Leviathan

Leviathan
By Scott Westerfeld

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinist employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the Britsh 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.

I first picked up this book because I am a huge fan of Scott Westerfeld. Secondly the little video they had to advertise this book had a saying. "Do you oil your war machines, or do you feed them?" I found this extremely interesting. Thirdly, the book has pictures and brings me back a few years to a time when all words and no pictures was so horrible and hard. And lastly, it didn't hurt that i got it half price.

Now i must say up front that the build up for this book may have been slightly greater than the actual book. But don't get me wrong. I really liked the book. It interested me and it's cool idea was so great, i wish i had thought of it.

Something that surprised me was the way that they spoke. I mean you'd think that if the description said "World War I" I'd have thought it was going to be set in the past, but no i was expecting it to be in today's time, and boy was i wrong. There are so many ay's, lads, and interesting cuss words, I almost thought I'd automatically start speaking in such a way also. Its not a bad thing, again, but it is something different.

Now I was expecting this to be a one book deal, but apparently it is a series. This surprised me. This book 400+ pages and it only reaches a point to where Deryn and Alek's journey together just begins.

I would recommend this book for anyone who likes adventure, pictures (which means everyone), and something different. I am glad I read this book, and keep on getting impressed by Mr. Westerfeld.