Skybreaker By Kenneth Oppel

Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I wouldn't change anything about this novel. I gave the last story four stars and this one five. It isn't necessarily a 'better' story. The series is just really growing on me. The characters themselves have also grown up. Kate's whims in Airborn, which often lead to disaster, were face palm worthy. She is still full of adventure, yet she has matured.



Matt, a first year student at the academy, is completing a hands on navigation training course . Some students were sent out on luxury liners and Matt well... He is working under a reckless Captain, named Tritus, aboard the Flotsam, a cargo ship. They fly into a storm, the Devil's Fist, a year round typhoon known for its ability to strike airships out of the sky. After a close call they spot the Hyperion, a ship of legends. This ghost ship is rumored to carry a vast amount of wealth. The Flotsam suffers damage by the storm but Tritus insists they attempt to tow in the Hyperion and salvage her. Cruse warns them of the danger of hypoxia. The Captain and crew ignore his warnings and they are soon intoxicated by hypoxia and greed. In spite of the Captain's protests, Cruse the level headed hero, ensures they make it to safety. They fail to retrieve the Hyperion, but thanks to Cruse, most of them survive.

Kate soon hears the Hyperion has been spotted. She is still delighted by the prospect of rare animal specimens, which the Hyperion is rumored to have aplenty. Naturally she is eager to retrieve it. Cruse is the only surviving crew member who recalls the coordinates. He is soon acquainted with Nadira, a gypsy girl, who claims to have a key to the cargo hold. She is gorgeous and this brings a bit of a love triangle to the story. The only ingredient missing for the adventure is transportation. Kate introduces them to Hal. Hal reminded me of Bruce Lunardi, Matt's rival from the previous story. Hal has it all going on... good looks, wealth, charm and an airship. Matt soon (once again) finds himself competing for Kate's affection. Together (with Miss Simpkins in tow) they race to locate the Hyperion before evil villians thwart their plans.



These novels use vocabulary I rarely encounter. My favorite word was 'phantasmagoric' defined by the free dictionary as a fantastic sequence of haphazardly associative imagery. I thought this was a fantastic word :)



There are wonderful, vivid descriptions of steampunk style contraptions. It would be awesome to see such inventions brought to life.



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