Hey bookworm friends. Barking spiders, I finally finished this series! I found the first book at the library when I was a teenager and really liked it so I read the second one too. And I fully intended to continue with the third but I just never did…until now! Thanks to a buddy-read of the entire trilogy with some friends and it feels so good to have this series under my belt 🎉. And, as a bonus, now I’m ready for when the anime adaptation comes out later this year! Now, I don’t typically write series reviews but I’m trying to review more of my reads this year so why not try something new?! Let’s get into my thoughts on the Leviathan series.
❗Please note that it’s tough to review an entire series without getting into mild spoilers. Take this as your warning and read at your own risk!
Series Review
Tropes & Themes
Girl Disguises Herself as a Boy │ Genetic Engineering │ Giant Mechs │ WWI │ Royalty/Commoner Romance
Leviathan
by Scott Westerfeld
Illustrated by Keith Thompson
Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2009
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternate History
Format Read: Physical
Cover Artist: Keith Thompson & Sammy Yuen Jr.
Content Warnings:
Death of parent, War, Animal death, Blood, Misogyny
Leviathan is a YA steampunk alternate history of WW1 except imagine that the Central Powers fought using giant mechs. And then imagine that the Allied Powers fought with giant fabricated beasties. The alternate history of this world includes Darwin cracking the code of DNA and thus being able to fabricate all manner of animals that were ubiquitous in every facet of life if you’re a Darwinist (England, France…). But the Clankers (Austria-Hungary, Germany…) fear and hate the fabricated beasts.
As you read on you get to meet all sorts of really strange creatures but some of my favourites were the adorable message lizards as well as Leviathan itself: an airship that’s a giant whale but also a whole ecosystem onto itself! The worldbuilding is fascinating but I wish the ethics of creating animals was more thoroughly explored. But the focus of this book is on the politics of WW1 in the context of this world. It’s a heart-pounding book with many bombastic action scenes and stunning in-text illustrations by Keith Thompson. I can see why it’s begging to be adapted
Most men’s awareness doesn’t extend past their dinner plates.
Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan
Behemoth
by Scott Westerfeld
Illustrated by Keith Thompson
Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2010
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternate History
Format Read: Physical
Cover Artist: Keith Thompson & Sammy Yuen Jr.
Content Warnings
War, Death of parent, Violence, Animal Death, Misogyny
Based on the synopsis of the Leviathan trilogy, I didn’t expect much romance in this story. There are small whiffs of it in the first book but in Behemoth is where romance, and especially jealousy, begin to rear their heads. Given that there’s so much going on politically and with the world-building, the romantic aspect was the least interesting part of the story and was not well received by my buddy readers either. However, the action gets ramped up and even takes us off the airship and into the city of Istanbul.
Istanbul was fun to visit because it’s a city full of different factions, where both Clanker and Darwinist technologies blend. It’s where we get to meet a bunch of new characters and it’s the perfect setting for a revolution! The daring escapades, swashbuckling, and cinematic action are turned up to 11—and as always, gloriously illustrated. Each installment unveils new beasties and ever more elaborate machines, but book 2 introduces what turns out to be my absolute favourite beastie. That’s a surprise I absolutely won’t be spoiling but suffice it to say that it proves that power is not just about outward might. 😉
I go where the lizards tell me.
Scott Westerfeld, Behemoth
Goliath
by Scott Westerfeld
Illustrated by Keith Thompson
Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2011
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Steampunk, Alternate History
Format Read: Physical & Audiobook
Narrator: Alan Cumming
Cover Artist: Keith Thompson & Sammy Yuen Jr.
Content Warnings
Death, War, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Animal Cruelty
Goliath is the only one of the trilogy that wasn’t a re-read for me so I had no clue what to expect for the finale. Midway through the third book, I suddenly decided to borrow the audio too because my friend told me that Alan Cumming was brilliant at the accents! And I agree; he effortlessly switched between English, Scottish, American, and German accents! He clearly gave his all to his performance so I definitely recommend the audio book (just make sure not to miss out on the illustrations in the meantime 😉).
This time around, Leviathan takes us to Tokyo, Mexico, and USA. I really enjoyed voyaging through so many different cities; the world Westerfeld imagined makes this series so readable! The bare bones of this alternate history are accurate but various characters and motivations are the author’s inventions. I always looked forward to reading the afterwards, where he breaks down exactly which parts are accurate, invented, or even slightly tweaked. The last afterward almost made me cry with its sheer hopefulness because ultimately Leviathan is a story about making your own destiny.
Despite the hopeful ending, I didn’t find it entirely satisfying. As previously mentioned, the romance didn’t work for me here and there is a character that really disappointed me. Throughout the entire trilogy there is a side character who’s mysterious and always scheming, like they’re always two steps ahead of everyone else. Unfortunately, in the end it felt like the scheming didn’t result in anything relevant, but rather that the character was just there for plot conveniences and I’m annoyed! Regardless, it was an emotional roller-coaster of a series and an adrenaline-filled adventure with heart.
Emperors are vain and useless things.
Scott Westerfeld, Goliath
Let’s chat in the comments!
What’s the last series that you finished? Or, what’s a series that took you years to finally finish?
Great reviews of the series. You’ve actually made me really intrigued by this one. Although how could I not be when strange creatures are involved throughout? Also I really like the sound of how many settings you get to explore, particularly Istanbul during the second book. The afterwords with what’s true and not sounds like a wonderful touch too that I’m sure I’d find fascinating. It’s just a shame about the romance (which I wouldn’t have been expecting either tbh) and the side character issue within the ending. This still sounds like a fascinating series overall and I’m so glad you managed to finally finish it 🥰
I haven’t finished either yet but I’m majorly hoping to get both Sookie Stackhouse & Forest Of Hands And Teeth finished this year. Like this for you they’re ones I began in my teenage years but somehow never completed.