http://my.hsj.org http://my.hsj.org en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 24 May 2013 09:46:14 GMT 15 By Heather McNulty
I picked up The Leviathan because it’s a Scott Westerfeld book and I was quite taken with him when I read his version of the future in the Uglies series. The way The Leviathan was written is not so compelling as the story. Scott Westerfeld took the events of the summer of 1914 and used them as the basis of this fantastic tale. On June 28, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie Chotek, were assassinated. Westerfeld gave them a son named Alek, who had to go on the run or else be murdered. All of the allied and rivaled powers were there, but their biggest division was that of metal or skin. The Clankers, made up of Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire, use extensive walking machines, sometimes with up to 8 legs. The Darwinists, made up of France, Russia, and Serbia, fabricate intricate beasts. The Leviathan itself is a hydrogen whale with all sorts of creatures living in it and giving it life, an entire eco-system used as an air ship. On the run, Alek eventually needs assistance from the Darwinists aboard the Leviathan and with the help of a young girl, Deryn, disguised as Dylan, the midshipman, they come to an unlikely partnership. The start was a bit hard for me to get into because I’m not exactly into the whole being-one-with-the-machinery thing. But I’m happy to say Deryn’s need for the sky and the way with beasties pulled me through until Alek’s story became more and more satisfyingly complex. Some frustrating questions remain unanswered by the end of the story and, therefore, leave the reader itching for the next one. The Leviathan is a wonderful blend between past and future and whose magic will be enjoyed by all who pick it up. ]]> Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:24:49 GMT