Marcus Sakey
Marcus Sakey is an American author and host of the Travel Channel show Hidden City.
Marcus Sakey

Mark Coggins San Francisco, CA · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Marcus Sakey
- Birthplace
- Flint, Michigan, U.S.
- Occupation
- Novelist
- Education
- University of Michigan Columbia College Chicago
- Born
- 1974. · Flint.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Fields
- English-language literature.
- Known for
- The Blade Itself.
- Languages
- American English and English.
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Marcus Sakey is an American author and host of the Travel Channel show Hidden City.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q1894353 · wikipedia · Marcus Sakey
In this article
Biography
Biography
Marcus Sakey studied at University of Michigan and Andover High School. The recorded working language is American English and English. The field of work recorded is English-language literature. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are thriller, alternate history, science fiction and mystery fiction. Places of work recorded in the authority are Chicago. Works named in the authority record are The Blade Itself.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Marcus Sakey • Birthplace — Flint, Michigan, U.S. • Occupation — Novelist • Education — University of Michigan Columbia College Chicago • Genre — Crime fiction • Notable Works — * The Blade Itself • Good People • At the City’s Edge • The Amateurs • The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes • Brilliance trilogy • Website — http: www.marcussakey.com/
Personal life
Personal life
Sakey was born in Flint, Michigan, and after marriage he settled in Chicago. Before becoming a writer, Sakey ran a graphic design company, Hingepoint Productions, in Atlanta. Mr. Sakey attended the University of Michigan from 1992 to 1996 with a double major in communication and political science. He also attended Columbia College Chicago for approximately one year in an MFA program with a focus in creative writing.
Career
Career
Sakey writes crime novels set in the blue collar world of the south side of Chicago. To conduct research for his plots, he has shadowed homicide detectives, gang cops, and interviewed soldiers. His debut novel, The Blade Itself, was featured as a New York Times Editor's Pick and named one of Esquire Magazine's 5 Best Reads of 2007. Ben Affleck bought the film rights to The Blade Itself in 2008 for his production company. The film rights to his second and third novels, Good People and At the City’s Edge, have also been bought. In March 2013, Sakey sold the screen rights to his then-forthcoming science fiction thriller Brilliance to Legendary Pictures for $1.25 million. The novel was published in July 2013, and as of March 2017 had sold over 1 million copies. A potential film adaptation had Will Smith attached to star, David Koepp to write, and Joe Roth to produce, but never made it out of development. The rights reverted to Sakey, who wrote the sequels A Better World (2014) and Written in Fire (2016). Sakey has licensed the Brilliance franchise to Kindle Worlds, a commercial venue for fan fiction, as The Abnorm Chronicles. Works written by other authors but set in the Brilliance continuity include Twist by Kevin J. Anderson. In March 2017, Sakey sold the screen rights to another forthcoming sci-fi novel, Afterlife, to Imagine Entertainment. The novel was published in July 2017. Sakey has been contracted to write the screenplay for the film adaptation, which will be produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Erica Huggins, and Shane Salerno.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Marcus Sakey”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1894353: Marcus Sakey
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Marcussakey.com. Marcus Sakey, award-winning author of The Blade Itself, At The City's Edge, and Good People.
- 2.Johnson, Geoffrey. You Should Know … Marcus Sakey - Chicago magazine - August 2009 - Chicago. Chicagomag.com. 2009-07-21.
- 3.Fleming Jr, Mike. Legendary Pictures Seals Acquisition Of Sci-Fi Novel Brilliance; Oz Joe Roth And Palak Patel To Produce. Deadline Hollywood. March 13, 2013.
- 4.Fleming, Mike Jr. Imagine Lands Marcus Sakey Novel Afterlife. Deadline Hollywood. March 16, 2017.
- 5.The Journal-Standard. THE READERS' WRITERS: Interview with Marcus Sakey - Freeport, IL. 2010-05-06.
- 6.Us.macmillan.com. Macmillan: All books by Marcus Sakey. 2009-12-04.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 17
- The Blade Itself (2007)
- Good People (2009)
- At the City's Edge (2009)
- The Amateurs (2009)
- The Desert here and the Desert Far Away (2010)
- No One (2010)
- Gravity and Need (2010)
- The Days Where You Were Anything Else (2010)
- As Breathing (2010)
- No Turning Back (2011)
- Scar Tissue: Seven Stories of Love and Wounds (2012)
- The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes (2012)
- Brilliance trilogy:
- Brilliance (2013)
- A Better World (2014)
- Written in Fire (2016)
- Afterlife (2017)
References
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Work and production. His recorded genres are thriller, alternate history, science fiction, mystery fiction and crime fiction. Recorded as novelist, writer, film producer, actor and screenwriter.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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