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Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan (The Leviathan Trilogy) Paperback – August 10, 2010

by Scott Westerfeld (Author), Keith Thompson (Illustrator)

915 ratings

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It is the cusp of World War I. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure….One that will change both their lives forever.

Reading age

10+ years, from customers
Print length

464 pages
Language

English
Grade level

7 - 9
Lexile measure

790L
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.3 x 8.25 inches
Publisher

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date

August 10, 2010
ISBN-10

1416971742
ISBN-13

978-1416971740
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (August 10, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1416971742
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1416971740
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10+ years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 790L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.3 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #111,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #46 in Teen & Young Adult Steampunk
- #91 in Teen & Young Adult European Historical Fiction
- #32,750 in Children's Books (Books)

Customer Reviews:
915 ratings

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Scott Westerfeld

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Scott Westerfeld's teen novels include the Uglies series, the Leviathan, Zeroes, and Midnighters trilogies, and Afterworlds. His graphic novel, Spill Zone, will be continued in SPILL ZONE 2: THE BROKEN VOW, which comes out July 10, 2018.

Scott was born in Texas, and alternates summers between Sydney, Australia, and New York City.

His next prose novel, IMPOSTORS, set in the world of Uglies, comes out September 11, 2018.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

915 global ratings

5 star		78%
4 star		13%
3 star		6%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Vikingroupie

The modern Jules Verne

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 25, 2022

Verified Purchase

I have read this series of books so many times. I have imagined myself in the belly of a whale, and felt the hungry stare of Russian fighting bears. I easily loose myself in this world. The only thing that makes this book better is Alan Cummings performing the audible version . >I live Jules Verne, and I just felt like Westerfield was able to build on that genre and make it his own.

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deudad

Characterization is key, and Westerfeld nails it

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 3, 2011

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It's difficult to write a young adult book that really works, especially in this genre. But Scott Westerfeld really knows his job.

With the backdrop of the beginning of World War I, Leviathan opens with Alek, the young prince of Austria, who finds he has no throne. His father and mother have been killed, and he is taken for a wild adventure by his tutor and a small band of men in a single fighting machine, on the run from his own people. Next we come to Deryn, a British girl, who disguises herself as a boy to join the Navy.

Alek of the Clankers, the Axis, and Deryn of the Darwinists, the Allies, are enemies by name, but are destined to greater things.

That's a very basic outline of the story, which is far more complicated than I have described, especially considering that Leviathan is based on the actual events and political turmoil of the First World War. Westerfeld conjures an exquisite blend of steampunk, mutations, slight twists of history, and staying true to actual events to create a tight, interesting, and frankly quite brilliant science fiction slash alternate history novel.

There are two reasons why Leviathan works so well. The first and lesser of the reasons is how he develops the story world. This is an extremely difficult task and many others have failed on this aspect. Westerfeld, on the other hand, makes everything feel so natural, despite it being something that we can hardly even imagine. But what enhances this even more is the second reason why Leviathan works so well.

Characterization. This is the single most difficult skill to masker in story telling. Characterization is the most key aspect of a story, and Westerfeld nails it. The reason why the story world feels so realistic and natural is the way the characters act and live in it. Westerfeld doesn't make Alek gape wide-eyed at giant complicated machines. He isn't surprised to see a half tiger, half dog held on a leash by a tall woman. That's not to say they don't frighten him. After all, mutated beasts are fabrications of the enemy, and giant complicated machines belong to the Axis, who is trying to kill him.

It's safe to say that Westerfeld is a master of characterization. The weight of the story falls on the shoulders of Alek and Deryn, and they hold it well. We care about them, we want them to succeed, and we are interested in every one of their decisions. Even the side characters are fun to read. The captain of the Leviathan, which is a huge floating whale; Dr. Barlow, a tall, stately, mysterious passenger; Count Volger, the man who was Alek's tutor at home, and the man who helps Alek survive out in the world. Every one of these characters are wonderfully developed, brought to life, and, most importantly, believable.

The plot is simple and complicated at the same time. Westerfeld melds the intricate politics of counties at war with the main characters' personal struggles, giving the heroes and heroines that much more weight. There is mystery, intrigue, suspense, and lots of action. Everything starts in the first chapter. From the got go, we're hooked. And it doesn't let up, even at the end, which is ready to lead right into the sequel.

All of this is told in an effective writing style, which does more than just get the job done. It's funny, quick-paced, and a lot of fun to read. The pages speed passed. The entire book is simply a joy to read.

To compliment the awesome prose, are pictures illustrated by Keith Thompson, who captures the essence of the story beautifully. His artwork is astounding.

I have no complaints whatsoever about this book. In my opinion, the author has succeeded on every level. There was never a dull moment, and I enjoyed every minute.

For all of these reasons, I highly recommend this book to anyone at any age.

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Steff @ Reader Fox

An Alternate History with a Strong Female Character to Adore Forever

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 4, 2021

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I think I'll always have an incredible soft spot for Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. I love everything about this book, from the fantastically imagined steampunk alternate universe of WWI to the incredible characters to the brilliant artwork that Keith Thompson added to the story there's basically nothing about this book that I didn't completely fall for. I'm so attached to this book, in fact, that I even have plans to name my daughter--if I ever have one--after Deryn Sharp.

An alternate history of the first world war, Leviathan takes place across several countries in Europe and follows the young, now orphaned prince of Austria-Hungary and a young woman defying societal expectations for her gender by disguising herself as a boy in order to be admitted into service as an airman. While my adoration of the characters is immense, I do have to admit though, that one of the best parts of this novel comes in the form of the Darwinist's fabricated beasties--scientifically built animals whose DNA is mixed with other animals--and the Clanker's steampunk machines.

In this alternate universe, the Allied Powers are the Darwinists who center their world around scientifically modified and grown creatures and the Central Powers are the Clankers who see the Darwinists as blasphemous and instead specialize in very steampunk related machines such as walkers. The way that Westerfeld incorporates these facets into his story is beyond brilliant and really did a masterful job of pulling me into the world. To date, Leviathan and its sequels are in my top two all-time favorite steampunk novels. And the brilliance of its characters ultimately is what brings this particular series to the number one spot.

With Deryn joining the military aboard the airship Leviathan and Alek on the run from those who would destroy him after the death of his father, Archduke Ferdinand, Westerfeld weaves an engaging story that left me eagerly turning pages to find out what would happen next. I spent a fair amount of the story waiting for the worlds of these two characters to collide.

In truth, the war kind of does take a bit of a backseat to the rest of the goings-on within the novel, but in truth, I personally prefer it that way. I'm not a big war aficionado and so having a more character-focused novel is definitely something I enjoy more. Leviathan is definitely a novel I would recommend to others and I even bought a copy for one of my students last summer. Hands down, this is one of the best books I've ever read.

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Temple Phoenix

Intriguing Alternate History

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 26, 2011

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This is a rollicking alternate take on the First World War, and Westerfeld has populated his world with fascinating characters to go with his funky tech ideas.

In this universe, it seems as if the conflict will be between the Clankers, with their diesel-driven walkers and zeppelins, and the Darwinians with their genetically engineered beasts. The usual political reasons for the war are in place as well, but the differing approaches to war machines really help the sides to stand out.

We have two protagonists; the first is the orphaned son of Franz Ferdinand, the second a Scottish girl masquerading as a boy within the Air Force. Their voices are distinct, their situations opposing enough to be equally exciting.

The Leviathan of the title, a vast living airship, is a great setting, and while this is obviously an introductory adventure, the world Westerfeld has created is fascinating enough to power a dozen such books.

jacw2000

Steampunk 1st world war alternative history

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 4, 2013

Verified Purchase

Not the heavy duty philosophy of Thomas Hobbes but a Steampunk 1st world war alternative history - Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated in Sarajevo - but in our world he never had a son, not even one hated by Emperor Franz Josef, or hunted by his German allies. The Great War starts between Germany and Austria-Hungary on one side and France, Russia and Britain on the other. But the Central Powers have advanced mechanised technology - armoured walking dreadnoughts roam the landscape - while Britain and her allies have manipulated the DNA of living creatures to fabricate organisms like Leviathan - a flying whale, with a crew of 100 including Mr Midshipman Sharp (who would not pass the medical) and Charles Darwin's daughter with her pet thylacine, Tazza.

I tore through this imaginative, well-written book, and before I realised it, I had to buy book two in the series...

Pamela Kelt

Leviathan - powerful novel for all ages

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 4, 2013

Verified Purchase

From the opening, Scott Westerfield's Leviathan offers cinematic action, tight dialogue and a sweeping saga of a world warped by a strange war. The Germans' `clanker' machines are so realistic, it's hard to categorise this extraordinary book as `steam punk'. Their enemies, the British-led Darwinists, have meddled with nature, as real beasts transmogrify into living fabrications to suit the needs of man. The result is a war in an alternative 1914 that can only end badly.

Westerfield is a master at penetrating the adolescent mind, and his young heroes and heroines are so convincing, you can hear them speak in your head as you read. I particularly loved Deryn, the young Scottish girl who wangles her way into the air force. With her Amy Pond-style feistiness, young actresses from north of the border would kill for a role like this. Her kindred spirit from the opposing side is Alex - and he, too, has star quality as he quickly has to come to terms with loss.

The writing is masterful: direct, muscled, vivid. This powerful novel (and yes, it is a novel) is the first in a tour de force series that proves that teen literature isn't just for teens. As if all this weren't enough, the darkly menacing and atmospheric illustrations by Keith Thompson clinch the deal. At home, we gobbled up Leviathan, followed by Behemoth and now we're fighting over Goliath with greater urgency than when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out.

Leviathan. It's big.

2 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Good fun, but errors

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 27, 2013

Verified Purchase

... and well-written, but spoilt for me by silly errors: *Mr* Spencer Churchill MP was First Lord of the Admiralty in 1914, he was never 'Lord' Churchill; a 'Chief Constable' is the senior policeman of a county force, not the 'constable-in-charge' of a detachment of police - in fact, in the scenario in which this is mis-used, it would have been far more likely for a police-sergeant or police-inspector to have been in charge than a constable. Also 'the' is never used in front of 'HMS shipsname', just HMS Shipsname. I'm far from 'young adult' but enjoyed this read.

One person found this helpful

James

Dieselpunk actually

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 22, 2010

Verified Purchase

This is a fine example of a genre that is new to me. But having read several steampunk novels I was instantly hooked.

The 2 young protaganists are a delight.

The use of real historical events and people only serve to make a more interesting read. On a darker note it shows the futility of war and the sheer pointlessness of WW1 in particular.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in well written science fiction.

One person found this helpful

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