Starclimber (Airborn Trilogy Series #3)

by Kenneth Oppel

Overview

An exhilarating journey to the stars—or a heartbreaking battle for survival?

Pilot-in-training Matt Cruse and his love interest, Kate de Vries, an expert on high-altitude life-forms, are invited aboard the Starclimber, a vessel that literally climbs its way into the cosmos. Matt secretly plans on asking Kate to marry him, but before they even set foot aboard the ship, Kate announces her engagement—to someone else.

Despite this bombshell, and Matt's anguish, they embark on their journey into space, but soon the ship is surrounded by strange and unsettling life-forms, and the crew is forced to combat devastating mechanical failure. For Matt, Kate, and the entire crew of the Starclimber, what began as an exciting race to the stars has now turned into a battle to save their lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060850593
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/01/2010
Series:	Airborn Trilogy Series , #3
Pages:	390
Sales rank:	298,123
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

KENNETH OPPEL is the bestselling author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide and was adapted into an animated TV series and stage play. Airborn won a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award and the Governor General’s Literary Award; its sequel, Skybreaker, was a New York Times bestseller and was named Children’s Novel of the Year by the Times (UK). Kenneth Oppel is also the author of Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor, The Boundless, The Nest, Every Hidden Thing, Inkling and the Bloom trilogy. His latest novel is Ghostlight. Ken Oppel lives with his family in Toronto.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 6-10

This sequel to Airborn (2004) and Skybreaker (2005, both Eos) continues the fabulous adventures of Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries. In classic steampunk fashion, this book blends the best of Victorian society and science fiction. No longer content to be confined to planet Earth, Kate and Matt leap at the opportunity to travel into space when Kate is invited to be a part of the Canadian astralnaut program for her scientific expertise and Matt must undergo rigorous training before he is accepted as a crew member. Unexpected mechanical difficulties, friction among those onboard, sabotage, and encounters with strange alien life-forms test their courage and ingenuity and love for one another. Starclimber is a thrilling roller-coaster ride of a book, full of humor and derring-do and guaranteed to keep readers up long past midnight.-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

School Library Journal

Matt Cruse, hero of Printz Honor-winning Airborn (2004) and its sequel, Skybreaker (2006), returns for another thrilling adventure. While working to fund his final year in pilot training, Matt receives the opportunity to participate in a secret venture that will take him beyond his beloved skies and into outer space, enduring vigorous training to become one of the mission's "astralnauts." Security is paramount, since there are those willing to use violence to sabotage space travel. Once again, Matt is joined by his friend/romantic interest, Kate de Vries, as she continues to research unusual life forms. Their mission is complicated by factors both technical and human: Their ship is designed to travel by way of an untried "astral cable," and Kate can get permission from her parents to go only by getting engaged to another young man shortly before their journey begins-the strain on Matt from both sources is palpable. Once again, Oppel has assembled intriguing characters, especially Matt's fellow astralnauts, who populate a fast-paced narrative that features enough unpredictable plot twists to keep readers riveted to Matt's story to the finish. (Fantasy. YA)

Kirkus Reviews

The action never stops in this hair-raising adventure. This time Matt and Kate are on a trip to outer space. Even those who haven’t listened to the first two books, AIRBORN and SKYBREAKER, will become entranced by the likable and quirky characters. David Kelly creates a sympathetic portrayal as student pilot Matt struggles to prove his mettle and hold on to his girlfriend Kate’s affection. There’s never a dull moment as he describes his daredevil maneuvers and the strange sights of the upper atmosphere. Voices for phlegmatic scientist Dr. Turgenev, buffoon Sir Hugh, and the other space voyagers add depth to the performance. The combination of a great story and distinctive narrations makes this selection a “don’t miss.” C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

JULY 2010 - AudioFile