Review: Leviathan

Leviathan 
by Scott Westerfeld  
Release Date:  Oct. 6, 2009
Genre: Steampunk, Adventure, Historical Fiction
Series: Leviathan #1

First Line: "The Austrian horses glinted in the moonlight, their riders standing tall in the saddle, swords raised."

Summary:

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men. 

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, 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 World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

My Thoughts:
Leviathan is a non-stop action story, set in an imaginative steampunk world, with two very sympathetic protagonists and amazing illustrations. This is my first time reading steampunk and I LOVED it. 

The imagination that Scott Westerfeld puts into Leviathan is amazing. He takes you into a world in the brink of war. One side, the Darwinist,  have genetically modified "beasties", while the other side, the Clankers, have incredible machinery. Now meet Alek, an ex-prince on the run, and Deryn, a cross-dressing girl in the British Air Service. I love both of theses characters and enjoyed reading their alternating point of views through out the novel.

The two main characters have amazing adventures on their own, but when their paths cross, things start to get really interesting. Leviathan will keep you turning pages and anxious for the next book in the series. Highly recommended.

You have to watch this book trailer! You'll see how amazing the illustrations really are.

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