Monday, May 16, 2011

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel

Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries are off on another adventure. This time their destination is not the sky, but outer space. The price of Kate's participation in the expedition is her engagement to the man of her parents' choosing. While Matt cringes at the sight of another man's ring on Kate's finger, he has a mission--reach outer space in one piece and return safely to Earth. As is the custom with Matt and Kate's exploits, this one is filled with new creatures and grave peril.

What I thought: Airborn was my first taste of steampunk though I didn't know it at the time. I'd never heard the term, but I knew I liked Airborn. I compared it to those adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson with great guy appeal. Skybreaker was a good sequel, but I really enjoyed this third installment, Starclimber. The plot is exciting from the start and the developments in Matt and Kate's relationship add suspense. Starclimber seems to be quintessential steampunk with the Victorian Age, new creatures, and technology. The science fiction element appeals greatly when paired with everything else. Dare I hope that there will be another book in the series?

I read Starclimber for the Full Steampunk Ahead Challenge.

(Eos, 2009)

No comments: