Airman

by Eoin Colfer

Overview

This is the Conor Broekhart was born to fly. It is the 1890s, and Conor and his family live on the sovereign Saltee Islands, off the Irish coast. Conor spends his days studying the science of flight with his tutor and exploring the castle with the king's daughter, Princess Isabella. But the boy's idyllic life changes forever the day he discovers a deadly conspiracy against the king. When Conor intervenes, he is branded a traitor and thrown into jail on the prison island of Little Saltee. There, he has to fight for his life, as he and the other prisoners are forced to mine for diamonds in inhumane conditions. There is only one way to escape Little Saltee, and that is to fly. So Conor passes the solitary months by scratching drawings of flying machines into the prison walls. The months turn into years, but eventually the day comes when Conor must find the courage to trust his revolutionary designs and take to the skies.best eBook ever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423132080
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	11/02/2009
Sold by:	DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE -EBKS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	1,051,002
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

Eoin Colfer is the author of the New York Times best-selling Artemis Fowl series, the first of which was adapted into a major motion picture from the Walt Disney Studios. He also wrote a spin-off series, The Fowl Twins, as well as many other titles for young readers and adults, including Highfire, Iron Man: The Gauntlet, Airman, Half Moon Investigations, Eoin Colfer's Legend of . . . books, The Wish List, Benny and Omar; and Benny and Babe. In 2014, he was named Ireland's laureate for children's literature. He lives with his wife and two sons in Dublin, Ireland. To learn more, visit www.eoincolfer.com. He is also on Twitter and Instagram @EoinColfer.

Hometown:

Wexford Town, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland

Date of Birth:

May 14, 1965

Place of Birth:

Waterford City, County Waterford, Republic of Ireland

Education:

Bachelor of Education, 1986; Education Diploma, 1987

Website:

http://www.eoincolfer.com

Editorial Reviews

Bestselling author Eoin Colfer has set much of this novel on Ireland's Saltee Islands. These rocky outcroppings off the coast of County Wexford are known today mainly as a haven for sea birds, so perhaps it's fitting that Colfer's tale of the late 19th century involves a young man's attempt to conquer the skies himself. Conor Broekhart's primitive flight experiments land not only himself but also his entire family in grave danger. An excellent adventure by the author of Artemis Fowl, The Arctic Incident, and the The Lost Colony.

Colfer's (Artemis Fowl) epic adventure story is winningly voiced by Keating, whose distinctive brogue transports listeners to the remote Saltee Islands, off the Irish coast. The narrative begins with hero Conor Broekhart's birth in a hot-air balloon over the 1878 Paris World Fair, showcasing Keating's talent with a French accent, too, as he smoothly slips into the role of Victor Vigny, the aeronautic enthusiast who later becomes Conor's beloved tutor in fencing, fighting and, most importantly, the science of flight. The story turns on Conor's clash with Hugo Bonvilain, the Machiavellian leader of the island kingdom's armed guard, and Keating's sneering characterization gives the villain real menace. Two Americans also feature in the story, and Keating's only bobble here is that these two voices occasionally sound a bit similar, but this is merely a quibble in an otherwise masterly reading of a gripping tale. Ages 10-up. Simultaneous release with the Hyperion hardcover(Reviews, Nov. 12, 2007). (Jan.)

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Publishers Weekly

Gr 7 Up- Eoin Colfer turns his special brand of humor and adventure to detailing the amazing life and times of young Conor Broekhart-born in a hot air balloon over Paris and thereafter destined to use his fascination with flight to save his parents, recapture a kingdom, and win the hand of a princess. John Keating's boyish voice and slight Scottish accent give this swashbuckling adventure story (Hyperion, 2008) just the right combination of realism and fantasy. His narrative skill captures the personalities of both main and supporting characters-from the consummate cold-hearted villain Marshall Hugo Bonvilain to the dashing and cavalier Victor Vigny. Older listeners will relish this entertaining coming-of-age story whose themes of friendship and betrayal, love and hate, and courage and fear play out amidst breathless scenes of action and violence. Somewhere between the old Errol Flynn movies and The Princess Bride , this camp, contrived, and complex mix of eccentric characters and fantastical situations provides an immensely satisfying listen.-Cindy Lombardo, Cleveland Public Library, OH

School Library Journal

John Keating reads this story—part adventure and part modern fairy tale—with an Irish lilt that reflects its setting on an island off the coast of Ireland. Keating excels at character portraits, each perfectly matched to convey the sense and sound of a hero or villain. Conor Broekhart, born while his mother was aloft in a hot-air balloon, is raised in kind King Nick’s court until he’s framed for the murder of the king and removed to a terrible island prison. Coarse, brutal inmates and guards, made memorable by Keating, contrast with the kindness of earlier characters and make listeners root for Conor’s success. Keating shifts easily between accents indicating class and transitions rapidly from narrative to character portrayals. The story’s villain has an especially chilling voice. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

APR/MAY 08 - AudioFile