awesome fun filled action and romance

Airships! Pirates! Fantastical creatures! What more could you possibly want? Airborn catapults you into an enthralling world of luxuriant air travel and a brilliant steampunk atmosphere, and the two books to follow only make it better. The story is epic, and the world is one of the most wondrous I've ever had the pleasure of spending a book in.

Airborn written by award winning Canadian Author Kenneth Oppel is a wonderful book. The protagonist Matt Cruise is a cabin boy in the luxury airship known as the Aurora. His life takes quite the adventurous and mysterious turn when he saves a pilot in a crippled airship in the sky over the ocean. The man before he dies tells Matt of fantastic, unimaginable creatures that fly through the clouds. Matt dismisses the mans stories, but a year later he meets Kate De Vries a woman who is determined to find those creatures. Matt finds himself apart of her quest, when pirates attack the ship. With no chance of help, Matt and Kate De Vries find themselves apart of all kinds of new adventures. This book is a great book! If you love a book filled with countless amazing action packed scenes and new adventures then this is the book for you! I loved how well-written the novel is as you get insight into each characters perspectives. Speaking of the characters I loved their individual personalities and how they complimented each other. I did however dislike how Matt's character was shown pretty immature whereas Miss Kate de Vries was shown as rather too mature. But, this created an interesting dynamic between the two protagonists, so no complaints there. Another aspect I enjoyed was the light humour through out the novel which is always pleasant. As for recommended ages I believe the most suitable ages for this novel are ages 10-14.

Great series! Imaginative world, crisp prose, action packed, with a colorful cast of characters.

This is the first in a steampunk trilogy featuring cabin boy Matt Cruse joined by rich heiress Kate de Vries, as they pursue creatures rumoured to haunt the skies above the airships. Canada's own favorite kid's novelist Kenneth Oppel is well known for his fast-paced adventure series, the kind of books you won't want to put down.

Interest level: ages 10-15. A 2005 Printz Award Honor Book, this is the first in a steampunk trilogy featuring cabin boy Matt Cruse joined by rich heiress Kate de Vries, as they pursue creatures rumoured to haunt the skies above the airships. Oppel is well known for his fast-paced adventure series. For younger readers try Silverwing (J Fic) or the Tina Quark series (J Fic Easy).

6 stars if I'm allowed to rate it! Best book ever read!

This book is actually REALLY interesting..... can't wait to read the series!

amazing just a little slow paced
4 stars

In this brilliant novel Kenneth Oppel applies a dystopic lens on the average adventure, romance story.
After a strange occurrence with Benjamin Malloy, a researcher who was rescued and dies shortly after aboard the Aurora Airship, 14 year-old Matt questions what Mr. Malloy was mumbling about just before his death.
It is now a year later and the memory of the strange occurrence is of no meaning to Matt. He works aboard the Aurora most of the year as a cabin boy. His current destination is Australia and Matt hopes to accompany the captain as head sailmaker. This job holds great pride for Matt as his father was once a sailmaker also.
A day into the journey Matt greets the young Kate DeVries and her chaperone Miss. Simpkins, who arrive by ornithopter. Matt instantly falls for the beautiful, kind and adventurous Kate. As Matt and Kate briefly see each other and become closer, Kate reveals a big secret that Matt is destined to be a part of.
Kenneth Oppel keeps a slow pace throughout the beginning of the book, but then the story becomes overwhelmingly adventure packed. The reader will enjoy his uncanny ability to define the main characters, Matt and Kate, thoroughly and descriptively. The story is narrated from Matt’s perspective which is not often seen in a book for ages 12-14. If you enjoy this book then you should try reading the next one in the series Skybreaker. It is somewhat slow paced and the storyline, not quite as interesting. Airborn was much better.
-Arianna Dossa