Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

Has anyone else read Airman by Eoin Colfer? It was SO GOOD! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Eoin Colfer! I'm going to go make a thread for him if he doesn't already have one!

I think I need to read this one...

I have to ask--how does it compare to Artemis Fowl?

They're completely different, so it's difficult to say... Artemis Fowl is fantasy and Airman is historical fiction... I love Artemis and his adventures, and I love Conor, too, just in a different way.

PS - Sorry that wasn't very helpful! It IS the same author and they have the same feel to them, if that helps!

I'll add it then. I like historical fiction too. Thanks for the rec!

No problem!

When I read Airman, it immediately became my favorite of Eoin Colfer's books. I really enjoyed the Artemis Fowl series, but Airman just had such great characters and fun, nonstop action - starting with Conor's birth in the balloon! I hope he does a sequel sometime. And if he does, I hope we get to know Isabella better.

Also, Airman reminded me of Kennth Oppel's Airborn series - which is a lot of fun, too.

You know--I saw the cover of Airborn and wondered if it was similar at all. I need to read that one... perhaps for the challenge....

There are some similarities - mostly just due to the flying aspect and the interest in flying machines. It's like both authors might have started with a kernel of a similar idea and then went very different directions with it.

The Airborn series starts with Airborn, then Skybreaker, then Starclimber - which I haven't had a chance to read yet.

This is such a great book! So steampunky in the invention department! The main character changes and develops so much in this one, it's really interesting to watch him mature.

Agreed! I'm so glad other people love this book, too!

This one took me a while to buckle down and read, but once I got about halfway through, I couldn't put it down! :)

Yay! :)

I think Colfer has been trying to write somewhat more serious books when not dealing with Fowl and I like that aspect of this book.

I liked Conor, but he seemed a little too perfect to me. I've also read the Fowl series, and it made me think that Colfer has a sort of thing for near-perfect characters. It seems to me that Conor's miseries were only a result of external things happening in his environment.

I thought Airman could have been a little better-written, but I liked it overall. I was really into it when things hit the fan, it felt like I could feel the despair myself. I liked the style Colfer used too, switching perspective every so often, which is not a style I normally like.

Airman and the Airborn series are some of the best books ive ever read

C wrote: "I liked Conor, but he seemed a little too perfect to me. I've also read the Fowl series, and it made me think that Colfer has a sort of thing for near-perfect characters."

Fascinating... Try The Supernaturalist and The Wish List... Especially the latter. Yeah...

Not perfect at all... (They're from The Wish List.)

Actually, I got the same feeling of near-perfectness from Stefan, and with Cosmo and Ditto though less so. I guess Meg isn't, but the point of the story is that she isn't... And 3/4 is still pattern to me.

My husband and I both read Airman, as well as the first four Artemis Fowl. I think the Fowl books are a good introduction to Colfer, but after Airman, I'm wondering if his other books might just be his "golden books".

J and I have a book blog together, and we're going to make Airman our first "dual review". I'm looking forward to reviewing it with my husband.

Amanda R. in Louisville

I've read most of his books, and Airman is still my favorite.

Read the "Benny" books for a protagonist nobody could consider perfect.

This is a great book. One of the reasons for this is that it is written in a style I particularly like, the hero goes off and gradually gains skills, until he's a killing machine. A mary sue, but still a killing machine.