Jun 26, 2008 05:37 PM
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(Updated Jun 28, 2008 07:16 PM)
Imagine a early 20th century world where airplanes have not been perfected, and instead everyone flies around in huge airships. This is a book set in an alternate past of enormous airships filled with the fictional gas hydrium(non explosive of course), unlike what doomed the Hindenberg. Matt Cruse, the protagonist is a cabin boy aboard the huge luxury airship, the Aurora.The ship is like a flying version of the Titanic, with panoramic passenger decks, staterooms etc.
The story is a swashbuckling kind of adventure, with air pirates, mysterious creatures flying above the clouds and so on. The setting is very typically old fashioned-early 20th century- where the Western world was the only one that was well known and Asia and Africa were mostly mysterious and exotic places.
Matt describes the world he lives in in great detail, from his duties aboard the ship, to casually tossed names of distant places he's been to like Karachi or Bombay or Jakarta.
The narrative leads on, from the luxurious interiors of the ship to a thrilling raid by pirates-enough to keep you at the edge of your seat throughout. And the old world charm that comes out is just fantastic. You can well imagine such a world if you read Wodehouse, vintage Agatha Christie and Perry Mason stories. And throughout, you wish such a world really existed!
The book has illustrations of the Aurora's layout, drawn to look like antique blueprints. And the website is gorgeous- laid out like an old fashioned newspaper. Check it out at https://airborn.ca
