mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
4.0
fun read if not very deep. Illustrated steampunk set in an alternate history ww one Istanbul. nice art if not overwhelming. still, I liked it better than the previous one and I'll certainly look for the sequel when it comes out. 4.5 of 5.
marie_maude's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
proffy's review against another edition
4.0
The Short and Sweet of It
Westerfeld brought me into an amazing world in Leviathan, and now in the second installment in the series, he has taken me beyond the surface, introducing a broader worldview. In Behemoth, Alek and Deryn ride the Leviathan towards Istanbul, a diplomatic mission for the British ship and an escape route for the fugitive prince. But things do not go as planned on route or once in the city. Just like with the first, I was entertained throughout, and I am a wee bit stressed that I have to wait until next October to read Goliath, the third in the series.
A Bit of a Ramble
Behemoth, obviously, picks up where Leviathan left off with Alek and Deryn onboard an airship bound for the Ottoman Empire. Alek and the men who fled Austria-Hungary with him are tolerated on the ship, floating somewhere in the space between prisoner and crew. They are responsible for the Clanker engines powering the Darwinist airship, and yet their status an enemies-of-the-state make their relationships on the ship a bit strained. Alek and Deryn, however, are chugging right along in their relationship despite their differing ideologies.
Their relationship really intrigued me in this book. They are growing quite close as friends, but Deryn's feelings are quite obviously of the more romantic variety. This puts the reader in an interesting position since as far as Alek knows, Deryn is Dylan, a male airman. The insertion of a girl close to Deryn and Alek's age really adds to the drama of the deception, especially when the object of the newcomer's affections is Deryn.
I don't want it to seem like the romance is a large part of the plot because it definitely isn't. This is action-adventure, not romance, and the focus remains on political intrigue and world building. And the characters. The wonderful, wonderful characters. Outside of Alek and Deryn, we have a clever Count, a conniving biologist, a lovable mechanic, and even a perspicacious beastie. This has been one of my favorite series of the year, and I can't wait for the next installment.
Westerfeld brought me into an amazing world in Leviathan, and now in the second installment in the series, he has taken me beyond the surface, introducing a broader worldview. In Behemoth, Alek and Deryn ride the Leviathan towards Istanbul, a diplomatic mission for the British ship and an escape route for the fugitive prince. But things do not go as planned on route or once in the city. Just like with the first, I was entertained throughout, and I am a wee bit stressed that I have to wait until next October to read Goliath, the third in the series.
A Bit of a Ramble
Behemoth, obviously, picks up where Leviathan left off with Alek and Deryn onboard an airship bound for the Ottoman Empire. Alek and the men who fled Austria-Hungary with him are tolerated on the ship, floating somewhere in the space between prisoner and crew. They are responsible for the Clanker engines powering the Darwinist airship, and yet their status an enemies-of-the-state make their relationships on the ship a bit strained. Alek and Deryn, however, are chugging right along in their relationship despite their differing ideologies.
Their relationship really intrigued me in this book. They are growing quite close as friends, but Deryn's feelings are quite obviously of the more romantic variety. This puts the reader in an interesting position since as far as Alek knows, Deryn is Dylan, a male airman. The insertion of a girl close to Deryn and Alek's age really adds to the drama of the deception, especially when the object of the newcomer's affections is Deryn.
I don't want it to seem like the romance is a large part of the plot because it definitely isn't. This is action-adventure, not romance, and the focus remains on political intrigue and world building. And the characters. The wonderful, wonderful characters. Outside of Alek and Deryn, we have a clever Count, a conniving biologist, a lovable mechanic, and even a perspicacious beastie. This has been one of my favorite series of the year, and I can't wait for the next installment.
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
Deryn is a girl posing as a boy and serving in the British Air Services aboard the Leviathan as it heads to the capital of the Ottoman Empire on a secret mission.
Alek, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, is also aboard the Leviathan posing as a commoner among his men. Together these Clankers and Darwinists have forged an uneasy alliance born out of necessity. But when war comes to the airship, everything changes.
The year is 1914. The British Darwinists and their fabricated beasties have declared war against Austria-Hungary and their Clanker war machines. The rest of the world sits, waiting, on the brink of war.
As the threat of war looms closer, Alek finds himself running out of options. He can't stay aboard the Leviathan any longer and risk becoming a prisoner of war. But can he ask his only friend, Dylan Sharp, to commit treason by helping him escape?
Deryn knows that Alek has to leave the airship. She knows the he should go. But no matter what she tells herself Deryn doesn't want him to go. How can the one person who trusts her completely also be the one she can't share her biggest secret with?
Alek and Deryn should be on opposite sides of this conflict but instead they have become fast friends. As the two make their way through the mysterious and dangerous city of Istanbul they just might find a way to stop this war in its tracks in Behemoth (2010) by Scott Westerfeld with illustrations by Keith Thompson.
Behemoth is the sequel to Leviathan. It's also the second book in Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy.
This book is filled with everything that made Leviathan great and then some. Westerfeld's reimagined world is just as vivid and compelling as before. The action is just as exciting. There is alternate history. There is steampunk. There are beasties, walkers and a lot of people making insinuations by saying "Mr. Sharp" repeatedly.* There will be humor. Oh, and those mysterious eggs from Leviathan? They totally hatch in Behemoth.
Deryn's secret continues to weigh heavily, especially when it comes to Alek. Meanwhile Alek, almost literally, has the weight of the world on his shoulders as he works to find a way to end the war. Westerfeld also spends more time on a lot of favorite secondary characters (including Dr. Barlow and Count Volger, my personal favorites) and world building as we see an Istanbul very unlike the one we know and learn more about familiar characters. The scope and detail Westerfeld brings to this book (and which Thompson brings to his delightful illustrations) is truly astounding.
Behemoth is an excellent addition to a wonderful trilogy, possibly even better than the first in the trilogy. This is a book that really exceeds all expectations and will leave readers eagerly waiting for Goliath, the forthcoming conclusion to a stunning trilogy.
Possible Pairings: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers with illustrations by Kelly Murphy, Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, Firefly (television series) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (graphic novel and movie), The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne (television series), Serenity (movie)
*Sometimes one line can really make a book. Believe it or not, "Mr. Sharp." might be the line of this book.
Alek, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, is also aboard the Leviathan posing as a commoner among his men. Together these Clankers and Darwinists have forged an uneasy alliance born out of necessity. But when war comes to the airship, everything changes.
The year is 1914. The British Darwinists and their fabricated beasties have declared war against Austria-Hungary and their Clanker war machines. The rest of the world sits, waiting, on the brink of war.
As the threat of war looms closer, Alek finds himself running out of options. He can't stay aboard the Leviathan any longer and risk becoming a prisoner of war. But can he ask his only friend, Dylan Sharp, to commit treason by helping him escape?
Deryn knows that Alek has to leave the airship. She knows the he should go. But no matter what she tells herself Deryn doesn't want him to go. How can the one person who trusts her completely also be the one she can't share her biggest secret with?
Alek and Deryn should be on opposite sides of this conflict but instead they have become fast friends. As the two make their way through the mysterious and dangerous city of Istanbul they just might find a way to stop this war in its tracks in Behemoth (2010) by Scott Westerfeld with illustrations by Keith Thompson.
Behemoth is the sequel to Leviathan. It's also the second book in Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy.
This book is filled with everything that made Leviathan great and then some. Westerfeld's reimagined world is just as vivid and compelling as before. The action is just as exciting. There is alternate history. There is steampunk. There are beasties, walkers and a lot of people making insinuations by saying "Mr. Sharp" repeatedly.* There will be humor. Oh, and those mysterious eggs from Leviathan? They totally hatch in Behemoth.
Deryn's secret continues to weigh heavily, especially when it comes to Alek. Meanwhile Alek, almost literally, has the weight of the world on his shoulders as he works to find a way to end the war. Westerfeld also spends more time on a lot of favorite secondary characters (including Dr. Barlow and Count Volger, my personal favorites) and world building as we see an Istanbul very unlike the one we know and learn more about familiar characters. The scope and detail Westerfeld brings to this book (and which Thompson brings to his delightful illustrations) is truly astounding.
Behemoth is an excellent addition to a wonderful trilogy, possibly even better than the first in the trilogy. This is a book that really exceeds all expectations and will leave readers eagerly waiting for Goliath, the forthcoming conclusion to a stunning trilogy.
Possible Pairings: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers with illustrations by Kelly Murphy, Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, Firefly (television series) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (graphic novel and movie), The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne (television series), Serenity (movie)
*Sometimes one line can really make a book. Believe it or not, "Mr. Sharp." might be the line of this book.
mmoshier's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
88keys's review against another edition
4.0
I love the premise of this series. It is unlike anything else I have read.
sisteray's review against another edition
4.0
I'd feared how the story was going to progress from the first book, worried that the sequel would be more of the same (not that it would necessarily be a bad thing as the first book was so much fun). Fortunately, Mr. Westerfeld pushed the story into a fun new environment and continued to explore the characters in unexpected and rewarding ways.
Much like the first book this is chock filled with adventure. Few books capture a sense of motion the way that these do. Highly recommend them.
Much like the first book this is chock filled with adventure. Few books capture a sense of motion the way that these do. Highly recommend them.
steph_davidson's review against another edition
4.0
#171. The only steampunk thing I've liked, and I really like it. I had completely forgotten that Alan Cumming did the narration for #1 (Leviathan), and so when this one started up one morning on my commute, I nearly squealed when I heard him (BIG fangirl here). He's brilliant, the story is wonderful, and I'm still mystifed at how a WWI steampunk ya novel series is holding my interest.