Behemoth (Leviathan)
2 journalers for this copy...
sending out in steampunk box
This 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 philosophies are tested as their friendship grows; Alek is an Austrian Clanker and Deryn an English Darwinist. After the Leviathan is damaged by a German attack, Alek and his personal guard escape the airship and join a revolutionary group dedicated to the overthrow of the sultan of Istanbul. Meanwhile Deryn has been sent to sabotage a key military blockade in the Istanbul harbor. But true havoc doesn't ensue until the teens are reunited. This dynamite novel incorporates factual events of the early months of World War I: the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Churchill's confiscation of an Ottoman Empire warship, and the instability and revolution within the Empire. However, the elements of steampunk, biological and mechanical technology, sheer over-the-top adventure, and great storytelling make this a must-have addition to any speculative fiction collection. Thompson's sumptuous full-page illustrations capture the goings-on and contribute to the cinematic feel of the book
mailing in steampunk box
Oh good, I've read the first book in the series and wanted to continue but I didn't have the next volume!
Started reading last night.
Finished yesterday.
Now a prisoner of war aboard the Leviathan, Prince Alek struggles to hide his identity from his captors. Deryn Sharp is one of the few British officers who know that Alek is heir to a throne, but she has her own secrets to keep hidden – like the fact that she's a girl masquerading as a boy. After the Leviathan is attacked and damaged by the Germans, Alek manages to escape and hide in Istanbul, an officially neutral territory. Deryn, under orders from her own government, is sent to the same city in order to sabotage installations by the Turkish military. By the time the two teens are reunited and teamed up once again, a revolution is brewing in Istanbul with the two of them leading the way!
Behemoth may be the middle book in a trilogy, but it manages to avoid that frustrating suspended action that plagues many of these “placeholder” volumes. There's plenty of action here, moving the story forward. I'm not terribly familiar with WWI history, so I thought that setting the action in Istanbul was great. From here, we see how the war looks from the outside (since theoretically the Ottoman Empire is neutral) as well as the battle tactics of diplomats and generals as well as the guerrilla warfare of the revolutionaries. It's really exciting and dynamic.
There are a lot of strong female characters. Deryn constantly throws herself into the action, and though she follows her orders to the letter she tries to be as fair as she can in the process. Her little crush on Alek grows into something stronger, which makes her life all the more awkward since, as far as he's concerned, Deryn's just one of the guys. Dr. Barlow, a scientist largely responsible for many of the fabricated creatures that serve the British as warships and messengers, proves to be more than a clever scientist; as a diplomat, she's quite brilliant, even though her overtures to the sultan ultimately prove fruitless. Finally, there's Lilit, an energetic daughter of a revolutionary leader who helps both Deryn and Alek complete their missions while ensuring that her own goal – overthrowing the sultan – is achieved.
For fans of steampunk and alternate history, this is not a series to be missed.
Now a prisoner of war aboard the Leviathan, Prince Alek struggles to hide his identity from his captors. Deryn Sharp is one of the few British officers who know that Alek is heir to a throne, but she has her own secrets to keep hidden – like the fact that she's a girl masquerading as a boy. After the Leviathan is attacked and damaged by the Germans, Alek manages to escape and hide in Istanbul, an officially neutral territory. Deryn, under orders from her own government, is sent to the same city in order to sabotage installations by the Turkish military. By the time the two teens are reunited and teamed up once again, a revolution is brewing in Istanbul with the two of them leading the way!
Behemoth may be the middle book in a trilogy, but it manages to avoid that frustrating suspended action that plagues many of these “placeholder” volumes. There's plenty of action here, moving the story forward. I'm not terribly familiar with WWI history, so I thought that setting the action in Istanbul was great. From here, we see how the war looks from the outside (since theoretically the Ottoman Empire is neutral) as well as the battle tactics of diplomats and generals as well as the guerrilla warfare of the revolutionaries. It's really exciting and dynamic.
There are a lot of strong female characters. Deryn constantly throws herself into the action, and though she follows her orders to the letter she tries to be as fair as she can in the process. Her little crush on Alek grows into something stronger, which makes her life all the more awkward since, as far as he's concerned, Deryn's just one of the guys. Dr. Barlow, a scientist largely responsible for many of the fabricated creatures that serve the British as warships and messengers, proves to be more than a clever scientist; as a diplomat, she's quite brilliant, even though her overtures to the sultan ultimately prove fruitless. Finally, there's Lilit, an energetic daughter of a revolutionary leader who helps both Deryn and Alek complete their missions while ensuring that her own goal – overthrowing the sultan – is achieved.
For fans of steampunk and alternate history, this is not a series to be missed.
