This is the third in the "Airborn" Series, succeeding Airborn and Skybreaker. This third novel has been a great anticipation in my book calendar, and one i really wanted to read, but there was something abit odd about it.

Matt Cruse, a young aspiring-to-be captain, is studying in Paris, and on his summer holiday, takes a job at the Celestial Tower- a tower built in Paris, aiming to reach space first... but is whisked away to Lionsgate city, to be invited to be part of the Canadian space race...

He has to pass a grueling set of tests before he can enter, whilst Kate, his love from the previous novels, a young girl aspiring to be a great scientist, gets an easy free pass. This is just one incident forming a crevasse in their relationship, with others being social pressure, parents and a proposal from a rich tycoon's son.

They both end up on the space voyage, and face many more adventures, following their voyage into space, and behold the discoveries they find. I shan't spoil the excitement for you... the plot twists and sudden dangers are still there!

Overall, the book follows the same style of Oppel, the characterisation is flawless once again, and there is all the same action, twists and dilemas the past two books have seen. However, this feels rather predictable, and plain compared to the other two, and seems somewhat detached.

Whilst it does refer to past incidents, which of course has shaped our characters thus far, and the reintroduction of Captain Walken, of which was in the first novel, the links aren't quite of the same exciting type. No shocking revelations and "WOWing" twists, eg Nadira was Spzirglass' daughter! It was just dilema after dilema, which you kinda guessed would come up and all our characters would survive through.

This series has so much potential, and this book falls short of the high standards previously achieved. However, we have to keep in mind that this book is targetted at children, and too much complexion could vex them; yet i think it is more suited to teens and if driven towards that category, it will have so much more scope.

The book is solid, but not exceptional, and perhaps the series will need a shocking event, a new original and refreshing storyline, and perhaps a new prominant rival/ enemy or evil person. The Babelites in this just wasn't threatening or involved enough!

For £5 at Waterstones.co.uk, this is a real bargain for such a good read, and anyone of any age is suitable for some exciting drama!