Hana Lee has created draws me in and I just do not want to leave, even with the violence and horror and danger inherent. And the characters!! I love Jin, Reena, and Kadrin all so much, plus all the other characters? The nuance and complexity of so many of them! I also loved the way O’s observations help flesh out the world and also had an element of mystery of what exactly is going on. I’m starting to have some Theories about the gods and where people came from after the ending, and I cannot wait to see what’s going to happen next. Honestly, one of the best parts of this book has been Sou-Zell’s development and the complexity of his character. He’s one I’m excited to see how things play out with. There’s so many wonderful elements of this story that I kept jumping on and exclaiming over, especially as pieces came together to form a more full picture. I also really liked how this subtly played with paired gods and how history will, over time, vilify and erase the female power in favor of the male figure. This just really had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would be revealed and what would happen next. Lee truly has created a masterful story and I cannot wait to see the conclusion of this trilogy, as well as what she’ll write in the future!

[Weronika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flight of the Fallen is a great conclusion to a duology series! Being back with the characters as they grow and adapt in a new world was an enthralling ride.

Throughout the many POVs, we learn that after Jin saved the world and sacrificed her own Talent, the storms aren’t any close to stopping, the Talentless are displaced and mana is disappearing. Desperately trying to find a solution, Jin, Yi-Nereen and Kadrin will travel across the desert and battle power hungry rulers for the chance at living free.

I really like our trio of heroes and they are just such a likable and diverse bunch of characters. I loved the polyamorous romance angle in this book, it was so fluid and believable, a truly special story and showcase of relationships. The character growth was so immersive and the magical lore woven meticulously. Can’t forget to mention Screech, the sassy pteropter!

The mystery of the gods and new revelations made the plot really skyrocket for me. There was a steady tension that had a fantastic crescendo in the final chapters. I’m even more intrigued at the new unlocked possibilities, it was very well done! This story really shines as a unique fantasy with rich world building and political intrigue, I recommend it to fans of adventure and character driven books!

Thank you to Saga Press for the review copy #sagasayscrew

[Kemi Ashing-Giwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good fiction takes an empathetic but discerning look at the world and tackles the hard questions. Great fiction does that and manages to be engaging.

At 452 pages, you’d think this book might drag at points, but no. I can count the number of novels I’ve blazed through like this on one hand. With the sequel to Road to Ruin, Hana Lee has gifted us another vibrant science fantasy epic, full of vivid characters, packed with sharp dialogue, and threaded with twists I guarantee you won’t see coming. (The things I’d do to get an adaptation of this duology…)

Few series indeed feel this satisfying. Lee ties together all the threads they introduced in book one with incredible skill, weaving a gut-punch of an ending with a generous helping of sorely needed hope. There are comfort reads that transport you somewhere strange and magical, and there are reads that comfort because they illustrate how to survive impossible situations. I’m delighted to report that Flight of the Fallen is both.

Trust me. You won’t want to miss this.

[Gretal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great conclusion to this duology! I really enjoyed what this had to say and where all the characters ended up. I definitely plan to check out more from Hana Lee in the future.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

vroom vroom round 2!

a satisfying novel and while i had a great deal of fun, i'll definitely appreciate reading the two books back to back.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 51%

i tried to give this book a chance. i liked the beginnings of the first book, the last chunk had many issues, and unfortunately all of the issues i had with the first book are present in this book. with the annoying addition of trying to write witty humor as a form of character personality, but it comes off as cringy and eye-rolling

zero chemistry between the main characters, i still don’t understand the magic system, and the political intrigue is nonexistent.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Bonnie McDaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second and final book in the Magebike Courier series, a recent trend I like. In the past, so many authors sold massive trilogies with only two books' worth of plot, and the middle volume was on many occasions a meandering underwhelming mess. The recent trend of duologies, however, means that if well done, the author sets up the characters and world and makes the stakes plain in the first book, and ramps up the tension and resolves all those plot/character threads in the second.

This second book does all that, and does it right. We learn much more about this world and its history, and the characters and their relationships are deepened. This series also dips its toes into what I personally like to call "science fantasy." We discover there is actually something of a science fictional background for this universe--the world and its civilization was a colony planet abandoned by its colonizers, the long-ago Road Builders. Whether these Road Builders were human is left up in the air, although it's plausible to this reader that they were. The Road Builders were not the greatest bunch of people, however, as evidenced by the fact that their descendants, the people living in the wasteland cities, were apparently genetically engineered by the Road Builders and abandoned as "useless and abhorrent." But these descendants have powers that come down firmly on the fantasy side of the equation: Talents, which use a magical and increasingly rare substance called "mana" as their fuel.

In fact, the scarcity of mana fuels a major part of the plot, as our three main protagonists, Jin, Kadrin and Yi-Nereen, become embroiled in a search for the so-called "First City," the mythical original settlement of the Road Builders. This is necessary because the magical storms of the wastelands are becoming worse and more deadly, threatening to overcome the shieldcasters protecting the remaining kerinas, or cities. Yi-Nereen is an extremely powerful shieldcaster with a secret: she can literally steal another person's mana, and thus their Talent, from that person's body, and take it for her own. (She does just that in the first book to save Jin's life, and the aftermath of suddenly being made Talentless forms a major part of Jin's character arc.) The search for the First City also embroils those who wish to overthrow the tyrannical religious factions controlling the kerinas, in particular the main city in which most of the action takes place, Kerina Sol. As the magestorms destroy neighboring cities and Kerina Sol is forced to take in refugees, the tensions between the Talented and Talentless, and the rulers and the ruled, come to a boiling point. When a crisis strikes and Kerina Sol's mana spring appears to be drying up, Jin and Yi-Nereen, along with a couple of others, strike out across the wastelands on their search. They find the First City and the secrets of the Road Builders, and have a final showdown with Yi-Nereen's father Lai-Dan, who wants to take the First City as his own.

This story is mostly told through the rotating viewpoints of Jin, Kadrin and Yi-Nereen, who eventually end up becoming a polyamorous triad (and I rather appreciated the author's not writing an explicit sex scene when they get together). The book's ending focuses on Jin and what she has been through and learned, and wraps everything up in a nicely satisfying manner. This book is definitely better than the first, and it's nice to see the author leveling up like this.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh good I was missing the velociraptor square on my dinosaur bingo board

readability: good
enjoyability: good
craft: decent

Thanks to Netgalley and Saga for providing an eARC in exchange for this honest review. Really 3.5 stars.

I originally read Road to Ruin as part of a quest to read all the books allegedly targeted in the Cait Corrain scandal, and it stood out as my favorite of the bunch. This was mostly due to a combination of balanced worldbuilding (neatly straddling the line between originality and homage) and a compelling, polyamorous main dynamic. Thankfully, those two factors are still going strong in Flight of the Fallen, which picks up shortly after the last book and finds our heroes struggling with a refugee crisis, the rise of religious zealotry, and either the loss or presence of their magic “Talents”, depending on the character. After they hear of a not-so-mythical lost city that could be the solution to these problems, they set out to find it while also struggling to balance the political unrest at home.

Overall, this was a worthy Part 2 of the duology. Road to Ruin's weakest point was its messy third act, so I was pleasantly surprised that Flight of the Fallen's third act is neater, and does a decent job earning its ending. Another high point was that this book delved into a lot more worldbuilding, though as a consequence of this there are a lot more characters and not always enough for them to do. Kadrin in particular felt superfluous to a lot of the action, though I enjoyed him as a character. (One WOULD have to be a kind, empathetic, idealistic, and hot as hell prince to somehow bag BOTH of these really cool heroines.) It rankled a little that, for a book whose theme is ostensibly "people born without magical abilities are just as important and worthy as people born with them," the other characters sure did leave him behind a bunch due to his lack of magical talent.

Of course, some of the meatiest arcs and/or most fun qualities are given to the side characters. It was nice to see more of Falka, Sou-Zell, and Eliesen, along with some new ones. And of course there was once again some satisfying dinosaur-related action, which I appreciated.

The ending of Flight of the Fallen isn’t interested in overexplaining itself, and if this series ended up as the next Fourth Wing or whatever, there would be umpteen Youtube video essays called “flight of the fallen ENDING EXPLAINED.” But of course this series is far better written than that one, and takes bigger risks. It's not perfect, but it's highly readable and I’d say most of those risks pay off here.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bisexual angst we deserve

Angst angst angst angst! Ugh this was such a good conclusion. I love these characters and the way their learning to navigate each other. I love Screech. The world is cool, and I love Jin's arc of accepting she doesn't have power anymore. I can't wait to read more from Hana Lee.

Does Screech Die?: nope!

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Thank you Saga Press for the e-arc and finished copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great sequel to round out a solid, action-packed dystopian science fantasy duology. Also canon polyamory!!

All four of our POV characters had something interesting and unique to say (even if I wanted to yeet Sou-Zell into the sun on more than one occasion) and brought a totally different perspective to the story at hand. We dealt with grief, disability (sort of? This is kind of complicated… in a world where magic is “normal” and someone loses theirs, that would be a disability in-world?), challenging abusers, PTSD, thrilling fights against dinosaur-like creatures, politics, religious fanaticism, revolution, the refugee crisis, climate change (kind of??), and more.

This felt way more balanced than the first book, with better pacing across our POVs. Hana Lee will be an author to watch

{Thank you Saga Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Priscilla | Books Imperfect Condition · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Saga Press Books #SagaSaysCrew for the gifted books!

Happy Release Day to FLIGHT OF THE FALLEN by HANA LEE! 🎉

⚡️

What initially drew me to this Duology was that it was described as a sapphic, Mad Max inspired fantasy involving motorbikes, monsters, and magic. What’s more, the cover just called to me! So when I read ROAD TO RUIN last year, it was everything I hoped for and then some…gripping, action-packed, and wildly entertaining. Afterwords, I was chomping at the bit for book two, and as I suspected, FLIGHT OF THE FALLEN delivered, it was the perfect conclusion to the saga.

If you love stories that crank up the action while pulling hard on your heartstrings, with characters who are complex, emotionally rich, and deeply compelling, then rev your engines and add this to your TBR, I can’t recommend the Magebike Courier Duology enough!

ROAD TO RUIN & FLIGHT OF THE FALLEN by HANA LEE are both OUT NOW!

[Kayte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got an early copy of this from Goodreads, thanks Goodreads! I was really happy I did. I enjoyed Road to Ruin, but wasn’t sure I’d remember the details of the characters and world building by the time the sequel came out in audiobook and made it to my local library.

I like that the story picks up right where the last one ended. There was only a bit of Jin feeling sorry for herself and then the action picked up. Really enjoyed digging into characters- new ones and coming back to ones from the last book. Sou-zell had my favorite character arc.

This had a very satisfying ending, and still leaves the door open for more stories in this world. Really enjoyable read, good characters, good world building.

[USOM · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

In Flight of the Fallen the conflict between the talented and the talentless comes to a head. It's a story about power, oppression, and the lies we are told. When we always fear power we don't understand, how can we begin to unravel our past? The exploitation and manipulation paired with the superiority complex is a firecracker waiting to ignite. And the kind of change they need isn't gentle, it's a force of nature and one that will bring down lightning. Flight of the Fallen examines how each of us can play our role as a spark, a tinder, a catalyst.

[tillie hellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

i enjoyed this quite a lot and i’m glad i got back to it, but i honestly thought the happily ever after was actually fake and another shoe was going to drop… just seems like they were hinting at smth bad happening (and it’s a duology too so no third book?? idk). also yes not much romance stuff but it was still sweet. good expansion of worldbuilding and awesome character stuff. just a good time!

[Mag Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Saga Press for the e-ARC and wow — you do NOT want to miss this one.

Background:
Flight of the Fallen picks up where Road to Ruin left off, but with none of the stumbling blocks or awkward exposition of its predecessor. We last saw Yi-Nereen and Kadrin reunited at last, Jin Talentless and self-isolating, a city partially destroyed, and two jilted lovers (yes, Sou-Zell and Falka, my favorite spiteful outcasts) left behind. And it all just gets wilder from here.

Synopsis:
The storms are getting worse, and the Kerinas are in crisis. Secular politics meets its perennial foe, a powerful religious order, and our ragtag group of disgraced royals and chaotic commoners (side-eyeing you, Falka) get tangled up in pursuing a myth that might save them all while grappling with their own demons and ambitions. And if they can’t get their shit together long enough to be the first to uncover the Road Builders’ secrets, they might be too late to stop the emergence of a powerful and vengeful new god.

Review:
There is so much to adore about this second installment of Magebike Courier. Yi-Nereen’s struggle to contain her own desire for power leaps right off the page, and everyone’s favorite Talentless princeling graduates from lovable himbo to … well, lovable himbo with humanizing fears and a surprising knack for talk therapy. His endearing friendship with Sou-Zell is an absolute highlight, as is the peculiar dynamic between Sou-Zell and Falka of two survivors stuck together sort of by accident but also kind of by choice. We also have a new arrival, the aspirational artificer Orrin, whom I love to pieces and won’t say more about. Our purported heroine Jin gets a bit overshadowed by this star cast, as most of what she does is in support of her royal paramours, but her journey from the slums of Kerina Sol to a key role in the attempt to save all of the Kerinas is a satisfying one.

The worldbuilding is also fantastic here, as Lee does something really cool with their quasi-elemental magic system and class/wealth differential. The raincallers of the Kerinas don’t simply manipulate water: they are its only source. Bloomweavers don’t just move plants around: without them, there wouldn’t be any plants at all. And none of them can do this without infusing mana, a drug or fuel-like substance that simultaneously empowers and poisons them. While we knew this in RtR, it didn’t have the impact it does in FotF, where it’s hugely significant to the politics of the world. What to do when the very stuff that has made life as we know it possible, that has brought so many benefits and comforts and amenities necessary for survival, is the same stuff that’s slowly killing us?

The answer isn’t easy, but Hana Lee deftly weaves the threads of each character’s personal journey into a beautifully developed narrative that tackles the tough questions about sacrifice and survival and brings us to a conclusion that is both heart-wrenching and satisfying in equal helpings. I for one can’t wait to see what Lee comes out with next.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT'S HERE!! The follow up to Road to Ruin. While I found the book slow to start, the build up made the pay off that much better. So many things I did not see coming. I think I struggled a bit at first but once I got into the story, I got into it and could not put the book down. If you enjoyed the first part of this duology, you're going to want to grab this one immediately upon publication tomorrow.

[Deirdre Megan Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Saga press for the gifted physical arc. This book took me a bit to finish but I believe right book wrong time. This is such a unique story line and really has me on the edge of my seat.

[Yadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the story but I felt that Jin lost her personality in this book in the first half of the book. Yes she lost her powers but she was not the same character that I felt in love with in the first book. She did got better as the story progressed but in the end there was still something missing.

Now Yin Nareen was not my favorite in the past book I saw some things that I didn’t like about her but I guess it she wasn’t so bad. But in this story oh no I didn’t like her at all she was so indecisive with Kandrin I didn’t believe her love for him. I felt that he was just a means to an end for her.

The plot was interesting enough but it felt somewhat under developed there were some plot holes and questions unanswered for example what was the origin of these species like where did they exactly come from. Who were these gods really??

Decent read but the story lost the charm from the first book.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure how we got here, but I'm not complaining.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Willie Gillis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flight of the Fallen is the second book in the Magebike Courier duology.

This was a great follow up to a book that I picked up on a whim last year. A book characterized as a queer Mad Max inspired fantasy peaked my interest. I thought the world is especially imaginative as well as the characters. No characters felt wasted in the book. They all had important roles towards the outcome of this story.

I found myself not wanting to put this one down and by the ending of the book, I was satisfied with the conclusion.

Hana Lee has a knack for writing strong characters and I actually enjoyed this second installment more than the first. This is worth a read if you like dystopian type fantasy with a love story.

3.5 stars!

[Sharaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this authors writing. The world is so interesting, and the characters feel dynamic. I am disappointed to hear that this was supposed to be a conclusion. There is a lot of information that unfolds at the end, and it ends up leaving more questions than answers.

[Kerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Hana Lee delivers a fiercely satisfying conclusion to her gritty, queer Mad Max–inspired fantasy duology. Flight of the Fallen takes everything I loved about book one, the aching yearning, the rich worldbuilding, the relentless momentum, and turns the dial up with even more political intrigue, high-stakes, and character growth.

Where the first book leaned into the chaos of the wasteland, this sequel shifts toward court politics, expanding the world and magic system in exciting ways without losing the heart of its characters or its sense of adventure. The pacing is tight and engaging, propelling the story forward while allowing space for powerful character development. Jin continues to be a favorite of mine; complicated, broken, and fiercely protective of her people and Sou-Zell’s addition as a POV character added a refreshing new perspective to the story. As soon as I saw his POV, I was locked and loaded for his redemption arc!!

While the romance takes a bit of a backseat compared to book one, the queer rep remains deeply embedded and refreshingly normalized. This series never feels like it’s trying to explain itself; it just exists in its queerness and relationship complexity and I LOVED that. I need MORE of this in mainstream publishing, honestly.

If you're into disaster bisexuals, court politics, queernorm worlds, and found family wrapped in adrenaline, Flight of the Fallen is a must-read.

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can’t beat a book that ends with: "I think I’m happy. It’s been a while, but I’m getting to know what that feels like again."

That final note, carrying an overture to future stories, offers a satisfying resolution while leaving room for more.

Much has been revealed about Jin’s world. And Kadrin, who I am half in love with, has grown into a force to be reckoned with from all that he has learned and experienced in these two books. His Talentlessness, introduced in Book One, has revealed itself to be a defining strength—a door through which his empathy empowers him. When stopped on the street after an attack, a woman calls for help, and Kadrin feels an unexpected relief—he’d rather be using his own two hands than drowning in Council paperwork. That moment solidifies his identity as someone who stands for action over status, revealing the man that both Jin and Yi-Nereen were the first to recognize—and which Lee always hinted at to the reader. This is the man that brought these characters together, allowing each to be their truest self.

Their relationship—strained and uncertain at the end of Road to Ruin—continues evolving in Flight of the Fallen in ways that defy convention. This isn't a simple romance between Jin and Kadrin—it’s a polyamorous bond, complex, shifting, and deeply felt. Jin isn’t just caught between desire and duty; she’s navigating a love that refuses to be confined by rules or tradition. She lives and loves as she always has—true to herself, never confined by convention. The emotional stakes aren’t just about who chooses whom—but about what it means to truly belong to another in a world built on division.

Jin remains the lovable rogue with an uncontainable heart, and Screech? He’s back—with surprises of his own. Banter and longing, angst and action weave together in a narrative that demands you turn the next page.

This story grows out of its predecessor—it’s not a standalone, but a natural evolution. It answers lingering questions, bringing Jin’s relationships into sharper focus. The characters step fully into themselves, making this book even more satisfying than Book One—as great duologies should.

This was too vast a story to fit into a single volume. Lee masterfully crafts a balance between tension and resolution, allowing the journey to unfold with the ending she always had in mind.

I will absolutely be reading more by Hanna Lee—her skill and imagination are as expansive, intriguing, and unpredictable as Jin’s love life.

[AK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this duology. Full of action, political commentary, strong and head-strong characters, and rich world building, Flight of the Fallen delivers a hopeful and satisfying conclusion to the Magebike Courier series.

What stuck out to me more than anything else is how much character development we still get in this book. Kadrin, Yi-Nereen, and Jin have a lot of their own baggage to overcome and we get to witness their continual growth as new characters pop into the story and old favourites (and enemies) return. I will say right now, if you came for the romance, it is not a large plot point in this book. In fact, it's more of a bullet point very low on the list. That being said, despite that, you still feel their love for each other and for those around them so strongly. I think the found family element of this series is done so well, and I loved seeing new characters get pulled into the MCs' orbit.

While we got some idea of the world in book one, this instalment really dug into how the Kerinas were functioning - politically, socially, etc. - and added to the social and political aspects of power, sexism, religious zealotry and bigotry, and protest and rebellion. There was so much depth to it, but it never felt like I was drowning in world building. Hana Lee does a wonderful job of integrating world building and character development into the narrative without it ever feeling heavy or info-dumpy and I appreciate that so much. The skill through which she writes is impressive and near perfection.

This book had everything book one had - fast-paced fights, a bit of mystery, plot twists, and moment of drama and fear for our dear characters. I loved every second of it and flew through this book in a day. I will be screaming about this series for the next while!

TW: death, murder, blood, gore, torture, injury detail, sexism, misogyny, violence, religious bigotry, racism (talented vs talentless), alcohol consumption, death of a parent, ; mentions death in childbirth, abortion, mass murder, pregnancy, drug abuse, addiction

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5

Finished copy gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours by Saga Press in exchange for an honest review.