Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Rating: Four our of Five Covers

Leviathan is an exciting alternate history of World War I where the author further emphasizes the ideological divide between Eastern and Western Europe through a steampunk twist.  Germany and Austria-Hungary are Clankers, relying on giant steam-powered vehicles, while England and France are Darwinist, using genetically modified animals for transportation and battle.  Naturally, each side feels that the others methods are barbaric.

The story is told from two points of view: Prince Aleksander, son of Archduke Ferdinand and who has secretly been declared heir to the throne by the pope, making him a key political pawn in the war; and Deryn Sharpe, a young woman who disguises herself as the boy Deryn in order to join the British Air Service aboard the giant sky whale Leviathan, despite the aeronautical tragedy that claimed her father’s life.  These disparate points of view allow Westerfeld to explore various political, class and gender issues of the time period.  And it is only natural that their stories should intersect; a story element in which Westefeld does not disappoint, but nor does he surprise the reader.

The author does an excellent job at world building, giving just enough explanation to make these societies plausible without getting bogged down in exposition.  And the emphasis on action and adventure makes the story a compelling page turner.

But that emphasis also makes the characterization suffer.  It is a neat trick of narrative shorthand to start with cliché concepts, the spoiled prince and the tomboy, but Alek and Deryn don’t develop much beyond those initial building blocks.  The spoiled prince doesn’t understand how the world really works; the tomboy better than most of the other recruits.  And even after that the characterization is not always consistent.  A moment which stood out was when Alek was justifiably horrified after having to kill a soldier in defense.  However, he has no compunction later on about battling his countrymen to defend the Leviathan.      

Overall, Goliath paints an exciting world worth visiting even though the characters and plot have some predictability.