The AIRBORN trilogy

The AIRBORN trilogy, by Kenneth Oppel, comprising: AIRBORN (HarperCollins 2004); SKYBREAKER (HarperCollins 2006); STARCLIMBER (HarperCollins 2009)(ages 12+).

At fifteen, Matt Cruse is the youngest, smallest cabin boy aboard the airship Aurora.  Beyond anything else, it is his dream to someday captain a vessel like the Aurora.

On one fateful trans-Pacificus crossing, the airship rescues an off-course balloonist, who babbles about seeing beautiful creatures in the sky, before he dies.

Some months later, Kate DeVries, the balloonist's beautiful and wealthy granddaughter, embarks on the Aurora, to see if she can track down the mysterious creatures and prove to the world her grandfather was not a madman.

Matt is more than willing to lend a hand, and the two begin to develop a tentative friendship, when the Aurora is attacked by a dirigible belonging to the notorious and murderous pirate Vikram Szpirglas...

AIRBORN is a rousing, swashbuckling adventure  and coming-of-age story.  The alternate steampunkish Earth, where dirigibles are the basis for air transportation and airplanes don't exist, is convincing and richly detailed.  Matt and Kate are believable and their relationship is complex and compelling.

Their tale continues in the equally terrific SKYBREAKER and STARCLIMBER.

THIS DARK ENDEAVOR [updated]

THIS DARK ENDEAVOR: THE APPRENTICESHIP OF VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, by Kenneth Oppel (Simon & Schuster 2011)(Brilliance Audio)(ages 12+).  At sixteen, Victor Frankenstein and his twin Konrad have lived  charmed lives.  Members of one of the most prominent families in late 18th century Geneva, they have had the finest educations and wanted for nothing.  But when Konrad mysteriously falls ill and the doctors can do nothing, Victor embarks upon a alchemical quest of his own...

THIS DARK ENDEAVOR provides a fascinating look at the coming of age of one of the most intriguing characters in English literature.  Altogether, an elegantly dark and atmospheric novel.

Update:  Read an interview of Kenneth Oppel at Cynsations. Also, note that Kenneth Oppel will be appearing at the Texas Book Festival on Sunday, October 23, from 2:45-3:30, in Capitol Auditorium E1.004.