- Hardcover: 433 pages
- Publisher: Hodder Children's Books; 1st edition (15 April 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 034087855X
- ISBN-13: 978-0340878552
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 13.2 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 832,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
The Bookseller
'This is gripping stuff.'
TES
'a tightly plotted, fast-paced adventure with engaging and humorous characters'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I came across Oppel by chance and as I sometimes enjoy children's fiction, despite being over 40, and I like fantasy, and the plot sounded appealing, I gave it a try. How lucky I was! This is a terrific book and shows how so-called "junior fiction" can sometimes be much more than that. Set against a slightly mythologised and appealingly different high late Victorian / early Edwardian backdrop, the book features massive luxury airships touring the planet, devoted and brilliant airship crews, vicious pirates, mythic beasts, beautiful landscapes, treasure island and a lovely girl all in one! The main characters are the young airship apprentice Matt Cruse, who is anxious to get ahead in life despite a tragic and poor background, and Kate de Vries, wealthy, talented and beautiful but also tragic through the recent loss of her grandfather. Together they discover an incredible secret - first noted by her grandfather - a whole new and fantastic animal species. What follows is gripping adventure, beautiful description and a fantastically enjoyable and well written story. Brilliant!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Library Binding
Matt Cruse is a cabin boy aboard the giant airship Aurora, one of the many dirigibles that cruise the world, in this world-that-might-have-been. But, when he helps in the rescue of a runaway hot air balloon, he finds the dying pilot ranting about beautiful flying creatures. Little does Matt realize that this is the start of a grand adventure that will take him halfway around the world, up against storms and pirates, and on to the end of his rainbow!
My thirteen-year-old daughter gave me this book, and I must admit that I did not know what to expect. Now, the book does start out rather slow, and the first third might leave you wondering if this is really the book for you. But, don't give up on this book, its well worth your time!
I think it is correct to compare this book to the works of Robert Louis Stevenson; the author does an excellent job of creating an entirely new world, where airships cruise the skies and airplanes were never invented, where men wear top hats and women wear hats with feathers and flowers. I enjoyed the radical setting, the characters, and the plot which became quite gripping all the way to the end. So, if you are interested in an exciting read, one that harkens back to a different day and age, then this book is for you!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
if you like a mix of artemis fowl and indiana jones, you'll love it. there's a strange way of things turning out well in the end but terribly bad in the middle that'll keep you reading for ages.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Another great book by Oppel
It was weird going back and reading the first book in this trilogy after reading the third novel, but it was well worth it. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Steven R. McEvoy
Great for adults too
It may be a children's book but this is a fabulously entertaining read for adults too. The world Oppel creates is rich, detailed, thoughtful and evocative, and the story quickly... Read more
Published on 19 May 2010 by mirask
A real page turner - cracking and original adventure
I bought this book for my eleven year old son and started to read it to him at bedtime: ended up borrowing it after lights out and read 'til I finished it. Read more
Published on 27 May 2008 by A. Smith
The best youth fiction book I've read
Bought it for my kids. Read it. Loved it. Raved about it and would like more people to read it! Simply wonderful.
Published on 12 April 2008 by A. Baumgart
Excellent, readable, hard to put down
What a great book. I am (like at least one other reviewer) in my forties and really enjoy fiction/fantasy. The sequel, Skybreaker is also excellent. Read more
Published on 22 July 2007 by Andrew
Brillant
Extremely good, lots of twists and turns, exciting and one of the best books I've ever read. This story has got everything you could want, including pirates and strange creatures. Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2006 by Adam aged eight
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
When Matt Cruse, cabin boy of the airship Aurora spots a hot air balloon driftng aimlessly towards the ship, his life is turned upside down. Read more
Published on 2 May 2005 by Moi.
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