Action Packed Action: Airman

I've enjoyed Eoin Colfer's fairy books, although I do think he has a few too many vowels in his name, so I'm sure I picked up Airman on that recommendation. But the cover is dark and scary looking, so I never got around to reading it. I'm fairly sure my older son has read it, but I don't remember if he thought I'd like it or not.

BarockSchloss, CC License

It turns out that I didn't like it that much, but not because of what it does. It's a book that concentrates on action and intrigue, with action driving most of the intrigue. What emotion there is consists mainly of manly angst, burning within the soul of the solitary airman, not something shared with friends or family or really any one else. And I think it's time to admit that I want a bit more connection in my reading.

It's very good at what it does, though -- the young protagonist is heroically but not comically talented and tough, and suffers believably before rising above (heh heh, you see what I did there? Look at the title) and triumphing over the bad guys. Oh yes, and reconciling with his lost loved ones. And he does it all with Wright-style aeronautics, which the scientific reader could probably replicate from the text. So for people looking for a kidlit book long on danger and action but short on philosophy, grab this one from the shelves