Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

What are your chances of survival when the entire German army is hunting you?  That’s what Prince Aleksandar is about to find out when his parents are assassinated on the eve of World War I and the assassins want to stop him from inheriting the throne.  In the process of escape, Alek makes an unlikely ally in Deryn, a girl pretending to be a boy so she can serve in the British Air Service.  Can Alek and his small crew escape the German army and keep their identities a secret from the British?  And will Deryn and her fellow British soldiers help them escape or will they turn them in to the Germans as prisoners of war?  And can Deryn keep her real gender a secret even as she begins to develop feelings for Alek?

Set in an alternative steampunk version of World War I, this exciting adventure tells the story of Prince Aleksandar Ferdinand as he attempts to escape the German army and survive the war so he can take the throne as Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  With the help of the British Air Service, and their whale airship, the Leviathan, Alek battles to keep himself and his crew alive and to keep his identity a secret.  Beautiful illustrations throughout the book enhance the story, and a cliffhanger at the end will leave readers eager for the next book in the series.  This book is highly recommended for all young adults in a public or school library setting.

Awards

2010 ALSC Notable Children's Book
2010 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
2009 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel

Teen Interview

"My friend told me to read this series...The illustrations are really cool and I like the story a lot.  We learned about World War I in school but this book makes it way more interesting with the animal ships and the Darwinists and Clankers and stuff...I'm definitely reading Goliath when it comes out."
Jacob H., age 16

"I read the Uglies Series and the Midnighters Series and really liked them so I thought I'd probably like this series too. I don't usually read, like, war type books, but this one was really good. Plus it starts to hint that there's something else going on with Alek and Deryn, so it's not just about war, there's some romance, too. I'm excited to find out what happens with them."
April J., age 15

Jacob and April have both read other steampunk novels.  Jacob has read The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade, and April has read the Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare.  Jacob and April both read a couple of books a month, although April said she reads more in the summer when she has more time to read.  Jacob is on Facebook and Twitter, although he doesn't use Twitter very often.  April is not on any social media and prefers to call, email, or text.

Learn More

Read more about Scott Westerfeld and his many other books on his website.  You can also friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.  Learn more about the entire Leviathan Series--listen to audio excerpts, watch interviews, and browse illustrations from the books--on Westerfeld's Leviathan webpage.

To learn more about Keith Thompson, the illustrator of the Leviathan Series, visit his website where you can view a gallery of his artwork or buy some of his art. You can also follow his blog or friend him on Facebook. 

Watch the book trailer for Leviathan below:

Leviathan is the first book in the Leviathan Series.  Read the other books in the series to find out what happens to Alek, Deryn, and their friends and enemies.

Book 2

Book 3 (releases 9/20/12)

Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan. Illus. Keith Thompson. New York: Simon Pulse, 2009. Print
9781416971733; Hardback; $20.00; 440 pages

Also available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.