Flight of the Firefly: A Sailpunk Fantasy

by Erin Kay Sullivan

Magic has a high price, but freedom is priceless.

Fox is an illegal magician, but it’s not like he had any say in the matter. After discovering his powers—and turning the local cabbage farmer into a pig—Fox is arrested and thrown in a jail for magicians. With the help of a fellow inmate and a band of young magical misfits, Fox escapes and finally has a chance to be free of his life of poverty.

Aboard the flying ship the Firefly, their troubles are far from over. The empress of the land has her own agenda, and she needs magicians to carry it out. When the kids get tangled up in her schemes, they are tasked with capturing the empire’s greatest enemy. With allies and adversaries around every corner, Fox and his newfound friends must navigate warlords, pirates, and spirits who give questionable advice, all while trying to master their magic and manage the consequences. Torn between the chance to escape and the promise of freedom for all magicians in the empire, the Firefly crew must are they willing to pay the price?

Flight of the Firefly is the first in this sailpunk fantasy series by Erin Kay Sullivan. If you like found family tropes, unique magic systems, and plenty of humor and heart, this is for you. Check out Flight of the Firefly to discover this exciting new series today!

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Riya Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book centers around an ex guard, daughter of the noble, two workers from Midland and a peasant. They journey through an adventure for survival and freedom. This is an epic fast paced steampunk fantasy with magic and intrigue. The writing is so easy to read and the characters are all well developed enhancing the plot.
Magic has a cost and that has been well said throughout the book. Erin has done an amazing job with the novel and I absolutely recommend it!


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Now for my rant review (this contains spoilers!)
I love this book! It got out of a reading slump and put me in one again lol
I'm still trying to process the ending and oh my gosh, I need the second book 😭
I literally thought one of them was going to die (but spoiler alert no one does *relief*)
These characters are my favorite and so is this book!!

[Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a sail punk adventure where the characters involved where four kids journey together to fight for freedom then this book is for you. Flight of the Firefly is a fast paced story that I found myself breezing through to see what happens next. It was also a Palate cleanser and helped me really engage with the characters Erin has created.

There is magic and adventure but also a sense of urgency for the characters to want to change the world around them. That is the heart and soul for storytelling.

If you are middle school teacher, I would recommend reading this to your classroom. You might see them wanting to read another chapter!

A great debut for a new author. I cannot wait for book 2!

[Carrie Schuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was totally out of my comfort zone, but the author kept me engaged with her descriptive vocabulary and subtle love story.