Leviathan
Leviathan
Scott Westerfeld
When her da was alive, Deryn had adventure in her life. She learned to love everything about flying, and wasn't afraid to get a bit grubby to pursue this interest. But after he died, her mother tried to conform her into a proper young lady, which was not going to happen. So instead, Deryn cut of her hair and with the help of her brother snuck into the entry test for the British Air Service. During the exam, she is swept away by bad weather while tied to a living half-squid air balloon, only to be rescued by the great flying whale ship Leviathan. Which is where her adventure begins.
Prince Aleksandar, or Alek's adventure, sadly begins with the loss of both his parents...which is also the start of World War One in this alternative steampunk history. The future of all Europe may depend on his survival, and so off he and his fathers most trusted men must run in a mechanical walker designed for battle.
Two teens from very different lives, whose worlds collide together to begin a new and exciting adventure series. Imaginative and exciting, Westerfeld fans will eat this up, as will most fantasy and sci-fi readers. I'm looking forward to seeing where he takes this. Great for middle school and up.