Starclimber

Starclimber, by Kenneth Oppel, is the final book of the Airborne series. Set in an alternate history during the early 20th century, this steampunk trilogy is, in short, excellent. It centers around a young man (Matt Cruse) and his adventures on airships across the world. He is accommpanied (and ocasionally dragged) by Miss Kate Devries, along with a couple other friends he makes across the series.
I came across the first book from a friends recommendation, and I'm very glad to say she must have brilliant taste in literature, as I found myself steadily devouring the entire series
I particularly loved the science fiction aspect of the books, which were very well constructed, and in general, had a leaning to the 'hard' sci-fi genre. Of course there was also the relationship Matt shared with Kate (DeVries) that's very well laid out, and proved my preconception about this being yet another clichéd YA boy/girl relationship wrong.
I found the entire series to be riveting, well written, and is definitely one I can recommend, especially if you enjoy steampunk, alternate history, science fiction, or just feel like mixing it up a bit.
This book in particular is the last in the series, and is about Matt Cruse heading, as you may have guessed, into space. He has been selected for part of a special sending the first "astralnauts" past the atmosphere for the first time. This one is loaded with suspense, and, just like the others, absolutely captivating. I didn't find this one to be as action packed as the first two so much as it was suspenseful and somewhat mysterious. That said, it lives up to the rest of the series and is the perfect conclusion for a series of it's caliber.



Right now I'm reading Gregor the Overlander (from Suzanne Collins of THG), I'll have a review posted ASAP.

I know I read it, just don't know when...

OK, a list of books I read...

By Lemony Snicket (A.K.A Daniel Handler)

• The Bad Beginning (1999)
• The Reptile Room (1999)
• The Wide Window (2000)
• The Miserable Mill (2000)
• The Austere Academy (2000)
• The Ersatz Elevator (2001)
• The Vile Village (2001)
• The Hostile Hospital (2001)
• The Carnivorous Carnival (2002)
• The Slippery Slope (2003)
• The Grim Grotto (2004)
• The Penultimate Peril (2005)
• The End (2006)

Note (the years next to the books are the dates they were released, not the dates I read them, until The Slippery Slope, which I read the year it came out, and every other book since then).
Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare

David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens (one of my favorite authors)

Growing up Digital, by Don Tapscott

By Seymour Simon:

Pets in a Jar (my favorite!)
Einstein Anderson Sees Through the Invisible Man
Einstein Anderson: The Gigantic Ants and Other Cases
Einstein Anderson: The Online Spaceman and Other Cases

By Dave Pelzer:

A Child Called It
The Lost Boy

Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carrol