Conor Broekhart was born to fly. In fact, legend has it that he was born flying in a hot air balloon at the world’s fair. In the 1890’s 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 … life changes forever the day he discovers a conspiracy to overthrow the king. When Conor tries to expose the plot, 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 he passes the solitary months by scratching drawings of flying machines into 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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An excellent story with a well-developed emotional arc. The characters—good and evil—are true to their natures and act accordingly. The writing is sharp and clear, and though I have never been to the land described, I saw it vividly in my mind’s eye. Airman was never boring but always drew me deeper into the story.
This book is definitely worth the time. Explore original characters making their way in the world with a story that grabs your heart, and your tears, making you feel as if you are standing there beside the characters, watching it all unfold. Easily five stars.
Conor Broekhart was made for the air. Born in the middle of a hot air balloon crash, he has ever since sought to reenter the atmosphere. As the student of a French aeronautics expert, not to mention a family friend of the king of the scientifically-curious Saltee Islands, he’s in a perfect position to make his dream of inventing a powered flying …
Airman is a very special book to me. I read it for the first time when I was in my early yeens and I’ve reread it many times since. I’m so glad to find it better and better each time I read it. It’s simply a beautiful story. It also has a lot of adventure, a budding romance that I adored and some the most unique characters with the most unique …