What do you think?
Rate this book
Matt Cruse #2
Skybreaker
A legendary ghost ship. An incredible treasure. A death-defying adventure.
Forty years ago, the airship Hyperion vanished with untold riches in its hold. Now, accompanied by heiress Kate de Vries and a mysterious gypsy, Matt Cruse is determined to recover the ship and its treasures. But 20,000 feet above the Earth's surface, pursued by those who have hunted the Hyperion since its disappearance, and surrounded by deadly high-altitude life forms, Matt and his companions soon find themselves fighting not only for the Hyperion—but for their very lives.
Forty years ago, the airship Hyperion vanished with untold riches in its hold. Now, accompanied by heiress Kate de Vries and a mysterious gypsy, Matt Cruse is determined to recover the ship and its treasures. But 20,000 feet above the Earth's surface, pursued by those who have hunted the Hyperion since its disappearance, and surrounded by deadly high-altitude life forms, Matt and his companions soon find themselves fighting not only for the Hyperion—but for their very lives.
544 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Kenneth Oppel
79 books2,651 followersI was born in 1967 in Port Alberni, a mill town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia but spent the bulk of my childhood in Victoria, B.C. and on the opposite coast, in Halifax, Nova Scotia...At around twelve I decided I wanted to be a writer (this came after deciding I wanted to be a scientist, and then an architect). I started out writing sci-fi epics (my Star Wars phase) then went on to swords and sorcery tales (my Dungeons and Dragons phase) and then, during the summer holiday when I was fourteen, started on a humorous story about a boy addicted to video games (written, of course, during my video game phase). It turned out to be quite a long story, really a short novel, and I rewrote it the next summer. We had a family friend who knew Roald Dahl - one of my favourite authors - and this friend offered to show Dahl my story. I was paralysed with excitement. I never heard back from Roald Dahl directly, but he read my story, and liked it enough to pass on to his own literary agent. I got a letter from them, saying they wanted to take me on, and try to sell my story. And they did.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 746 reviews
November 8, 2013
This is the sequel to Oppell’s Airborn, which I read and loved last year. If anything, I liked Skybreaker better. Oppell does a great job capturing the spirit of “classic boy adventures” like Treasure Island and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (which admittedly I never read as a boy, but I caught up with later). In Skybreaker, our young hero Matt Cruse spots a ghost ship of the air, the Hyperion, and inadvertently launches a frenzied hunt for the massive treasure that is supposedly on board. The only problem: the Hyperion is hovering above 20,000 feet, which makes it almost impossible to reach with conventional airships. Lots of adventure, a little romance, and a good sense of humor made this a quick, exciting read. I’ve tried to “book talk” these books to my son, so far without success, because it’s difficult for me to explain the world of airships that Oppell conjures so well. Still, these books are definitely worth checking out.
June 22, 2010
OH man. I devoured this book in a few hours despite 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 legend to have riches upon riches on board. Because of some complications, the Flotsam must end it's journey, but that doesn'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 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 know any reluctant male readers, recommend 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.
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 legend to have riches upon riches on board. Because of some complications, the Flotsam must end it's journey, but that doesn'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 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 know any reluctant male readers, recommend 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.
May 11, 2021
Actual rating: 1.75 rounded down because this book pained me
This wasn't all horrible, but most of it was. I really enjoyed the first book, Airborn, but this was just straight disappointing and 20 steps down from Airborn. Will I still be reading the 3rd book? Of course I will.
The plot was very solid and smart, but the book was pretty so paced which wasn’t good. There also wasn’t half the amount of genius twists there were in Airborn and the twists that were there were saved for the VERY end. It really had a lot of potential, an adventure to seek an airship that has been missing for 40 years? Yes please!
I really liked Matt (the main character) in Airborn, but in this one, he changes in a bad way. He doesn’t become a horrible person, but his motives change and he becomes snappy, a bit too like Hal, another character from this book who I’ll get to soon.
Kate de Vries. I do admire her for her courage to disobey her parents and outsmart her chaperone to pursue her dreams and education. She's very rich and could have everything she's ever wanted, but she has strict parents (WHO AREN'T EVEN THERE) so I'm supposed to feel bad for her?! She also did a few things I didn’t like which made me sad, but in the end, at least she turned out better than Matt.
Hal Slater. Ew. That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of him. He’s a cocky pilot with a sense of humor. But not the good kind. He thinks that because he has an airship it makes him "superior" to Matt. It also seems that our swashbuckling hero is poor and in debt. Hmmm… I love that he takes risks and says some pretty wise things, but he also does some horrible things. But in the end, he’s just a survivor, right?
Nadira was shining star. She had the right guts, loyalty, wouldn’t let anyone shove her down because she was a poor woman. I especially loved what she said to Hal at the end of the book, it really served him right. She has dreams but she won’t harm others to achieve them.
I was fine with the ending, just as I was with the ending of Airborn. Both of the Cruse books I have read so far would be perfectly fine as standalones, but I did enjoy knowing that there is more to the story, I just wish that the ‘more’ was better.
Another highlight was that there were some spooky litte details, that were later brought back up again that was really cool and very much appreciated!
The writing style was wondrous and wonderful and I could easily and I could clearly envision all of the mind-boggling creatures that Oppel created. Which leads me to worldbuilding.
The Airborn world is Earth (I do not remember the exact timeframe but somewhere in the late 1800s early 1900s) but make it steampunk. There are still all the same formalities and procedures, but travel is so much more different and air related! There are so many types of different ships and interesting new types of science and theories!
For other steampunk books, I would read the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld! It has all the goodness of Westerfeld’s writing and worldbuilding but with treacherous and steampunk ploys! Leviathan is a perfect introduction to the steampunk genre.
-----------------
Maybe I missed out, but every time I picked it up, it felt like a weight. It was getting better but I had so many other books that were immediately intriguing I had to put it down. I almost never DNF a book- especially when the first one was so fantastic. Maybe I'll pick it up again- maybe.
This wasn't all horrible, but most of it was. I really enjoyed the first book, Airborn, but this was just straight disappointing and 20 steps down from Airborn. Will I still be reading the 3rd book? Of course I will.
The plot was very solid and smart, but the book was pretty so paced which wasn’t good. There also wasn’t half the amount of genius twists there were in Airborn and the twists that were there were saved for the VERY end. It really had a lot of potential, an adventure to seek an airship that has been missing for 40 years? Yes please!
I really liked Matt (the main character) in Airborn, but in this one, he changes in a bad way. He doesn’t become a horrible person, but his motives change and he becomes snappy, a bit too like Hal, another character from this book who I’ll get to soon.
Kate de Vries. I do admire her for her courage to disobey her parents and outsmart her chaperone to pursue her dreams and education. She's very rich and could have everything she's ever wanted, but she has strict parents (WHO AREN'T EVEN THERE) so I'm supposed to feel bad for her?! She also did a few things I didn’t like which made me sad, but in the end, at least she turned out better than Matt.
Hal Slater. Ew. That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of him. He’s a cocky pilot with a sense of humor. But not the good kind. He thinks that because he has an airship it makes him "superior" to Matt. It also seems that our swashbuckling hero is poor and in debt. Hmmm… I love that he takes risks and says some pretty wise things, but he also does some horrible things. But in the end, he’s just a survivor, right?
Nadira was shining star. She had the right guts, loyalty, wouldn’t let anyone shove her down because she was a poor woman. I especially loved what she said to Hal at the end of the book, it really served him right. She has dreams but she won’t harm others to achieve them.
I was fine with the ending, just as I was with the ending of Airborn. Both of the Cruse books I have read so far would be perfectly fine as standalones, but I did enjoy knowing that there is more to the story, I just wish that the ‘more’ was better.
Another highlight was that there were some spooky litte details, that were later brought back up again that was really cool and very much appreciated!
The writing style was wondrous and wonderful and I could easily and I could clearly envision all of the mind-boggling creatures that Oppel created. Which leads me to worldbuilding.
The Airborn world is Earth (I do not remember the exact timeframe but somewhere in the late 1800s early 1900s) but make it steampunk. There are still all the same formalities and procedures, but travel is so much more different and air related! There are so many types of different ships and interesting new types of science and theories!
For other steampunk books, I would read the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld! It has all the goodness of Westerfeld’s writing and worldbuilding but with treacherous and steampunk ploys! Leviathan is a perfect introduction to the steampunk genre.
-----------------
Maybe I missed out, but every time I picked it up, it felt like a weight. It was getting better but I had so many other books that were immediately intriguing I had to put it down. I almost never DNF a book- especially when the first one was so fantastic. Maybe I'll pick it up again- maybe.
October 13, 2007
Perfect juvenile adventure story. This is what they should be making into a film, rather than messing about with the next Harry Potter clone.
September 9, 2010
Ok, I can now officially say that I LOVE this series. I would never have thought I'd enjoy this so much based on that boring, boring cover, but I really, really did. And I also never would have thought I'd enjoy this one more than I did the first one in the series, but I did that too! Ghost ships? Treasure hunting? A mad inventor? Yes, yes, and yes. Also a handsome rogue, a beautiful, fiesty gypsy, a group of sherpas, the sky over Antarctica, romance, danger, intrigue...so, so fun. I thought it was fantastic, and I will definitely be purchasing these as soon as possible. Moving on to the third book immediately! Hurrah!!!
June 23, 2010
Get ready ladies and gents for another adventure of epic porportions with the clever Matt Cruse and vivacious Kate de Vries. This time around we find them in Paris where Matt is attending the Airship Academy, but it isn't going as well as he had hoped. He's struggling with some of his courses and isn't living up to people's expectations. Despite that he has stumbled onto another risky endeavor. Matt has seen the legendary Hyperion which is believed to be a floating treasure trove. Kate has gotten into her head that they have to go see what's up there. Thrown in the mix we have the dashing Hal, the self-made man who has his eyes set on Kate, and then we have the mysterious Nadira that is holding secrets. The group sets off to set out to do what no one has been able to do, to capture the Hyperion , but they won't be the only ones participating in the chase...
I was a bit worried when I started this book because I had read Airborn a couple of years back, but the author recaps throughout the book so I didn't feel lost. This book will definitely appeal to people who love to get lost in an adventure. What makes it stand out from other books in it's genre is the concept of airships. I felt like I was actually in these ships and I could understand Matt's awe of these machines and his love for the air. In this book we get to see more of Matt's insecurities as a boy struggling to become a young man. He feels the pressure to have money, make a name for himself, and wants it so bad it hurts. He's ashamed of feeling this way, but it doesn't stop him from wanting it.
I have to talk about Matt and Kate. Their relationship is so...vibrant. They click even though they are so different because they get what makes the other person tick. They do hit a rough patch here with Hal woeing Kate and Matt having an attraction to the beautiful Nadira. I did wish to see a bit more character development with Hal, but other than that I have nothing negative to say. Endings always make or break a book for me and let's just say the ending is throughly satisfying.
The book hits all important attributes to keep readers interested, a good plot, characters that you care about and being able to immerse yourself in a new world of fantasy that is set in the air.
I was a bit worried when I started this book because I had read Airborn a couple of years back, but the author recaps throughout the book so I didn't feel lost. This book will definitely appeal to people who love to get lost in an adventure. What makes it stand out from other books in it's genre is the concept of airships. I felt like I was actually in these ships and I could understand Matt's awe of these machines and his love for the air. In this book we get to see more of Matt's insecurities as a boy struggling to become a young man. He feels the pressure to have money, make a name for himself, and wants it so bad it hurts. He's ashamed of feeling this way, but it doesn't stop him from wanting it.
I have to talk about Matt and Kate. Their relationship is so...vibrant. They click even though they are so different because they get what makes the other person tick. They do hit a rough patch here with Hal woeing Kate and Matt having an attraction to the beautiful Nadira. I did wish to see a bit more character development with Hal, but other than that I have nothing negative to say. Endings always make or break a book for me and let's just say the ending is throughly satisfying.
The book hits all important attributes to keep readers interested, a good plot, characters that you care about and being able to immerse yourself in a new world of fantasy that is set in the air.
January 1, 2018
A thoroughly enjoyable read. I enjoy the way Oppel writes, and the steam punk, Victorian-inspired world he creates is just my kind of thing. Great characterisation, a fun idea and a clever plot as always.
January 14, 2018
Surprisingly good!
I was only going to give this a 3/5, but the last quarter was solid, especially the tie-ins to Greek mythology.
I was only going to give this a 3/5, but the last quarter was solid, especially the tie-ins to Greek mythology.
March 10, 2024
Re-read: March 2024
In the third book Matt mentioned that he had a jealous streak...that's definitely true haha. Both he and Kate are extremely immature, but I forgive them since they're literally kids.
Re-Read: April 2022
I love this book ❤
Re-read: January 2020
This series makes me so happy. It is so much fun to read and is extremely engaging. The world feels so real. Even though this is speculative fiction/sci-fi and there are fantastical creatures and skyships, I can picture the world so clearly. I don't mention this often enough in any of my many reviews of this series, but Kenneth Oppel is so good at descriptive writing. I could easily picture ghost ship and the creatures. I felt like I was on the ship with Matt and Kate. This book means so much to me and I can't wait to pick it up again.
Re-read: April 2019
I really love this series. It's so engaging and fun! Most of my thoughts are in my original review (although I'll admit they aren't very well organized), so I don't have much to add. This is probably my favorite book in one of my favorite series ever and I recommend it to everyone.
Original Review
I find I have a lot of trouble writing reviews for books I really love, so I'm just going to make a list of all the things I loved instead:
- This doesn't have 2nd-book-syndrome! Yay!
- There was not a single boring moment. I never wanted to put the book down.
- Matt and Kate's relationship gives me life! There is a little bit of drama, but it seems very natural. I find that usually in books there's a lot of needless drama in relationships, so I'm glad that Kate and Matt have a stable and healthy one.
- I love the diverse cast of characters. Nadira was amazing, and I loved/hated Hal.
- The writing isn't complicated or extremely flowery, so it's super easy to read. That being said, Kenneth Oppel really knows how to describe things! I could picture everything perfectly and in detail.
- The characters weren't super heroes! They actually get injured, and their surroundings had an effect on them! A lot of the time (especially in adventure books), the characters seem to be almost invincible. Luckily that's not the case in Skybreaker and the characters react to their surroundings like normal human beings.
- Skybreaker is similar enough to Airborn so old fans will love it, but it's different enough that you won't feel like you've read it before.
- Chef Vlad has a cameo :)
In the third book Matt mentioned that he had a jealous streak...that's definitely true haha. Both he and Kate are extremely immature, but I forgive them since they're literally kids.
Re-Read: April 2022
I love this book ❤
Re-read: January 2020
This series makes me so happy. It is so much fun to read and is extremely engaging. The world feels so real. Even though this is speculative fiction/sci-fi and there are fantastical creatures and skyships, I can picture the world so clearly. I don't mention this often enough in any of my many reviews of this series, but Kenneth Oppel is so good at descriptive writing. I could easily picture ghost ship and the creatures. I felt like I was on the ship with Matt and Kate. This book means so much to me and I can't wait to pick it up again.
Re-read: April 2019
I really love this series. It's so engaging and fun! Most of my thoughts are in my original review (although I'll admit they aren't very well organized), so I don't have much to add. This is probably my favorite book in one of my favorite series ever and I recommend it to everyone.
Original Review
I find I have a lot of trouble writing reviews for books I really love, so I'm just going to make a list of all the things I loved instead:
- This doesn't have 2nd-book-syndrome! Yay!
- There was not a single boring moment. I never wanted to put the book down.
- Matt and Kate's relationship gives me life! There is a little bit of drama, but it seems very natural. I find that usually in books there's a lot of needless drama in relationships, so I'm glad that Kate and Matt have a stable and healthy one.
- I love the diverse cast of characters. Nadira was amazing, and I loved/hated Hal.
- The writing isn't complicated or extremely flowery, so it's super easy to read. That being said, Kenneth Oppel really knows how to describe things! I could picture everything perfectly and in detail.
- The characters weren't super heroes! They actually get injured, and their surroundings had an effect on them! A lot of the time (especially in adventure books), the characters seem to be almost invincible. Luckily that's not the case in Skybreaker and the characters react to their surroundings like normal human beings.
- Skybreaker is similar enough to Airborn so old fans will love it, but it's different enough that you won't feel like you've read it before.
- Chef Vlad has a cameo :)
January 23, 2017
Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel
****4****
Matt Cruise made a name and some money for himself after the fateful trip that brought Kate de Vries into his life. Now studying at the Airship Academy Matt feels like his future is in sight. During one of the training missions however, the ship Matt is on, the Flotsam rises thousands of feet into the air by mishap, reaching above the clouds and showing him a glimpse of the Hyperion a ship of legend missing for forty years.
Matt returns back to the Academy to find that not only does Kate de Vries want to know the coordinates of the Hyperion, which only Matt know, but so do any number of unsavory beings. Teamed up with a mysterious gypsy girl, a haughty pilot only interested in making a fortune and Kate, Matt takes off on yet another daring adventure.
Skybreaker was not quite as good as Airborne but still very enjoyable. I found the story took a little bit longer to get started and so I faltered slightly at the beginning. Once it was running though the authour kept up with his same writing technique, great story, very colourful and descriptive imagery and best of all his full and believable characters. I really like how this feels like an adventure story mixed in with science, and the character of Kate de Vries is probably still my favorite. She still has some growing up to do but her love of science and exploration reignites those feelings in myself. Great second novel, the ending had some similarities to Airborn, similar villains throughout but looking forward to book three, Starclimber.
****4****
Matt Cruise made a name and some money for himself after the fateful trip that brought Kate de Vries into his life. Now studying at the Airship Academy Matt feels like his future is in sight. During one of the training missions however, the ship Matt is on, the Flotsam rises thousands of feet into the air by mishap, reaching above the clouds and showing him a glimpse of the Hyperion a ship of legend missing for forty years.
Matt returns back to the Academy to find that not only does Kate de Vries want to know the coordinates of the Hyperion, which only Matt know, but so do any number of unsavory beings. Teamed up with a mysterious gypsy girl, a haughty pilot only interested in making a fortune and Kate, Matt takes off on yet another daring adventure.
Skybreaker was not quite as good as Airborne but still very enjoyable. I found the story took a little bit longer to get started and so I faltered slightly at the beginning. Once it was running though the authour kept up with his same writing technique, great story, very colourful and descriptive imagery and best of all his full and believable characters. I really like how this feels like an adventure story mixed in with science, and the character of Kate de Vries is probably still my favorite. She still has some growing up to do but her love of science and exploration reignites those feelings in myself. Great second novel, the ending had some similarities to Airborn, similar villains throughout but looking forward to book three, Starclimber.
January 25, 2016
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 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 . Like its predecessor book, there are imaginative creatures, lots of action, and a budding romance. 4.5 stars.
February 28, 2011
I thought this was a great sequel to "Airborn;" it was full of the exciting action and well-described characters--not to mention a most intriguing "world"--that made the first book so good. I really like how the author mixes an old-fashioned era with technology, and Matt Cruse's world is realistic and memorable. I was a little surprised by how eerie and scary (for me) some of the chapters and scenes were; I probably shouldn't have been reading those at night ;-) Not that that was a bad thing--I was just a bit surprised by it. I am definitely looking forward to more of Matt's adventures.
December 23, 2017
12/23/17 Kindle version on sale for $3.99. Highly recommend this series.
Sequel to Airborn. I enjoyed this one at least as much as the first book, maybe more. Looking forward to reading the third in the series, Starclimber.
Sequel to Airborn. I enjoyed this one at least as much as the first book, maybe more. Looking forward to reading the third in the series, Starclimber.
January 25, 2019
I was hooked on it from page 1. It was every bit as exciting as the first book, Airborn, but with a whole new set of challenges and suspense. It ended with perhaps less resolution that I would’ve liked, but well enough that I am happy and have already taken the next one, Starclimber, off the shelf. Oppel’s writing is gripping and the story is amazing. Can’t wait to read the next one. See you in a couple of days.
June 14, 2010
I nearly forgot I had read the first book which I could very well get in trouble for, seeing how many people love this series. The whole premise of historic fiction with a sci-fi twist to it is starting to have a real appeal to me now. I don't know exactly what they call it though.
Matt is just how I remembered him though he gets a bit obsessive about money, being good enough and all that. Kate is true to her character as well. Things get complicated between them, the captain, and the gypsy. I guess it was supposed to add to the drama. This I didn't quite enjoy but I shouldn't complain too much since it is dealt with sooner or later in the book.
It was well written the pacing was good –not full of action all the time but definitely a good amount. The journey and discovery of the airship Hyperion is exciting. The action is great and I was thoroughly engrossed during those scenes in the book.
For a sequel I think Skybreaker could stand on its own though I would recommend reading Airborn first and want to read the last for sure.
Matt is just how I remembered him though he gets a bit obsessive about money, being good enough and all that. Kate is true to her character as well. Things get complicated between them, the captain, and the gypsy. I guess it was supposed to add to the drama. This I didn't quite enjoy but I shouldn't complain too much since it is dealt with sooner or later in the book.
It was well written the pacing was good –not full of action all the time but definitely a good amount. The journey and discovery of the airship Hyperion is exciting. The action is great and I was thoroughly engrossed during those scenes in the book.
For a sequel I think Skybreaker could stand on its own though I would recommend reading Airborn first and want to read the last for sure.
February 5, 2019
Good read, solid adventure. Why three stars? No quibbles with this book, it's well-plotted and the characters are distinct.
It's just that I was able to put the book down for long periods of time and forget about it and then dive back into it.
Loved the plot twist on inexhaustible clean energy. Now if only!
It's just that I was able to put the book down for long periods of time and forget about it and then dive back into it.
Loved the plot twist on inexhaustible clean energy. Now if only!
March 13, 2021
Admittedly, I sped-read this just so I could begin Starclimber (I have already read Skybreaker once).
To be clear, I do not include swearing as a factor in my reviews (unless it has a TON of entirely revolting language). H*ll and d*mn were used quite a few times, but nothing more.
The plot was so exciting and instantly wrapped me up. There was a little romance but not much. The plot mostly focused on the true conflicts, which I appreciated greatly.
Nadira is an intriguing character—not to mention her combined with Kate. I am very impressed with the creativity used to make her.
Matt continued as his original self. I mention this because often in series where there is a lot of excitement the main character changes. Oppel did a fantastic job at not wavering with the personality of his character.
To be clear, I do not include swearing as a factor in my reviews (unless it has a TON of entirely revolting language). H*ll and d*mn were used quite a few times, but nothing more.
The plot was so exciting and instantly wrapped me up. There was a little romance but not much. The plot mostly focused on the true conflicts, which I appreciated greatly.
Nadira is an intriguing character—not to mention her combined with Kate. I am very impressed with the creativity used to make her.
Matt continued as his original self. I mention this because often in series where there is a lot of excitement the main character changes. Oppel did a fantastic job at not wavering with the personality of his character.
March 27, 2023
A well-executed book with a bunch of old fashioned action that takes place in a steampunk like, almost alternate history, world. The story reads like a classic Hardy Boys or other great action classic but with modern, non-confusing lingo. However, it doesn't come off childish at all. Overall, it is a perfect book to read if you don't require a bunch of deep character development, which I kind of am glad for. It doesn't fit the premise of the book, and it is something that I otherwise would groan about if it, as I suspect it would be, poorly fit in. One thing I can gripe a smidge about, however, is the cheesy love story. Don't worry, though, because it plays second or maybe third fiddle to the main juicy action plot. To sum it up, a great old-fashioned action book with a rad world. Bravo Kenneth Oppel!
March 4, 2017
"Skybreaker" is a hydrium-powered airship with Everest altitude capability owned by debonair Captain Hal. After Victorian steampunk "Airborn", cabin-boy Matt attends Air Academy and rich Kate studies at the Sorbonne, both in Paris. When our brave lad learns coordinates to the 40-year hidden retreat of a wealthy inventor, mysterious gypsy Nadira appears . Kate hires Hal and the team of four hunt treasure, still pursued by greedy Barton. I liked the action adventure, not the supposed 16 year old angst: she flirts elsewhere so she hates me; I love her, let's marry.
February 17, 2009
I know my friend Deb just loves Oppel, so while coming down from the Sibert jury, I thought this might be a good relaxing escape.
It really was all that and more. For a long book, it reads fast fast fast. You can't quit turning the pages. Plots twist, not in an unbelievable way but more in a slight-jaw-dropping, actually gasping/saying things out loud way.
This would be a perfect book for boys who like Alex Rider - different but the same sort of plot plot plot action action action.
It really was all that and more. For a long book, it reads fast fast fast. You can't quit turning the pages. Plots twist, not in an unbelievable way but more in a slight-jaw-dropping, actually gasping/saying things out loud way.
This would be a perfect book for boys who like Alex Rider - different but the same sort of plot plot plot action action action.
August 21, 2021
Excellent narration by the Full Cast audio staff. They brought the characters to life and made all the action scenes super exciting.
October 13, 2024
During his internship as a Sky Academy student, Matt Cruse does the unthinkable and spots the Hyperion, a ghost airship that disappeared over forty years a go. The Hyperion alludes them and now Matt's the only one with the approximate coordinates to find it again. Matt teams up with his friend Kate de Vries, a haughty captain named Hal Slater, and a young Roma girl named Nadira in order to find the Hyperion and retrieve its rumoured treasure.
My partner will be happy to hear that he's right because I greatly enjoyed this second installment in the Matt Cruse series. I love the trope of stumbling upon a ship that disappeared decades a go. There's just so much intrigue since you wonder what happened to the ship, what you'll see on the ship, and if whatever and/or whoever caused the disappearance is still present. Watching as your cast of characters go onboard and discover everything in real-time is so anxiety-inducing and thrilling.
Despite what I've described earlier, I wasn't expecting the book to veer into the horror genre. I didn't know how to feel when they first appeared, but then their appearance on the actual Hyperion added an element of horror that I greatly appreciated since I also love creature features.
I wasn't a fan of the pirates in the last book. In Skybreaker, the pirates (might be more accurate to describe as thugs, but whatever) were motivated by the rumoured treasure on the ghost ship and were after Matt to retrieve the coordinates. So their presence made more sense in this book in comparison to the first book where they seemed to just randomly show up. The threat of pirates competing for treasure, the horror reveal/surprise, and our cast of characters battling with the consequences of being in high altitudes for an extended period of time really amped the ante.
So... what didn't I like? I have to complain about the characters. I hate Kate de Vries. She's a character I should like because she's inquisitive and open-minded and ambitious. But she's also insanely annoying and my dislike of her from the first book definitely carried over to this book. This is a personal bias, but I hate it when people are chronically late. Kate's first appearance in this book is her being over forty minutes late to a lunch reservation, in which she was the one who invited Matt and informed him to be on time. The audacity. And I know characters having certain physical quirks make them more memorable, seem more life-like. But if I had to read one more time how her nostrils narrowed in anger, I was going to slap her nose off of her face.
Then there was Hal Slater. The fact that he's a cocky captain didn't bother me. It's an archetype that is expected in a story like this. However, I can be annoyed that he's way too involved with minors. He's constantly flirting with Kate even though she's 16 and, even though his exact age is never mentioned, he is described as being in his early 20s. I know it was a different time back then. In historical England, girls could make their debut as early as 16, but we the audience aren't currently in historical England. Nowadays, men in their 20s making moves on minors are considered creepy. And Hal is constantly putting Matt down. It was so incredibly petty and immature of him to emphasize how he's so much older, physically stronger, more attractive, and more accomplished in comparison to Matt, who is a teenage boy. Yeah buddy, any one would be considered more accomplished in comparison to a child.
Matt was kind of annoying in this book, but at least that made sense. Hal Slater is a double whammy for Matt, especially in regards to Kate. Hal puts up airs that he's wealthy, meaning he and Kate can experience and bond over things in a way Matt can't, and Matt is going to feel self-conscious vying for the affections of a girl when there's an older and more attractive competitor. Sometimes I wanted Matt to focus a little more on the issue at hand than if Kate is charmed by Hal, but he's 16. Can't really fault him for that kind of stuff.
And it's doubtful, but I hope we see more of Nadira in the next book. She was an alluring character. We get to know her background and motivations, but I feel like I still don't know her. And honestly, I'm kind of disappointed that she wasn't more of love interest for Matt. Oh well.
Skybreaker was a vast improvement over Airborne and now I can finally move onto the book that my boyfriend wanted me to read all along, Starclimber.
My partner will be happy to hear that he's right because I greatly enjoyed this second installment in the Matt Cruse series. I love the trope of stumbling upon a ship that disappeared decades a go. There's just so much intrigue since you wonder what happened to the ship, what you'll see on the ship, and if whatever and/or whoever caused the disappearance is still present. Watching as your cast of characters go onboard and discover everything in real-time is so anxiety-inducing and thrilling.
Despite what I've described earlier, I wasn't expecting the book to veer into the horror genre. I didn't know how to feel when they first appeared, but then their appearance on the actual Hyperion added an element of horror that I greatly appreciated since I also love creature features.
I wasn't a fan of the pirates in the last book. In Skybreaker, the pirates (might be more accurate to describe as thugs, but whatever) were motivated by the rumoured treasure on the ghost ship and were after Matt to retrieve the coordinates. So their presence made more sense in this book in comparison to the first book where they seemed to just randomly show up. The threat of pirates competing for treasure, the horror reveal/surprise, and our cast of characters battling with the consequences of being in high altitudes for an extended period of time really amped the ante.
So... what didn't I like? I have to complain about the characters. I hate Kate de Vries. She's a character I should like because she's inquisitive and open-minded and ambitious. But she's also insanely annoying and my dislike of her from the first book definitely carried over to this book. This is a personal bias, but I hate it when people are chronically late. Kate's first appearance in this book is her being over forty minutes late to a lunch reservation, in which she was the one who invited Matt and informed him to be on time. The audacity. And I know characters having certain physical quirks make them more memorable, seem more life-like. But if I had to read one more time how her nostrils narrowed in anger, I was going to slap her nose off of her face.
Then there was Hal Slater. The fact that he's a cocky captain didn't bother me. It's an archetype that is expected in a story like this. However, I can be annoyed that he's way too involved with minors. He's constantly flirting with Kate even though she's 16 and, even though his exact age is never mentioned, he is described as being in his early 20s. I know it was a different time back then. In historical England, girls could make their debut as early as 16, but we the audience aren't currently in historical England. Nowadays, men in their 20s making moves on minors are considered creepy. And Hal is constantly putting Matt down. It was so incredibly petty and immature of him to emphasize how he's so much older, physically stronger, more attractive, and more accomplished in comparison to Matt, who is a teenage boy. Yeah buddy, any one would be considered more accomplished in comparison to a child.
Matt was kind of annoying in this book, but at least that made sense. Hal Slater is a double whammy for Matt, especially in regards to Kate. Hal puts up airs that he's wealthy, meaning he and Kate can experience and bond over things in a way Matt can't, and Matt is going to feel self-conscious vying for the affections of a girl when there's an older and more attractive competitor. Sometimes I wanted Matt to focus a little more on the issue at hand than if Kate is charmed by Hal, but he's 16. Can't really fault him for that kind of stuff.
And it's doubtful, but I hope we see more of Nadira in the next book. She was an alluring character. We get to know her background and motivations, but I feel like I still don't know her. And honestly, I'm kind of disappointed that she wasn't more of love interest for Matt. Oh well.
Skybreaker was a vast improvement over Airborne and now I can finally move onto the book that my boyfriend wanted me to read all along, Starclimber.
February 19, 2021
I liked this one more than the first book.
I loved the new characters. Hal and Nadira were great additions and I actually wouldn't mind reading more about their own adventures. Kate was better in this book, but compared to the new characters, she was still not my favorite. Matt was adorable and lovable as always. The adventure was even better, this one really took airship pirating to a new level.
There was more romance than in the first book. Since Kate is not my favorite, the romance itself is not my favorite, but it doesn't really take away from the book or adventure.
I am so glad it ended the way it did, because there was a small probability that it wouldn't. In that case I really would've wanted to slap Kate. Not because she had anything to do with the ending but because of her lack of empathy towards the problems of others. BTW trying to cheer someone up when their prospects are gone, helps no one. Sometimes when your dreams are crushed, people just need to wallow in sadness and come to grips with their future options.
**** Great read, 4 stars ****
I loved the new characters. Hal and Nadira were great additions and I actually wouldn't mind reading more about their own adventures. Kate was better in this book, but compared to the new characters, she was still not my favorite. Matt was adorable and lovable as always. The adventure was even better, this one really took airship pirating to a new level.
There was more romance than in the first book. Since Kate is not my favorite, the romance itself is not my favorite, but it doesn't really take away from the book or adventure.
I am so glad it ended the way it did, because there was a small probability that it wouldn't. In that case I really would've wanted to slap Kate. Not because she had anything to do with the ending but because of her lack of empathy towards the problems of others. BTW trying to cheer someone up when their prospects are gone, helps no one. Sometimes when your dreams are crushed, people just need to wallow in sadness and come to grips with their future options.
**** Great read, 4 stars ****
June 18, 2017
Dieses Buch hätte einfach nicht als Kinderbuch geschrieben werden sollen. Es gibt keinen Platz für sprachliche Diversität, das richtige Aufbauen der Atmosphäre und die Entwicklung zwischen den Charakteren. Stattdessen dominiert ein strenges Schema, nach welchem die Handlungsabschnitte in vorgegebener Seitenzahl erfolgen (ich habe es mit dem ersten Band verglichen).
Dabei ist die Idee, den Himmel als ähnlich unerforschte Domäne wie den Ozean darzustellen genial und die Suche nach dem Schatz eines verschrobenen, reichen Wissenschaftlers in eisigen Höhen nicht die Neuerfindung des Rads, aber originell genug, um entsprechend mit einer vernünftigen Umsetzung gewürdigt zu werden.
Mal sehen, was der dritte Teil mit sich bringt.
Dabei ist die Idee, den Himmel als ähnlich unerforschte Domäne wie den Ozean darzustellen genial und die Suche nach dem Schatz eines verschrobenen, reichen Wissenschaftlers in eisigen Höhen nicht die Neuerfindung des Rads, aber originell genug, um entsprechend mit einer vernünftigen Umsetzung gewürdigt zu werden.
Mal sehen, was der dritte Teil mit sich bringt.
June 30, 2023
Another favorite to re-read! The action ramps up even more in this one and brings back old favorites as well as introducing new characters. I love the high altitude elements.
There are few elements that are annoying, like the jealously/rivalry between Matt and Slater, but even still this book earns 5 stars in my book!
There are few elements that are annoying, like the jealously/rivalry between Matt and Slater, but even still this book earns 5 stars in my book!
June 7, 2018
Such a compelling read. Yet another adventure for Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries. Treasure hunts, adventure, and a little romance...Characters seemed to grow.
If you like Kenneth Oppel, here is another hit.
October 10, 2019
Occasionally the adventure aspects rise to the three star level, but the romance and dreadful moralizing drag it down. The ending is particularly bad - so much contrived and exaggerated posturing.
June 15, 2020
Honestly, I think Kate should’ve gotten her fair share of the loot. And the whole Nadira/Kate thing was infuriating. It would’ve been cool if Matt had stopped objectifying the way the women’s blouses looked on them or whatever.
Other than that, another splendid jaunt.
Other than that, another splendid jaunt.
July 4, 2022
I really enjoyed Skybreaker! It's easy to read and a page turner and a good sequel to the first book.
Plus it has a linethat was used in one of my favorite Owl City songs, which I knew about beforehand, so I was really happy to find it. :)
Plus it has a linethat was used in one of my favorite Owl City songs, which I knew about beforehand, so I was really happy to find it. :)
February 24, 2018
4.5 really. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 746 reviews