#43 Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been assassinated, putting Europe on a march towards war. On one side lie the Darwinists 
(including Great Britain), who have used their knowledge of genetic manipulation to create giant beasts ideally suited for war. On the other side sits the Clankers (such as Germany), who ride into battle on giant war machines that walk on two legs. In the middle of this are two teenagers, Prince Alek, who is still recovering from the death of his parents, and Deryn, a girl who disguises herself as a boy to join the British Air Service.
Leviathan is the fourth book that I have read by Scott Westerfeld, and the first book in the Leviathan trilogy. While none of his works have really blown me away, I have to admit that there are certain things that Westerfeld does very well. With the Uglies Series, I really enjoyed how the author was able to create a rather plausible, and therefore terrifying, dystopia based on our obsession with physical attractiveness and popularity. Leviathan has equally inspired worldbuilding. Using the beginning of World War I as a backdrop, Westerfeld crafts a fascinating, steampunk fueled alternate history. I enjoyed how just a handful of changes in history (for example, Darwin’s discovery of DNA) could lead to a very different past. It also resulted in a book with some really interesting visual elements, and some great action sequences.
Like many young adult books published these days, Leviathan alternates back and forth between two protagonists. I found I connected to Deryn quite well right away, as I’ve always enjoyed stories about girls who disguise themselves as boys in order to infiltrate areas that are otherwise barred from them. I found some of her attempts to hide her gender (such as the shaving scene) to be rather humorous. Alek on the other hand, didn’t grab me as much. At first, he just seemed to do a lot of running around. Fortunately, once the two characters meet, and the Darwinists and Clankers begin to interact, the book really picks up.
After hearing that actor Alan Cumming was narrating, I knew that I had to give the audiobook a try. I was quite happy with the results, as the Cumming does a really good job of creating a variety of accents. I can see why his performance has won awards. Although it took a little while for the book to grow on me, I’m glad that I ended up picking it up. Leviathan is an all around solid adventure story filled with tons of action and drama. For those (like me) who prefer their stories well contained, I must warn you that not much is resolved by the end of Leviathan, making it at times feel like more of a set up for later books in the trilogy. Still, I found it to be an overall satisfying novel and plan on picking up the second book, Behemoth, in the future.
Rating: four stars
Length: 448 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
Other books I've read by this author: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras
Next I will be reviewing Fables Vol 6: Homelands by Bill Willingham and Timeless by Gail Carriger
xposted totemporaryworlds, bookish, and goodreads
(including Great Britain), who have used their knowledge of genetic manipulation to create giant beasts ideally suited for war. On the other side sits the Clankers (such as Germany), who ride into battle on giant war machines that walk on two legs. In the middle of this are two teenagers, Prince Alek, who is still recovering from the death of his parents, and Deryn, a girl who disguises herself as a boy to join the British Air Service.
Leviathan is the fourth book that I have read by Scott Westerfeld, and the first book in the Leviathan trilogy. While none of his works have really blown me away, I have to admit that there are certain things that Westerfeld does very well. With the Uglies Series, I really enjoyed how the author was able to create a rather plausible, and therefore terrifying, dystopia based on our obsession with physical attractiveness and popularity. Leviathan has equally inspired worldbuilding. Using the beginning of World War I as a backdrop, Westerfeld crafts a fascinating, steampunk fueled alternate history. I enjoyed how just a handful of changes in history (for example, Darwin’s discovery of DNA) could lead to a very different past. It also resulted in a book with some really interesting visual elements, and some great action sequences.
Like many young adult books published these days, Leviathan alternates back and forth between two protagonists. I found I connected to Deryn quite well right away, as I’ve always enjoyed stories about girls who disguise themselves as boys in order to infiltrate areas that are otherwise barred from them. I found some of her attempts to hide her gender (such as the shaving scene) to be rather humorous. Alek on the other hand, didn’t grab me as much. At first, he just seemed to do a lot of running around. Fortunately, once the two characters meet, and the Darwinists and Clankers begin to interact, the book really picks up.
After hearing that actor Alan Cumming was narrating, I knew that I had to give the audiobook a try. I was quite happy with the results, as the Cumming does a really good job of creating a variety of accents. I can see why his performance has won awards. Although it took a little while for the book to grow on me, I’m glad that I ended up picking it up. Leviathan is an all around solid adventure story filled with tons of action and drama. For those (like me) who prefer their stories well contained, I must warn you that not much is resolved by the end of Leviathan, making it at times feel like more of a set up for later books in the trilogy. Still, I found it to be an overall satisfying novel and plan on picking up the second book, Behemoth, in the future.
Rating: four stars
Length: 448 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
Other books I've read by this author: Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras
Next I will be reviewing Fables Vol 6: Homelands by Bill Willingham and Timeless by Gail Carriger
xposted totemporaryworlds, bookish, and goodreads