Leviathan

It is 1914, and the world stands on the brink of war. On one side are the Clanker Powers, Austria-Hungary and Germany, whose armies march with steam-powered war machines. On the other are the Darwinists, Britain and its allies, who have used genetic engineering to fabricate living airships and beasts of war. Prince Aleksandar, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run after his parents’ assassination. Deryn Sharp, a girl disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, serves aboard the Leviathan, a living whale-airship. Their paths collide in ways neither could have predicted.

Why This One

Leviathan reimagines World War I as a conflict between steam technology and biological engineering, and the result is one of the most creative alternate histories in steampunk fiction. Westerfeld builds two complete technological civilizations with internal logic and rich detail, then smashes them together. The contrast between Clanker machines and Darwinist creatures is visually stunning, brought to life by Keith Thompson’s illustrations throughout the book.

The dual-perspective structure, alternating between Alek and Deryn, gives the story both political intrigue and personal stakes. Deryn’s secret identity adds tension that goes beyond the battlefield. The novel won the 2010 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Fiction and is the first book in a trilogy continued by Behemoth and Goliath.

What to Expect

An illustrated adventure novel that moves at a brisk pace. The world-building is detailed but delivered through action rather than lectures. At 448 pages, including illustrations, it reads faster than its length suggests. The tone balances wartime danger with humor and heart. Readers of any age will find it engaging, though the themes of identity, loyalty, and the ethics of war give it depth beyond a straightforward adventure.