Starclimber

The third entry in the Matt Cruse book series, Starclimber is the 2008 young-adult fantasy novel written by Canadian author Kenneth Oppel. Primarily set in outer space during the mid-twentieth century, the story resumes the enthralling adventures of boy pilot Matt Cruse and his romantic interest Kate De Vries. When Matt’s summer in Paris is interrupted by a chance to enter an “astralnaut” training program, he cannot refuse the opportunity to partake in the first mission to reach outer space. Along the way, Matt must contend with the spaceship Starclimber’s mechanical failure, Kate’s secret wedding engagement, a violent terrorist group known as the Babelites, and a breed of extraterrestrial creatures called Etherians. Starclimber follows Oppel’s Printz Honor-winning Airborn, and Skybreaker.

Narrated in the first person, the novel begins in the mid-twentieth century as space travel is still a very new prospect. In order to finance his final year of training, boy pilot Matt Cruse helms an aerocrane for France’s Celestial Tower. In the process, Matt barely escapes a violent attack by the Babelites, a terrorist group intent on stopping human space travel. Following the incident, Matt is disappointed to learn that his partner and romantic interest, Kate De Vries, is traveling back to Lionsgate City. Matt’s plans of spending the summer in Paris with Kate are suddenly dashed.

In response to the attack, Canada’s Ministry of Air seeks to ensure Canada is the first nation to successfully reach space. Kate, who is part of the women suffragettes, is chosen for her aerial zoological expertise to partake in the maiden voyage to outer space. Matt is also chosen to board the Starclimber spaceship and become one of the first astronauts to travel to the cosmos. Matt visits his family, and then attends a party held by Kate’s parents. During the party, Kate’s parents inform Matt that Kate is poised to marry the affluent James Sanderson, and will only be granted permission to board the Starclimber if she does so. Saddened, Matt searches for James at the party.



Matt enrolls in the astralnaut program and befriends fellow pilot Tobias Blanchard. Three pilots are elected to lead the program, of which Matt is not one. Matt sulks as he leaves the room. Kate follows and tries to cheer him up. When Matt sees the engagement ring on Kate’s finger, he becomes even more upset. Matt goes to the bar with the other rejected astralnauts, who confide that Matt should have been chosen for the program. The following day, Captain Walken informs the pilots that one of the chosen three broke his leg. Matt is offered a spot as a replacement. Despite the potential anguish of seeing Kate every day, Matt accepts.

When the crew ascends to zero gravity conditions, Tobias is elected to be the first man to walk in outer space. Tobias becomes so enamored with the grand vista of the galaxy he almost unfastens his harness. Matt is called upon to rescue Tobias, during which the team discovers a hitch in the untested “astral cable,” a giant elevator extending to the cosmos. After careful examination, the crew concludes that a blown fuse must have disabled the rocket from pulling the cable to the correct altitude. As a result of the failing mechanics of the Starclimber, the crew is put in direct danger. Upon successfully re-launching the rocket, Matt rescues Captain Walken from a near-fatal accident. Shortly after, the crew stumbles upon an extraterrestrial race of limbless, translucent, baleen-based creatures that move by blowing air through holes in their skin. Kate dubs the creatures “etherians.” One of the creatures gets loose aboard the ship, but the crew successfully catches it before it can inflict harm.

During the expedition, Matt finds a letter written to Kate by James Sanderson. This reinforces Kate’s intention to marry James, a reality Matt cannot cope with. Matt shares his feelings for Kate with Tobias, asking for advice in the process. Tobias implores Matt to propose marriage to Kate. Matt does so, but Kate tries to avert the topic. Matt becomes so enraged that he accuses Kate of lying about breaking off her engagement with James. Following Matt’s proposal, the Starclimber heads home. However, cosmic barnacles are found on the astral cable, causing the elevator’s tether to break. A crewmember named Shepherd dies in the process, and the Starclimber is left afloat in space with no way of returning home.



Matt concocts a brilliant makeshift jet-propulsion system from an oxygen tank and the ship’s toilet-flushing contraption. Matt rigs the device so that the crew will have enough thrust to reenter Earth’s atmosphere. The initial launch succeeds, but Captain Walken is knocked unconscious in the process. Matt and Tobias are the only ones left capable of manning the Starclimber. With the help of Kate and Dr. Turgenev, Matt and Tobias successfully guide the Starclimber into the primary phase of reentry. Upon descent, Kate tosses her engagement ring and professes her undying love for Matt. Dr. Turgenev expresses that everyone already knew that Kate was in love with Matt. The Starclimber successfully lands in Cairo. Following the landing, Kate receives a letter from her parents explaining that James ran off with another woman. Matt proposes marriage once more, using James’ engagement ring as a temporary stand-in. Kate agrees to wed Matt, knowing full well how difficult it will be to obtain her parents’ blessing.

Kenneth Oppel has written a number of children’s books, including the Silverwing series, Half Brother, The Boundless, Every Hidden Thing, and many others. He was won myriad awards, including the 2004 Governor General’s Literary Award for English language children’s literature, and the Printz Honor Award from the American Literary Association (both for Airborn). Oppel also won The Times Children’s Novel of 2005 for Skybreaker.