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Airborn [Paperback]

Kenneth Oppel
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Book Description

13 Jan 2005
Matt Cruse is cabin boy aboard the Aurora, an airship which truly is lighter than air. Since the discovery of hydrium, a gas that renders even the heaviest vehicle as light as a feather, airships travel all over the world in the same way as planes do today. Matt himself was born on an airship and it is there that he feels most at home.

Matt has high hopes for promotion to junior sailmaker on this voyage - until Kate de Vries, one of the wealthy passengers, arrives on the scene. She's feisty and brave, and won't let social distinctions get in the way of her friendship with Matt. And all their bravery is required when one night, in the middle of the ocean, they are boarded by pirates and caught up in adventures beyond all imagining ...

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Product details

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Hodder Children's Books; New Ed edition (13 Jan 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0340878568
  • ISBN-13: 978-0340878569
  • Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.6 x 19.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 67,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

'A terrific, rollicking adventure ... filled with irresistible optimism and zest' (The Times 2004-05-29)

'A real rip-roarer.' (The Sunday Times 2005-01-30)

'This is gripping stuff.' (The Bookseller 2004-03-19)

'brilliantly done ... Airborn's contained world is totally absorbing, cleverly plotted, a terrific read.' (The Irish Times 2004-07-17)

'a tightly plotted, fast-paced adventure with engaging and humorous characters' (TES 2004-08-01)

'A successful 'boys' own' story which manages to avoid being a 'boys only' story.' (The School Librarian 2004-08-01)

Silverwing trilogy: 'cracking stories, brimming with adventure, redolent of great mythical sagas of the past, alive with invention, thoughtful - at times profound and probing - and never faltering when it comes to thrills and page-turning power.' (Carousel 2004-08-01)

'Oppel's achievement is to have created much more than an action adventure involving bats . . . He explores their collective dreams and aspirations, as well as their individual characters. Sunwing is a truly spell-binding sequel which combines breathtaking suspense with humorous character development.' (Literary Review 2004-08-01)

'As in Brian Jacques's popular Redwall series, the intertwining storylines, evil villain and intense action will keep young readers enthralled, but Shade is a more complex character than most Redwallian heroes. Shade's dangerous adventures make a memorable impact.' (The Horn Book magazine 2004-08-01)

'capable of enthralling both 9-11s, as well as an older audience.' (Achuka website 2004-08-01)

From the Publisher

Airborn marks a stunning new phase in Kenneth Oppel's career. This is a thrilling, fast-paced adventure story (with a Titanic-esque friendship regardless of social class) which will appeal to boys and girls of all ages.

Kenneth Oppel's reputation continues to build all over the world - he has won every children's choice prize going in Canada, as well as major literary awards. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

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4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 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!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Airborn by Kenneth Oppel 2 May 2005
By Moi.
Format:Paperback
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. The balloon contains an old, dying man named Benjamin Molloy, who on his travels made many observational notes on some strange creatures that he called 'cloud cats'. A year later, Kate de Vries, the man's granddaughter boards the airship. Pirates attack the Aurora and she crashes onto an island in the middle of the sea. There, Matt and Kate set about scavenging for the cloud cats, amidst a whole pile of trouble that they must dig themselves out of if they want to live. I highly reccommend this book to absolutely anyone. It is fabulous and I don't see why I'm the first to review it!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Brillant 10 Aug 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback
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. It's like Treasure Island but better.

I would strongly recommend this book to any other child - or grown ups, as my mother loved it too (we took it in turns reading it to each other and couldn't drag ourselves away from it.)

Best of all there's a sequel which I can't wait to read.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Slow start, but worth sticking with 22 April 2005
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!

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for adults too 19 May 2010
By mirask
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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 draws the reader in with entertaining, well-rounded characters and a well-paced plot that never flags or wanders into irrelevance. One of the best books I have read in a long time, and certainly more entertaining than a lot of books aimed at adults!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
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.

A real ripping yarn and very enjoyable indeed: good likeable characters and a good tale. Highly recommended.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE KENNETH OPPEL 15 Jun 2005
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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5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book by Oppel 26 Jan 2011
By Steven R. McEvoy TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
It was weird going back and reading the first book in this trilogy after reading the third novel, but it was well worth it. In this story, set in an alternative world where airplanes were never developed and airships still rule the skies, Kenneth Oppel has created an amazing world, full of adventure and wonder.

The story focuses around a trip from Lions Gate to Australia aboard the ship Aurora. Young Matt Cruse and Miss Kate de Vries meet on this journey. In this story we have pirate attacks, ship wreck, an uncharted island, undiscovered species and much, much more. With amazing characters and plot twists I could not put the book down. It is a great read and another awesome book by Mr. Oppel.
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