Narrator: Alan Cumming
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon Pulse on 06 October 2025
Length: 8 hours and 20 minutes
Source: Purchased through Audible
Goodreads
Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.
With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.
Thoughts: I mostly knew what to expect going in-a unique take on steampunk, alternate history, and great characters. Still, Leviathan blew me away. I read Uglies and I should have been prepared for how creative Scott Westerfeld is, but I was still caught off guard by the world he creates in Leviathan. The book opens the night of the assassination that starts WWII. The world is divided on science (among other things). One side (the side with the Brits) are Darwinists who use DNA to create to living machines. Deryn joins the air service and ends up on the Leviathan… it is a living airship that is at once both an organism and an ecosystem. On the other side we have the Clankers, those who deal with electronics. Their ships are called walkers, because they have legs and mimic animals (although Alek would deny this).
The characters are just as well developed as the world. Alek is set to inherit the throne of Austria-Hungary, although nobody knows about it so he is on the run. He walks this really fine line for me and I still can’t decide if I like him or not. His voice and the story he is a part of? Absolutely love. But as a person, he can be incredibly ignorant, impulsive, and arrogant. Of course, these traits are balanced out by his intelligence, kind heart, and the fact that his parents just died. Deryn is much easier to like. She’s fearless, funny, and despite the fact that she is a fourteen year old girl pretending to be an older boy, good at her job. Plus, she has a thing for Alek, which makes him far more likeable. And I loved the tension of pretending to be a boy while the girl inside her is falling for a boy who also happens to be the future ruler of an entire country.
The story careens forward, intertwining with WWII, but not really being about WWII (yet, maybe). I became invested in the characters early on (even Alek) and found myself talking at my audiobook. At one point, Alek does something that puts his entire party at risk and I was yelling at the audio console of my car. There is a little bit of a mystery, because the Leviathan is on a super secret mission and I’m looking forward to the next book so that I can find out more about this mission and why it is so important.
Moments I Loved: When Deryn starts to realize that she has a crush on Alek. I know this isn’t a romance, but oh man, do I want them to work out.
WTF Moments: When Deryn takes Alek hostage. I didn’t expect it!
Narrators: Alan Cumming is fantastic. He gets the emotions of the characters and the feel of the scenes perfectly! And I love all the accents he does for the characters.
Overall: One of the most creative and unique books I’ve read in a while. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series.
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I need to check this one out, because I liked his first series, and good to know this doesn’t disappoint.
Brandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Oh, man. I bought this book for my boyfriend for Christmas, and from his comments, he loves it. But I can’t freaking wait for him to finish it so I can read it 😛
Glad you enjoyed it. And I love it that you yelled at the dashboard, I usually have heated arguments with my ereader 😀
I would like to think I am smart enough to appreciate this book. We’ll see
Jen @ YA Romantics
I won this book and the sequel a long time ago but have never read them. Just not interested in them. One of my sons read Leviathan and loved it, but never read Behemoth. As a general rule, I don’t like audio books, I tune them out. But Alan Cummings? I might be more tempted. Even if I sat with the book on my lap and followed along while he read. I know that isn’t the point of an audio book, but I’d just love to hear him read it.
Maybe Alek’s personality problems have something to do with him being the future ruler of his kingdom. He’s probably been brought up to be very proud and sure of himself because he’s supposed to be a king, yet he’s kind of at odds with that right now because he’s lost that identity and his parents. (of course I don’t know just how much of an a** he is.) Man, you’re gonna make me tackle my TBR pile aren’t you??
Heather
Oooh, it’s read by Alan Cumming? I think I need to get on this Audible bandwagon! Even though I really can only listen to books like 2% of my time…
I’m so glad you loved this one! I can’t wait to read it. Soon, I hope! Great review, Steph!
I love Alan Cumming! And I did think that he did a great job reading this one I just remember that for some reason I struggled with it. I need to put it on my list of books to buy when I’m allowed to buy books again!