Review of “Starclimber,” by Kenneth Oppel

starclimber kenneth oppeljpeg 198x300 “Starclimber,” by Kenneth Oppel “Starclimber,” by Kenneth Oppel is a phenomenal science fiction novel that is third in a series that began with “Airborn” and “Skybreaker.”

The “Airborn” series is set in a unique alternate reality world with a distinct Victorian feel. In some ways it is very similar to our world in the 1800’s to early 1900’s. However, in the “Airborn” world lighter than air transportation has reached a much higher degree of development. A special gas called hydrium makes huge airliners and heavy duty airtugs possible. These airships share the skies with heavier-than-air Leonardo da Vinci style ornithopters, and strange high altitude creatures that are usually dangerous to the brave human aeronauts.

The two main characters are Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries. Matt Cruse is a bold young man who loves working in airships. His ultimate goal is to pilot his own airship. In the meantime he must be content to work under the command of others. But Matt Cruse doesn’t mind this because he loves airships and working in the open space thousands of feet above the ground.

Kate de Vries is a rich young heiress who loves science. She is interested in the unexplored regions miles above the ground. Traditional biology sticks to the earth, but Kate is sure that creatures must populate the upper limits of Earth extents. Kate pursues her scientific interests despite the disapproval of her rich parents and her strict chaperone.

In “Airborn” Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries meet after a pirate attack damages their airship and forces it to make an emergency landing on a remote island. Soon Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries find themselves facing both pirates and a strange breed of flying cats.

“Skybreaker” goes a little higher than “Airborn.” While Matt Cruse is traveling in a freight airship his crew locates the legendary Hyperion, an ancient airship that has been traveling the skies for decades. Legends about this strange airship abound. People say that it has a hold filled with greatest treasure ever known. But there are only a few problems. The Hyperion is located 20000 feet above the ground. To reach it Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries will have to travel in a special airship designed to reach that altitude. Once there they will be attacked by both high-altitude life forms and a group of desperate individuals who have been hunting the Hyperion ever since it disappeared decades ago.

“Starclimber” raises the stakes, and the altitude, even higher. International competition mounts when the French announce their plans to build the Celestial Tower, a giant architectural creation that will eventually reach space. They begin construction in the middle of Paris, planning to use the Celestial tower as a launching point to reach the moon and explore the farthest extents of the universe.

There are mixed feelings about the Celestial Tower, though. For Matt Cruse, the project is a tremendous boon. There is a huge demand for airship pilots to haul beams and girders to the top of the tower, so Matt Cruse is finally able to achieve his goal of piloting an airship. It isn’t his own airship, but flying is flying, and he hopes to make the most of the experience. There is stiff opposition to the Celestial Tower, though. A group of people who call themselves the Babelites claim that the Celestial Tower is a disrespectful attempt to recreate the Tower of Babel, as mentioned in the Bible. The have announced that they plan to destroy the Celestial Tower before its construction brings God’s wrath on the French people.

Matt Cruse won’t let the Babelites stop him, though. He is determined to fulfill his part in the construction of the Celestial Tower to the best of his ability. But then Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries are both invited to take part in an entirely different project. The Canadians also have plans to explore space, but they aren’t building a tower. Instead they have constructed a very special airship with which they plan to leave Earth’s atmosphere.

When the Canadian Minister of Air and another member of the project ask Matt Cruse “How high would you like to fly?,” Matt replies “As high as I possible can.” Before long Matt has been invited to try out for a role as crew member on the Starclimber, the space airship that the Canadians have designed.

Kate de Vries is invited because of her experience in high altitude biology, and her place on the Starclimber is guaranteed. Matt Cruse, however, must work hard to qualify for the job. He must compete against many other candidates who also want to be among the first people to leave Earth. In a series of chapters reminiscent of Robert A. Heinlein’s “Space Cadet” Matt trains for the experience and struggles to pass rigorous tests that require all his strength and concentration.

In the end Matt makes the grade and finds himself on the crew of the Starclimber. It is a bitter victory for him, though, because just before the Starclimber leaves Kate de Vries announces that she is engaged. But the engagement is not to Matt! Feeling betrayed, Matt takes his place on the Starclimber, disappointed by Kate’s seeming betrayal of him.

Kate’s engagement is only the first of a series of events that will make the Starclimber’s trip a dangerous and even deadly experience. In the depths of space Matt will have to call upon all his training to survive in an environment full of dangerously unsettling life-forms, critical mechanical failure, and unforeseen disasters.

“Starclimber” is a breathtaking novel that perfectly continues the “Airborn” series. Readers will be thrilled by the rich world, vibrant action and dialogue, and amazing characters that Kenneth Oppel has used to populate “Starclimber.”

The only thing that is slightly irritating to me about “Skybreaker” and now “Starclimber” is the fact that the relationship between Matt and Kate is always so rocky and full of problems. It becomes quite frustrating, but it can be looked at it one of two different ways. On the one hand it may seem that their stressful relationship draws attention away from the rest of the story line. However, I don’t think of it in that way. Kate and Matt’s troubled romance adds extra depth to the story, making them even more realistic rather than fairy tale characters. In the end it seems that Kenneth Oppel has done the right thing in designing their relationship because it adds extra realism.

After reading “Skybreaker” the only question left in my mind is whether Kenneth Oppel will be able to extend the series any farther, or any higher. The reader would certainly hope that this is not the last book of the series, because the world of “Airborn” seems to get better with each book. It is simply too good to end now.

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