He's made some logical name changes to let us know right off the bat that we're not in the world we all know, and he's thrown in some really interesting technological developments. Oppel focuses in on their friendship, above all else.Oppel's alternate world is a delight to visit. There's enough romance mixed in to satisfy those who crave it, but there's not so much that non-romance fans will be put off. The back-and-forth between them is great they bounce off each other very well, and Oppel does a great job of showing us how their friendship develops throughout the course of the book. It's his rapport with Kate, though, that really makes the book. His relationships with the other characters are also nicely developed his rivalry with Bruce felt real, and his friendship with Baz was also very natural.

Matt is a sympathetic protagonist it's easy to feel for him as he faces each new threat to his beloved ship. What more could you want?The characters are great, too. It has all the elements of the most entertaining high seas adventures: technical sailing details, a healthy dose of swashbuckling action, dangerous encounters aboard ship, and pirates. I'm a sucker for a great seafaring tale, and this would fit the bill to a tee if it weren't for the fact that Matt and his friends sail the airways instead of the ocean. His AIRBORN series isn't quite as affecting as the SILVERWING SAGA, but it's still a ton of fun.AIRBORN reads up right quick, and it's fresh and engaging from the first page to the last. It's been a while since I read any of Kenneth Oppel's work, and I'd forgotten just how readable he is. A cabin boy aboard an airship faces off against one of the sky's most feared pirates.This was a reread for me, and I think I enjoyed this even more the second time around.

Airborn book 2