Review: Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan #2)

Title: Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Published: October 5^th, 2010 by Simon Pulse

Source: Puchased

Format: Hardcover book and audio book

Challenge(s): TBR Challenge

Grade rate: A

The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.

My Review

I first read Leviathan in 2009 and although I had Behemoth, just like other unread (but not unloved) books in my shelves, I hadn’t had the chance to read it before now.  When I saw the audio book at my local library, I quickly decided to pick it up.  Barking spiders! It was an extraordinary adventure!

In the audio book, actor Alan Cumming does a wonderful job.  I really enjoyed the different accents (German, British, Scottish, Middle East) and different voices, it was a true masterpiece.  However, I usually listen to audio books in the car and it was taking too long to finish the book that way AND I also missed the beautiful (and helpful) drawings; therefore I finished the book by actually reading my copy. 

If you haven’t read Leviathan, let me give you a very brief summary.  This is Steampunk at its best!  It is a re-telling of some of the events of WWI (early 1900s) in which the world is divided between Darwinists (who create creatures or ‘beasties’) and Clanckers (who create amazing machines) and they are at war. 

It was so good to visit again with these beloved characters.  Deryn is so funny, loyal, extremely intelligent, and resourceful.  She makes an extraordinary soldier, even if she has to hide in breaches to become one.  Alek is so focused on making a difference that sometimes his judgment gets him in trouble.  It’s a good thing that he has Deryn to look after him!  He still blames himself for the start of the war. 

The characterization for these series is really good; it makes the reader invested in the story and in what the characters are going through.  I enjoyed all the characters, Lilit, Dr. Barlow, Count Volger, and specially Bovril. Deryn, I love you and I hope that Alek does too!

I really enjoy all the drawings, as I said before, they are beautiful AND very helpful since they portray amazing creatures and machines that help the reader visualize the huge imagination that Mr. Westerfeld has.    The plot is truly a stroke of genius!  It is complicated, unexpected, full of twists and turns and amazing besties and machines.   I really love this series and I already order Goliath, the last book in the series.

Have you read this series?  Do you love it?  Have you read other amazing Steampunk?