Skybreaker
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| Skybreaker | |
 Cover |
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| Author | Kenneth Oppel |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy, Adventure novel, Steampunk |
| Publisher | Eos |
| Publication date | 23 October 2006 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 543 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-06-053227-0 (hardback edition) |
| Preceded by | Airborn |
| Followed by | Starclimber |
Skybreaker, sequel to Airborn, is a fantasy novel for young adults and adolescents written by Canadian author Kenneth Oppel. It continues the adventures of young airship student Matt Cruse, and Kate de Vries, a would-be scientist.
[edit] Plot summary
Skybreaker begins when Matt Cruse is aboard the Flotsam. In the midst of trouble, the Flotsam releases all it's ballast and flies high up to the sky. Glancing a vessel far away, they spot the Hyperion- said to be carrying riches beyond your imagination. Matt Cruse can't believe his eyes.Of all the oxygen starved crew, Matt alone remembers the Hyperion's coordinates. The only one on the world to remember the coordinates is. After being pursued by Rath and pirates Matt and Nadira have to get a ship to find the Hyperion, first. Kate and Hal Slater are already there and have the ship ready, after an exciting attack by the pirates, the Saga escapes in one piece. During the entire trip Kate is drawn to Hal more and more and Matt becomes jealous. Once aboard the Hyperion they find no treasure. After the pirates show up(with use of a tracking device) they find out that a machine which generates Hydrium is the real treasure. After defeating the pirates and escaping the Hyperion, the saga heads back to Paris where Matt and Kate celebrate together before Matt leaves for the academy to finish his exams .
[edit] Characters in Skybreaker
- Matt Cruse — protagonist, a young airship student who believes he is destined to be an airship captain. He was born on an airship crossing over the ocean and worked on the Aurora until joining the airship academy.
- Kate de Vries — Almost a scientist to be. Also Matt Cruse's love interest.
- Hal Slater — Captain of the skybreaker ship Sagarmatha (meaning Everest in Nepalese).
- Theodore Grunel — inventor of the airship, an early ornithopter and other inventions (his name is meant to echo that of real life engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who designed many railway bridges in England, as well as helping design a number of steamships, including the Great Eastern)
- Miss Marjorie Simpkins — Kate de Vries' chaperone.
- Nadira — a Roma girl who has the key to the Hyperion.
- John Rath — a pirate. During the storyline he pretends to be Grunel's grandson Matthias to get Matt's coordinates of the Hyperion.
- George Barton — A man working for the Aruba Constortium. While on board the Hyperion he destroys Theodore Grunel's Prometheus Engine and explains to Rath that it must be done, because if the Engine becomes known to the common man, then the Aruba Consortium will lose money because people will no longer need Aruba fuel.
[edit] Animals in Skybreaker
In the book there are several different non-existent animals. Such animals follows.
- Aerozoan – A squid like animal with a Hydrium Sac, and able to produce huge amounts of electricity. This animal is where Grunnel got his idea for the Prometheus Engine.
- Araneus Volatilis – A spider-like creature with wings. It is very light and flies to high altitudes.
Sketches of these animals are available at Kate's field Journal
