Skybreaker

Incredibly successful as an adventure novel. It's been a while since I read a book in first-person, and it threw me off for about a page. But Oppel is quite talented at writing a scene you'll get engrossed in, right from the start. The journey to the Hyperion, and once they get there, is so interesting I always wanted to keep reading more. Additionally, I'm impressed by the research that Oppel puts into his settings and stories. I felt like I learned a lot about survival (or not) at high altitudes. This is also an interesting take on the concept of an "airplane" in a steampunk setting.
All of this good was somewhat soured by the stupid love triangle that was shoehorned in, and the fact that Matt Cruse can't be normal about women. Early show more on he gets made insecure thinking that his "friend" Kate de Vries won't want to date him if he's poor, even though to the reader it's obvious this is something he invented in his mind. He spends the rest of the book being absurdly jealous, while at the same time fantasizing about a new character, Nadira. It bothered me that the book spend so much time on this, when the adventure was so much more interesting. It was disappointing that the two female main characters, despite having interesting lives and goals of their own, are only seen through the eyes of Matt, who is interested in them as nothing other than romantic objects. I would have rated it higher if not for this aspect.
For a book written in 2005, it's decently diverse. Although there's many things it tries at but doesn't really follow through on. Like the first book in the series, there are moments where it tries to hint at feminist thought and the idea that women are capable/interesting in their own right--while the aforementioned romance issues play out. I also thought it might be getting somewhere when Nadira insists early on that she's not a "gypsy", but Roma. Unfortunately the rest of the book doesn't really touch on this issue, and not only does she continue getting called a gypsy for the rest of the book, but she's also described as "exotic" etc. Overall it felt like the book was trying, for when it was published. I appreciated the ship's crew being Sherpas, due to their experience working at high altitudes, and the scenes of Miss Simpkins being scandalized by seasoned food. This probably passed for a decent amount of progressiveness in 2005, so at least I'm glad it was there.
This book is much more suited to YA audiences than middle grade. show less

Oh my goodness clemency! This is one amazing story. The second half had me gasping myself, and it was hardly possible to quit reading! As with the first book, Oppel writes with such clarity, and the images of the ghost ship and the air, and EVERYTHING just swirls around you! It's wonderful.

Besides this, I am truly amazed at Kenneth Oppel's knowledge of animals. Everything is so realistic--I almost believe these creatures can exist somewhere!

And I just adore Matt Cruse. A more lovable, complex main character I could not imagine. I absolutely love whenever Oppel takes his character around the "Airborn" concept. He IS the sky. The icarus resemblance sent a shiver down my spine. I always wait for that heart-stopping moment when Matt will show more throw himself out to the sky once more.

Gosh, I love these books. I can't even get my mind around them! show less

Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries attempt to salvage a famous ghost ship filled with scientific marvels and valuable treasures in the second volume of the AIRBORN series.

Kenneth Oppel shifts his focus this time around. AIRBORN was a swashbuckler with some great interpersonal stuff thrown in; SKYBREAKER is an interpersonal tale with a healthy dose of adventure. The romance between Matt and Kate takes on a much larger role, and Oppel handles the tension between them very well. There are miscommunications and trip-ups galore. It's frustrating, but in a good way. I was always eager to read on, so desperate was I to see them overcome each new pitfall.

The science, too, continues to be an important element. SKYBREAKER introduces the reader to a new show more kind of airship, a whole host of clockwork inventions, and some more aerial zoology. It's interesting stuff, and it gives the book a much more steampunkish feel than AIRBORN possessed.

So it's good, entertaining stuff... but unfortunately, the fun factor doesn't quite survive the shift in focus. There's danger galore, (of both the emotional and physical sorts), but the action doesn't really pick up until the last couple of chapters. Now these were exciting! I found myself incapable of reading slowly; I sped on through to the end.

I still highly recommend the series as a whole, but be prepared for a less action-oriented read with the second one. It's still a solid read, but it's not quite so solid as the first.

(This review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina, in a slightly different form). show less

4.5 - Really didn't care for the relationship drama, now that I'm rereading this years later. In fact, I'm not even sure Kate and Matt belong together, though their individual personalities stuck with me so strongly that it was why I returned to the series in the first place. At times, I was actually surprised to remember they were still minors - for the most part, they behaved more sensibly than 16-year-olds today (including myself when I was 16 lol). And thankfully, the steampunk-esque universe and lore were still just as captivating as in the first book!

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 show more 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 show less

OH man. I devoured this book is a few hours depsite its rather large size. I was so absorbed and the pages (get ready for a pun) flew by.

This book continues Matt Cruses saga. When it starts, he is serving as an intern on the airship Flotsam. The Flotsam gets blown off course and as it rises to heights untraveled, it discovers a 40-yr-old mystery: the location of the Hyperion, a ghost ship legended to have riches upon riches on board. Because of some complications, the Flotsam must end it's journey, but that doens't mean the journey ends for Matt Cruse. With the Hyperion's coordinates and thoughts of riches in mind, Matt Cruse along with the heiress Kate de Vries and a mysterious gypsy named Nadira, set out on a perilous journey.

I show more think this book maybe even better than Airborn. It was filled with the same swashbuckling action and ripping good adventure, and the romance between a certain cabin boy and young heiress grew even tenser. Now there was even a love-quadrangle of sorts with some other new characters thrown it. I think the character development was considerably better this time around, and we finally got some emotion from Mr. Cruse.

There is just something about these books I adore. They are fun and thrilling, and there is nothing about them that makes me groan in dismay. I think that why these books get five-stars. I'm sure they could be better, but there is nothing about them that I dislike. And the visuals are awesome. I've said it once and I'll say it again: these books would be GREAT movies.

If you any reluctant male readers, recommened these books to them. They appeal to a wide audience. Easy enough for middle school readers, but older readers will love them too. Both boys and girls. show less

Know this: I really like steampunk novels. Matt Cruse is on an internship on the Flotsam, when things go awry and he has to save the airship from disaster as it finds a 40-year old ghost ship, the Hyperion. Hyperion contained the riches of a famous inventor and was lost with all hands on board. Back in Paris at the Airship Academy, Matt and Kate are quickly engaged in a race against pirates and a fuel consortium to find the ship. Joined by a dashing young entrepreneur with a high altitude skyship (skybreaker), a young gypsy girl Nadira, with a shadowy background, and a crew of sherpas, they head off in search of treasure. The treasure is not gold, but a technological breakthrough by the inventor. Like its predecessor book, there are show more imaginative creatures, lots of action, and a budding romance. 4.5 stars. show less