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81st out of 182 books
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151 voters
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Starclimber (Matt Cruse #3)
"Mr. Cruse, how high would you like to fly?"
A smile soared across my face.
"As high as I possibly can."
Pilot-in-training Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, expert on high-altitude life-forms, are invited aboard the "Starclimber," a vessel that literally climbs its way into the cosmos. Before they even set foot aboard the ship, catastrophe str
...moreLibrary Binding, 390 pages
Published
March 1st 2009
by Eos
(first published January 1st 2009)
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mary shelagh
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Recommended to mary shelagh by:
Clare Hitchens
Shelves:
fantasy
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Janeen-san
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Recommends it for:
Kendall, Nick, Mimi
Recommended to Janeen-san by:
Ari
Shelves:
books-i-own
This book is amazing--it has everything a bookworm could want. Romance, adventure, spaceships...and monkeys.
Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries are about to set off on the ultimate quest...in outer space!
Matt Cruse, after weeks of going through grueling outer-space training, desparatly hopes to be the one picked to go into outer space--along with many other young men. Will he be chosen?
With a dash of luck, he and Kate clamor aboard the Starclimber, the first space ship.
A...more
Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries are about to set off on the ultimate quest...in outer space!
Matt Cruse, after weeks of going through grueling outer-space training, desparatly hopes to be the one picked to go into outer space--along with many other young men. Will he be chosen?
With a dash of luck, he and Kate clamor aboard the Starclimber, the first space ship.
A...more
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Reviewed by LaLeesha Haynes for TeensReadToo.com
STARCLIMBER is the sequel to Oppel's AIRBORN and SKYBREAKER. This was a fantastic science fiction book for young adults, and will follow in their path of award-winning writing.
Matt is an accomplished young man who has many incredible opportunities to prove himself as he climbs out of his childhood. Kate is a feisty young woman with her sights set on a future filled with women's liberation and scientific research.
...more
STARCLIMBER is the sequel to Oppel's AIRBORN and SKYBREAKER. This was a fantastic science fiction book for young adults, and will follow in their path of award-winning writing.
Matt is an accomplished young man who has many incredible opportunities to prove himself as he climbs out of his childhood. Kate is a feisty young woman with her sights set on a future filled with women's liberation and scientific research.
...more
Dear Ken Oppel,
You never disappoint. Thanks for that.
Love,
Me
How wonderful to realize you're holding something brilliant for young people of Philip Pullman-esque proportions.
That compliment I've so far only given to the Hunger Games series and I have yet to see whether the third book bears up.
But this is - pun intended - stellar stuff.
It is the sort of series that I immediately have to go read again, with the perspectives added along the way.
From Airborn onwards, the books have always been gloriously inventive, exhilarating, humo...more
That compliment I've so far only given to the Hunger Games series and I have yet to see whether the third book bears up.
But this is - pun intended - stellar stuff.
It is the sort of series that I immediately have to go read again, with the perspectives added along the way.
From Airborn onwards, the books have always been gloriously inventive, exhilarating, humo...more
STARCLIMBER is the third book in the Airborn Series. If you have not yet read books 1 & 2, please be warned that the following review contains spoilers for those two books.
So, yet again, Oppel has managed pull me into the tales of Matt Cruise with the first chapter - and I'm hooked from that point on; not wanting to set the book down, but rather anxious to read the next chapter, and the next, and the next...
After Matt has taken on two airborn adventures in bo...more
So, yet again, Oppel has managed pull me into the tales of Matt Cruise with the first chapter - and I'm hooked from that point on; not wanting to set the book down, but rather anxious to read the next chapter, and the next, and the next...
After Matt has taken on two airborn adventures in bo...more
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It's finally here! Or at least it will be by February 24th. The 3rd book in the Airborn series. Our pilot in training Matt Cruse is paired again with heiress Kate DeVries as they train to be the first in space. Fast paced action combined with Jules Verne imagination make this a great read for young adults.
The third installment of the Airborn series does not disapoint. Matt and Kate are back in another thrilling adventure. I could never get tierd reading about their adventures. This one has a lot of the same elements that I loved in the first two books. I love these characters and the amazing alternate history that Oppel has created. I was happy to see some old favorites back again too, like Captain Walken and Chef Vlad.
The plot is full of action and conflicts from the begining as Matt face...more
The plot is full of action and conflicts from the begining as Matt face...more
"From Earth, from this very terrace, the view of the stars was wondrous enough. Imagine how much more you could see thousands of miles beyond it..."
Third in the Airborn series! Matt Cruse and Kate DeVries are back, this time aiming for outer space. In their alternate world, the ship they will take is called the Starclimber -- literally the ship that will climb a thin wire into space. The wire is anchored far below the surface of the Earth, and the other in is attached to a roc...more
Third in the Airborn series! Matt Cruse and Kate DeVries are back, this time aiming for outer space. In their alternate world, the ship they will take is called the Starclimber -- literally the ship that will climb a thin wire into space. The wire is anchored far below the surface of the Earth, and the other in is attached to a roc...more
Disclaimer: I love Kenneth Oppel. This is not my favourite of his books, though. It's still a great adventure story, set as it is in a parallel universe of steampunk space travel. (You heard me.) If you're willing to overlook a few contrived plot devices and a couple of elements that feel recycled from the first two books in this series, then it's fabulous fun.
Matt and Kate are back, joined by a particularly colourful cast of characters. I particularly enjoyed Evelyn Karr, obviou...more
Matt and Kate are back, joined by a particularly colourful cast of characters. I particularly enjoyed Evelyn Karr, obviou...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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The space race is on in this third fantastic adventure of Matt Cruse and Miss Kate DeVries. The French are building a Celestial Tower to reach the stars and the action starts immediately when Matt defuses a plan to blow it up. Because of his quick thinking and quicker actions, the Canadian Prime Minister calls Matt home to enroll in a secret 3 week course- to become a member of Canada's first flight into space: an astralnaut. Hundreds apply, only 3 are chosen. Kate is invited along because of he...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Although initially worried that the space setting would ruin the ambience and general feeling of the series, by the third page I was hooked. This book was amazing! Any one who loved the first two books will love this one!
Once again Matt and Kate are back and this time the setting for adventure is outer space. Kate is immediately invited on the expedition as she is known to be a high-altitude zoologist. Matt on the hand is invited along, but must prove himself capable. I won't say anymore o...more
Once again Matt and Kate are back and this time the setting for adventure is outer space. Kate is immediately invited on the expedition as she is known to be a high-altitude zoologist. Matt on the hand is invited along, but must prove himself capable. I won't say anymore o...more
This is the third book in Oppel's "Airborn" series. This book was a fun read, but I thought the first two were superior. Fans of the fast-paced, near non-stop action of the first two might find the pacing slow. Personally, I thought the pacing was fine; it was slower and more deliberate, and got more into the relationships and interactions, especially between Matt and Kate. I also liked how some things which seemed inconsequential in the beginning turned out to be important at the end....more
Imagine finding the wreckage of the Titanic, or King Tut's tomb, or being the first man to walk on the moon. It must have been exciting, terrifying, stomach-wrenching. Kenneth Oppel somehow manages to capture the thrill of exploration in every book in this series, and Starclimber was a worthy end to the trilogy.
Matt Cruse is selected for training to be one of the first astralnauts, the crew of the Starclimber, a rather fascinating little spacecraft that runs on a cable. Kate deVri...more
Matt Cruse is selected for training to be one of the first astralnauts, the crew of the Starclimber, a rather fascinating little spacecraft that runs on a cable. Kate deVri...more
If you're looking for a dramatic, thrilling, breathlessly romantic young adult novel that you can recommend to any kid in any classroom in America without offending teachers, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more appropriate title than Kenneth Oppel's Starclimber.
But it's the 3rd of a trilogy. Read Airborn and then Skybreaker first. They're all excellent. And so is Oppel's story. He published his first novel before he was 20 and now has at least two terrific series to his credit...more
But it's the 3rd of a trilogy. Read Airborn and then Skybreaker first. They're all excellent. And so is Oppel's story. He published his first novel before he was 20 and now has at least two terrific series to his credit...more
Matt Cruse is out of his element, in more ways than one. Whether he's trying to gain traction in the grueling astralnaut training program that will determine who will pilot the first vehicle into outer space, or attending posh garden parties to meet his sweetheart Kate's parents and society friends, Matt can't quite seem to fit in. And then comes the part of the story where he is very literally out of his element, as Matt goes on another of his wild adventures. But the ship in this one is a l...more
Fabulous third (and I assume final) book in the Matt Cruse series! Airborn was pretty good and Skybreaker was really good, butStarclimber... WOW. LOVED IT! I just wish I'd been able to get the audiobook, since I'm in love with Full Cast Audio... But oh well! It was a really easy read in print.
So.... in this book, Kate and Matt have yet ANOTHER adventure—this one even more extreme than the last! SPACE! (The final frontier... these are the voyages... *cough* Sorry, what?) Will ...more
So.... in this book, Kate and Matt have yet ANOTHER adventure—this one even more extreme than the last! SPACE! (The final frontier... these are the voyages... *cough* Sorry, what?) Will ...more
Based in an alternate reality with some linking characteristics to late 19th century Canada, Oppel's Airborn series is well suited for the intended young adult audience. The story has the right blend of compelling action and interesting characters to catch and keep a teenage reader. However, the strength of Oppel's writing is that he tricks his readers into thinking and learning about scientific principles as they read. Although the books include imaginary flying machines and fictional specie...more
I enjoyed the first in the series and the second was rocky but had some really interesting moments.... but I really didn't care for this one. I do respect the painstaking care that the author put into making this alternative steampunk-ish space exploration plausible. However it felt like he just borrowed heavily from deepwater exploration, down to the creatures and space fauna, without really putting his own spin on it. Also the two ostensible heroes, Kate and Matt were just awful to be aroun...more
It was good. I found the ease of spacetravel a little unlikely, and the fact that the same captain and chef from the first book miraculous ended up being a part of the exceptionally small crew, it was nice to have some familiar characters while i read.
I don't know if they've been doing this in the whole series without me noticing, but when I read the name Evelyn Karr, I realized that she was based of of Emily Carr, one of my favourite artists. Now that i think back on it, i think i recall ...more
I don't know if they've been doing this in the whole series without me noticing, but when I read the name Evelyn Karr, I realized that she was based of of Emily Carr, one of my favourite artists. Now that i think back on it, i think i recall ...more
Holy smack, this book was good. I had actually dragged my feet a bit getting to this one because book 2 of the series was a bit of a chore to get through, but DANG. This entry into the series starts with a bang, literally, and does not let go. I listened to the Full Cast Audio production of this book, which was amazing, btw, and at one point I was driving and had gotten to a particularly exhilarating part near the end... I thought I was going to have to pull my car over to finish it because I...more
I have very much enjoyed this series (Airborn, Skybreaker, and now Starclimber)and was overjoyed to find the third wondrous installment the other day. I think it's the best one so far. I was very happy with the ending, and although there is not as much man vs. man conflict in the plot, it is still as gripping as any other in the series. I am a big fan of Kenneth Oppel, and I highly reccomend this series, or else the Silverwing Saga. Enjoy!
The Lost World and Starclimber
After finishing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World I jumped right into the third and last book chronicling the adventures of Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, Starclimber., by Kenneth Oppel. Both books share similar themes: they are pulp adventures set in around the same time, they feature the discovery (or rediscovery) of new and dangerous animals. Yet these two books are very opposite in their writing styles. And one pays homage to the other in a huge way, ...more
After finishing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World I jumped right into the third and last book chronicling the adventures of Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, Starclimber., by Kenneth Oppel. Both books share similar themes: they are pulp adventures set in around the same time, they feature the discovery (or rediscovery) of new and dangerous animals. Yet these two books are very opposite in their writing styles. And one pays homage to the other in a huge way, ...more
I began this book with great anticipation. I LOVED Oppel's previous two books in this series. They were fun, exciting, and interesting. They were books I wished I had written. It isn't that these adjectives don't apply to Starclimber, just not with the depth of sincerity and passion that his previous books inspired. Perhaps it was the action didn't have enough drama or the characters were petty and frustrating. I'm not sure but what I'd come to expect from Oppel, I just didn't find. It wa...more
Maybe he thought he was going to spend the summer in Paris piloting airships to help build the modern-day Tower of Babel, but thats not what happened. Set on an alternate-reality Earth, Canadian Matt Cruse once again finds himself in the action. The Parisian's are building, and building quickly. But their tower isn't reaching for a higher power; it's trying to get to space. Remniscient of our own frenzied space race, Oppel's various nations race while self-pronounced "Babelites" bo...more
Aerial adventurer Matt Cruse has returned to the skies, only this time his journey will take him into outer space and the stakes are raised: a life will be lost on the voyage. You might say the Airborn series is facing the same challenge of many children's series before it, in that the material gets darker and more sophisticated as it goes along, faster than perhaps the original core readers are quite ready for. For instance, the slightly crushy friendship between Matt and Kate has picked up man...more
Starclimber is the first steampunk spaceship, from Lionsgate, an alternate Vancouver Canada. Narrator Matt Cruse (#3) fails to qualify as one of three astralnauts. His beloved suffragette Kate can board only after accepting another's proposal. She keeps calling her new fiance by the wrong name. "He looks like a George." (I've had the same trouble.)
Fellow-student Tobias guesses their attraction. "It's the way you look whenever she mentions her fiance. My cat looks like that b...more
Fellow-student Tobias guesses their attraction. "It's the way you look whenever she mentions her fiance. My cat looks like that b...more
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I 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 ...more
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“It's the way you look whenever she mentions her fiance. My cat looks like that before he hacks up a hairball.”
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27 people liked it
“Marry me." I said.
She lowered her teacup, shaking slightly, to the saucer. "Aren't you going to get down on one knee?"
I got down on one knee and took her hand.
"Will you marry me, Kate?"
You can't propose properly without a ring." She said.
I reached into my pocket and took out James Sanderson's ring, which I'd picked up off the floor of the Starclimber when we'd crash landed.
"That's a nice looking ring." said Kate with a grin.
"Cost a fortune." I said. "And now, for the third time. Kate de Vries, will you marry me?"
She leaned forward and took my face in her hands and kissed me.
"Yes," "Yes, and yes and yes. But it will probably be terrible."
"Probably," I agreed.
"Honestly," she sighed, "I don't know what kind of life we'll have together, with me always flying off in one direction and you in the other."
I smiled. "It's a good thing the world's round," I said.”
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17 people liked it
More quotes…
She lowered her teacup, shaking slightly, to the saucer. "Aren't you going to get down on one knee?"
I got down on one knee and took her hand.
"Will you marry me, Kate?"
You can't propose properly without a ring." She said.
I reached into my pocket and took out James Sanderson's ring, which I'd picked up off the floor of the Starclimber when we'd crash landed.
"That's a nice looking ring." said Kate with a grin.
"Cost a fortune." I said. "And now, for the third time. Kate de Vries, will you marry me?"
She leaned forward and took my face in her hands and kissed me.
"Yes," "Yes, and yes and yes. But it will probably be terrible."
"Probably," I agreed.
"Honestly," she sighed, "I don't know what kind of life we'll have together, with me always flying off in one direction and you in the other."
I smiled. "It's a good thing the world's round," I said.”
