Matt Cruse #2: Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel

My name is Matt, and I'm sure you've heard of the ghost ship Hyperion. The airship full of treasure disappeared forty years ago, but I actually saw it drifting twenty thousand feet above the earth!  Kate is determined to find the ship and claim the remains of unknown creatures, but I want to get a share of the money. I guess I love her, but I know she'll like me better if I'm wealthy. The cold and lack of oxygen will likely kill anyone venturing that high in the sky, but I'm the only person alive with any idea of where to find the Hyperion. Finding a ship and captain willing to take us will be difficult, and finding someone honorable will make it even harder. Then there's Nadira. This beautiful gypsy girl saved me from bandits, but I feel like she's hiding something. She says we'll need the key she got from her father, but can we trust her?

You can enjoy this book without reading Airborn first. The story reads like a middle grade book, although the main characters are around sixteen years old. The relationship between Matt and Kate is more mature than middle grade, and it creates an ongoing bit of tension between them. The most interesting part of the whole book is the blend of simple and complex machines. The airships are basically blimps, but the technology on them is more advanced. An invention found on the Hyperion has never been seen before and becomes the focus of the plot. The author poses the possibility that high elevations hold undiscovered animals, much like strange fish are found in the ocean's depths. Of course, a few eventually make an appearance to complicate matters. Nadira's secret is predictable, but it creates further doubts about her loyalty to the mission. Overall, this is an entertaining book of adventure and romance above the clouds. Most of the story takes place on an upscale airship that is captained by a young man determined to find treasure. Give the book a shot if you enjoy plots that include action and creativity.