Stephanie S. (skywriter319) - , reviewed on 10/26/2009 + 784 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

I won't be surprised if LEVIATHAN marks the beginning of a new YA fiction trend: steampunk. LEVIATHAN has nonstop action in a world that will take your breath away.

Steampunk is a genre that occurs in an alternate historical world where most technology runs on steam, and electricity usage is sparse. The combination of Keith Thompson's beautiful illustrations and Scott's exciting prose makes the world come alive for me.

While neither Deryn nor Alek are among the most unforgettable characters I have ever read, readers will stay engaged with them because of their perilous positions. Alek may come off as whiney sometimes, while Deryn kicks major butt as a girl disguised as a boy who does the job better than most boys can. Over half of the novel occurs before they meet each other, so I am intrigued as to how their relationship and separate characters will continue to develop in the next books in the series. Likewise, supporting characters are often an uncomfortable mix of intriguing and underdeveloped. We shall see what happens to them in the later books.

My reservations about the characters aside, LEVITHAN is a worthy forefather of YA steampunk fiction. With Scott's trademark action scenes and two fairly strong protagonists, readers will not be disappointed, and will instead want much more from this new and interesting world.

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