Jim Butcher - The Aeronaut's Windlass

In Jim Butcher's steampunk adventure, The Aeronaut's Windlass, humanity lives in colossal "Spires" high above a mist-covered, monster-haunted world. The story, set in a world powered by magic crystals, follows a diverse group of heroes from Spire Albion as they navigate political intrigue and airship battles. When disgraced airship captain Francis Madison Grimm's vessel is damaged, he accepts a covert mission from Spire Albion's leader. He joins forces with a determined guardswoman, an agile warrior, a shy apprentice, and her exceptionally clever cat. Their investigation into a series of sabotage attacks reveals that the conflict between the Spires is merely a distraction from an ancient and dangerous enemy that has been lurking unseen for millennia. The fate of humanity rests in the hands of this mismatched crew.