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    Goliath
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    Goliath
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    Goliath
    Ebook457 pages7 hours

    Goliath

    By Scott Westerfeld

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Alek and Deryn are back onboard the Leviathan. The ship is ordered to pick up Tesla, a Russian inventor who has created a machine he claims can destroy half of the world, which he is using as a threat to impose peace. Alek wants to the end the war, so decides to back Tesla politically, as do the Darwinists. Meanwhile Deryn is still pretending to be a boy, though Alek has figured out her true identity, and promises to keep her secret. With stops in New York, California and Mexico, Deryn and Alek encounter adventure and intrigue at every turn, but when a secret German plan to sabotage Tesla's machine leads to a heart-stopping stand-off, as Tesla threatens to fire his weapon, it's up to the two of them to stop him - or face the end of the world for real…
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster UK
    Release dateSep 29, 2011
    ISBN9780857070029
    Author

    Scott Westerfeld

    Scott Westerfeld is the author of the Leviathan series, the first book of which was the winner of the 2010 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Fiction. His other novels include the New York Times bestseller Afterworlds, the worldwide bestselling Uglies series, The Last Days, Peeps, So Yesterday, and the Midnighters trilogy. Visit him at ScottWesterfeld.com or follow him on Twitter at @ScottWesterfeld.

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    Reviews for Goliath

    4/5

    531 ratings65 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The premise: ganked from BN.com: Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as Prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Airforce.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic onboard: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.My Rating: ExcellentThis was an utterly enjoyable conclusion on so many different levels. It's a series that started out good but disjointed, but has since become a rip-roaring adventure that's utterly difficult to book down. It may be targeted to YA readers, but you don't have to be a young adult to get absorbed in the fantastic world-building or the excellent illustrations, and Alek and Deryn as a duo are just way too good together to ignore. It's a trilogy that I can easily see myself re-reading one distant day, and I'm really curious to know what Westerfeld is planning next. I still think getting a steampunk Deadwood would be freaking awesome, though Westerfeld may want to market market that for adults if he went the HBO angle. ;) At any rate, I've thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy, and it's a must for any steampunk fan.Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. Sorry folks, but it is the end of a trilogy, and I want to talk about conclusions. Also, this trilogy is one of those where each book leads directly into the next, so unless you're fully caught up with the series, don't read the full review. If you are caught up, hop on over! The full review may be found in my blog, which is linked below, and as always, comments and discussion are most welcome.REVIEW: Scott Westerfeld's GOLIATHHappy Reading!
    • 4/5
      Goliath was a satisfying conclusion to the fantasy alternate timeline trilogy which features two teenagers taking a role in trying to head off World War 1 between the machine-loving Clankers and bioengineering Darwinists (aka the Germans and British and their allies). Deryn, who poses as a boy (Dylan) to serve as a midshipman on the giant British biological airship, carries out numerous feats of heroism on her beloved airship, as it wends its way around the world from Istanbul. Alek, the son of the assassinated Serbian archduke, draws his friend,Dylan, into his ambitions to support the scientist Tesla in forcing an end to the war through the threat of a powerful death ray weapon. Alex discovers that Dylan is a girl,Deryn and that perhaps a potential throne in Austria isn't what he wants in his future. I enjoyed this audio book, Goliath and would certainly recommend the entire series. Jack Murphy
    • 5/5
      A great conclusion to fabulous trilogy.
    • 5/5
      The ending of this was really sweet. The series wrapped up very well but still had all the elements of the previous book, great action sequences, perspicacious loris and wild inventions. I really liked the way he handled the big "reveal." It wasn't rushed or felt phony. Was very Austen-esque almost. Sad to see the series end.
    • 5/5
      This final installment of the Leviathan trilogy had me on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire time. If Deryn's secret wasn't on the verge of being discovered then Alek was in danger or the engines were smoking or some other calamity. This part of our story takes us from Siberia to Japan to the USA, introducing a number of memorable new characters and visiting old friends along the way. And Bovril the perspicacious loris was endlessly adorable. There were far more historical figures this time around, making Westerfeld's "what actually happened" epilogue even more interesting. You know, I don't really care for steampunk or alternate histories or books about war - fictional or otherwise - but I really, really loved this trilogy. I loved the characters, how you're never quite sure who knows what or whom to trust. I loved the technology, the mix of science and fantasy involved in these genetically engineered critters. I loved the story, the adventures, the romance, the suspense. And the ending was quite satisfying, which is saying a lot considering how many loose ends were flapping about prior to it. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Goliath is a solid ending to one of the most creative young adult series I have had the pleasure of reading. Not every single thing is resolved, but everything that needed to happen finally happened, and I closed the book feeling satisfied. Overall, I recommend this series to fans of action-adventure, young adult fantasy, and strong heroines.
    • 3/5
      After being part of the Ottoman revolution, Alek and Deryl follow Leviathan into Russia, presumably to be of aid to Japan on the Chinese Sea. But halfway there they get new orders. Leviathan is sent on a rescue mission to Tungeska in the middle of Siberian nowhere, where a strange blast has wiped out an entire forest. Stranded here, under siege from starved, huge Fighting Bears, is the person supposedly responsible for this destruction: none other than the genius/crazy inventor Nikolai Tesla. His massive weapon Goliath, all the way over in New York, is the source of this havoc, and his research at the location has, he claims, finally given him the missing pieces of how to control it. What Tesla has now is nothing short of a true doomsday ray, able to strike anywhere on the globe. His plan is to demonstrate it to the world, make the Clanker powers surrender and bring peace at last. The British government are very interested indeed. Leviathan is given the mission to escort Tesla to New York. I have to admit I was pretty disappointed in the concluding part of this original and spectacular steampunk trilogy. It’s still a very vivid and fascinating world Westerfeld has built, and this final part ties up all knots (more or less) in a decent fashion. But after three books I’m getting slightly tired of thrilling accounts of dangling about in ropes on top of the flying whale during storm or attack. I’m getting slightly tired of the same old positions among the cast. And I’m getting more than slightly tired of Bovrils chuckling and clever aside lines, ending every barking paragraph.The introduction of real people as cameos never quite becomes what it could have been either. Tesla is crucial to the plot of course, but the rest of them: Hearst, Pancho Villa, and others, never become more than detours and cutouts.And even though Westerfeld finally starts making something big of Daryl’s secret identity, it’s clunky and comes across as unorganic to me. Alek broods a bit, Volger schemes a bit, Daryl frets a bit, and HUGE propaganda implications are somewhat painstakingly planted. And when the big ending finally comes, it kind of feels like the work of a test audience poll. Call me a cynic, but I just didn’t think it rang true.This is an exciting series, and you should definitely read it – including this final part. It’s really worth it. I just think it’s a wee bit sad that, when the fabulous world building is in place and normalized, the characters and plot aren’t quite able to keep my interest up.
    • 4/5
      Book three in Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan trilogy, a YA saga set in an alternate version of WWI in which steampunk technology squares off against fantastically engineered creatures, with a young Austrian prince and a girl-disguised-as-a-boy British airship crewman finding themselves in the middle of it all. I suppose I didn't find this one quite as consistently engaging as volume two, but it's still a lot of fun, thanks in part to some colorful historical characters and a little bit of mad science, and the climax had me turning pages very quickly. I'm definitely glad I kept on with this series, despite a slightly lukewarm reaction to the first book. Overall, it's just a really entertaining story, with good characters, an interesting setting, and some pretty exciting action.
    • 5/5
      A fine end to a great series. I'm going to miss not having Mr. Sharp's adventures to turn to in times of need.Now that I've finished the complete trilogy, I find myself not only in awe of Mr. Westerfeld's fabricated alternate history, but also to how masterfully he attached it to his narrative. Barking spiders! Well done.But now I'm on to Kirsten Miller's first Kiki Strike book: Inside the Shadow City. Can't wait!
    • 4/5
      The final installment of an excellent series. Spectacular! Although all the books were very good, my favorite of the three is Behemoth, the 2nd book, partly because of its setting in Istanbul. Goliath adds more involvement by the US and the American media which was interesting, but I didn't find it as fascinating as all of the intrigue with the Ottomans. Great series!
    • 5/5
      Adorably started, these children stole my heart right from the very start. Because I read all three of these novels in one week, they all kind of blur in my head. So I'm going to write them all one big review pretty much.


      This series is promising to become one of top ten my favorite mini-series I would read in the early part of this year/all of 2012 (so far, as we area only 1/3 of the way in). I was captivated with how things happened, the slow reveal, how our characters learned things, how they handled ending up places, what was more important morality among people or loyalty to a cause.

      The illustrations made my heart sore every time. I like that the children aren't super-people by the end, but still feeling their way through the world. I adore madly the Lady Boffin and The Count. I want to know ssssoo much more about the gifted pets, because you know they go, continuing to be awesome.


      If you have not read this series (and I was already one of the late, late comers, with the series already completely when I found it), You Should Be Now. Go, go. Get copies. Giggle and love it.
    • 4/5
      Although it takes a little time to get going in the beginning, the action soon picks up in this last part of the trilogy when Leviathan leaves Istanbul and continues its travels east. As in the other parts, there's a lot of subterfuge and quite a few secrets to be revealed - politically (where is Leviathan actually heading?) as well as personally (when will Deryn's secret be revealed to Alex, and how?). Although I didn't feel that this installment was as good as the other two (mainly because of the shaky beginning), it's a very good conclusion to the trilogy. Also, the ending, satisfying as it is, does leave a tiny door open for the saga to continue - I only hope Westerfeld brings along my favorite character, Bovril, should he decide to pursue the opportunity.
    • 5/5
      The third and concluding book of the series sees Deryn, Alek and the rest of the crew of the Leviathan heading to Siberia to pick up a passenger in the form of Nikola Tesla. A former Clanker scientist who believes he can put an end to the war between the Darwinists and his former benefactors. Alek, feeling somewhat useless aboard the airship, quickly attaches himself to the new arrival and thinks his own destiny is to end the war and this is the best hope for that. He also manages to figure out Deryn's secret and after collecting Tesla the Leviathan is off to New York to work on Tesla's weapon, Goliath, so Alek and Deryn have the time to work things out.Once again there's plenty of action but this instalment seems more character driven with the developing relationship between Alek and Deryn. More characters adapted from our own history are added and this gives an extra dimension to the back story. The perspicacious lorises provide some light relief and occasional insightful comments. The end does leave the possibility for future books in this universe and I'll happily read them if they appear.
    • 5/5
      Such an amazing ending to an amazing trilogy. I stayed up WAY too late finishing it last night because I could not wait to get to the end. There's not a whole lot I can say without spoiling the previous two books, but if you enjoyed either of those, this will not disappoint. And as usual, the artwork is spectacular. So spectacular, in fact, that I bought The Manual of Aeronautics, and it's waiting for me at my apartment. It came a few days ago but I didn't want to even look at it until I finished the trilogy, so it's still in its box.The mix of history and fantasy in this series is perfection. At the end of each book there is a short afterward in which Westerfeld clarifies which parts of the story are true, and which parts he changed, and why he did so, and what the effects of his changes might be down the line. (I can't get too detailed without spoiling.) WWI history is admittedly one of my weaker areas, but after reading this series I will never forget what happened, and who was on which side, because I've seen it all through Deryn/Dylan and Alek's eyes. Nor will I ever stop dreaming about Keith Thompson's amazing drawings or the incredible creatures and contraptions that Westerfeld created. I need my own Perspicacious Loris. Like really bad.(For anyone who has read the Pretties series and is thus avoiding the Leviathan series: They're nowhere near the same thing. This is WAY better.)
    • 4/5
      There's no future for a Clanker prince and a Darwinish commoner, right? Keep in mind the commoner's hiding the secret of her gender in the uniform of a midshipman aboard one of the Britain's great airships - and the prince has absolutely no idea she's a girl... Add the fact that it's wartime, and the chances of romance seem pretty much doomed. Except...He's (finally) discovered her secret. But both Alek and Deryn are finding it hard to get their friendship back on familiar footing post-revelation. Complicating matters as always is Alek's Clanker past and Deryn's Darwinist loyalties. The airship Leviathan has a new secret mission, as well: rescue eccentric genius Nikolai Tesla and claim a mysterious weapon that just might end the war for once and all.Fraught with danger, deception and uncertainty, even if the whole "he's a she" thing's been sorted, the third installment is a gripping read.
    • 4/5
      Excellent alternate history. Good ending, a rousing climax to a slam-bang trilogy. One fatal flaw: I couldn't buy that Dr. Barlow didn't know that Deryn was a girl. A sticky-beak clever-boots boffin who's not just a Darwinist but a Darwin, and a biologist by trade, should have been able to tell male from female. That whole scene fell flat for me. Didn't work. The rest of it? Brilliant work. Westerfeld's clever manipulation of history, and his division of the world into Clankers and Darwinists, holds up well. I like the afterwords, in which he explains what he borrowed from our own history, and what he changed, and what he made up from source material or whole cloth. I now have a few more books to read, looking into his source material. Definitely a recommended read.
    • 2/5
      Zu guter Letzt hab ich mich dann doch ganz schön durch diese Trilogie gequält. Im dritten Teil gab es für meinen Geschmack etwas sehr viele zum Teil neue handelnde Charaktere. Und die Geschichte ist irgendwie zum Schluss ausgelaufen und konnte den Steampunk-Charme, der ihr manchmal so gut gelungen ist, nicht durchhalten. Stattdessen wurde immer wieder auf den selben Motiven rumgeritten. Außerdem wurde mit der "Enthüllung" des "wahren" Geschlechts der einen Hauptfigur sehr schmerzvoll und unhinterfragt klischeebeladen umgegangen. Dafür war das unvermeidliche heterosexuelle Romantik-Happy-End halbwegs ok.
    • 4/5
      A satisfying conclusion to an entertaining trilogy. I loved the inclusion of Nikola Tesla, and other real-life personalities. Alan Cumming's narration was fantastic again, though his voice for Tesla sounded like he was constipated a bit. I recommend this whole series, either in print (there are pictures) or on audio (great narrator).
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this entire series. Goliath was a very fitting end to the adventures of Deryn Sharp and His Serene Highness. Highly recommend this series for adults and children. The most unusual/cool thing is that at the end of each book in the series the author states what he changed about the actual history, and why (was it to make story more exciting, etc.) and he talks a bit about the actual history. I learned quite a bit and so did my daughter. Really a worthwhile read.
    • 4/5
      Despite having been somewhat disappointed with the Uglies series, mostly because I didn't care for the characters much, I have pretty much adored this series. In fact, I like them so much I've gotten both of my parents reading these books after me. Haha. Their complaint is that they get really tired of Westerfeld's invented slang, like 'bum-rag' and 'barking spiders,' the latter of which seems to particularly irritate. Personally, I find these things more amusing than annoying, but to each her own.

      Anyway, Goliath is a good conclusion to the series, although the ending is a bit abrupt. Of course, to make the alternate version align with what happened in real life, he was somewhat constrained in what the ending of the tale could be. Westerfeld chooses to end, and I really don't see this as a spoiler, with the entry of the US into the conflict. Even though that is not, as I hope everyone well knows, not the end of the war, but it works because it puts a nice cap to the tale of our heroes.

      Reasons to love The Leviathan Trilogy:

      -Steampunkery!
      -Fabricated creatures and crazy metal contraptions...they may not always make sense, but they're just so cool.
      -Awesome art work, if you read the print version.
      -Prefer audiobooks? That's almost better, because those are narrated by the incomparable Alan Cumming.
      -You can learn a new vocabulary of swear words.
      -The lorises, which are just the most awesome little creatures.
      -A kickass female heroine, who's much stronger than the boy she loves.
      -Crossdressing!
      -A prince in disguise!
      -Nikola Tesla as a mad scientist, in fact the villain (of sorts) for book three.

      Are these books perfect? No. However, they are still incredibly awesome and full of nerdy, action-adventure fun. Basically, if you ever got a kick out of history or fantasy, you should do yourself a favor and read these, starting with Leviathan.
    • 5/5
      Disclaimer: The last time I did a marathon read of a book was actually Westerfeld’s Behemoth, so me plowing through this in a day isn’t unheard of. That said though, this isn’t going to be as in-depth as some of my other reviews of stuff coming out this month. (Two more to go!) And I’ve been waiting for this to come out.

      I’m not kidding when I say that Leviathan is, hands down, the best young-adult series out right now, and Goliath did not disappoint me. I loved every second reading this. It’s a page-turner, as each new development sends Alek and Deryn across the globe to stop what potentially could be one of the most devastating wars of all time. Sure, the history’s fudged a little, but it works so well in the Leviathan-verse that I can accept Nikolai Tesla creating giant superweapons. (Which, btw, awesome.)

      Deryn is such a fantastic heroine. Is she hopelessly in love with Alek? Yes. Does she sit around and meeble about it? Hell no! Her job in the war is help Alek and stop things from getting worse. Deryn speaks her mind, doesn’t take crap from anyone, and even when her knee’s seriously messed up, she manages to find missions of importance without compromising her secret. At the end, she’s a little bit more world-weary and mature than the girl going up in the Huxley from the first book, but she’s still the same Deryn Sharp who boldly joined the Royal Air Force without a second thought.

      Alek’s development from pampered prince to badass diplomat continues from Behemoth, and I love him for it. The first few chapters deal with his extreme restlessness aboard the Leviathan, and a lot of the book deals more with his diplomatic skills, trying to convince that he’s really not a Darwinist or a Clanker, but just wants genuine peace. Also, he’s not stupid. I was really afraid that Deryn being a girl was going to be drawn out for the whole book, but Alek (finally) figures it out within a few chapters and cuts to the chase. The biggest problem isn’t “Omg my best friend is a GIRL!” but rather “Okay, so how can I trust you?” And then, they don’t mope about how horrible everything’s turned out to be. Even if they didn’t end up in a romantic relationship, I would have loved it just as much if they stayed friends for life. (And shared custody of Bovril. Because, you know, that so would have happened.)

      I’ve mentioned that one of the reasons that I love steampunk is for historical nods and in-jokes, and Westerfeld really pulls that off without feeling too gimmicky. Dr. Barlow has pretty much been a badass throughout the whole series (and I didn’t believe that she was surprised when Deryn revealed she was a girl). Nikolai Tesla was a fantastic edition to the cast, and I loved his morally ambiguous reasons for his weaponry. And I loved having William Randolph Hearst thrown in the mix, and Pancho Villa (with the giant bulls!) with his revolution.

      And the settings! I loved how we’ve been steadily getting away from the literally clashing technologies in Europe to cultures were both Darwinist and Clankers are put together. And we finally get to see how Japan and the Americas use both. Love the detail that the United States are still divided via tech. (And I really want a prequel spinoff about this verse’s Civil War.)

      I would really be doing the series a disservice if I didn’t talk about the astoundingly brilliant artwork by Keith Thompson. The illustrations are just so detailed and vivid, it breathes a whole new life into the story. Case in point—the scene of the Leviathan comes on a wrecked airship, and the next page is a two-page spread of the destruction with DEMONIC BIOENGINEERED BEARS STARING INTO YOUR SOUL. I can’t even imagine this series without the art, and like everything else in Goliath, every single piece is fantastic.

      Honestly, I cannot say one bad thing about this series and Goliath is such a fitting end. It wraps up all of the storylines without being too neat and tidy; I loved the callbacks to Deryn and Alek’s first encounters in the Alps (especially Alek’s “Bella gerant alii” at the end. Lo, there was much squeeing); and the ending is just open-ended enough to want more, but the main story has ended. I have an idea in my head that Alek and Deryn go off and have fantastic espionage missions across Europe and be badass and bicker with Dr. Barlow and freak out people whenever they accidentally snog in public. I can see this happening.

      Fantastic book. Really can’t say much more than that.
    • 4/5
      Wonderful, fun finish to what is an awesome trilogy. I love the historical settings, the interesting people, the crazy science. Westerfeld did a great job.

      Dylan/Deryn and Alek make a good team and they finish off their adventure in the same crazy spirit it started in. I liked the way the romance ended and that the story was more about action/intrigue than another irritating romance.

      I totally forgot to add - *and* this series is so awesome it passes the Bechdel test!
    • 3/5
      Oh goody, the "big reveal." To Westerfield's credit, the "my best friend is actually a girl with a crush on me" scene is played with not a trace of gay panic, but I still found it tedious at best. The actual plot of the book is sort of muddled - Tesla is a kind of hilarious character but it's not ever really clear if we're supposed to believe he's a fraud or not, and there are enough hints that I, at least, guessed the end about a quarter of the way into the book. (Probably didn't help that I actually know a little about the Tunguska explosion.)

      I must conclude with a sigh that this book was just not aimed at me. I'm not entirely sure who it was aimed at, or whether it worked, but I generally like his books, and I don't really care for these.
    • 5/5
      What a great read! No love triangles!!!!! Just two awesome kids fighting to save their world. Set in WWII with a very different set of weapons.  
    • 4/5
      A fitting and fine conclusion to one of the most original and interesting trilogies that I have read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed this alternative version of World War 1, set in a world where Clankers war with Darwinists and strange beasties abound. Westerfeld has created a brilliant world, populated it with interesting characters, written a gripping and quite moving story and added in a talking loris (or two). What more could I ask for? Oh, and the dialogue is great and I have now found myself using the word "barking" in everyday conversation.

      Highly recommended for ages 10 . Some complex concepts and a few dramatic, tense moments but nothing too dark or disturbing.
    • 5/5
      GoliathBy Scott WesterfeldPublisher: Simon PulsePublished In: New York City, NY, USA Date: 2011Pgs: 543Summary:The biological airship, HMS Leviathan continues on her war cruise. A cruise that leads her away from the World War raging around them, a cruise that is leading them round-the-world. The machinery dominated Clanker powers facing off with the biological geneticists of the Darwinists and their beasts and monsters. The secrets abound. Deryn has her/his secrets. Alek has a paper from the Pope legitimizing his throne against the usurpers in his Austrian homeland. Add the mad scientist Tesla to the mix and strange happenings are about to overcome the equally strange completment of the good ship Leviathan as she battles her way across the Ottoman Empire, Russia, and Japan on her way to New York City.Genre:fiction, steampunk, science fiction, alternate history, science, genetics, militariaWhy this book:Part 3 of the excellent series. Leviathan, Behemoth and, now, Goliath...excellent stuff.This Story is About:duty, destiny, determination, war, loveFavorite Character:Deryn/Dylan is a great driven character. I’m hopeful that Westerfeld doesn’t allow her to shrink into her skirts as her secret is revealed.I love Prince Alek, but his treatment of Deryn/Dylan as her secrets come to light are giving me pause.Least Favorite Character: Tesla from feeding his transport airship to giant Darwinist Russian war bears to being cold blooded enough to contemplate leaving the Russian crew behind on the ice to face the bears when the Leviathan comes to rescue them.Count Volger, while fully rounded as a character, is a blackmailing jackass. He is wonderful at it. He is determined to protect the crown.Character I Most Identified With:Deryn/DylanThe Feel:This a wonderful fully formed trip through an alternate world.Favorite Scene:Hard to pick a favorite…The rescuing Tesla at Tunguska scene.The revelation scene topside of the Leviathan a huge Pacific Ocean storm sweeps across the airship.The arrival in Pancho Villa’s valley.Settings:The airship Leviathan; Tunguska, Tokyo, Mexico, Pacing:The pacing of the story is breakneck and wonderful. The pages flow across my eyes like water. I’ve got that feeling as I approach the end, that I don’t want it to end feeling.Plot Holes/Out of Character:N/ALast Page Sound:Damn. That’s cool. I’ve loved this trilogy and I wish there were more books.Author Assessment:Depending on subject matter, I’d absolutely read something else by this author. I would dearly love if we got a look at Deryn and Alek’s world in 1940 and later on as their world aged through toward ours.Editorial Assessment:Well done.Disposition of Book:Irving Public Library, Irving, TXWhy isn’t there a screenplay?I would love to see this series done by the same folks who did Sanctuary for the Syfy Channel.Casting call:Prince Aleksander could have been a young Keanu Reeves. But that ship has sailed. He’s just too old for the role. Maybe Daniel Radcliffe, if they start making movies soon. The actor needs to look between 16 and 20 to my way of thinking.I have no clue who could be cast as Deryn/Dylan. Emily Kinney...maybe.Javier Bardem could be Count Volger. He’d do what he always does, infuse the role with awesome. Bryan Cranston could as well. Bill Nighy as the bosun Mr. Rigby would be awesome. Though it is a very small part. I wouldn’t want to insult an awesome actor. Of course, in the same breath that I consider him for that role in, I realize that he could play Count Volger as well.Rachel Weisz would totally work as Dr. Barlow.Would recommend to:everyone
    • 5/5
      We rejoin Alek, Deryn and the rest of the crew not too long after the events of Behemoth have finish. They are both back aboard the ship after helping with the Ottoman Empire revolution, but things have changed slightly. Alek's story is now known throughout the world and he's filling a bit useless on the ship after the action of the revolution. And Deryn is still disguised as a boy and fulfilling her duties about the ship. But things are about to change as the Leviathan picks up a madman scientist in Russia who has contrived of a way to perhaps end the war...and in the process put Alek on the throne. But first the Leviathan must make its way to the United States and along the way secrets are revealed and futures shift as our epic story draws to a close.Way back when Levithan was first published I knew nothing about Scott Westerfeld or his books, but I saw the trailer for the book and I was captivated and picked up the book without hesitation. And was instantly blown away by the story that took us into an alternate world, with characters that lept off the page and into this world. I eagerly followed Alek and Deryn's adventures through Leviathan and Goliath and into this last book where secrets are revealed and we watch our two heroes vanish into the sunset...and I have tears in my eyes that this is the last adventure that we'll take with them. Westerfeld surpasses himself with this final volume, weaving a fantastic tale that ties all of the threads together, with the right blend of humor, action, and tears into one...and gives us the ending that so many of us were hoping for. My only regret about this book, is that I don't want to leave this world. I want to continue sailing/flying with Alke and Deryn upon the Leviathan. And I think that's the best thing I can say about this book/series.I don't think enough is ever said about Keith Thompson's artwork, but the man outdoes himself with each book. They highlight just the right scenes and give us that view of our heroes that we're craving. And the final illustration for the book is pure gold. The perfect way to sign off this fantastic trilogy.If you haven't read any of the books yet, what the heck are you waiting for? Go and pick them up now! You won't regret it. And as soon as you've read them...reread them again and be captivated by their tale once again.
    • 4/5
      Wow the end. Again - wow the end. Very good adventure story again, I got completely lost in this world. While I would have liked it to be more, I don't know, politically conscious perhaps, it hit all the right spots in so many ways. I'm very glad I read this trilogy. Deryn and Lilit are extremely nice additions to my personal pedestal of awesome female characters in fiction and that reason alone should be enough for you to put your grabby hands on a copy!
    • 5/5
      There are many who take Westerfeld to task for his portrayals of women and girls. I challenge you, though to find another male author who so consistently creates female action heroes. This is a fantastic end to a fantastic series mostly because Deryn loses none of her potency by the end of the third book. Some of her recklessness is exchanged for maturity, but she is still powerful and smart. HIGHLY recommended.
    • 5/5
      Steampunk sci-fi alternate version of World War I! Deryn and Alek are aboard the British Darwinist ship Leviathan once again, rescuing famous and insane inventor Nikolai Tesla from Siberia, and then heading across Japan and the Pacific toward the United States. Tesla has a new weapon... one which he claims can destroy a city halfway across the planet. There's an incredible amount of destroyed Siberian forest to support his claims, and he is bent on stopping the war one way or another. His real motives are far less noble, and Deryn and Alek are in the middle of a political and military mess. Deryn's secret identity is at risk as well, and the fact that she's fallen in love with Alek only complicates things. Lots of wild battles between the fantastical creatures of the Darwinists and the incredible machines of the Clankers, and high-flying action! A gripping can't-put-it-down conclusion to the trilogy. Strong 7th grade readers and up.Advance reader copy from Book Expo 2011