Skybreaker (2006)

Sequel to [b:Airborn|428042|Airborn (Matt Cruse, #1)|Kenneth Oppel|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174668473s/428042.jpg|2519210].

I finished this audiobook at like 2 am. I couldn't fall asleep! The story was SOOOOO EXCITING!!! I kept squealing aloud, and then going, "Oh crap! I hope my husband doesn't wake up!" Anyway...

OMG! Can I marry Matt Cruse???? (Sorry, that was my 14-year-old self speaking...) He was SOOOOOOO CUTE in this book!!!! I mean, he's 16, so meh, but still! I was like, "Can I be Kate please?? PRETTY PLEASE???" They are ADORABLE to the Nth power!

Anyway, beside that, the story was just fascinating! It sucks you in right from the beginning with Matt being on a sort of internship... and almost dying, of course... and then the scene in the Eiffel Tower restaurant (which apparently doesn't exist in real life except in Vegas... fascinating...) waiting for Kate to show up... *snorts* And then their journey to find the Hyperion... It's jam-packed with action!

At first, I was like, "I can tell this is going to be better, because there aren't any weird cloud-cats or other animals"... and then the aerozoans show up, a kind of sky-squid... but they GO with the story better than the cloud-cats seemed to. It made sense that they were there and were worked into the storyline better than, "Oh, look! There are random creatures on this random island! And they keep showing up and getting in the way!" (last book)...

And then there were a whole slew of new supporting characters including Nadira, who adds a nice touch of love triangle with her being so beautiful and stuff, and Mr. Hal Slater, who adds a different touch of love triangle with his trying to steal Kate away from Matt... and being so manly and attractive and rich and out of Matt's league...

Anyway, it was a FABULOUS book! I just wish my library had [b:Starclimber|3407703|Starclimber (Matt Cruse, #3)|Kenneth Oppel|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mDyWuWGWL._SL75_.jpg|3447911] on audio!!! Grrrr.... ( )

As Matt Cruse trains for the Air Academy aboard the "Floatsom", he catches sight of the "Hyperion", the first sighting of the abandoned ship in forty years! No stranger to adventure, Matt, his friend Kate de Vries, the pilot, Hal, sail off to find the "Hyperion", which is rumoured to be full of treasure. Before Matt takes off, though, he is attacked by pirates seeking the same treasure. Once Matt sets off to find the "Hyperion"" , he finds that the pirates have been following via a tracking device. As more unfolds and the plot thickens, things become apparent that you wouldn't have geussed before.

This was an exellent book, not just because of its great plot, but also the satisfaction it gives you when you finish. It's as if Kenneth Oppel was Matt Cruse, and he was only the middle man, conveying the information between Matt and the book.

Review by: nick

This book, set in a different world like its sequel, is reminiscent of 20 000 leagues under the sea, but much better. The protagonist is the same cabin boy as in skyborn, but is now a student at the prestigous airship academy. the book begins with his service on a decrepit cargo hauler, and his sighting of the legendary Hyperion. The Hyperion is a famous ghost ship, created by a brilliant inventer who launched that age of airships and is said to have amassed a mountain of gold. Join our heroes as they search the skys for the mystery ship, risking destitution and death at the hands of unscrupulous thieves. More, even more wondrous machines present. Again, an excellent book; light hearted and fun, but just gripping enough to grab a reader.
Review by: nyly

crazy ( )

this book is a great book and has great clifhanger moments. I enjoyed this book and i think others will to.this book has many parts that give you chills and some that can make tears.

I know the myth is that generally series lag with the second installment (unless they really, REALLY rock, like Terminator 2), but that is not the case here. The premise is very straightforward: find the treasure. The obstacles are fairly obvious if you’ve read the first ten pages of this book and the last Matt Cruse installment. I know these sound like bad things, but they’re not. Oppel takes a classic story, but because he is a master at weaving in details, the twists continue to be unexpected, but not surprising. I know, I know— Savs, you’re making no sense. Well, cut me a little slack— the first week back at law school is killing me.
When I was a little theater student at USC, I had the wonderful opportunity to study for a semester under Gates McFadden (also known to Trekkies as Dr. Beverly Crusher). And she repeatedly told us that our choices as actors should be unexpected, but not surprising. This means no going back against cannon. No “it was all just a dream” (unless you do it very, very well, which few people do). No. If a gun is on the table in act one, the audience had better at least think it’s going to go off in act three. Oppel has that down to an art. Just as in Airborn, by the end of the story all of the disparate details and elements come together for one roller-coaster climax. I approve.
Side note about Kate: I was ok with Kate in the first book. And then Nadira, the “mysterious gypsy” showed up in this book. I like her a lot better. She’s nicer to Matt, she’s brave, she isn’t as whiny and childish… but of course Matt is in love with the pretty, rich, mean girl. I hope Oppel has fleshed out the love triangle between the three of these characters in the third book. But that’s mostly just because I want to know more about Nadira— we were promised that she was mysterious and that she was hiding something, but I don’t think the “what” was ever actually stated. Or even alluded to. Sigh.
Rating: 4 ½ stars, rounded up to 5 because of my strong feelings towards the series as a whole ( )