Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Audiobook Review)

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Title: Leviathan
Series: Leviathan, book 1
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Narrator: Alan Cumming
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Duration: 8 hours, 20 minutes
Copyright: 2009
Genres: science fiction, adventure, young adult
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney Public Library.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. The Leviathan is a living airship, the most formidable airbeast in the skies of Europe.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl 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 the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way - taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.
©2009 Scott Westerfeld; (P)2009 Simon & Schuster

MY TAKE ON IT: I love Scott Westerfeld’s imagination. There are perhaps only a handful of writers I know of, who can create a completely fictional world and make you believe in it, the way Westerfeld can.
On the one hand, you have the clankers. In Westerfeld’s skewed, “what if” history, the clankers build enormous battle machines that walk on two, four, six, or even eight legs. Clankers are masters of mechanical devices. On the other hand, you have the Darwinists, who create new species of genetically manufactured organisms to take the place of machines. The Leviathan is the penultimate Darwinist creation. Similar to a gigantic zeppelin, the Leviathan incorporates thousands of living creatures, including flechette bats and attack falcons as weapons, and a huge, hydrogen breathing monster which holds the whole thing up. How in the world does Westerfeld think this stuff up?
This audiobook is about a group of clankers, and a group of Darwinists, including the grand-daughter of Darwin himself, who are forced into a partnership of sorts. Both groups are being pursued by the Germans, who are determined to ignite a war, and they must work together to escape. It’s a bit of culture shock for both groups as they get a closer look at how the other faction lives. That culture shock also extends to the two young heroes, Alek and Daryn, who begin to get a broader view of the world they live in.

NARRATOR: Alan Cumming is a fair enough narrator. He speaks with a mild Scottish accent which is pleasant to listen to. His pacing is good, and he differentiates the voices of the characters without getting too carried away with it.
As with most audiobook narrators, Alan Cumming has played in lots of film, theater, and television roles. One of his more notable roles was the character of Nightcrawler in X-men 2.

SPECIAL FEATURES: At the end of this audiobook, there is a short commentary by the author, Scott Westerfeld. In his commentary, Westerfeld explains which parts of “Leviathan” are taken from actual history, and which events he manufactured. In other words, he separates the fact from the fiction. It was an interesting narrative, and I like the fact that he didn’t ramble on for half an hour, like some authors I’ve listened to. I’m talking about you, Orson Scott Card!

FINAL WORD: “Leviathan” has everything I have come to expect from a Scott Westerfeld Audiobook. Namely, plenty of imaginative creations, interesting characters, and lots of action. I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the story, even though some of them were made up. This audiobook is highly recommended.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (Audiobook Review)
Extras by Scott Westerfeld (Audiobook Review)
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld (audiobook Review)

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This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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