Customer Reviews

Starclimber

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having explored the far reaches of the skies, Matt Cruse is about to fly beyond them -- into the unknown expanse of space.

Yup. Space. Kenneth Oppel's airship trilogy takes a distinctly sci-fi turn in the final volume, "Starclimber" -- it's focused on the wondrous expanses outside Earth's, and the dangers that go with its first pioneers. It's a little top-heavy with Matt's romantic woes, but Oppel does a truly brilliant job mingling sci-fi, adventure and a sense of lyrical wonder.

Matt Cruise has been working as a tug captain at the Celestial Tower, but he's offered a wildly different job: to become one of the first astralnauts on a space mission.

Unfortunately as he undergoes the grueling training, Matt is distracted -- Kate (who is heavily involved in the suffragette movement) is being pressured to make a "good match" with a rich man. And while both of them are included on the cable-climbing "Starclimber," Matt is horrified when he discovers that Kate's parents have forced her to make a choice -- get engaged or give up outer space.

The specially selected team succeeds in leaving the Earth behind, only to find that space has its own variety of dangers -- including mysterious glowing objects, monstrous space creatures, asteroids, and the threat of a bombing from the fanatical Babelites. But the worst is yet to come, when Matt finds that he must repair a delicate piece of equipment... or the entire expedition will be destroyed.

Just as Oppel's "Airborn" and "Skybreaker" asked what if airships had dominated the skies, "Starclimber" explores the idea of a more technologically advanced Victorian age where space travel is a realistic possibility. He even touches on some timeless topics, such as prejudice against women's abilities (and Kate's rebuttals) and fanaticism (the Babelites, believing it angers God to venture into space).

And despite the slow unfolding of the story, Oppel keeps it interesting with his a lovely prose style (the darting lights and haunting space "music"), and the detailed descriptions of space training and technology. About halfway through it suddenly tightens into a taut action story, with lots of space rescues and bizarre alien life forms.

And though a bunch of bickering strangers in space sounds boring, he injects little moments of comedy into the story ("There is no energy in Paris, no dynamism. An artist like myself must move on. Also, I set fire to the French president"). If there's a flaw, it's that the subplot about Matt and Kate's fragmenting relationship weighs a little too heavily during life-threatening crises.

Matt and Kate have grown up a great deal, but are still very much the same -- she's a impetuous, strong-willed and determined scientist, while he's a lovable, humble pilot who just wants the skies and Kate (although he suffers from some thorny jealousy and doubts about her). The supporting cast is a pretty fun bunch as well, particularly the prickly Miss Karr, pompous windbag Sir Hugh, and the paternal Captain Walken.

"Starclimber" takes everything that was good about Oppel's steampunky fantasy books, and launches them into orbit. A solid finale for a brilliant trilogy, and definitely a good ending for Matt and Kate.

I loved this series but was slightly disappointed in the last book. The first two were five star reviews for me. Stairclimber, while entertaining enough, didn't grab my attention the way the first two did. The characters weren't as interesting, the plot weaker, and the action and aftermaths too rushed and a little too pat. The ending was VERY anticlimactic and seemed like a rush job. I felt that the science of this book was a little too much of a stretch also. I still recommend the series and will enjoy reading more from this author.

Third in the series, and I would be sad if it were the last book in this world that Kenneth has created. I've come to really like Matt and Kate, and would like to read more of their adventures.

This story follows Matt and Kate as they continue on even higher, up to space this time.

The writing is as good as the first two books. It's a fun page-turner that I think appeals to young and old. The science is getting a bit more far-fetched than in the previous two books, but that is okay, since the story is so much fun.

This is the third book in an alternate reality created by world-renowned Kenneth Oppel. In this book, the airplane has not been developed but flying machines, gliders, blimps and balloons are the mode of air transportation. The first two books Airborn and Skybreaker have won almost every Canadian children's literary award. Combined they have won: Governor General's Award, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award (twice), Red Maple Award (twice), Michael L Printz Honor Book (ALA). They have won 26 awards and been nominated for another 7. The interesting thing is, this was the first book in this series to come across my desk and was read as an independent story. It stands strong on its own and left me wanting to read the first two.

This story is part of the saga of Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, two young people in love and pursuing higher education to realize their dreams - Matt of becoming a captain on an airship and Kate of becoming a world-class scientist and researcher, especially zoology in the stratosphere. It is also the story of the race to space. The French are trying to build a tower into space, and Matt and Kate are called home to Canada, to be part of Canada's attempt. Kate is outright invited to be a scientist on the Mission. Matt must go through a grueling training regime and compete with over a hundred people hoping to be an astronaut aboard the Canadian ship Starclimber. Matt is a skilled Skysailor but can he compete with so many older and more experienced men?

The story is part science fiction, part romance, and part social commentary. Oppel does an excellent job of weaving the different elements into a cohesive tale that is compelling and addicting. You reach a point in the book where you do not want to put it down. The greatest strength of the story is the incredible characters that seem so real, and the powerful narrative technique used by Oppel that makes you feel like you are there and part of the action. The story has a great pace that picks up speed as it moves along and finishes like a runaway train dragging us along with it, racing to the end.

This is a great novel and like the others in the series will probably win numerous awards.

(First Published in Imprint 2009-03-13.)

Starclimber is the latest installment in a very good juvenile parallel worlds series. Oppel's parallel world is a clever construct with elements of the Edwardian period and Edwardian technology, but crucial differences in physics and biology. This book features a well realized version of the beanstalk idea for space travel. As in prior books, imaginative alternate biology is an important feature of the story. The plot is an adventure story with the principal characters being 2 teenagers with equal weight given to the male and female characters. Character development is not as strong as in prior books. Where the prior books featured the common and generally successful device of following the maturation of the heroes, this book uses a less interesting romantic subplot. Plot construction is otherwise good and quality of writing is solid.

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.

Together, they meet their newest challenge of being the first to ride the Starclimber into space. They are headed to a world of life-threatening new discoveries about space, and new discoveries about themselves as they soar into adulthood.

With new creatures and an "elevator" into space, our main characters seek to meet their new expectations and out-of-this-world challenges.

The book was packed with nail-biting adventures that are bound to keep readers' interest. It was a fabulous story, and I would suggest it to any young man or woman who likes to read about worlds, not too unlike their own, and young people who are accomplishing what seems like the impossible.

Reviewed by: LaLeesha Haynes

by Caleb

Starclimber is the third book in the Matt Cruse series, and it delivers splendidly. Picking up two years after Skybreaker, in the mid-1930s, friends Matt and Kate de Vries are fighting to be among the first Canadians in outer space, at the same time the French plan to reach space first with their Celestial Tower. Matt is going as an astralnaut while Kate goes to search for extraterrestrial life as a full blown aerial zoologist. Like its predecessors, Starclimber is filled with danger and adventure at every turn - a group of people called Babbelites seek to end all space adventure, and they'll stop at nothing to achieve their goal. During Matt and Kate's special astralnaut training, they face rigorous tests, sabotage, old rivals, and bitter disappointment. The action never stops as Matt and Kate are then thrust into space where they face even more challenges. Readers are left wondering if they'll ever get back to earth, or if the friends are destined to die in space.

One of the greatest things about Starclimber is the character interaction. The reader feels as though he's with Matt and Kate every step of the way, trying to determine what comes next. Matt and Kate's relationship combined with their opposing personalities makes for a great pairing. Their interaction sounds normal and down-to-earth, not canned and silly. The addition of favorite characters from the first two books makes Starclimber all the more likable, focusing on more than just Matt and Kate's relationship. Starclimber develops all the characters as they struggle with the pitfalls of space journey.

Perhaps the best part of Starclimber is the description of outer space. Oppel puts it into words beautifully, again making the reader feel as though he were right there in the ship. It also provides a well-timed break in the action, giving the reader a moment to breathe and marvel at Oppel's writing, which could make anyone want to visit space. The Music of the Spheres is an interesting addition, trapping the astralnauts with its beautiful sounds.

Oppel's alternate historical timeline is so well conceived and planned out, that it in itself could be a book. In addition, the plot development and story twists are enough to keep every reader enthralled down to the last page, making Starclimber well worth checking out.

I almost feel there isn't much point in reviewing this- if you are like me, you loved the first 2 that you will buy this without checking the reviews. I certainly wouldn't have at the time. Unfortunately, the third installment in this series has greatly disappointed me.

Since the last book, there has been a space race of sorts, and now our protagonist is employed along with half the country presumably on a massive tower that will reach into space. Later on, he gets called to become a part of a competing space program, this one utilizing an elevator that reaches tens of thousands (!) of miles into space that has somehow been constructed without anyone else noticing.

So Matt, his love interest, and several other recurring characters get to visit space, and along the way they encounter space barnacles, religious extremism, and a depressingly weak "whodunnit".

The plot wobbles between boring and laughably dumb, the relationships between the characters go through the exact same stages as the previous books, and the status quo is inevitably restored, science or common sense be damned.

Perhaps the next installment will be bette, who knows.

I have one child that will not read and he actually read the series. The other children read the books in a few days. This series is great for boys and girls. We used the whole series for AR (accelerated reader) requirements. I have even recommended it to other adults and they all have enjoyed the series.

If I could give this book a better rating, I would. The storyline of this book contians the perfect mix of adventure, romance, and suspense. The main thing that sets this book apart is the way the main character manages to get into interesting situations while still remaining an almost avarage person.