Downfall

Marc J. Gregson writes the kind of fantasy that makes you believe the sky really could fall—if not from weight, then from truth. His breakout YA trilogy, Above the Black, begins with Sky’s End, a story that drops readers into a world of floating islands, sky serpents, and brutal airborne arenas where survival isn’t a given—it’s a gamble. At the center is a boy fighting for far more than glory, and beneath the sweeping adventure lies Gregson’s signature touch: emotional gravity wrapped in high-stakes wonder.

A former middle school English teacher from Salt Lake City, Gregson understands exactly what young readers crave—adventure with heart, danger with meaning, and characters who don't always get it right the first time. It’s no coincidence his books strike a chord with teens and adults alike. His writing doesn’t condescend; it dares. Dares readers to dream, to grieve, to question. To imagine a world that could only exist above the clouds—and what it would cost to bring it crashing down.

Gregson’s path to publication was as steep as the cliffs his characters leap from. After years of writing between lessons and grading papers, Sky’s End didn’t just launch—it soared, becoming a New York Times bestseller and catching the attention of Hollywood. With director Antoine Fuqua signed on to adapt the story for film, the series is already expanding far beyond the page.

Though fantasy is his chosen medium, Gregson’s roots are grounded in something deeply human: the belief that stories, like people, have power when they refuse to be boxed in. He writes for the outliers and the underdogs, those who fight for love, truth, and survival—whether they’re falling from the sky or rising above it.

His trilogy continues with Among Serpents (2025) and Downfall (2026), and if the trajectory is any sign, Marc J. Gregson is only just getting started. For readers who crave bold worlds, broken heroes, and beauty on the edge of collapse, his stories deliver—every time.