Title: Leviathan
Author: Scott Westerfeld [website] [twitter] [facebook]
Genre: Young Adult,  Creative Historical Fiction, Steampunk
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: Audio
Source: Purchased
Parental Advisory: war, criminal activity, violence, references to alcohol

“Once over the spine Deryn could see the wreck much better.

Men and beasts were everywhere on this flank, four searchlights stretching their shadows to monstrous proportions.  The main gondola lay at an angle, half hanging from the harness, half resting in the snow.  She scrambled down the ratlines and hit the ground running.

Inside the gondola the decks and bulkheads leaned to starboard ,a fun house full of overturned furniture.  With the scent of hydrogen everywhere, the oil lamps had been extinguished, leaving he chaos lit with the sickly green of glowworms.  Men jostled in the slanting corridors, filling the air with curses and shouted orders.”

Summary (from the publisher):
It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up.  The Austro-Hungarians and Germas have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition.  The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry.  Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run.  His own people have turned on him.  His title is worthless.  All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service.  She’s a brilliant airman.  But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek’s and Deryn’s 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.

Opinion:
Westerfeld is a master storyteller.

Can I say it again?

Master.

In Leviathan he’s crafted a wonderful mix of creative historical fiction with the scifi’ish stylings of steampunk.  But that’s nothing in comparison to the plot AND character driven story constructed that can appeal across age and gender lines.  Have I mentioned the book itself is a work of art?  Because it is.  It’s filled with spectacular illustrations.  If for some reason you find your imagination can’t put a visual together for the many unique settings and characters he’s devised then the many lovely pages certainly will.

Heck, I’d buy the book for that alone.

But wait!  You shouldn’t pick up the book for that reason alone.

Why? Because it’s got a great story.

There is action a-plenty in Leviathan.  Whether soaring through the sky as a passenger in a Darwinist airship or pounding across the land in a metal war machine it’s a race against time and war.  Told from the perspective of the two main characters Aleksandar and Deryn we see the events of their singular lives eventually collide to create a perilous, yet potentially fruitful, journey.

Aleksandar is being hunted.  The son of now assassinated parents he must be secreted away to a place of safety in order to assure his future ascension to the throne.
As part of that attempt he and his protectors cross paths with Deryn and her shipmates as they navigate the airways in an attempt to further their own mission.  Delivery of precious cargo.

So let’s talk characters shall we?  What’s most impressive about Leviathan is that Westerfeld has created powerful and compelling male and female lead characters.

Aleksandar is a wonderful combination of haughty, regal, brave, and childlike wonderment.  Sheltered his entire life, he’s quick to adapt to his new situation and surroundings while bearing the burden of hope for his people.

His counterpart Deryn is all things fearless.  A girl pretending to be a boy she’s not the picture of asugar and spice in this story.  A tomboy at heart, in her mind girls can do everything just as well as boys, maybe even better.  Don’t worry though, there is a certain softness to her, an appealing need to do what’s right at all costs.

Together Aleks and Deryn are the perfect friends.

There is also a cadre of unique and interesting secondary characters in Aleksandar’s caretakers and Deryn’s shipmates.  This is an eclectic group that play essential roles in how the story progresses.  Steadfast and loyal Aleks’ saviors protect his life with their own while Deryn’s shipmates and the quirky doctor she is tasked with keeping after all provide for some light-hearted and entertaining moments.

World building is another skill Westerfeld has undertaken with great finesse.  Infusing World War I history within a time of Darwinist creatures and Clanker machines he’s constructed an otherworldly yet familiar feeling.  We know just enough to be comfortable yet there are still these fantastical human and man made elements that provide an air of unexpectedness and mystery.

This book most definitely has it all.

But wait!  There’s more….

While I do have Leviathan in print I ended up listening to it on audio.  How glad I am that I did because doing so only added to the experience.

Narrated by the awesomely talented Alan Cumming I knew from the jump I’d adore it.  Boy was I right, listening to Leviathan on audio gave it an air of authenticity.  Cumming was the absolute perfect choice and did a great job of giving the story a very European vibe.  He created individual personalities for all of the characters (though I will say that at times Volger sounded so much like Arnold Schwarzenegger that I half expected to hear him say “I’ll be back”) and infused pitch perfect emotions for each of the situations they were placed in.  It was truly an amazing listen.

No matter how you partake of Leviathan, be it print or audio, all that matters is that you do. I strongly encourage it!