SET IN AN IMAGINARY PAST where giant airships rule the skies, Airborn is the story of Matt Cruse, the 15-year-old cabin boy of the 900-foot luxury airship Aurora. Hundreds of feet over the Pacificus Ocean, Matt fearlessly performs a dramatic rescue to save an old man from his crippled hot-air balloon. Before he dies, the stranger tells Matt about the fantastic, impossible creatures he has seen flying through the clouds. Matt dismisses the story as the ravings of a dying man, but when a beautiful, bold girl arrives on the Aurora a year later, determined to prove the story true, Matt finds himself caught up in her quest. But can he and Kate solve the mystery before pirates, shipwreck and frightening predators end their voyage forever?

Narrated by cabin boy, Matt Cruise, the story takes a cracking pace that keeps building as it twists and turns, taking in life on the Aurora, an attack by pirates, a desert island, a hidden pirate base and returns for the climax on the airship’s exterior high above the ocean.

As a reader you connect with the heroes, just as quickly as Matt and Kate do with each other and their banter drives a lot of the more humorous moments.

Oppel is quite obviously a talented writer (he has many novels to his name, all of which sell well and apparently highly regarded) and he describes the events, characters, places with a wonderful touch, and I said earlier the plot moves along at a cracking pace, with enough plot lines and twists to keep everyone entertained, until the books exciting climax.

The main characters are likable, and fully rounded, especially Matt and Kate who are good for each other and not just in the romantic sense (and there is some romance involved, but if that is not your thing don’t worry it’s handled lightly) but their ‘friendship’ is far more important, they support and challenge each other, Matt has adventure in his heart, but his sense of duty and protectiveness of his ship, hold this back, Kate draws it out of him, and knows just how to get him to do what she wants (and knows in his heart he wants too) Conversely Matt is able to reign in Kate’s more willful adventurous streak (although not always directly, she still doesn’t always make the right decision, but you do feel the wrong ones would be more numerous if it wasn’t for Matt’s presence.

Even the bad-guy has more layers than you would expect, he’s more than prepared to use violence when it’s needed, but never applies it randomly, he can be callous with his enemy’s (read Kate and Matt!) and yet is shown to be a soft, caring & loving family man.

I really can not recommended this book highly enough, either to it’s young adult target market or adults of any age, I’ve always believed a good story is a good story and this is most certainly a good story. Go buy, [intlink id="15"]mooch[/intlink] or borrow a copy right now!

• Buy Airborn, here.
• Visit the Airborn website, here.

Rating: