โ Scribed by Scott Westerfeld; Keith Thompson
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker Powers.
Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.
Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face whatโs ahead.
Starred Review. Grade 7 UpโThe team of Scott Westerfeld and Alan Cumming keep the action literally flying along in this spellbinding sequel (2010) to Leviathan (2009, both Simon Pulse). As the story opens, Deryn (an English Darwinist) is still posing as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service and still dealing with her feelings for fugitive Prince Alek (an Austrian Clanker). The Leviathan is headed for Istanbul, and both Deryn and Alek hope they can end a bloody battle that has been brewing throughout Europe. Of course nothing goes as planned, and the two face great danger in order to save those they care about. Westerfeld's ingenious juxtaposition of factual events of World War II with the fantastic (steampunk) is brought to life with Alan Cumming's spot-on vocalization. He rivals the superb veteran narrator Jim Dale in his ability to take on all types of characters both human and inhuman. Though his German/Austrian accent is a bit on the theatrical side, it still works perfectly, and his ability to change his inflection for each character is incredibleโfrom the sly and cunning Count Vulgar to the confused yet determined Alek. His Scottish brogue for Deryn, posing as Dylan, is also pitch perfect as he imbues the character with just the right amount of innocence and street smarts. Listeners are sure to be captivated and will be left clamoring for more.โ Shari Fesko, Southfield Public Library, MI
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Things slow down just a wee bit in this sequel to the WWI alt-history Leviathan (2009). Here, the focus shifts more onto wartime politicking than smash-dash battling, but Westerfeld maintains a steady influx of the seriesโ real strengthโthe superbly imagined mechanical contraptions and genetically crafted creatures. The bulk of the story takes place in Istanbul, as both the Clankers (Austria-Hungary and Germany) and Darwinists (England and Russia) are intent on swaying the Ottoman Empire in their favor. British midshipman Deryn (still disguised as a boy) and Prince Alek (heir-in-hiding to the throne of Austria-Hungary) continue to find themselves squarely in the thick of things en route to a nicely tied-together climax featuring the title beastie. Anyone needing a good visual for what makes steampunk so alluring should look no further than Thompsonโs intricate illustrationsโblack, white, and gray rarely look so vivid. Although there are messages about the futility of war and a burgeoning love story, this is first and foremost a high-concept action series, and Westerfeld knows how to pound a pulse while tickling the imagination. Grades 7-10. --Ian Chipman
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### From School Library Journal Gr 7 UpThis book continues the hard-driving, action-packed adventures of Alek, heir to the throne of the Austrian empire and current British prisoner of war, and Deryn Sharp, a midshipman assigned to the Leviathan. Their loyalties to their respective governments and
### From School Library Journal Gr 7 UpโThis book continues the hard-driving, action-packed adventures of Alek, heir to the throne of the Austrian empire and current British prisoner of war, and Deryn Sharp, a midshipman assigned to the Leviathan. Their loyalties to their respective governments and
The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commone
The Leviathan arrives in Constantinople, a city where Clanker culture and Darwinst principles intersect in the most intriguing ways. Dr. Barlow and Deryn deliver their precious cargo to the Sultan, but their peace-keeping mission goes unexpectedly - and disastrously - awry. Now the only way to sav