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Airman (Thorndike Press Large Print Literacy Bridge Series) | 
 enlarge | Author: Eoin Colfer
Publisher: Thorndike Press
Category: Book
Buy New: $23.95
New (12) Used (3) from $23.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Format: Large Print
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Lrg
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 527
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 141040868X
EAN: 9781410408686
ASIN: 141040868X
Publication Date: August 6, 2008
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Product Description
Conor Broekhart was born to fly. In fact, legend has it that he was born flying, in a hot air balloon at the Paris World’s Fair.
In the 1890s Conor and his family live on the sovereign Saltee Islands, off the Irish coast. Conor spends his days studying the science of flight with his tutor and exploring the castle with the king’s daughter, Princess Isabella. But the boy’s idyllic life changes forever the day he discovers a deadly conspiracy against the king. When Conor tries to intervene, he is branded a traitor and thrown into jail on the prison island of Little Saltee. There, he has to fight for his life, as he and the other prisoners are forced to mine for diamonds in inhumane conditions.
There is only one way to escape Little Saltee, and that is to fly. So Conor passes the solitary months by scratching drawings of flying machines on the prison walls. The months turn into years; but eventually the day comes when Conor must find the courage to trust his revolutionary designs and take to the skies.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
A modern rework of The Count of Monte Cristo, for the young adult October 18, 2008
There are few authors writing for young people today who have as much ability as Eoin Colfer. He could easily write best-selling long form fiction for adults, but luckily for us, he concentrates his special abilities into weaving fanciful tales that are appropriate for school libraries. Nearly all of his tales are set in or involve Ireland, and he brings the magic of the Emerald Isle to every line of his prose. Airman is a suspenseful tale that is a fitting homage to The Count of Monte Cristo. Airman tells the story of Conor Broekhart, a young man born in a hot air balloon, destined for greatness in all things. One inexplicable twist of fate puts Conor on a path of survival, and ultimately, revenge in this frenetically paced, edge-of-your-seat page turner, set against the backdrop of a fictional empire built on the real Saltee Islands off the coast of Ireland. Intrigue, politics, love, betrayal, high-adventure, flight... This book really has it all. Young and old, male and female alike will love this book. Fans of the Artemis Fowl series will appreciate the smart dialogue and careful pacing, as well as the dynamic characters. For me, Eoin Colfer is among the two or three finest writers alive that writes for young people. This book is rare gem.
Will there be a follow-up to AIRMAN? We can only hope so. August 11, 2008
"No, Little Saltee is not a place for mirth. No Maypoles nor circus antics. Especially not for Conor Finn...."
In the 1800s, Little Saltee, an island off the coast of Ireland, had become widely known to those who were imprisoned there as "Hell." At the age of 14, Conor Broekhart has seen his beloved tutor killed, discovered a conspiracy against the king (who had been like a father to him), and been thrown into the Little Saltee prison and branded a traitor. This has been through the power-hungry efforts of the conniving Marshall Hugo Bonvilain. Surely nothing could be worse than these things --- but the horrors of Little Saltee and the madmen who rule that dark world make these nightmares far more threatening.
Upon his arrival he meets Biltoe, a guard personally assigned to Conor who will do anything to make the boy's life even more miserable. After numerous beatings Conor is initiated into the "Little Saltee Kiss," a process consisting of being thrown into a pool of flesh-eating mites and then being branded for life.
"The mites went to work...scraping his skin with their infinitesimal teeth. To Conor this seemed like macabre torture: but to his person, these mites were a boon. Plant spores, agitated by the mites, disinfected his wounds, which the mites cleaned by eating all traces of infection. They chipped off blood and scab, diving deep into gashes, chewing back to the bare wound."
Conor's only hope for survival is to flee. He has always dreamed of flying, and under Victor's careful teaching, he has learned much about the process. But how can a flying machine be made in this terrible place? His every move is monitored and every day brings new ways of torment from the brutal guards. As the years pass he fights hard for survival and a place of respect among his fellow prisoners, all the while carefully ploting his miraculous escape.
With the intervention of a wise but blind ex-prisoner, Conor comes to realize he cannot just "fly-away." He must let his father know that he is still alive, see Isabella (the king's daughter and Conor's dear childhood friend) and save the little kingdom from the twisted plotting of the evil Bonvilain. He knows that his mission has become much more complicated and that he truly risks losing everything if he does not succeed. Though only 17, he has lived and seen much more than most men twice his age.
Eoin Colfer --- the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series --- brings in elements of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, THE THREE MUSKETEERS and other favorite classic tales. Suspense, adventure, mystery, intrigue and even a little romance make this a refreshing, totally satisfying read. The question now is, what happens to Conor? Will there be a follow-up to AIRMAN? We can only hope so.
--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts
Grand, high adventure from an author who gets better with each new book July 31, 2008
No, Little Saltee is not a place for mirth. No Maypoles nor circus antics. Especially not for Conor Finn...."
In the 1800s, Little Saltee, an island off the coast of Ireland, had become widely known to those who were imprisoned there as "Hell." At the age of 14, Conor Broekhart has seen his beloved tutor killed, discovered a conspiracy against the king (who had been like a father to him), and been thrown into the Little Saltee prison and branded a traitor. This has been through the power-hungry efforts of the conniving Marshall Hugo Bonvilain. Surely nothing could be worse than these things --- but the horrors of Little Saltee and the madmen who rule that dark world make these nightmares far more threatening.
Upon his arrival he meets Biltoe, a guard personally assigned to Conor who will do anything to make the boy's life even more miserable. After numerous beatings Conor is initiated into the "Little Saltee Kiss," a process consisting of being thrown into a pool of flesh-eating mites and then being branded for life.
Conor's only hope for survival is to flee. He has always dreamed of flying, and under Victor's careful teaching, he has learned much about the process. But how can a flying machine be made in this terrible place? His every move is monitored and every day brings new ways of torment from the brutal guards. As the years pass he fights hard for survival and a place of respect among his fellow prisoners, all the while carefully ploting his miraculous escape.
With the intervention of a wise but blind ex-prisoner, Conor comes to realize he cannot just "fly-away." He must let his father know that he is still alive, see Isabella (the king's daughter and Conor's dear childhood friend) and save the little kingdom from the twisted plotting of the evil Bonvilain. He knows that his mission has become much more complicated and that he truly risks losing everything if he does not succeed. Though only 17, he has lived and seen much more than most men twice his age.
Eoin Colfer --- the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series --- brings in elements of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, THE THREE MUSKETEERS and other favorite classic tales. Suspense, adventure, mystery, intrigue and even a little romance make this a refreshing, totally satisfying read. The question now is, what happens to Conor? Will there be a follow-up to AIRMAN? We can only hope so.
--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts
 The Airman July 15, 2008
I loved The Airman, I think it has the perfect blend of Comedy, Drama, Suspense, and everything else in between.
This is the story of how Connor goes from being Sir Connor Broekhart who saved the King's daughter and who dreams of flying, to Connor Finn, rebel, who helped in the murder of King Nick.
After he had a witnessed the murder of the king and the king's friend (Connor's teacher) by the Marshall. Connor is captured and taken to one of the toughest prisons in the world, at age fourteen.
So, the book is about how Connor survives and changes to escape the prison, in order to help his family and his beloved Queen Isabella from the Marshall, by the only way possible... to fly. Flying had always been Connor's dream and destiny and now it was Connor's ticket back.
This is a good young adult book and one of my favorite qualities about it is that it is a good read for boys as well as girls. And a smart read for anyone with big dreams and wild imaginations.
As Colfer said, he has "kicked it up a notch." July 10, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am a big fan of Colfer (author of Artemis Fowl series), and I originally picked up his new one because I'm trying to read everything aeronautical out there in YA and Mid-grade for my own piece of fiction.
...But now I think this is my favorite Colfer yet!
Colfer has described his Artemis Fowl books as Die Hard with fairies. If that's the case, then this is Count of Monte Cristo with aircrafts. He takes Dumas, Wells, and Verne by the throat and adds his own witty, resonant voice beautifully. The book starts off with mostly setting and background, but once the action starts, it doesn't let up, leaving YA readers with a bit of fun, history, science, literature, and heart.
In 1878 Conor Broekhart was born in the sky, and since then, all he can think about is returning. A natural genius, his only playmate on the sovereign Greater Saltee Islands (off the coast of Ireland) is the fiery Princess Isabella. The two become embroiled in a political plot when the king and their tutor are assassinated and Conor is framed. He's sent to the Little Saltee Island prison, a work camp for diamond mining. Conor meets an old, blind American musician who teaches him the only way to survive the misery of the place is to forget his old life and focus on his one passion left to him: inventing flying machines.
Colfer deftly changes point of views, and seamlessly provides narrative without slowing his well-known action and understanding of science and technology. Clever names, clever plot, and deliciously crafted words. My only criticism is that the resolution seemed a bit abrupt, especially in the end where Colfer doesn't resolve the tension he had built up so well between Conor and his father. But on the whole, I spent most of my time thinking, "I wish I could write a book this well!"
One part Count of Monte Cristo, another Around the World in Eighty Days and The War in the Air, and a fourth nothing like you've ever read. I would recommend this to any teen reader or adult who loves action, but I wouldn't recommend it for tweens, as it is an older audience than Artemis Fowl because of the length, language, and misery in the prison scenes.
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